Anyone else slightly annoyed to receive 'thumbs down' on a medical answer in your own specialty?

Question

On this site there are a fair number of medical people from all areas of expertise. My board certifications are Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. It amazes me that I get more thumbs up for my answers in the "History" category than I do in the "Cancer" section. The "thumbs down" responses make me want to give up answering questions in my specialty.

I'm a history buff, but my life's career was cancer medicine.

I also get the feeling that there are many people out there who seem angry with doctors. I've been retired from medicine for a few years now. I wonder if patient anger is rising? I've known many doctors who cared more about people than money and tried to give the best care possible. I think I was one of these.

Answer 1

You probably get a point just for voting, so some knuckleheads come through and thumbs down a bunch of answers.

I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't even look at the voting, whatever happens is out of your control.

About 1/4 the "best answer" is the one the person wants to hear, not the most accurate.

Answer 2

Yes, absolutely.

It's not always the question-asker, either.  There are a lot of self-annointed experts here who either don't like people who have actual credentials or who don't like being disagreed with.  And the anti-medical bias is palpable.

It's a shame, because I learn a lot from people who legitimately answer questions with real knowledge and not just cut-and-paste jobs from Wikipedia, and I feel that the whole "thumbs-down" thing is discouraging to them.

Answer 3

i can see how that's annoying, but calm down. it's a site on the internet, so why do you really care? people like to **** around; don't take things so seriously.

Answer 4

If you don't give people the news they want to hear then they reject it, regardless if it's the truth or not. Every person who has cancer most likely wants to be told it's alright and that they'll live a long happy life. It's called denial, they want you to give them the fairy tale version of the story.

History is more set in stone. If someone asks who the first president is and you say george washington, there's no arguing with it. There's no different opinions, it's fact. While medicine and disease on the other hand isn't always stone. Someone who has cancer might not die right away, the doctors told my grandmother she had 3 months to live but she went on living for 2 years. If you tell someone that a treatment might help them for 6 months, they can thumbs down it because they're hoping to get lucky and live 4 years.

That's the way I view it atleast. Hope I helped.

Answer 5

I'm not a doctor but I have a medical background and I also have experienced the old nasty thumbs down from a few people.  It especially annoys me when I go and look something up in a text book and quote it and I still get a thumbs down.

I think there are a lot of young people here who get off on asking stupid questions and marking thumbs down because they don't have anything better to do.

I think doctors should be praised for what they put up with in their practices and I appreciate the fact that they/you are willing to spend time on this site to help people.

Answer 6

Don't worry about it.  Three are a few of us here who are genuine, and our answers attest to that.  There are also a lot of crazies, and children (and possibly, crazy children) and just all-around idiots who like to post.

I've had outright attacks here.  And a stalker.  I'm not losing any sleep over it though.  People can take or leave my advice, and (for my stalker) I can handle a firearm (Navy pistol expert marksman medal!)

The whole insurance thing these days frustrates both patients and physicians.  I'm glad that hasn't infiltrated into anesthesia too much yet.

Just keep on being you :)

Answer 7

What astounds me most is the complete ignorance displayed on some of these forums, reflected in "thumbs down" and best answers chosen. I agree with others that this is a result of people voting, based on what they want to hear, rather than what they need to hear. However, in the UK this is compounded by the growing distrust and animosity aimed at the medical profession. The reasons I suspect are multifactorial, but ultimately it's because patient's expectations are higher, and access to undiluted information is easier than ever.

Whilst this is sometimes just annoying, it can be harmful when ignorance is taken into practice. This is especially relating to those inflammatory questions which suggest doctors prescribe drugs inappropriately, for financial gain.

I for one struggle to answer some questions sensibly now.

Answer 8

It's good you're retired. Unreasonable patient expectations are on the rise, and one of the recent baffling phenomena I've noticed is that when I give people good news (It isn't pneumonia, Mrs. Jones, only a cold) rather than being relieved they're both angry and disappointed. Also, more and more people see us not as experts but as drug dealers. They seek us out not to get our expert opinion but to score a drug, antibiotics and antiemetics being especially popular drugs of abuse.

The very concept of authority and expertise is eroded, and you can expect to continue to accrue "thumbs down" as long as your answer isn't the one people want to hear.

Answer 9

I'm not a medical expert, I have no degree in anything, but I would if I just put a little effort into in. But you know that I know A LOT about the medical world. Mostly because I soak up anything I hear. The nurses have been urging me to go to school for nursing because I've learned so much. But I don't do needles or blood...especially needles.

I've noticed that you're like me though, you choose your questions you answer carefully. I personally love your responses, they're professional, intellegent answers with experiences you've had with those types of patients. But some people don't want to hear professional opinions, some want to hear from people who've been through it. They want to know what they're going to experience. It's probably a sense of comfort they're looking for. "Oh, they're just like me, I'll be fine."

I think patient anger is rising as well. My anger rose when my PCP kept pushing me aside because all of the factors were against me. I had to tell her how to do her job when it came down to it. I asked for the CT scan, I asked for a referral to a specialist. I'm not the one with the degree, but I sure as h**l knew more about my body than she ever did. But she was the only one I ever got angry at. Another reason, people are scared. There is so much c**p out there that the media makes WAY too overdramatic. And another reason is emphasis on doctor scandals. The media is a bunch of whores and they make good  people look bad.

What you do is amazing. Oncology, I imagine, has to be one of the hardest fields out there. Constantly dealing with tragedy of death and the joy of remission and survival. I really, really respect you and would be sad if you chose not to answer cancer questions any more.

So f*ck those angry little @$$holes that give you thumbs down. They're probably pissed because you're smarter than they are or because you're a top contributor. We usually get thumbs down because people are jealous for some reason. When all we're trying to do is help.

Answer 10

I can't say that I have a medical specialty, but for several answers that are merely and neutrally truthful, I get thumbs down. Some of the answers aren't even going against the political and societal tide. They just get disapproved of, no matter what they are.

Please do keep answering the ones in your specialty and don't worry about the disapproval of internet people, many of whom have far less experience and education than you.

Think of how many they help. Remember, these answers stay in search engines so the next time someone has a medical problem, your answer may be one of the ones with the most helpful information. You won't know it, but you may be appreciated for years to come.

EDIT: Oh, and yes, a lot of people are unsatisfied with current practices of medicine, and the internet is giving them a voice. Boy, do they get themselves heard...

Answer 11

Some great answers above from some very good posters. I pretty much ignore the whole thumbs up/thumbs down thing altogether although I do dish out quite a few thumbs-up from many of the posters above rather than weighing in on a topic that has already been answered very cogently. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of medical professionals who participate on this forum -- I am not aware of any other that provides such ready access to this sort of expertise. People really don't appreciate it, in some cases.  And since the thumbs-down thing is anonymous, a lot of people probably get some sort of a thrill from giving a thumbs-down to a physician. I have noticed that when the thumbs down are issued, it seems at times as though they are given solely to the answers that make sense. So perhaps a thumbs down is a good thing, considering the source.

Thumbs-Up for everyone!

Answer 12

People who are angry with the doctor have either self diagnosed themselves and want a prescription for a high powered pain killer,,,instead of investigating the cause of the discomfort and are angered by the lack of 'script' at the end of the visit,,,

  Or perhaps they do not know how to talk to a doctor and expect the doctor to be a mind reader,,,,

Dont give up answering the medical questions,,I look forward to your honesty whenever I have a medical question,,and if you remember I have asked many,,,

Answer 13

I have had the same experience - many times.  I just remind myself that often the questioner is looking for answers that agree with their own ideas (right or wrong).  If your answer doesn't match their beliefs, no matter how right you may be, they may not like your answer.

I also remind myself that there are a lot of "intellectually challenged" people on this website (just read some of their questions and answers!).  These types of people may give thumbs down ratings on issues where they literally have no knowledge.

Finally, I notice you have a 56% Best Answer rating!  That is one of the highest I have seen!  So, just keep up the good work and let the chips fall where they may.

Best wishes.

Answer 14

Yes, it's a bit annoying. My field of practice was in pediatrics and I get a lot of thumbs down on questions about immunizations, an area where I have had great interest.

But what annoys me more is when an asker chooses as best answer a response that is patently wrong. I wish there were some redress to this.

Nevertheless, I think most individuals hold their personal physicians in high regard but not the medical profession in general. At least my former patients don't run me down in the supermarket parking lot as I waddle aimlessly in a vain effort to remember where I parked my car.

Answer 15

People are very rude.  I have seen some of the best answers with Thumbs down and I never understood.  I belive it's the little boppers running around thumbing people down for the kicks of it....not because they even read the answer.