Dr. Internet, M.D.

The internet can be your worst enemy... and your best friend.

Last week, a good friend of mine was experiencing severe stomach pains and, like any technology-savvy person, went straight to WebMD.com. After filling out a quiz about her symptoms, her online doctor told her there were 28 possible conditions that were causing her discomfort and she should seek medical attention immediately.

Since she wasn't completely dependent on her online doctor, who was not only lacking personality but also a medical degree (not such minor details). She decided to call an After Hours service to speak to someone directly who was trained. The nurse she spoke with told her to take meds and attempt to go back to sleep and see a doctor in the morning if she was still in pain.

However, due to the continuation of the pain, she headed straight to the emergency room, and it's a good thing she did.

After a number of tests, the doctors determined that her appendix was on the verge of rupturing. This was one of the possibilities that her online doctor had listed. Good diagnosis, WebMD.

A few hours later, she was in operating room and had her appendix removed laparoscopically. The next day in recovery, she was speaking with her surgeon and shared her story of how it was the Web site (and the non-changing pain) that encouraged her to head to the hospital. Though her doctor did not encourage people to rely solely on the internet, he said that legitimate Web sites, such as WebMD, can really serve useful and have helped patients hone in on symptoms.