Second opinions
Another view before you decide
If you have been offered an operation, or given a diagnosis you are still turning over in your head, you are allowed to ask someone else. It is an ordinary part of medical care, not a complaint about anyone, and doctors are used to it.
Why women ask for one
The reasons are usually practical rather than dramatic. Some of the more common ones:
- You have been told you need a hysterectomy and want to understand the alternatives, if there are any in your case
- Fibroids have been found and surgery has been suggested
- You have a diagnosis of endometriosis and are deciding between medical and surgical treatment
- A scan has reported something you do not fully understand
- A caesarean has been advised and you would like the reasoning explained again
- You have been quoted for a cosmetic gynaecology procedure and want to talk it through with nothing being sold to you
- You are partway through a fertility plan and want to check you understand it
- You have simply not had enough time to ask your questions
What a second opinion actually is
It is a fresh reading of the same information by someone who has not seen it before — your scans, your results, your history — together with an examination or a new scan if that would add something.
It is worth saying what usually happens: most second opinions agree with the first. That is not a wasted appointment. Knowing that two people who looked at your case independently reached the same conclusion is often exactly what you needed in order to go ahead.
Sometimes there is more than one reasonable option and only one of them was discussed with you. Sometimes the answer turns on something in your history that has not been asked about yet. And sometimes you simply need it explained in a way that makes sense to you, in a language you are comfortable in.
What I will not do
I will not tell you that another doctor was wrong. I was not in the room, I did not examine you at the time, and a set of notes never contains everything a clinician was weighing up.
What I can do is explain the medicine: what the finding means, what the options are and what each one involves, what the risks are, and what happens if you do nothing for now. Then the decision is yours to make, with more of the picture than you had before.
What to bring
The appointment is only as good as the information you bring to it. If you can, bring:
- Scan reports, and the images themselves on a disc or in the app if you have them
- Any biopsy or histopathology report
- Operation notes and discharge summaries from any previous surgery
- Recent blood results, including hormone tests
- The name of the operation or treatment you have been offered, written down
- A list of your medication, including anything you buy without a prescription
- Your questions — written down is easier than trying to remember them
If you do not have all of it, come anyway. Missing pieces can usually be requested, and I would rather see you and work out what is needed than have you wait.
What happens at the appointment
We go through what you already have. I read the reports with you rather than at you, and translate anything written in the shorthand that hospital letters are written in.
I examine or scan you only if it would change something, and only if you agree. You can decline any part of it and still get a useful opinion.
Then we talk about the decision. Not just what the options are, but what each one would actually mean for your work, your family and your plans.
You leave with it written down. A second opinion you cannot remember afterwards is not much use.
Going back to your own doctor afterwards
You are under no obligation to move your care to me. Many women come for one appointment, get the clarity they were after, and go back to the doctor they started with — which is a perfectly good outcome and often the right one, particularly if that team already knows your history.
If you would like a letter setting out what we discussed so you can take it back with you, ask and I will write one.
Questions people ask before they book
Is it rude to ask for a second opinion?
No. It is a normal part of medical care, and doctors are used to being asked. You do not need to justify it to anyone, and you do not need to tell your first doctor you are doing it, though it helps if you do, because records are easier to obtain that way.
What if you agree with the first doctor?
That happens often, and it is a useful answer rather than a wasted appointment. Knowing that two people who looked at your case independently reached the same conclusion is usually what makes the decision feel possible.
Will you tell me the other doctor was wrong?
No. I was not in the room and a set of notes never holds everything a clinician was weighing up. What I can do is explain what the finding means, what the options are, what each involves and what the risks are, so the decision is yours to make with more of the picture.
Do I have to move my care to you?
No. Many women come for one appointment and go back to the doctor they started with, which is often the right thing, particularly if that team already knows their history. Ask and I will write a letter setting out what we discussed so you can take it back with you.
What should I bring to a second-opinion appointment?
Scan reports and the images themselves if you have them, any biopsy report, operation notes and discharge summaries, recent blood results, the name of the operation you have been offered written down, and your list of medication. If you do not have all of it, come anyway.
Will I be examined or scanned again?
Only if it would change something, and only if you agree. Some questions can be answered from the records you bring. You can decline any part of an examination and still get a useful opinion.
Does insurance cover a second opinion?
It is billed as a consultation, and most plans cover consultations, but cover differs from plan to plan. Confirm yours with the centre when you book. You can also be seen as a self-paying patient.
A second opinion is a consultation, not a commitment. Nothing is booked, scheduled or started unless you decide you want it. Arrange a consultation.
The information on this site reflects current international best practice and peer-reviewed literature, together with Dr Sharma’s own clinical experience. It is general information, not advice for your own situation, and is not a substitute for a consultation.
Bring it to me
Bring the scans, the reports and the question you have not been able to get answered. An hour of someone reading it properly is often all it takes.