WIBU to tell a customer to go to a doctor?

[CollyWombles]

I had a new customer in today, I work in a vape shop. He was after an ecig, so I went through the usual questions, including having any lung complains, he answered no. However I noticed that he has clubbed fingernails, which usually indicates a lung/heart problem, in particular lung cancer.

He is away now and I keep thinking, should I have said something? It's not really my business or my job and I don't know whether he would be upset with me. I just keep thinking I should have said something.

He will be back again I am sure, so WIBU to mention the nail clubbing to him next time? Or should I just mind my own?

Can you put up posters of those symptoms with text saying if you have this, please consult your GP? And leave them in unmissable places in your shop?

I wouldn't say anything. He may know he has a lung problem hence the buying of e cig. Just didn't want to tell you when you asked.

Yes I thought that too looby, maybe he does have an issue but it's a personal matter. We just have to check as lung complaints can mean the need for ac thicker juice so it doesn't make them cough. No customer is required to disclose medical info if they don't wish too and I don't really have a right to tell them to go to a GP. The posters are a good idea, I will discuss that with my boss later.

You would think people would buy ecigs for medical/health reasons but sadly, I find most buy them purely because of the cost of smoking. Still, better than a life on the cigs.

I have clubbed nails and there is nothing wrong with my heart/lungs. Other parts of my body are properly fucked though. Clubbed nails can indicate other things. Don’t get involved.

I thought clubbed fingers just indicated a chronic lung problem like COPD, so not necessarily lung cancer? IIRC......

It's most commonly lung cancer that causes it and as I know the customer is obviously a smoker, that would suggest even further that it could be a lung complaint, but it's not my place to suggest anything, I'd just feel awful if I later found out he was sick and I hadn't said anything.

Totally derailing but what’s the advice for ecigs when pregnant. I’ve wondered this as it’s not as harmful as smoking so do they tell you to quit like cigarettes?

I don't think you should: what if you trigger him and he's come to terms with his health or he's fine and gets pissed off at wasting time seeing a GP? I really don't think you should be giving medical advice .

My friend has clubbed nails and has CF.

BUT he is intensely private and it would really get his back up if someone pointed out a physical symptom of his illness outside of a medical capacity.

user, see this poster-

smokefreeaction.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/SIPe-cig-infographic.pdf

Posters sound like a good idea, but telling someone (when you have no medical qualifications and they have no support) that you think they may have a potentially fatal illness would be very cruel. You know nothing about his mental state and if it were fragile, the consequences could be awful.

I realise that you are trying to help, but this is not your responsibility and you have no way of knowing if you are right, or it's just an unfounded suspicion.

Unreasonable to tell. Might mention a friend / family has it and was to,d it's a common feature of the disease etc his won't be but useful to check out if hasn't done so already.

I work in a vape shop and it would depend on my relationship with that customer

I do have people coming in talking about their health complaints daily but I'm not sure if I'd raise it with someone if they weren't talking about it

Totally derailing but what’s the advice for ecigs when pregnant. I’ve wondered this as it’s not as harmful as smoking so do they tell you to quit like cigarettes?

If the alternative is that you'll smoke for sure then vape

Doing neither is clearly the most ideal though

OP I would say. Not that you think he has lung cancer. But that he has clubbed fingers and he should check it out with his GP. That sometimes it is harmless (true) and sometimes a sign of an illness that is untreated.

I would put up posters but wouldn't say anything to the customer. It's none of your business, they may feel self conscious about it or you could make them self conscious about it. There is a whole list of possible causes of finger clubbing from hereditary, bowel, heart and lung conditions. People are responsible for their own health and it's between them and their GP only. There's a high chance the person knows they have it and why. I would imagine someone at some point would have pointed it out to them. Whether a pharmacist, nurse (for flu jag etc.), Physio, GP etc.

I wouldn't want to comment on anyone else's physical symptoms or appearance, even if it was just clubbed fingers. I would feel awkward if anyone commented on mine too.

That might be just me, but I prefer to refrain from commenting on people's appearances.

I would not have said a word about lung cancer, as pointed out I'm not a doctor, I would have said that clubbing can indicate a possible heart/lung issue, it was very pronounced and it is entirely possible he either has a health issue or is totally fine, I don't know why I felt the sudden need to want to say something as I have seen it before on other customers and not felt the need. Maybe it's my crazy pregnancy hormones.

Thats why I asked in here, I haven't said anything to him, I am really sensitive about my fingers though not because of a medical reason, because I bite my nails, always have no matter what I try. I would hate to make anyone feel uncomfortable, so in the end I said nothing. I do think the posters are a less obtrusive and good idea though.