What do you do when an adult refuses to go to the doctor?
What do you do when an adult refuses to go to the doctor?
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M4cruiser

Original Poster:

5,063 posts

178 months

Yesterday (21:58)
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In our wider family, a concern has been raised that an adult is not well.
The person refuses to go to the doctor. Someone close to them, wanting to help, booked an appointment for them both, but they ended up going alone, and described the symptoms to the doctor.
The doctor was very professional, and obviously couldn't discuss detailed personal medical history (data protection etc) but did discuss some hypothetical cases, and suggest some possible causes.
One option would be a scan (CT, MRI or ultrasound) to eliminate some possible causes.

But it all needs the sick person to attend the surgery.
It appears there is no way of helping them if they don't want help.

I'm not medical expert, but on hearing the symptoms it seems to me like a progressive disease that could take months or years to reach "incapacity" stage, at which point an ambulance can be called, but it's basically too late. It's definitely not something that will fix itself, like a grazed arm, which gets better if you just get on with life, (drink, eat, sleep and be active).

Just asking if anyone has experience, and what can be done?

Dog Biscuit

2,477 posts

25 months

Yesterday (22:08)
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No experince, but as they are an adult, if they don't want to go then thats that.

hidetheelephants

35,452 posts

221 months

Yesterday (22:19)
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Break their leg so they have to be hospitalised? There's not a lot to be done legally if they've decided to go all RFK jr and ignore 200 years of medical science.