To wish posters would not dish out misinformation

[dancinginthehall]

I saw a thread recently where several posters repeated the same medical misinformation. I have also read diet and exercise threads where some posters dish out their own opinions as absolute fact with the air of being an 'expert' on the matter. Just now I saw a thread where a poster mentioned, apropos of something else, that she has a glass of wine with dinner every night, and several posters told her, very seriously, that she had a drink problem.

AIBU to think that some posters actually do more harm than good by trotting out this vaguely medical type misinformation - either scaring posters, putting them off making healthy changes to their lifestyle, or misdiagnosing because they actually haven't a clue what they're talking about?

I think the key is understanding this is a forum for expressing opinions. And unless actually backed up with scientific links, to take everything with a pinch of salt.

I think anyone who takes what a MN poster says as medical fact and doesnt go onto NHS or other specialist sites for the actual facts needs their heads examined

Yes, I suppose you're right. But it does annoy me when I see people just spouting something they read somewhere and passing it off as fact.

There's actually a thread going at the moment and several posters have, very sensibly, advised the OP to consult a doctor.

Following that line of thought, one can just as easily conclude that posters should stop asking random people for thoughts and advice. Mumsnet forum is not a place for expert advice. Therefore it's reasonable to assume that most sensible people with a little bit of common sense understand and accept that and, hence, will not act on every piece of advice and opinion they are likely to get here!

It's the same with employment issues ("oh they can't just sack you, even though you were caught with your hands in the till and you've only been there six weeks") and child maintenance issues ("he can't just not pay you anything, you will be able to stay in the family home until the children are 43 and he will have to pay you £3500 a month")

I think sometimes people don't like opening a thread and then closing it again without commenting, even though they clearly have no expertise in the issue being discussed

I think it's different though, as I'm talking about people categorically telling a poster that they should be taking such and such a tablet, or should cut out x y and z food groups, or definitely have a drink problem and are probably suffering from liver disease - despite having no medical qualifications whatsoever. I just think it is quite irresponsible and wish they wouldn't do it.

Sorry, my reply was to tiggerkid.

MN threads are full of this. Many posters also think things that apply only in their workplace, school, council or country must apply everywhere else.

'Contact a shit hot lawyer for your free half-hour of legal advice', that a) they are not legally bound to offer b) will only be cursory.

I'm talking about people categorically telling a poster that they should be taking such and such a tablet, or should cut out x y and z food groups, or definitely have a drink problem and are probably suffering from liver disease - despite having no medical qualifications whatsoever. I just think it is quite irresponsible and wish they wouldn't do it.

I stand by my reply as I think it's equally irresponsible to act on any medical advice given here without validating it with someone, who has appropriate expertise and I am sure most people have enough common sense not to do it.

I never go near the diet and exercise threads anymore. Full of posters telling you that eating healthily and getting out for a daily walk is absolutely useless and you should be cutting out all sugar and gluten and carbs and going for a 20 mile run every morning.

And yes, there does seem to be a lot of MNetters who think anyone who drinks more than a small sherry once a week has a problem, and even the small sherry drinker is probably on a slippery slope.

YANBU. What upsets me is people constantly giving medical opinion which completely contradicts mine and many other women’s experience and may actually endanger a woman’s pregnancy and by doing so they are basically saying it doesn’t happen, and diminishing many women’s experience. It’s so upsetting and uneducated.

I saw a thread on here once where a poster was going into hospital for a medical procedure and was cheerfully advised by lots of posters that she'd be well able to go out and about the next day and would be back in work within a week.

I, and several other people I know, had the same procedure. Most of us were in hospital for nearly a week and at home recuperating for about a month.

All sugar, gluten and carbs? Who on earth says that?😂😂😂 weirdos

It is a bit like real life though. You bump into someone you know but are not close to in a supermarket, mention in passing in a low key way some minor ailment your dc has had, and you then get a list of things it may be and what you should be doing about it.

Agree it's the ones who get their knickers in a twist about booze and the mythical no carb. There is no such diet as no carb, it's pretty much impossible, even cucumber has carbs, and yet they clutch their pearls and say you can't cut out whole food groups and go no carb and you are an alcoholic for drinking 14 units a week.

And yet, and yet, apparently five donuts is a portion. Go figure.

Olenna I think sometimes people don't like opening a thread and then closing it again without commenting, even though they clearly have no expertise in the issue being discussed

yy. Bit like those people who answer product questions on Amazon with things like "I don't know I bought it as a gift for someone else"

Surely saying nothing is better than that?

Or (even worse) "didn't want to read and run" - and then doing precisely that. It's like competitive "first responding"

I’m not sure if it’s the same thread, but if it is, that was the one where she also admitted drinking to the point of blackout and having to ask her friends and DH what she’d done the previous night on more than one occasion, and also mentioned that her DH assumed she didn’t remember what happened after one particular round of drinking. There was more than just one glass a night going on in that thread.

Agree, the medical advice on here is at best jaw-droppingly awful, at worst dangerous

If I read one more post about curing teenage acne by avoiding dairy or following a fucking high fat high protein diet I think I might cry.

Or you can drink 10 bottles of wine a week and it won't do any harm.
Myths about what an alcoholic is. Remember it is just someone's opinion and you don't know how sensible they are

I never go near the diet and exercise threads anymore. Full of posters telling you that eating healthily and getting out for a daily walk is absolutely useless and you should be cutting out all sugar and gluten and carbs and going for a 20 mile run every morning

I agree, it's stupid. I've lost weight by eating more fruit and veg and going for a lovely long walk everyday. It's been a pleasure rather than a mad weird lchf diet

I agree that the legal advice is often appalling too. And I saw the other day people spouting about avoiding care home fees and they were talking absolute rubbish .

Otoh I was told I was "misinformed" on a matter that I know just a little bit (ie a huge amount) about. That made me smile.

It depends on the question, some matters have multiple approaches, others are more cut and dry. If someone posts asking for advice then as a public forum they need to be aware that not all advice is impartial!

Ah yes! A few years ago I chatted on a thread about exercise and metabolic syndrome. I was told I was so very very wrong and that X, Y and Z were the right thing to do.

After explaining how dangerous X, Y and Z could be to many people with Metabolic Syndrome I was told I was arrogantly pretending to be a doctor and should shut up!

I refrained from responding that I did a Master degree focussing on Metabolic Syndrome and exercise, and ran a self help group for sufferers, alongside a hospital based programme on diet and well being!

I have stopped reading any such threads now, they make my blood pressure rocket