By Sola Ogundipe

WHEN Rita Wilson, actress and wife of Tom Hanks, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she got a second opinion. A friend who had had breast cancer suggested she obtained a second opinion and that was what she did. Another expert discovered “invasive lobular carcinoma,” which was confirmed by a third pathologist. Eventually, she underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery following the diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma.

Rita-Wilson

Rita is recovering and most importantly, expected to make a full recovery. Why? Because the cancer was caught early, she consulted excellent doctors and got a second opinion.

“I hope this will encourage others to get a second opinion and to trust their instincts if something don’t ‘feel’ right. I share this to educate others that a second opinion is critical to your health.

You have nothing to lose if both opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed is found, which does happen. Early diagnosis is key,” Rita asserted. Ingrid Pedersen was 16 when she fell ill with symptoms that her doctor attributed to the flu. When she failed to improve, she was sent to the hospital for a chest X-ray.

The radiologist diagnosed her with sarcoidosis, a chronic condition that she was told could be treated like diabetes or asthma.

However, her mother didn’t accept the diagnosis. “I hope you don’t mind, doctor, but I really want to go for a second opinion.” They went to another doctor, who immediately admitted her into the hospital. She was soon diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“Honestly, if my mother had never gone for that second opinion, if we had put our trust and faith into the doctor and said, ‘Okay, you’re right, we’ll go by what you say,’ I wouldn’t be alive today,” Ingrid said.

From the time she was about 13, Kendra said she and her mother suspected a thyroid disorder was causing her gland to become increasingly prominent, along with other symptoms typical to hypothyroidism, which ran in the family. But it wasn’t until more than a decade later after going to a series of doctors that one endocrinologist performed an ultrasound and suggested shrinking her enlarged thyroid with radioactive iodine treatment. Surgery, he told her, was not necessary.

But Kendra wanted her thyroid out because she felt something just was not right. She went in for surgery three months later. Kendra’s decision to have her thyroid removed led doctors to discover cancer. The cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes by then. After eight years of treatment, she is now cancer free at 35. “Always, always, always advocate for yourself. If your gut says there is something wrong, get a second opinion,” Kendra said. “It is okay to ask.”

Making decisions about healthcare is one of the most important in a person’s life. Many people are told that they have cancer or another life-threatening illness, and feel that they must make a decision and begin treatment as soon as possible. While this may be true in some instances, taking the time to learn about the disease, getting a second opinion or perhaps even a third opinion and weighing your options is a very reasonable approach.

Now, have you just been diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Shouldn’t you get a second opinion? You can ask your physician or another healthcare professional for a second or further opinion (an opinion about your health condition from a different doctor). As a patient, you have a legal right to a second opinion; a healthcare professional will rarely refuse to refer you for one. But the question is do you really need a second opinion? In many cases, there may be no need for a second opinion.

Before asking for a second opinion, it’s worth asking the doctor to go over your diagnosis and explain anything you don’t understand. If you’re unhappy with your diagnosis or would like to consider a different course of treatment, discuss this. Dr. Jerome Groopman, author of “Second Opinions: Stories of Intuition and Choice in the Changing World of Medicine” explains the valuable lessons of situations that demand a second opinion.

Ask for and obtain a second opinion any time you have a very serious or life-threatening disease, where the treatment is very risky or toxic; where the diagnosis is not clear, the treatment is experimental, or there is no established consensus or approved treatment; or if you’re considering participating in a trial for a new drug or you’re considering some new experimental approach or a procedure that involves using experimental instruments or devices.

A family member or carer can also ask for a second opinion on behalf of the patient, but only with the patient’s consent, except the patient is a minor. If someone requests a second opinion on your behalf, they should have all the information about your illness or condition, and check they understand it thoroughly. Sometimes a doctor or consultant may ask a colleague to provide a second opinion. For example, doctors may ask their colleagues about a complicated case.

If you would like a second opinion after receiving advice from your doctor, you can ask for a referral. Alternatively, you may consider asking to see a different doctor or consultant if you’re registered at a surgery with more than one consultant, or changing to a different consultancy. People who ask for a second opinion have already seen a doctor, so they may have to wait. Getting a second opinion may therefore delay treatment.

If you have a serious medical condition, you should take this into account when deciding to ask for a second opinion. Ask your doctor whether a delay in starting treatment could be harmful. Some doctors prefer to monitor the situation and use less aggressive procedures before moving to surgical intervention. Some doctors like to use more aggressive treatment methods from the beginning.

By getting a second opinion, you can expand your options about different treatment methods which may be most suitable for you and your situation. Being informed is always your best option. It never hurts to get a second opinion. Second opinions are a way to learn about your diagnosis and choices for treatment options. Some doctors are more conservative while others tend to be more aggressive.

A patient has rights and one of your most important rights is the ability to get a second opinion about your diagnosis. Being informed is critical in deciding your choice of treatment. Findings show that most adults in Nigeria will never seek a second opinion and almost half of newly diagnosed patients rarely or never understand their diagnosis.

A second opinion means you are consulting with another doctor to confirm a diagnosis and/or find possible different treatment choices available to you. It is recommended to get a second opinion immediately to avoid delays in your treatment and recovery.