However, I have also noticed that there can be, at times, a lot of what I like to call "Information Overload". It is that point in time when so many people have responded to a thread with so many differing opinions that you end up more confused than you do informed. This is not to say you should never give your opinion or input on a specific question you have knowledge about. It is more to say that sometimes, as a reader, you need to step back and process the information most vital to you.
One of the most common areas where you will get differing opinions is when it comes to questions about particular doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc. It can get very confusing when one person says "That doctor is great - I highly recommend him/her!" while another says "That doctor? He did nothing for me - don't waste your time or money!"
Why does this happen? The answer is quite simple, in my opinion: If you go to a mechanic to get your car fixed, and he ends up making your car run like it just came off the lot, you are likely to have high praise for that mechanic. If someone else goes to the same mechanic, but the car ends up not running quite so well, that person will have a completely different view of that mechanic. The mechanic probably ran the same tests, did the same types of diagnostics, made the same types of repairs, but just had two completely different outcomes. The outcome of what happened with the mechanic sways your opinion - it doesn't necessary speak to the quality of his shop; it speaks to what happened with your car when you went there.
The same is true with doctors - sometimes, a doctor can run the same tests for two different people with similar conditions and have two completely different outcomes. One person may respond quickly to the treatments offered; while the other person may get sicker or feel no difference at all after going through the same tests and being offered the same treatment. Person A is likely to call the doctor a savior while Person B is likely to instead find the faults in that doctor. "He didn't cure me...oh, and I didn't like the way he spoke to me either." It is easy to gloss over whatever personality traits you don't like when the doctor helps you. If you had a doctor with less-than-perfect bedside manner, but he fixes you, you are more likely to say something like "He at times may not be the most pleasant doctor, but he gets results. And that is what is important!"
So, what should a sufferer do with all of the information given? The bottom line is that you should do what your gut tells you to do. Take in all of the information - use it to guide you. But don't let it completely sway you - a motility expert has years in his field - there is zero doubt that any one expert has probably given life back to hundreds of patients during his tenure. I hate to say it is like the lottery, but in many ways, it is. Sometimes, you hit the jackpot and find the right combination of great doctor who offers the perfect solution.
As someone who works in a research industry and is known for doing compulsive researching on everything you can think of from toaster ovens to televisions to paper plates, it is fairly easy for me to hunt down information for Colleen - though she obviously does a great job on her own of finding things out. That is what it ultimately comes down to - being your own advocate, choosing the path that you think is best for you, and hoping for the best. No advice online can be a substitute for your own gut feeling. Trust your instincts, and use the information you find as a guide. In the end, it should lead you to where you need to go.
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