[lilyvanilla]

So, I know we're not to give medical advice. But again, why is this? Is it because the mods aren't comfortable w/ giving it/it being given. or you're not medical professionals? Or both? Or something else?

Thank you

[GreenSnail]

I think it's because if someone gives medical advice and a person gets hurt/dies following it then the board could get into some legal thing, also people should really go and see a doctor if they need medical advice/ attention because only your doctor knows your medical history and they can do what's best for you, while a random member of the board can't. I think the rules say even medical proffesionals can't give medical advice here.

[Tracy]

For liability issues, we can't give out medical advise. No one here is here as a medical professional. If someone gave you bad medical advise, you could be harmed, and we, of course, do not want to cause anyone harm.

[lilyvanilla]

I didn't know about the liability thing.

[blondie2002]

I remember reading something about that when I first joined Pandys.

[Kate]

Hi Lily,

Tracy and Kat are correct, part of the reason why is liability. Another reason is that it is also dangerous for your own health. We all deserve good health and well-being, compromising that by asking a bunch of strangers who've never met you, let alone examined you, what you should do to look after a physical concern is not a good idea!

Take care,
Kate

[astralvigilante]

I have a related question. What exactly counts as medical advice? I sometimes see conversations where people say "oh I had a similar problem and I got diagnosed with Example Disorder" or "oh I used to have terrible migraines and I asked my doctor about pill Y and it really did the trick." That kind of advice helps people to get an idea of what to do, but with a general disclaimer that only a doctor can tell you for certain if that's the disorder you have or if that's the pill you could take. When I discovered that half my face was paralyzed, I used some forums to ask what the situation might be. It turned out that the doctors seemed to like working with a patient who had done some research ahead of time and had some idea of what was wrong. There are just so many things that various problems could allude to, that getting an idea of what it *might* be can help you be a more informed patient.

Those types of posts usually seem to be allowed, especially since no one actually says "it's probably just X so you should do Y." Is it okay to give ideas and opinions about a person's situation as long as you preface with the fact that you're obviously not a doctor and that only a doctor can make a diagnosis?

[Susan]

Hi Astralvigilante,

Quote

Is it okay to give ideas and opinions about a person's situation as long as you preface with the fact that you're obviously not a doctor and that only a doctor can make a diagnosis?

No. Using disclaimers like this don't speak to the core issue which is no one on this board, medical professional or not is allowed to offer advice. It's simply not a responsible thing to do and could actually harm someone. You are free to discuss an ailment or condition and how it affects your healing, others may respond offering ways to cope but cannot offer advice on how to treat it.

There are many forums related to medical issues anyone can look up and do research on to be better informed for their doctors. Being a member of a board for survivors of sexual violence isn't one of them. I think it's always a great idea to be as informed as possible when dealing with a medical issue. Advocating for yourself is a very smart move!

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Peace to you,
Susan