Cautionary tale of using ChatGPT instead of a clinician

[Chronicworrier123]

I'm posting this because I've seen plenty of posters using ChatGPT as a replacement if many things, including medical professionals.

As a bit of context, I suffer from chronic constipation. I actually posted about this in February, and ended up in AE and was prescribed Resolor in case it ever happened again.

Fast forward and now I'm on HRT, the progesterone has made super uncomfortable and bloated and extremely constipated.

So I ask ChatGPT if taking Resolor is a good idea. Or said yes it was.

Well now I'm in bed with horrendous pain, and have lost at least a litre of fluid (if not more) via liquid stool.

I'm nauseous and feeling like fainting.

It would have been best to just suck it up (@!_ tell my GP about the progesterone intolerance).

Good luck x

Right! And it does it all in a sycophantic way tending to tell you what you want to hear. Madness to trust it for medical advice, although I agree with the witty PP who suggested it could relieve us of numpties who put their lives in its hands.

Definitely not! But there was a saga in February that you can search for (I was going to go on holiday to the US which was a big deal)

I love how, in a thread about not using non-medical sources instead of doctors for medical advice, loads of unqualified MNers are telling the OP how to resolve her medical issue.

Why are you blaming ChatGPT when both a pharmacist and a GP have suggested and prescribed Resolor?

I’m intrigued as to how you managed to get ChatGPT to give you explicit medical advice without caveats? I’ve just asked four different free agents and two paid for versions and each one carefully tags the answer with “I am not a medical professional, confirm with health professional or doctor” type clause. None respond to a question about a specific drug with “yes great idea”.

Absolutely and what does this have to do with the OP going to A&E and being prescribed medicine by a doctor (which has nothing to do with chat get).

This makes no sense.

The doctor gave it to you if it happened again. It did so you took it. The same would have happened if you had asked chat gpt or not?

Absolutely

OP there was something I bought in the Chemist when I had that issue (I am not allowed laxatives due to my condition) but I forget its name ... but the Chemist was very helpful.
It basically softens the poop so at least it won't hurt so much when passing a Stool
I feel for You and hope you feel a lot better soon

agree, it was @RimTimTagiDim 🦉

AI is notorious for hallucinations so we should be aware that sometimes it will just make things up.

Because in THIS particular car it's obvious it's the progesterone. I started feeling like this since I started taking it, so given there's an external "abnormal" factor the solutions could have been to

a) take it vaginally

b) way the couple of days I have left within the cycle

Nobody (nor ChatGPT not medical) told me this médicine could have such violent effects (and I've used tons of Movicol!)

And it was no particular query/script I just literally "chat" to the thing

Sorry, is your issue with the resolor or the progesterone? Either way this seems like a conversation to have with an actual, qualified person.

Does your GP surgery have a pharmacist? They can be great if you suspect your issues are due to the medication themselves, especially trouble shooting things like medication timings/strengths.

No, they didn't give it to me if it happened again, just to take it for a mo th, but never did (and in glad I didn't because it was super violent).

How can you be constipated if you had a "massive poo"?

The constipation/ bloat was clearly due to the progesterone. The Resolor did resolve that, but the side effects were much worse than having the "balloon" feeling

Also, I can't see constipation as a side effect of HRT. So your "obviously it's the progesterone" is flawed - correlation is not causation. Especially as you have historic issues with constipation with no clear diagnosis.

See your GP.

I have "waste build-up" but I still poop, but eventually I stop, because it build up too much and obstructs my pipes.

Call it whatever you like

You were prescribed it incase it happened again, it happened again. The leaflet in it tells you it can make you dizzy etc. I’m not sure why you asked ChatGPT or why it’s getting the blame.

It's fairly well documented

https://www.drsarahgray.co.uk/healthcareArticles/DrSarahGray-TheSideEffectsOfHRT03042018.pdf

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9150547/

For the millionth time, it wasn't prescribed if it happened again, I got it prescribed to take it continuously for 28 days.

Maybe not for physical illnesses, but I've found ChatGPT immensely helpful for mental health difficulties, far better than any human 'specialist'.

You can get Laxido, Fybrogel, Lactulose or Movicol on prescription. You can also get suppositories.

If you use one of those brands daily plus a suppository when necessary you shouldn’t need Resolor.

*Currently managing an elderly parent’s constipation.

But what's ChatGPT got to do with this? A&E prescribed Resolor and you've discussed with a pharmacist and doctor. I think and hope that most people know that you can ask ChatGPT what you like but you have to bear in mind that you need to consult a professional - which you did.

Your post has made me lose brain cells OP. Why on earth are you using Chat GPT (at all!) for medical advice? Is common sense truly dead?