[Fomite]

The problem with this is when what you think you're fighting for and what you're actually fighting for don't align.

I've encountered patient advocacy groups who are actively, and passionately, pushing for the wrong thing, that while emotively satisfying, will not help the problem they're trying to solve.

[toufiqbarhamov]

Sure, it’s hard to get right, and patient advocacy groups in particular can be wildly off target. By advocacy I mean one-on-one, for someone you actually have a connection to, and limited to issues you can reasonably understand. For some people that will be issues of comfort and other basics, for some it might have a more clinical element. Advocacy can be as simple as checking on an elderly relative to make sure they’re being cared for properly, checking a doctor’s background, or even getting another opinion from another doctor. In extremes it can mean diagnosis on your own, which you then verify with a doctor.

In that last vein, I’ve been in that position. A girlfriend from years ago had a nasty rash on her arm, and a series of dermatologists gave her a series of exams and creams. I did some research and concluded that it was probably an allergic reaction. I talked to her latest dermatologist who agreed it could be that, and I suggested taking s daily allergy pill. It worked.

Sometimes having the time and inclination to do research is more than a busy doctor brings to the table. If you’re skeptical, and understand that cherrypicking symptoms from a list and screaming “oh god it’s a tumor,” is unhelpful, then research is useful.