Please share your incompetent doctor experiences

[Gussie]

Oh my gosh ceg, you could have had a really bad outcome. I'm am so glad your son is a healthy now. I just have to shake my head at your ER docs.

The er doctors consulted with the oncologists but since his leukemia was such a "simple" case, I believe that they discounted me as an overreacting fearful mother. They all missed it. Thank goodness we insisted he be admitted. The hospital is always full too and beds on the cancer floor are reserved for the sickest, which he was. The positive outcome was the change in icu protocol and that during his 4 years of treatment they responded to every tiny symptom he had. I think they were scared of a lawsuit. I am just so grateful to have him.

 

[ksinger]

When my son was 3 he was diagnosed with leukemia which has a very high cure rate for children his age. In fact, when the doctors were explaining everything a few days after his diagnosis, they almost seemed non chalant. I suppose it was a mundane easy case since his treatment protocol was well established and he was at a leading children's cancer hospital. A couple of weeks after he began intensive chemo he completely stopped eating and drinking and lost 8 pounds, 20% of his weight. Children who are on strong doses of steroids during treatment most often have ravenous appetites. He was in agonizing pain and screaming night and day. The doctors all dismissed my worries and sent us home from the ER 3 times as they couldn't find anything wrong. To their credit invasive diagnostic tests are usually avoided due to the risk of infection. I was beside myself with fear and finally we took him to the ER a 4th time and demanded he be admitted. After a few days on the cancer floor his hemoglobin level began to drop. His veins were all blown and the floor nurses could not get a line in. They ended up calling in the kangaroo crew to get him a line in for the transfusion he needed. They also called in the head of the ICU so they he could be admitted. During this time, I was changing his diaper and it was filled with blood. I literally fell to my knees. He was bleeding profusely and had already gone into shock. I am dead serious that the ICU doctor (who didnt even come into my sons room) asked me if he had been eating a red popcicle or drinking Kool aid. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! There also seemed to be some kind of bureaucratic indecision between the floor oncologists and the ICU doctor, almost a power struggle. He ended up having an emergency surgery to remove about a foot of his small intestine that was ulcerated due to the chemo drugs. He bled his entire blood volume, and he had the surgery while his neutrophils were at zero so the risk of infection was absolutely terrifying. The ICU nurses and the surgeons were amazing and I cannot speak highly enough of them. But that admitting ICU doctor was unbelievable. I also can't help but think that the ER doctors that sent us home multiple times might could have done more than they did. I should add that his oncologist later told me that the protocol for admission to the ICU had been changed after my sons case.

My son is healthy now and has been cancer free for 10 years. I am very grateful for the awesome doctors that helped him. They outnumber that one jackass.

Not sure how I missed this. OMG. I'm so glad your son survived! And sad that he (and you!) ended up having to go through so much due to the "we're so much smarter than you, sit sit down and shut up" mentality. Heroics should not be required to rectify the screw-ups of other docs, or delays due to internal politics. But really glad that you had a few of those heroes!

 

[TooPatient]

Ksinger -- You got it exactly. B12 deficiency. It took arguing to get them to agree to even test after to confirm. The spinal specialist was saying MS would be the "best case" diagnosis and sent him to a neurologist who specializes in MS. He said if it wasn't that, it would be even worse. (Knowing people with MS, I have a hard time imagining worse!). The neurologist did the usual tests and additional scans (minus vitamin checks of course) and said absolutely no indication of MS.

My lesson from everything is to trust that doctors mean well but realize they are human an not always trained on every last possible problem. It is also up to me to research and learn as much as I can and ask questions. It also helps to have another in the room to help retain all of the information and also to keep doctors from pushing due to time or whatever.
(Like the one who wanted to do surgery to just get a closer look at his spine and see if they found a problem that way. DH was hurting so bad he might have gone for it!)

 

[ksinger]

Ksinger -- You got it exactly. B12 deficiency. It took arguing to get them to agree to even test after to confirm. The spinal specialist was saying MS would be the "best case" diagnosis and sent him to a neurologist who specializes in MS. He said if it wasn't that, it would be even worse. (Knowing people with MS, I have a hard time imagining worse!). The neurologist did the usual tests and additional scans (minus vitamin checks of course) and said absolutely no indication of MS.

My lesson from everything is to trust that doctors mean well but realize they are human an not always trained on every last possible problem. It is also up to me to research and learn as much as I can and ask questions. It also helps to have another in the room to help retain all of the information and also to keep doctors from pushing due to time or whatever.
(Like the one who wanted to do surgery to just get a closer look at his spine and see if they found a problem that way. DH was hurting so bad he might have gone for it!)

So did I get that right? The MS neuro didn't do a test for B-12, and then came back and said your husband's symptoms couldn't possibly have been due to that? If so, that's truly depressing. Even in the very rarefied and scarce world of MS "specialists" - some of whom style themselves as such, but really are not - I know there are gradations of competency, but dang. B12 deficiency should be one of the very first very low hanging mimics they try to rule out. A B12 deficiency also usually results in lesions -which it doesn't always - that look different from the classic oval or round MS lesion, so just the fact of lesions is not nearly enough to make it MS either. Characteristic appearance and location is very important.

Just to see how I'm doing on the armchair stuff, about those 5 MRIs: Did they order MRI of brain, cervical, and thoracic? One, but not the other? With and without contrast? And was a lumbar ordered? Did they find anything in the brain or spine? The answers will be interesting and very telling. I'm going to guess at least one of them was ordered without contrast, maybe on a less than 1.5T machine (like an open MRI perhaps?) , and without any specific protocol, since the doctor ordering it had no clue what he was really looking for. And that last description was the first MRI I had (although it was at least on an up-to-date machine). That meant when they did find something, the doc - my GP - had to immediately order another one, this time with contrast. Nothing like doing two brain MRIs in one month. Good times.

As for the other, .the danger of being too informed...cough cough.....is that they often immediately dismiss you as paying too many visits to Dr. Google. Again, a bit understandable since patients really aren't doctors, and what are you paying for after all, if not their expertise and long training? But making incorrect assumptions as to the ability of their patients to sort through the good and bad, and to understand the nuances, is not any more helpful than any knee-jerk bias.

 

[TooPatient]

So did I get that right? The MS neuro didn't do a test for B-12, and then came back and said your husband's symptoms couldn't possibly have been due to that? If so, that's truly depressing. Even in the very rarefied and scarce world of MS "specialists" - some of whom style themselves as such, but really are not - I know there are gradations of competency, but dang. B12 deficiency should be one of the very first very low hanging mimics they try to rule out. A B12 deficiency also usually results in lesions -which it doesn't always - that look different from the classic oval or round MS lesion, so just the fact of lesions is not nearly enough to make it MS either. Characteristic appearance and location is very important.

The MS doctor was at least willing to accept B12. He did not check before referring to another specialist. I had to fight the GP to get him to allow the lab to test. Spinal guy, GP, PT, and pharmacist were all against the idea even after blood tests (taking mass supplements per day puts him in the low but "normal" range).

Just to see how I'm doing on the armchair stuff, about those 5 MRIs: Did they order MRI of brain, cervical, and thoracic? One, but not the other? With and without contrast? And was a lumbar ordered?
Cervical and thoracic without contrast ordered by GP. Spinal specialist said needed contrast to tell anything. Do them both again. MS doctor wanted the brain (with contrast?).
Did they find anything in the brain or spine? The answers will be interesting and very telling. I'm going to guess at least one of them was ordered without contrast, maybe on a less than 1.5T machine (like an open MRI perhaps?) , and without any specific protocol, since the doctor ordering it had no clue what he was really looking for. And that last description was the first MRI I had (although it was at least on an up-to-date machine). That meant when they did find something, the doc - my GP - had to immediately order another one, this time with contrast. Nothing like doing two brain MRIs in one month. Good times.
His we're all in modern MRI machines. No open anything. Poor guy was barely able to lay down and anything past 15 minutes or so was very painful. That was great for all these MRIs... He had to push the emergency button several times but the technician ignored it and just left him in despite calls for help. (After that, I sat next to the MRI machine so I could intervene as needed!)
Nothing found on spine or brain. No lessons on the brain. Very healthy looking in all the guy checked for. No spine issues. Minimal wearing. Less than they would expect in a healthy person his age even.

As for the other, .the danger of being too informed...cough cough.....is that they often immediately dismiss you as paying too many visits to Dr. Google. Again, a bit understandable since patients really aren't doctors, and what are you paying for after all, if not their expertise and long training? But making incorrect assumptions as to the ability of their patients to sort through the good and bad, and to understand the nuances, is not any more helpful than any knee-jerk bias.

What a mess the whole thing was. Then the "panel of nurses" at the disability insurance company decided he wasn't really disabled and should have no problem working at his job. 6 months no pay. Yes, I fought and provided all of the letters and stuff from every last doctor certifying he could NOT work or would be risking permanent paralysis or worse since they still didn't know what it was. No luck. The nurses still said he wasn't really that bad off.

All this in the months leading up to our wedding.

I had one person comment that I was the most relaxed bride they ever worked with. I pointed out that hair, nails, precise timing, etc really didn't matter at the end of the day. I was just glad the day had arrived and DH was still able to walk on his own. (He got worse and worse for a few months after until I found the B12). None of the rest mattered!

 

[ksinger]

What a mess the whole thing was. Then the "panel of nurses" at the disability insurance company decided he wasn't really disabled and should have no problem working at his job. 6 months no pay. Yes, I fought and provided all of the letters and stuff from every last doctor certifying he could NOT work or would be risking permanent paralysis or worse since they still didn't know what it was. No luck. The nurses still said he wasn't really that bad off.

All this in the months leading up to our wedding.

I had one person comment that I was the most relaxed bride they ever worked with. I pointed out that hair, nails, precise timing, etc really didn't matter at the end of the day. I was just glad the day had arrived and DH was still able to walk on his own. (He got worse and worse for a few months after until I found the B12). None of the rest mattered!

Well, at least nobody was so stupid as to order a lumbar. I've actually read of people whose doc did order that one, and for MS purposes, a lumbar is a total waste. (That was a bit of trick question, just to see if the docs were on their little toes if not their big) Yeah, apparently GPs need to have someone come up wearing a black suit and shades, and say, "Step away from the MRI prescription!" because too often they seem to just order them, without a real goal in mind. What they order should not be just because they're shooting in the dark, like I think mine mostly was, and your hub's too. And I do know how painful lying in the tube can be, depending on your condition at the time. I'm sorry he had such a bad time of it. C&T spine MRIs are brutal on a good day, period.

Interesting that they have nurses second-guessing docs on behalf of insurance. There's gotta be some hostility there, I'm thinking.

Oh well, enough of that rabbit hole. I'm glad your husband is fine now, and that he's your husband! I bet you were a relaxed bride after making it through all that!

 

[GK2]

Not sure if this qualifies, plus I'm in the UK but I'm bloody furious

Three weeks ago my husband complained of back pain and his back 'locked' meaning he couldn't move. Got him to our local accident and emergency department who diagnosed muscle spasm and gave him diazapam to relieve pain

Same thing happened over next two days so on the third occasion I called nhs for advice and they sent ambulance. I was silently cursing as felt he was exaggerating - hey ho, you live and learn...

Two hours later X-ray showed fractured spine, but he'd had no trauma so doc ordered CT scan. T7 vertebrae had gone as had one rib - possible diagnosis multiple myeloma. Admitted him overnight to acute assessment unit and transferred to local specialist cancer centre next day.

Consultant visited and advised 99.9% certainty myeloma based on blood test and thoracic CT scan. Biopsy taken from sternum by second consultant, discharged after 3 days and sent home with outpatients appointment for last Wednesday to start chemo for 4 months before stem cell transplant later this year

Outpatient clinic last Wednesday running 3 hours late - no apology - second consultant tells us biopsy clear so diagnosis is definitely plasmacyetoma in one place to be treated with short burst of radiotherapy. Said would have PET CT scan in a couple of weeks. Told us to go home, celebrate (!) and be grateful not myeloma. Refused to answer questions about high calcium levels. Marked me as a nuisance

I complained following day - PET CT brought forward to last Friday. Called back to clinic yesterday to be told by original consultant husband has multiple myeloma in spine, pelvis, ribs and arms. Chemo starts tomorrow for 4 months and will be followed by stem cell transplant as 'cancer appears to be progressing quickly'. Horrible news but we were prepared and we'll deal with it and live life to full.

Except, second consultant sent letter to my husband's GP telling him that he has plasmacyetoma, his wife (ie me) was more concerned about cancelling holiday and that consultant thinks high calcium is due to hyperparathyroidism.

Will be taking him for first chemo tomorrow and will be raising this as serious complaint

Sorry - thanks for sticking if you made if this far. I'm clearly extremely pissed off!

 

[GK2]

Not sure if this qualifies, plus I'm in the UK but I'm bloody furious

Three weeks ago my husband complained of back pain and his back 'locked' meaning he couldn't move. Got him to our local accident and emergency department who diagnosed muscle spasm and gave him diazapam to relieve pain

Same thing happened over next two days so on the third occasion I called nhs for advice and they sent ambulance. I was silently cursing as felt he was exaggerating - hey ho, you live and learn...

Two hours later X-ray showed fractured spine, but he'd had no trauma so doc ordered CT scan. T7 vertebrae had gone as had one rib - possible diagnosis multiple myeloma. Admitted him overnight to acute assessment unit and transferred to local specialist cancer centre next day.

Consultant visited and advised 99.9% certainty myeloma based on blood test and thoracic CT scan. Biopsy taken from sternum by second consultant, discharged after 3 days and sent home with outpatients appointment for last Wednesday to start chemo for 4 months before stem cell transplant later this year

Outpatient clinic last Wednesday running 3 hours late - no apology - second consultant tells us biopsy clear so diagnosis is definitely plasmacyetoma in one place to be treated with short burst of radiotherapy. Said would have PET CT scan in a couple of weeks. Told us to go home, celebrate (!) and be grateful not myeloma. Refused to answer questions about high calcium levels. Marked me as a nuisance

I complained following day - PET CT brought forward to last Friday. Called back to clinic yesterday to be told by original consultant husband has multiple myeloma in spine, pelvis, ribs and arms. Chemo starts tomorrow for 4 months and will be followed by stem cell transplant as 'cancer appears to be progressing quickly'. Horrible news but we were prepared and we'll deal with it and live life to full.

Except, second consultant sent letter to my husband's GP telling him that he has plasmacyetoma, his wife (ie me) was more concerned about cancelling holiday and that consultant thinks high calcium is due to hyperparathyroidism.

Will be taking him for first chemo tomorrow and will be raising this as serious complaint

Sorry - thanks for sticking if you made if this far. I'm clearly extremely pissed off!

 

[GK2]

oops, sorry about loooong duplicate post. Pricescope went a bit iffy on me

 

[Gussie]

Gk2, I am so sorry. Prayers foryou and your husband.

 

[GK2]

Gk2, I am so sorry. Prayers foryou and your husband.

Thank you. He's young to be diagnosed (46), which should give him a better chance of knocking it back each time the ruddy thing comes back

Worst part was telling our son - it was Father's Day in the UK when it happened. He's nearly 20 but idolises his dad, and will be stating his final year at university in September. We'll get through it as a family

 

[LLJsmom]

@GK2 I'm so sorry. I hope everything goes smoothly, that the doctors diagnose and treat correctly, and that they treat you and your family with respect and consideration.

 

[LLJsmom]

@ceg I'm so glad your son is doing well. I am sorry he suffered so much and I would have been mad as hell to about that incompetent ICU doctor.

@TooPatient I'm so sorry your grandmother went through so much pain. I'm sorry about your tooth extraction, but it did make me laugh. OMG thank goodness your DH was there. Sorry about your DH and his apparently impossible vitamin deficiency, and your poor swollen legs. Right, age, weight gain, that would explain 50% swelling

My grandfather, missed lung cancer till he only had a few months to live. Huge growth on his back. And he was a lifelong smoker. What are you gonna do...

My dad coming out of surgery, just wheeling him out of the operating room. I follow the gurney. Dad, how are you? Dad: It hurts. Me: WTF? IT HURTS?? Dad: Can only nod. I scream at the nurses, "My Dad says it hurts!!!!" 6 hours of abdominal surgery. Don't you people give him some pain killers??? Does the anesthesia wear off the second you exit the operating room? They check the IV to the drugs. Oooops, the IV got loose....

 

[tyty333]

GK2...I'm so sorry to hear about your DH...sending strong healing thoughts your way.

 

[TooPatient]

Thank you. He's young to be diagnosed (46), which should give him a better chance of knocking it back each time the ruddy thing comes back

Worst part was telling our son - it was Father's Day in the UK when it happened. He's nearly 20 but idolises his dad, and will be stating his final year at university in September. We'll get through it as a family

I am so sorry. That sounds like an awful mess when you already had so much stress. I hope the chemo goes well.

 

[TooPatient]

@ceg I'm so glad your son is doing well. I am sorry he suffered so much and I would have been mad as hell to about that incompetent ICU doctor.

@TooPatient I'm so sorry your grandmother went through so much pain. I'm sorry about your tooth extraction, but it did make me laugh. OMG thank goodness your DH was there. Sorry about your DH and his apparently impossible vitamin deficiency, and your poor swollen legs. Right, age, weight gain, that would explain 50% swelling

My grandfather, missed lung cancer till he only had a few months to live. Huge growth on his back. And he was a lifelong smoker. What are you gonna do...

My dad coming out of surgery, just wheeling him out of the operating room. I follow the gurney. Dad, how are you? Dad: It hurts. Me: WTF? IT HURTS?? Dad: Can only nod. I scream at the nurses, "My Dad says it hurts!!!!" 6 hours of abdominal surgery. Don't you people give him some pain killers??? Does the anesthesia wear off the second you exit the operating room? They check the IV to the drugs. Oooops, the IV got loose....

What!?! Surgery with messed up anesthesia?!?! That is just so wrong.

 

[missy]

Not sure if this qualifies, plus I'm in the UK but I'm bloody furious

Three weeks ago my husband complained of back pain and his back 'locked' meaning he couldn't move. Got him to our local accident and emergency department who diagnosed muscle spasm and gave him diazapam to relieve pain

Same thing happened over next two days so on the third occasion I called nhs for advice and they sent ambulance. I was silently cursing as felt he was exaggerating - hey ho, you live and learn...

Two hours later X-ray showed fractured spine, but he'd had no trauma so doc ordered CT scan. T7 vertebrae had gone as had one rib - possible diagnosis multiple myeloma. Admitted him overnight to acute assessment unit and transferred to local specialist cancer centre next day.

Consultant visited and advised 99.9% certainty myeloma based on blood test and thoracic CT scan. Biopsy taken from sternum by second consultant, discharged after 3 days and sent home with outpatients appointment for last Wednesday to start chemo for 4 months before stem cell transplant later this year

Outpatient clinic last Wednesday running 3 hours late - no apology - second consultant tells us biopsy clear so diagnosis is definitely plasmacyetoma in one place to be treated with short burst of radiotherapy. Said would have PET CT scan in a couple of weeks. Told us to go home, celebrate (!) and be grateful not myeloma. Refused to answer questions about high calcium levels. Marked me as a nuisance

I complained following day - PET CT brought forward to last Friday. Called back to clinic yesterday to be told by original consultant husband has multiple myeloma in spine, pelvis, ribs and arms. Chemo starts tomorrow for 4 months and will be followed by stem cell transplant as 'cancer appears to be progressing quickly'. Horrible news but we were prepared and we'll deal with it and live life to full.

Except, second consultant sent letter to my husband's GP telling him that he has plasmacyetoma, his wife (ie me) was more concerned about cancelling holiday and that consultant thinks high calcium is due to hyperparathyroidism.

Will be taking him for first chemo tomorrow and will be raising this as serious complaint

Sorry - thanks for sticking if you made if this far. I'm clearly extremely pissed off!

GK2 I am so sorry about your dh's diagnosis and the awful experience you went through in addition to this horrible news. Insult upon injury. I am and sending buckets and buckets of healing dust and prayers to you and your dg and all the best for a full recovery. {{{HUGS}}}.

 

[ksinger]

What she said. What a brutal blow to your husband and to you! I'm so sorry! And sorry to hear that your docs can't get on the same page. That is one that I have not had to endure, that fighting with the patient in the middle. I bet you are pissed off.

I will be hoping for your husband to have the best response possible to the chemo.

 

[GK2]

Missy and ksinger - thanks so much. We are just in the wait area waiting for him to be called through for his chemo. This is our new normal I guess!

 

[Austina]

I hope it all works out well for your husband @GK2

 

[GK2]

So, first chemo didn't go as well as hoped but this was down to pharmacist rather then doctor this time

Waited two hours to get all his medication from pharmacy and then went for his two Velcade injections - first time they were the wrong dose. Pharmacist and nursing staff apologised and said give us 20 minutes to get the correct doses

30 mins later nurses bring new injections to him - do the checks and they are wrong again

Finally get the right ones after two and a half hours wait. Let's hope it's better when we go back on Monday for the next doses!

Patience is being tested but remaining calm for now externally. Internally - let's not go there! Slightly concerned we've got six 21 day cycles of this to get through - surely we won't have any more cock ups...

 

[Gussie]

So, first chemo didn't go as well as hoped but this was down to pharmacist rather then doctor this time

Waited two hours to get all his medication from pharmacy and then went for his two Velcade injections - first time they were the wrong dose. Pharmacist and nursing staff apologised and said give us 20 minutes to get the correct doses

30 mins later nurses bring new injections to him - do the checks and they are wrong again

Finally get the right ones after two and a half hours wait. Let's hope it's better when we go back on Monday for the next doses!

Patience is being tested but remaining calm for now externally. Internally - let's not go there! Slightly concerned we've got six 21 day cycles of this to get through - surely we won't have any more cock ups...

I am sorry that the first treatment was trying. But be extremely grateful for those checks, double checks, and triple checks. In fact it never hurts for you to learn the dosage and check it as well. Chemo dosage must be correct above all else.
Prayers for you and your family.

 

[ksinger]

I am sorry that the first treatment was trying. But be extremely grateful for those checks, double checks, and triple checks. In fact it never hurts for you to learn the dosage and check it as well. Chemo dosage must be correct above all else.
Prayers for you and your family.

Absolutely agree with this. I've been many times now with my SIL for her chemo treatments and other infusions, and she carries a notebook and keeps her own notes from each time, along with dosages, changes etc. I've watched her make them confirm her understanding for the day's treatments, more than once. And she's called 'em on a few "cock ups" (love that term!) that could have been less than lovely if they'd gone forward.

I didn't have chemo, but I did have radiation, and I asked for a course of treatment that is a bit uncommon in breast cancer, but certainly not unheard of. Instead of the standard (as I recall) 20 daily treatments, with 2-5 "boosts" at the end, I asked for a course with a larger fraction of radiation each day, for a total of 15 treatments instead of 20. The radiation oncologist seemed a bit taken aback, but said, "OK, it's not that common to get a request for that, but there's no reason we can't do that." And the plan was made and approved, and they gave me a treatment schedule. For 20 treatments with boosts. I was like, "Whoa Nellie! Why 20 when we agreed on 15??" Both docs I was working with were a bit embarrassed and apologetic, because once I reminded them, they were like...ohh...yeah. One doc said, "Not that many patients notice something like that." I kinda thought to myself, seriously? You wouldn't notice more than an extra WEEK of treatments on your printed schedule, when you'd asked for something else?? Of course, anything rad has to go through a formal approval process, so the modification back to 15, had to go back through the process again meaning I had to start a couple of days later than I would have. So while not a life-threatening bobble, and either treatment would have been fine from an effectiveness standpoint, it just highlights that check, double check, and triple check is the best.advice.ever.

GK2, I'm sure your husband's treatments will smooth out with the next one. You really will hit a rhythm soon, and learn the drill. I still go with my SIL for her infusions (and I can't ever for the life of me remember the name of what she's on right now - it's not really a chemo, it's a single agent infusion of one of the meds they added to the nasty chemo drugs when she was having a "cocktail" of them) even though she's quite capable of going alone, especially now that she's in remission. But we've decided to enjoy it as our catch up/girl time - no husbands, no kids, just us. We laugh a lot. Then we go out to lunch afterwards.

I sincerely hope you and your husband can get to a similar place of making the best out of a crap situation.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Missy,

I cannot find a post where you shared your stories of bad doctors. Did you forget? I'd like to read them.

Annette

 

[missy]

Hi Missy,

I cannot find a post where you shared your stories of bad doctors. Did you forget? I'd like to read them.

Annette

Hi Annette, the first bad experience is from a few years ago. I went through a trusted friend's recommendation which taught me another valuable lesson. Even a trusted friend might have poor judgment and that was compounded by my feelings of fear and pain and not knowing where to turn while I was in a lot of pain so I felt I had to follow through despite warning bells going off in my head during those visits.

I started having very awful painful burning symptoms (8 on a scale of 1-10) starting in my esophagus so I got an appointment as soon as I could (next day Friday) with my friend's gastroenterologist for an eval. Her whole family went to him and she raved about him saying he is the best. Isn't it funny how so many people think their doctor is the best and sometimes they are but sometimes they are the opposite of that. The thing with this doctor is he was charming and personable but I did see through him and see him for the snake he is (sorry I don't mean to give snakes a bad name!) and my valuable takeaway lesson from this is never never go against your instincts no matter how great a recommendation the doctor has. If something feels wrong trust your gut. It's just desperation and need for relief from pain can sometimes alter one's good judgment. I know it did mine at that time.

This first GI doctor put me on meds and had me come back that Monday for my very first endoscopy. So far so good as it all made sense. No relief from the meds and we came back Monday and really I had warning bells going off for various reasons (office seemed less than clean and setup less than professional and the doctor and anesthesiologist were late) but I was scared not to do anything and I was in pain and I wanted so badly to get relief so I made myself trust this doctor.

So as I wrote this GI doctor performed the procedure in his office under questionable conditions. He had an anesthesiologist present but it just all felt wrong. My spidey senses were going off but at that point I felt I was stuck. Anyway after the endoscopy he diagnosed me with severe esophagitis and then tried to "sell" me on getting a colonoscopy at my next appointment because I was 48 which was "almost 50" so why wait? At that point I felt incredibly angry and foolish and knew I wasn't going back. Here I was in a good deal of pain and he was trying to get me to schedule a colonoscopy that had nothing to do with the initial issue. Seriously?

Obviously by that time knowing something was truly off with that doctor and I made an appointment with my dermatologist's
(see excellent doctor thread please https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-thread-please-share-your-experiences.232044/)
personal gastroenterologist and he performed an endoscopy a few days later and I did not have an esophagitis at all! My esophagus was clear and he said a severe esophagitis wouldn't have cleared up that fast. And we had quite a lot of trouble getting the report from that first gastroenterologist and he didn't biopsy what he should have and it was just a mess. So that first GI doctor's report was incomplete and didn't make sense either.

And just to add to that first unpleasant experience after the first endoscopy my throat hurt quite a bit. After my 2nd endoscopy I had no discomfort whatsoever. So yeah that was the difference b/w an unprincipled and incompetent uncaring first gastroenterologist and the second competent and qualified second gastroenterologist.

I never did anything about that experience with the first GI doctor besides share the info with my girlfriend who recommended him. I should have but I was in such bad shape during that time period I was just focusing on getting through it and getting better and I didn't want to waste any energy on that first uncaring unethical and incompetent doctor. In hindsight I feel awful if my lack of action caused anyone else undue pain and suffering and consequences but I just was in bad shape at that time. I wonder if it is too late to do anything now.


Second awful experience happened just a few weeks ago.

When I broke my tibia and fibula a few years ago my big toenail on that leg stopped growing for 8 months due to the trauma. When it started growing in it became ingrown. I hadn't ever had issues with my toenails before and never even saw a podiatrist till this started happening. My surgeon had warned me because of the metal plates and screws in my leg now I was more vulnerable to infection and should that leg ever get infected I would be in major trouble because my leg is full of metal and it might impact my mobility forever. So he warned me do NOT let that leg get infected.

So when that toenail started impinging on the skin I saw my girlfriend (a very trusted and excellent podiatrist with whom I work 3 days a month) and she started cutting the nail every month or 2 as necessary to prevent a problem. Fast forward to a few years later and she was away on vacation and we also work together much less as we both decreased our days at work and it had just become more challenging to wait.

I did some research (my friend doesn't live in NYC so she didn't know anyone to recommend) and thought OK how difficult is it to take care of an ingrown nail? And I was being proactive so it wasn't even really ingrown yet I thought. Made an appointment with who I thought would be good and went for an eval. He said ok he is just going to take a little bit off and in the future I might need to get the nail partially removed. But for now he would just take a bit off. Before I knew it WHAM he cut my toe! I was bleeding and the nail was a mess. I mean a 3 yo child could have done a better job. I am not exaggerating. I was speechless and stunned. I just wanted to get out of there so I paid and left and assessed the damage when I got home and called that butcher of a podiatrist when I calmed down. He said oh did I cause you to bleed? Am I sure it isn't the Betadine? LOL. Really? He knew he caused me to bleed because he covered the toe from my view right after he cut the nail but of course I was in pain and I saw the blood. UNBELIEVABLE. So he said OK I'll eprescribe in oral antibiotics for you. OMG.

I texted pics to my girlfriend the podiatrist who was away and she said and I quote "I never say anything bad about other doctors but he did a terrible job". "Very sloppy work".

That was on a Wednesday. I took super careful care of it hoping it would not become infected and that next Monday I saw a different podiatrist not too far from our beach house who was highly recommended by a cycling buddy of ours. Yes I know but at that point I had to see someone else and I hoped they would be competent. Turns out he is great and he evaluated the "mess" and he did a partial nail removal complete with the 2 needles injected in my big toe. Unfortunately because that toe was now infected he couldn't apply the cauterizing chemical to prevent that part of the nail from growing back but that's OK. I will just return to him in a few months (he said I shouldn't have any issues with that part of the nail for 8 months or so) to have it done with the chemical to kill that part of the nail for good. The toe injections weren't that bad. I was just relieved to find a healthcare professional who knew what he was doing!

I am still healing from that first podiatrist's hack job but hopefully on the road to recovery. This second (excellent) podiatrist called me the Wednesday after I saw him that Monday to check on me. And then on Friday because i was concerned about some redness on the skin and some discomfort he had me text him follow up pics and then told me to come in so he could evaluate it in person because it did look irritated. And he waited for me because it was Friday afternoon and he was about to leave before he spoke with me. That is good care. Competent care and a caring health professional. And he told me to text him any time I wanted to with any concerns.

This time I did file a complaint against that first podiatrist and also reversed my copay charges for that visit with him as well as call my health insurance company letting them know exactly what happened. I did it to hopefully prevent anyone else from going through what I did and I also let him know what I did and why and I wrote reviews online. All in the hopes to 1. prevent someone else from going through this and 2. perhaps to open the doctor's eyes and have him learn from this. Was he just careless? Or is he incompetent? I was quite clear about my metal plates and the fear of infection so I am leaning towards incompetence.


The third experience isn't my own but my mother's and I am going to keep it short. She had trauma and needed surgery and the first surgeon wasn't responsive to her concerns after the surgery and long story short despite many calls to his office that went ignored or poorly answered she got an infection and now has a permanent dropped foot. But it was also life threatening because of a clot or something like that (happened years ago and I am fuzzy on the details) so an excellent surgical team stepped in because her life was in danger and they "fixed" the issue in a 12 hour multi-surgeon surgery. On that surgical team (at HSS) was my trauma surgeon who I had yet to meet and need who was instrumental in saving her life and giving her mobility back. Her foot will always be dropped but at least she can get about and at least she has her quality of life and is still alive! I am not exaggerating when I tell you it was the incompetence of the first surgeon and the uncaring callous attitude of the first surgeon that caused all these issues. My parents however are from a generation where they just don't want to sue. I feel they should have. And I don't say this lightly because I am not one to sue either but in this case it was warranted. Again if just to prevent this uncaring unprincipled surgeon from doing this to someone else. This surgeon just plain ignored all the warning signs and she told him what was happening and her concerns and he just kept dismissing it. He dropped the ball. Plain and simple. And the other surgeons basically said as much.


I am not going to share my friend's experience out of respect for her memory and out of respect for her family. A tragic case all because of a doctor's incompetence.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Missy,

Thanks for your stories. I admit to wanting to see the level of seriousness of your complaints as many people only think of life threatening experiences when they think of Dr. errors. The medical profession makes so many mistakes and admit to none. I have had so may Dr.s who made mistakes or are somewhat "negligent" I can't begin to tell you.

I usually get my referrals from other Drs, so when I am unhappy I tell the referring Dr. Surgeons are particularly irksome--the prima donnas of medicine. And all Drs think their wonderful. Normally patients do not confront them-that includes me.

It is difficult for a Dr to hear about how bad others think they are as a group, and I liken it to when we post about shooting by the police, our members who are married to police officers become defensive and angry. So CMD is just reacting to what is personal to her, but just a topic to us.

Drs. are poor diagnosticians nowadays. I wish they were more honest.

I have been involved in a malpractice suit. A doctor took a test and forgot to read it. He never told me he took the test, as I know enough to call to get results of a test if the Dr. doesn't call me.
It took 4 yrs and a trial. I learned a lot. I have copies of a deposition with one Dr. who said under oath he would lie to win in a malpractice suit because he's tired of malpractice suits. He was not called as a witness for the defendant Dr.

I had the worst Dr.s and the best Dr.s. They need to be more self critical. Big egos with even the smallest things.
Pain is a terrible thing. You can't think straight. I'm actually sick of doctors. The trouble is we stlll need them. They know more than me. Sorry for your trouble.

Annette

 

[missy]

Annette, thank you and I am so sorry for your health issues and your experience with mistakes made by doctors. I agree that everyone in every field, including doctors, can always learn how to improve their skill and care. No one is perfect and no one immune from making terrible errors that can forever change the course of someone's future. Of course mistakes made by healthcare professionals can be especially life altering.

You are quite right in that no matter how many mistakes made we still need health care professionals and hoping we find the good ones and avoid the careless incompetent healthcare professionals that as in all professions will always exist. I too hate not being in complete control but unfortunately we can only do the best we can do in terms of due diligence and hope our doctors do their very best (and hope that is sufficient) by and for us. And we do need excellent diagnosticians as that is where the story begins to get on the road to recovery and healing and wellness.

I find it interesting (and a bit sad) that the excellent doctor thread I started a few days ago has had but one response while this thread got quite a few more replies rather quickly.

 

[LightBright]

I'll try to be brief. I consider myself and my family to be very healthy people but we have had endless issues with incompetent doctors.

In her thirties, my identical twin found a round black spot on her calf that her GP told her wasn't skin cancer because it didn't fit the ABCD profile. A year went by, I saw it and insisted she get it biopsied. It was nodular melanoma. Another year passed, my OTHER younger sister developed a tiny black spot on her ankle. She knew enough to insist on a biopsy, even though the dermatologist told her it didn't look serious. It was nodular melanoma. Guys, if it's very black on any part of a skin lesion, regardless of shape, get it biopsied. And, btw, nodular melanoma can be tan. Biopsy.

I went through three fertility doctors trying to conceive via donor egg. The first facility did one donation cycle and I got pregnant. Start to finish it took about six weeks. A few years later, we moved and started to try for a second child. The second fertility specialist was the quack. He is in a very well regarded fertility clinic in our city. He put me on hormones to "prime" me for several months, did all kinds of painful invasive procedures (even though I had zero problems getting pregnant at my first facility). After months of hormones and procedures, the facility forgot to thaw my one remaining embryo on the day of my transfer. So we had to start again! Then the physician refused to do my final transfer attempt, saying he had an important patient from overseas coming to town. It was a surreal nightmare. I spent about ten months with that facility attempting to transfer a single embryo, which ultimately failed. I got pregnant in six weeks again, with another donor, once I transferred to another clinic.

Then I got Triple Negative Breast Cancer. I found a lump about the size of a quarter while I was breast feeding. I went immediately to my OB. He referred me to a radiologist. I went to an ultrasound specialist who told me it was a galactocele. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. No one said to biopsy just in case (in my old city, they biopsied everything, including galactoceles. I thought they were being overly procedure happy for the money, now I know they were extremely wise. SHIT.) I was not closely moniitored. Months later it was still there and growing. I went to a plastic surgeon specializing in breasts to take care of my "galactocele" (I was referred by my lactation consultant.) My OB never followed up. The plastic surgeon said it's a galactocele, did a procedure on my "good breast", but referred me back to radiology. Radiology wanted to do a biopsy THAT DAY. I declined, because I thought it was a galactocele. I called the plastic surgeon, who had spoken to the radiologist about my report that day, and the surgeon said I disagree with the radiologist. Let's put you on a course of antibiotics for a few weeks and follow up. I was only too happy to do that. But a week later when I received my radiology report in the mail (I always insist on getting copies of my reports) I read it and it said BIRADS 4. I thought: WTF!!!! This is BIRADS 4. I immediately went back to the radiologist and they diagnosed a 7cm TNBC tumor, stage III.

Moral of the story. I have no ****ing idea. I've been dealing with shit medical advice, frankly, interspersed with, I must add extraordinarily good, life saving medical advice, for twenty years. I always knew my "extremely dense breasts" would give me cancer. Intuitively, I knew I was in trouble. Hoping to survive it.

My advice to anyone. Regarding the possibility of cancer. It is possible, don't think "it doesn't run in my family", it can't happen to me. It can. Even though I have many examples of physicians doing medical procedures and biopsies that were meant to pad their pockets, NOW, I say take the chance on the biopsies. ALWAYS insist on biopsies, for ANYTHING suspicious. Even if the radiologist thinks it's a galactocele. If it's an area that is not normal breast tissue, get it biopsied. Also, please get second and third opinions if you feel like your care isn't getting you the answers you need. Appoint a medical bird dogger to look into all possibilities. I was my own bird dogger, once I was diagnosed with cancer. But I was woefully trusting of so called good doctors many of whom dropped the ball. Breast cancer is REAL, and you can usually find it early if you actually believe you could get it. Skin cancer is REAL and you can find it early if you actually believe it's possible. Go the extra mile, INSIST on that biopsy.

 

[LightBright]

I want to quote ksinger "... it just highlights that check, double check, and triple check is the best.advice.ever."

I also want to quote sandeek "Lesson...Always get copies of your results!!". And read them carefully...