Five Things You Should Ask Your Doctor About

Scary Things You Read Online 

There’s a lot of information online—unfortunately, not all of it is good information. If you hear something about a treatment, vaccine, or medication that sounds scary, you should consider reviewing those claims with your doctor if they’re relevant to you. For example, if you’ve been prescribed a mediation, and you hear from TikTok influencers that it will cause outrageous side effects, you should consider asking your doctor about those claims. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of trusting your doctor, you should find a licensed medical doctor whom you feel comfortable with and whom you can trust. While there’s nothing wrong with getting a second opinion from another doctor who’s qualified and who knows your history, you should never trust your health to unqualified sources such as influencers who aren’t even licensed medical professionals. 

Treatments, Medications, and Supplements Seen in Advertisements 

You’ve probably seen a lot of advertisements for supplements, treatments, and medications online, in TV commercials, and even on billboards. Some of these may require a prescription, but not all of them will. However, just because something doesn’t require a prescription doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask your doctor about it—especially if you’re already dealing with medical factors that could cause you to experience serious or life-threatening side effects of said treatment, medication, or supplement. 

Celebrity Doctor Claims 

Celebrity doctors sometimes make a lot of pretty bold claims. In fact, you’ve probably seen a certain someone’s face on a lot of women’s magazines telling you how you can “walk-off 100 pounds in just 20 days.” While it may be tempting to trust these doctors, especially since we’ve been watching them on talk shows for the past 20 years, it should be understood that not all of these celebrity doctors are doctors in the same sense that your doctor is. For starters, many of these celebrity doctors haven’t maintained their licensure and some may not be up-to-date with the most current research. Also, these doctors don’t know you, nor do they know your medical history; therefore, they aren’t able to give you tailored advice. Lastly, many of these doctors are benefitting financially from the products they’re selling, magazines they’re in, or products they’re endorsing. 

Your Sister-in-Law’s Medical Advice 

Aunt Barb, Grandma Jane, and your sister-in-law—and probably others that you dread seeing at Thanksgiving—are all going to have opinions on your medical health. If you have children, these family members will probably have an opinion on your child’s health as well. It’s only a matter of time before they bring up your dog’s health. While it may be tempting to take their opinions into consideration, especially if they’ve said something particularly scary, you should always follow up on those claims with your medical provider who knows your medical history and can give you personalized recommendations and guidance. Every body is different; what’s true for Grandpa Frank may not be true for you. 

Your New Diet and Exercise Plan 

There are a lot of diets and exercise plans out there and, as we get closer to the holiday season, we’re going to see more and more advertisements for those diet and exercise plans, leading all the way up to January 1st. If you have ambitions to lead a healthier lifestyle, make sure you discuss these plans with your doctor, especially if these diets, diet supplements, and exercise plans were not previously prescribed to you by a medical professional who knows your medical history. If you are on a new diet plan, and you begin to experience side effects, you should report these to your doctor, especially if you’re on a diet plan due to a medical condition that you’re attempting to resolve with a new diet plan.  

Fast, Discreet Shipping 

You’ve probably seen commercials for medications that can be quickly and discreetly shipped to your doorstep—”no prescription needed!” Most of these companies work by having you fill out a questionnaire and having a medical professional review the questionnaire to ensure that you qualify. An increasingly common example of this is GLP-1 inhibitors. Many people are signing up to services that will allow them to get medications like Ozempic delivered straight to their door without any additional visits to the doctor’s office. While these services may be convenient, it is likely a good idea to have a face-to-face discussion with your doctor before signing up for one of these medications. 

Medical Malpractice Can Cause Serious Injury 

When it comes to health, it’s important to take your doctor’s advice seriously. Unfortunately, medical malpractice does occur, causing people to lose faith in the expertise of professionals. If you’ve sustained injury due to a negligent medical professional, and you’re looking to explore your options. Contact Moxie Law Group for a free consultation.