ear-less doctors! (or those who don't use them)

[uncomfortable]

so here's a fun little thing that happened to me today. I had a doctor tell me that provera can't possibly be making my nausea better because it shouldn't do that, therefore it can't be, so its not. I was like "uh, sorry, but it is" this conversation went back and forth for a good solid 2 minutes. How can she tell me its not making it better just because thats not what the drug is "supposed" to do?? I suggested maybe I have too much estrogen which was causing the nausea to begin with, and she stated, impossible, I have never heard of such a thing.

Who are these people, and why do they become doctors?

Then she also proceeded to prescribe me something I told her about 8 times I cannot take. Why can't doctors just grow a pair of ears, and learn how to use them!!

[Karen]

Grrr... That sucks! Is this the doc that you've been waiting patiently for months to see?? So what happens now? Do you take the drug she gave you just to go back to say I told you so, or do you just wait a few weeks, then go back for a follow up? Or can you find someone else??

I think it's sad, but I think so many of us have similar stories... I even had one doc tell me that if I wasn't looking for a prescription (that I didn't need - all I wanted was a blood test), she couldn't help me...

[JC]

OMG don't even get me started.......

[gemstone]

Why do they think they ALWAYS know best??!!! You know your body better than anyone - including her!!!

[JC]

Here's another doctor rant thread started a while ago. We all share this frustration. It's so sad.

cjlevett.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=rant&thread=3855&page=1

[uncomfortable]

Karen; yes, this is the doctor I have been waiting 5 months to see. It was in a gyn clinic at a very prestigious hospital, that is very well known for its gyn work. I actually got what I think was a 4th or 5th year resident as my doctor, however, when she wanted to double check my case, and plan of action with her superior (who happens to be the head of that department) that is what took place. She wanted to prescribe me an NSAID, which I told her multiple times I cannot take due to stomach issues. She kept trying to push it on me, saying it wasn't an NSAID, it was "just, like, you know, a painkiller" she actually said that to me, about 4 or 5 times. I asked what type of painkiller it was, and that was her response to me. WTF? how is that a reasonable response?

She also prescribed me percosets. I don't want to take heavy drugs, as the whole point is, I want to figure out what is going on so I can manage it while still being functional. I don't want to be drugged up. But I filled the script anyway. I figure I might as well at least try it once. This is the first doctor who has offered me pain medication other then NSAIDs though. (although she tried to give me both)

So anyway, the resident comes back in the room with the prescriptions, and tells me that yeah, the drug the other doctor was pushing is in fact an NSAID, and that she is just not going to prescribe it just to be safe. At least the resident was paying attention. But it scares me that I have to constantly be so vigilant about what I can and cannot take. That I have to be responsible for knowing what drugs will interact, and how I react to each drug, all because my doctors don't care enough to pay attention themselves.

Also, I've had this cyst on my left ovary for months. 5 months ago it was 4.8cm, and I have no idea how large it is now, but I know it is still there because I can feel the daily pressure and weirdness of it. So dr. head of the department did a sweep through inspection if it. She had me lay down, pushed on my abdomen across, in 3 areas, and I was wincing the whole time, I get up, and she says, you're not in pain, its fine. I was like what the hell. Just because I'm not screaming in your face does not mean that didn't hurt.

I don't know what I need to do to make myself heard, or helped. I think I am already pretty assertive in these appointments, I don't know what else I can do. Doctor shopping here takes forever. I can only see one at a time, and it takes months just to get into see one.

[Karen]

Is there any formal complaint process you can go through, tell them your issues are not being addressed, it's affecting your work, life, etc?? Anything to jump up and yell that you're being ignored??

[cherry]

I hear you loud and clear!
If you're in the UK you should contact your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and make a formal complaint.
Unfortunately even specialist or well thought of hospitals seem to always have an idiot on board.

[Shannon Elizabeth]

uncomfortable...you should have that mass checked out ASAP. My best friend just found she had one...before the doctors told her she had a colon blockage and was exercising wrong! Then when a doc actually looked they found she had a 4 lb. cyst on her ovary! She just had it removed today and even after removing liquid, it was still the size of the baseball. It was twisting all the inside organs and making her stomach bulge. It was really dangerous, but simple to take care of thru laparoscopy...

[JC]

When they push on things they're supposed to ask you if you feel pain. That's like physical examination 101, the basics. The fact that she based your pain off of your yelling or not is just crap. This really just sucks. I wish these doctors would treat people with some damn dignity and respect!

[uncomfortable]

what is frustrating to me, is that not only should she be doing a thorough inspection, but even when I told her that what she was doing hurt, and I was in pain, she didn't seem to care. It didn't mean anything to her.

Also because I have been through the mill of doctor inquisitions I even brought my pain chart with me. Oh yes, I have a chart. It was a chart I drew up about 3 or 4 years ago when I was first starting to realize doctors are ignorant. its a graph depicting my levels of pain, using the pain scale, over the course of my period. I thought it was pretty useful to explain myself. So I am showing my chart to doctor head, when I was asked about my pain levels, and she looks over to the resident and says, "see, its just classical symptoms of dysmenorrhea"

First of all, ok, yeah the having pain is dysmenorrhea, but she was completely ignoring all other symptoms I presented with. Why bother interrogating me and asking me all the questions if they've already got a diagnosis made up in their mind.

I have already lost faith in most doctors, this only re-affirms it.

Shannon, I really want to get my ovary checked. I have been wanting it checked for a few months, especially since over the last few weeks I have been getting constipated, which is excessively rare for me. I feel a lot of pressure, and feel like peeing a lot more often too. But no one seems to think that this is a problem. I have no idea why. everyone just looks at the US report I had done 5 months ago and says, "oh its a small cyst, nothing to worry about."

Cherry, I am not in the UK, but I think I am going to look into what other options I have as far as exploiting the health system. But everyone already knows its pretty bad.

Karen, I've told every single doctor I have seen for the last 2 years that this has a massive impact on my life, and I am having trouble coping and remaining functional. They have nothing to offer me. which is perhaps the most frustrating of all. Its one thing to not be able to do anything, but it is quite another to not be able to do anything because you don't care enough to try.

[uncomfortable]

They did schedule me for an ultrasound, after, but its not for another month. And they still have to make the appointment with me, so who knows, that waiting time could easily change. Plus, a lot can happen in a month.

[Karen]

I share a similar lack of faith in docs, I hear you there. Just so frustrating that we're expected to live in agony every day because it doesn't fit a textbook set of symptoms.

I'm glad you have an ultrasound, even if it is far in advance. If it gets really bad, please take yourself to the ER and see if you can get some relief or a proper exam sooner? Damn, I'm getting frustrated for you!

[Karen]

A long time ago, a former coworker told me that some health care systems have patient advocates, that they'll review all the charts, make some phone calls, ensure all the necessary docs are talking to each other, etc. I never looked into it, but any chance you have something similar in Canada? Might be hard to find, but well worth it if you do... Or is there someone you can take with you to your appointment that can be another set of ears (and another mouth)? I know you're away from family, but might be something that could benefit you in the future? Just trying to throw out more options so you get your voice heard?

[hellsbells]

Grrrrrrrr......