Did you have any symptoms

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Comments

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    BDS said:

    The Doctor Who Dropped the Ball

    Yes, it was Bucks County PA. My former urologist first name was Drew his last name started with the letter "H" and his practice starts with "Bucks County". You can figuire out the rest.

    When I was diagnosed (May 2012) I had a  11 cm tumor engulfing the entire left kidney multiple metastases to lymph nodes, lungs and a large left para-aortic mass. My surgeon told me "Until I see the pathology report you may not be alive in a year to see your daughter graduated high school". If my urologist had done his job an ordered a kidney scan in 2005 all of this would have been avoid. Being on CSN as long as I have and seeing how many members have now passed on I am truly amazed that I am still alive and doing well. - Take Care - BDS   

     

     

    This makes me so angry I

    This makes me so angry I could scream. All it would have taken is a CT or US back when you first complained in 2005. I don't get his negligence in considering it. I'm happy that you're doing well but this just makes me want to shake Dr. Drew and ask him WTF was he thinking. Or not thinking.

  • rjhillcbytwp
    rjhillcbytwp Member Posts: 11
    JoanneNH said:

    Diagnosed with kidney cancer

    Diagnosed with kidney cancer in August of 2013.  That summer I had intense itching all over but especially my back, decreased energy, weight loss, and tachycardia.  Also developed a wicked cough which was my lifesaver.  Nurse practitioner ordered a chest x-ray which showed a pleural effusion.  Radiologist said he wanted a CT scan.  That CT scan of my chest was just low enough to show a 7-cm tumor arising from my kidney.  I still have some itching but never as bad as that summer.  

    Wicked cough saved me too

    Hi JoanneNH,

    I've been lurking here on and off since my original DX in April of 2012.  I was training for the Pittsburgh marathon, and started a horrible cough in the middle of a run.  The Cliff's Notes version of my story will be in my profile, once I can figure out how to edit that section.

    My only persistent trouble, after a full left and partial right neph, HD-IL2, 12 Months of Sutent, and almost two years of Votrent is the cough.  I can't get rid of it.  My Oncologist and Pulmonologist say that the cancer isn't causing the cough; something about the parenchyma of the lungs having no nerves and therefore nothing to trigger the reflex.  The allergist says "No allergies here!" and the ENT says "Squeaky clean sinus cavities." In essence, every specialty and sub-specialty has ruled out thier area of expertise.  According to the experts, I shouldn't be coughing. 

    Oh, but I am.  I'm hopeful that someone on this forum has found a magician or physician that has cracked the code and stopped the cough.  I'm humbly seeking your wisdom and counsel.

  • Dave418
    Dave418 Member Posts: 95 Member
    For me, it all begun with one

    For me, it all begun with one side of my chest looking bigger than the other. Talked about that to my gp and he tought i might always had been like that without noticing. I insisted that this was new and getting bigger. He ordered a ultrasound just to make sure and 4 weeks later, my journey begun...

    I saw the face of the guy doiing the ultrasound change as he was performing it, he then went away and the radiologist came back to tell me something was wrong with my left kidney and ordered an mri. My gp called me to tell me that he had the results and i had to see the urologist asap as i had a 9.5cm mass on the kidney that looked like cancer. That was confirmed by urologist after a CT scan and the kidney(football sized, uro told me) was removed september 3rd 2014, on the day of my 9th year wedding anniversary. Stage 3 grade 2 renal vein invasion, clear margins.

    So it was that kidney that was pushing on my ribs and made my chest looked distort. No other symptoms than that.

    Now waiting for the 1 year scan on oct 28th 

    Dave

  • JoanneNH
    JoanneNH Member Posts: 115

    Wicked cough saved me too

    Hi JoanneNH,

    I've been lurking here on and off since my original DX in April of 2012.  I was training for the Pittsburgh marathon, and started a horrible cough in the middle of a run.  The Cliff's Notes version of my story will be in my profile, once I can figure out how to edit that section.

    My only persistent trouble, after a full left and partial right neph, HD-IL2, 12 Months of Sutent, and almost two years of Votrent is the cough.  I can't get rid of it.  My Oncologist and Pulmonologist say that the cancer isn't causing the cough; something about the parenchyma of the lungs having no nerves and therefore nothing to trigger the reflex.  The allergist says "No allergies here!" and the ENT says "Squeaky clean sinus cavities." In essence, every specialty and sub-specialty has ruled out thier area of expertise.  According to the experts, I shouldn't be coughing. 

    Oh, but I am.  I'm hopeful that someone on this forum has found a magician or physician that has cracked the code and stopped the cough.  I'm humbly seeking your wisdom and counsel.

    I had a cardiothoracic

    I had a cardiothoracic surgeon friend look at my chest x-ray/CT scan.  He said he didn't think the pleural effusion had anything to do with my cancer and thought I had had pneumonia.   Everyone originally thought the cough was due to my blood pressure medicine until the chest x-ray showed a pleural effusion.

    Are you on an ACE inhibitor blood pressure medication?  That can cause a cough, sometimes pretty bad in some patients.

  • Max57
    Max57 Member Posts: 177 Member
    JoanneNH said:

    Diagnosed with kidney cancer

    Diagnosed with kidney cancer in August of 2013.  That summer I had intense itching all over but especially my back, decreased energy, weight loss, and tachycardia.  Also developed a wicked cough which was my lifesaver.  Nurse practitioner ordered a chest x-ray which showed a pleural effusion.  Radiologist said he wanted a CT scan.  That CT scan of my chest was just low enough to show a 7-cm tumor arising from my kidney.  I still have some itching but never as bad as that summer.  

    woow

    joanne

    such a consdent I noticed  tow years before my diagnosed I start itching my feet and fingers and it was bad really bad my wife said maybe it's dry skin... after the surgery it's better much bettr but as you said I still have itching.... I don't know if It has to do with my cancer 

     

  • BDS said:

    The Doctor Who Dropped the Ball

    Yes, it was Bucks County PA. My former urologist first name was Drew his last name started with the letter "H" and his practice starts with "Bucks County". You can figuire out the rest.

    When I was diagnosed (May 2012) I had a  11 cm tumor engulfing the entire left kidney multiple metastases to lymph nodes, lungs and a large left para-aortic mass. My surgeon told me "Until I see the pathology report you may not be alive in a year to see your daughter graduated high school". If my urologist had done his job an ordered a kidney scan in 2005 all of this would have been avoid. Being on CSN as long as I have and seeing how many members have now passed on I am truly amazed that I am still alive and doing well. - Take Care - BDS   

     

     

    Have you considered suing the

    Have you considered suing the urologist for malpractice?  Seems like a pretty clear case. I am not one to sue, if there was ever a situation that merited a lawsuit, yours sound like it.  Doctors like this need to be smartened up.

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    Dave418 said:

    For me, it all begun with one

    For me, it all begun with one side of my chest looking bigger than the other. Talked about that to my gp and he tought i might always had been like that without noticing. I insisted that this was new and getting bigger. He ordered a ultrasound just to make sure and 4 weeks later, my journey begun...

    I saw the face of the guy doiing the ultrasound change as he was performing it, he then went away and the radiologist came back to tell me something was wrong with my left kidney and ordered an mri. My gp called me to tell me that he had the results and i had to see the urologist asap as i had a 9.5cm mass on the kidney that looked like cancer. That was confirmed by urologist after a CT scan and the kidney(football sized, uro told me) was removed september 3rd 2014, on the day of my 9th year wedding anniversary. Stage 3 grade 2 renal vein invasion, clear margins.

    So it was that kidney that was pushing on my ribs and made my chest looked distort. No other symptoms than that.

    Now waiting for the 1 year scan on oct 28th 

    Dave

    Dave,our stories are similar.

    Dave,our stories are similar. Mine was also grade two and 10cm and wad found few days before our anniversary. We wanted ti go to a romantic journey but things changed and my husband and I started a tough journey which didn't look romantic at all:) but made both of us more in love. Wishing you NED for your first year scan and many more NED for the comming decades.

    Forough

     

  • BDS
    BDS Member Posts: 172

    Have you considered suing the

    Have you considered suing the urologist for malpractice?  Seems like a pretty clear case. I am not one to sue, if there was ever a situation that merited a lawsuit, yours sound like it.  Doctors like this need to be smartened up.

    Have you considered suing?

    Positive_Mental_Attitude before I answer, I just wanted to state that before I was diagnosed I had no idea what kidney cancer was. I do not have a medical background. I do not even think before 2012 if you ask me to spell renal cell carcinoma I could! I just trusted my doctors.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
    Have you considered suing?

    Oh yes, I have pursed this option. My wife and I went to three of the best malpractice attorneys in the Philadelphia area; all eager to review my case. I have in the process learned some bitter lessons about the legal system and malpractice law.
       
        1.    For all their whining and complaining about malpractice Doctors are truly a protected class in this country.


        2.    For a Doctor to be successfully sued in a court of law in Pennsylvania that doctor has to be an “F” Doctor, not a “C” ,not a “D” but an “F” doctor.  A doctor has to commit gross malpractice like cut off the wrong leg or commit fraud against Medicare in order to have a judgment against them.


        3.    In order to sue a Doctor a lawsuit must be filed within two years of diagnosis. At a time when the patient maybe truly fighting for his/her life or scramming to determine the best treatment options suing your doctor and all that it entails is the last thing on the patients mind. Because of this many malpractice cases are never go trial.


        4.    A malpractice attorney will not pursue a lawsuit unless they feel it’s a slam dunk case.  It can cost a legal practice up to $50,000 to try a malpractice case in front of a jury. If your case does go to trial your attorney will settle out of court even if it is for a lesser damages at a drop of a hat. I was told by all three of my attorneys that the last thing they want to do is have a jury trial in the Bucks County PA area. It’s not uncommon in Bucks County to have juries that have strong ties to the insurance industry.
       
    My legal case was not accepted based on the following points:

        •    Unlike a gynecologist who must routinely order a mammogram. A urologist is under no medical obligation to ever order a kidney scan. A kidney scan is not legally considered part of “Standard of Care” for urology. This is what I found most appalling!


        •    My medical records were written with just basic information about my office visits. Nothing was ever written down about my concerns about my kidneys. Nothing to prove my urologist was negligent.  


        •    In June 2011 trace blood was found in my in office urine sample – I was never informed.  Not informing me about the blood in my urine was the one legal point that my urologist was negligent. However, because I was diagnosed one year later in May 2012 all the lawyers that I spoke to said the legal damages that could be incurred would be minimal. In short, it was not worth their time to pursue.

    So there you have it, my legal options are now exhausted. My former urologist is still practicing medicine and laughing all the way to the bank. I wonder if he even remembers me. As I said before, beware of a man with a smile and a handshake!    - BDS

     

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    BDS said:

    Have you considered suing?

    Positive_Mental_Attitude before I answer, I just wanted to state that before I was diagnosed I had no idea what kidney cancer was. I do not have a medical background. I do not even think before 2012 if you ask me to spell renal cell carcinoma I could! I just trusted my doctors.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
    Have you considered suing?

    Oh yes, I have pursed this option. My wife and I went to three of the best malpractice attorneys in the Philadelphia area; all eager to review my case. I have in the process learned some bitter lessons about the legal system and malpractice law.
       
        1.    For all their whining and complaining about malpractice Doctors are truly a protected class in this country.


        2.    For a Doctor to be successfully sued in a court of law in Pennsylvania that doctor has to be an “F” Doctor, not a “C” ,not a “D” but an “F” doctor.  A doctor has to commit gross malpractice like cut off the wrong leg or commit fraud against Medicare in order to have a judgment against them.


        3.    In order to sue a Doctor a lawsuit must be filed within two years of diagnosis. At a time when the patient maybe truly fighting for his/her life or scramming to determine the best treatment options suing your doctor and all that it entails is the last thing on the patients mind. Because of this many malpractice cases are never go trial.


        4.    A malpractice attorney will not pursue a lawsuit unless they feel it’s a slam dunk case.  It can cost a legal practice up to $50,000 to try a malpractice case in front of a jury. If your case does go to trial your attorney will settle out of court even if it is for a lesser damages at a drop of a hat. I was told by all three of my attorneys that the last thing they want to do is have a jury trial in the Bucks County PA area. It’s not uncommon in Bucks County to have juries that have strong ties to the insurance industry.
       
    My legal case was not accepted based on the following points:

        •    Unlike a gynecologist who must routinely order a mammogram. A urologist is under no medical obligation to ever order a kidney scan. A kidney scan is not legally considered part of “Standard of Care” for urology. This is what I found most appalling!


        •    My medical records were written with just basic information about my office visits. Nothing was ever written down about my concerns about my kidneys. Nothing to prove my urologist was negligent.  


        •    In June 2011 trace blood was found in my in office urine sample – I was never informed.  Not informing me about the blood in my urine was the one legal point that my urologist was negligent. However, because I was diagnosed one year later in May 2012 all the lawyers that I spoke to said the legal damages that could be incurred would be minimal. In short, it was not worth their time to pursue.

    So there you have it, my legal options are now exhausted. My former urologist is still practicing medicine and laughing all the way to the bank. I wonder if he even remembers me. As I said before, beware of a man with a smile and a handshake!    - BDS

     

    Well, that's certainly

    Well, that's certainly sobering. Unbelievable. To me it was gross negligence but I guess by legal standards he was doing just fine. I can see kidney scans not being a routine recommendation but you were having symptoms. You were complaining about urologic issues. So it's not like you expected your GP to order a routine scan when there was nothing wrong. You felt there was something wrong. Oh well. Certainly learned something and it truly sucks.

  • rainsandpours
    rainsandpours Member Posts: 136
    I had vague symptoms  that I

    I had vague symptoms  that I couldn't quite put my finger on.  I was, at the time, being followed/treated for thyroid cancer.   I had mentioned  to my Rad Onc at the time that something was going on with my kidneys.  I'd had strange urinary urgency, some low back pain, and weirdest of all, a skin smell only I picked up on.  Ammonia like.  I asked my family if they noticed it and no one had.

     

    Any who. ... that was fall 2012.  In Jan 2013 I had a neck ultrasound  that showed a large thyroid tumor in my upper chest.  The radiologist  recommended  a neck,  chest abdo  CT.  Which I had mid March.

     

    The scan took forever,  and I knew something  was up when they pulled me out of the scanner and wouldn't release me until I went for a chest xray.   I knew they saw something.   Rcc was not in my vocabulary.   My GP  gave me the results a few days later.  But I had to do the entire diagnosis circle jerk  before a real diagnosis.  This was late March 2013.  By the time I finally had surgery in Oct 2013, I'd been put through 3 cts,  2 ultrasounds,  2 biopsies and 2 other unrelated surgeries.  

     

    Not a simple process by any means.  My 1.3 cm tumor was removed by open partial Oct 15/13.  Small certainly, but I had a mutant renal artery and the tumor was in a difficult spot.  Painful recovery!.  

     

    My urologist  forgets he operated every time I see him.  His follow up is shaky.   Ct once a year, but after my next scan in Feb it'll  switch to ultrasound.  

    Endpoint- I was fairly in tune with myself.  Had the rad Onc actually  listened  to me, they may have found the Rcc a year earlier.  

     

  • Max57
    Max57 Member Posts: 177 Member

    I had vague symptoms  that I

    I had vague symptoms  that I couldn't quite put my finger on.  I was, at the time, being followed/treated for thyroid cancer.   I had mentioned  to my Rad Onc at the time that something was going on with my kidneys.  I'd had strange urinary urgency, some low back pain, and weirdest of all, a skin smell only I picked up on.  Ammonia like.  I asked my family if they noticed it and no one had.

     

    Any who. ... that was fall 2012.  In Jan 2013 I had a neck ultrasound  that showed a large thyroid tumor in my upper chest.  The radiologist  recommended  a neck,  chest abdo  CT.  Which I had mid March.

     

    The scan took forever,  and I knew something  was up when they pulled me out of the scanner and wouldn't release me until I went for a chest xray.   I knew they saw something.   Rcc was not in my vocabulary.   My GP  gave me the results a few days later.  But I had to do the entire diagnosis circle jerk  before a real diagnosis.  This was late March 2013.  By the time I finally had surgery in Oct 2013, I'd been put through 3 cts,  2 ultrasounds,  2 biopsies and 2 other unrelated surgeries.  

     

    Not a simple process by any means.  My 1.3 cm tumor was removed by open partial Oct 15/13.  Small certainly, but I had a mutant renal artery and the tumor was in a difficult spot.  Painful recovery!.  

     

    My urologist  forgets he operated every time I see him.  His follow up is shaky.   Ct once a year, but after my next scan in Feb it'll  switch to ultrasound.  

    Endpoint- I was fairly in tune with myself.  Had the rad Onc actually  listened  to me, they may have found the Rcc a year earlier.  

     

    hi there 
    you said strange

    hi there 

    you said strange urinary urgency can you be more specific.... Coz I had that urgency before the surgery then gone away 5 months later came back 

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    I was tired, and loosing weight.

    I am always within 15 lbs of my normal weight as an adult.  Over six months, I had lost 20 lbs without trying -- from 260 to 240lbs.  And I was extremely tired.  I was also having a non-descript back pain.  I was happy with the weight loss; as an adult, I have had a constant struggle with weight.  But, the tiredness was getting to me.  Every day, I would need to rest in the afternoon -- I could not work a full day. I was going to talk about this to my doctor.  I had already talked about Kidney Cancer, since it runs in my family (father and grandfather), but he trivialized my concern saying that RCC is an environmental disease.  I should have sued him for my kidney.

     

    (when my sister was diagnosed BRCA +, he refused to refer me for genetic testing; this was before the cancer diagnosis.  After the cancer diagnosis, he yelled at me about not following his advice, and getting the genetic testing, until I came back BRCA+; however, he refused the enhanced survaliance that was recommended.  I fired him, and filed a complaint with the state only when I came in for crushing chest pain at 49 and he had been treating me for cholesterol for 15 years.  He sent me home with Prilosec for GERD.  A week later I was unable to talk ten feet and it turns out I had a 98% blockage of the LAD.).  

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    dhs1963 said:

    I was tired, and loosing weight.

    I am always within 15 lbs of my normal weight as an adult.  Over six months, I had lost 20 lbs without trying -- from 260 to 240lbs.  And I was extremely tired.  I was also having a non-descript back pain.  I was happy with the weight loss; as an adult, I have had a constant struggle with weight.  But, the tiredness was getting to me.  Every day, I would need to rest in the afternoon -- I could not work a full day. I was going to talk about this to my doctor.  I had already talked about Kidney Cancer, since it runs in my family (father and grandfather), but he trivialized my concern saying that RCC is an environmental disease.  I should have sued him for my kidney.

     

    (when my sister was diagnosed BRCA +, he refused to refer me for genetic testing; this was before the cancer diagnosis.  After the cancer diagnosis, he yelled at me about not following his advice, and getting the genetic testing, until I came back BRCA+; however, he refused the enhanced survaliance that was recommended.  I fired him, and filed a complaint with the state only when I came in for crushing chest pain at 49 and he had been treating me for cholesterol for 15 years.  He sent me home with Prilosec for GERD.  A week later I was unable to talk ten feet and it turns out I had a 98% blockage of the LAD.).  

    You did the right thing to

    You did the right thing to fire him

  • DonMiller
    DonMiller Member Posts: 109
    BDS said:

    Have you considered suing?

    Positive_Mental_Attitude before I answer, I just wanted to state that before I was diagnosed I had no idea what kidney cancer was. I do not have a medical background. I do not even think before 2012 if you ask me to spell renal cell carcinoma I could! I just trusted my doctors.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
    Have you considered suing?

    Oh yes, I have pursed this option. My wife and I went to three of the best malpractice attorneys in the Philadelphia area; all eager to review my case. I have in the process learned some bitter lessons about the legal system and malpractice law.
       
        1.    For all their whining and complaining about malpractice Doctors are truly a protected class in this country.


        2.    For a Doctor to be successfully sued in a court of law in Pennsylvania that doctor has to be an “F” Doctor, not a “C” ,not a “D” but an “F” doctor.  A doctor has to commit gross malpractice like cut off the wrong leg or commit fraud against Medicare in order to have a judgment against them.


        3.    In order to sue a Doctor a lawsuit must be filed within two years of diagnosis. At a time when the patient maybe truly fighting for his/her life or scramming to determine the best treatment options suing your doctor and all that it entails is the last thing on the patients mind. Because of this many malpractice cases are never go trial.


        4.    A malpractice attorney will not pursue a lawsuit unless they feel it’s a slam dunk case.  It can cost a legal practice up to $50,000 to try a malpractice case in front of a jury. If your case does go to trial your attorney will settle out of court even if it is for a lesser damages at a drop of a hat. I was told by all three of my attorneys that the last thing they want to do is have a jury trial in the Bucks County PA area. It’s not uncommon in Bucks County to have juries that have strong ties to the insurance industry.
       
    My legal case was not accepted based on the following points:

        •    Unlike a gynecologist who must routinely order a mammogram. A urologist is under no medical obligation to ever order a kidney scan. A kidney scan is not legally considered part of “Standard of Care” for urology. This is what I found most appalling!


        •    My medical records were written with just basic information about my office visits. Nothing was ever written down about my concerns about my kidneys. Nothing to prove my urologist was negligent.  


        •    In June 2011 trace blood was found in my in office urine sample – I was never informed.  Not informing me about the blood in my urine was the one legal point that my urologist was negligent. However, because I was diagnosed one year later in May 2012 all the lawyers that I spoke to said the legal damages that could be incurred would be minimal. In short, it was not worth their time to pursue.

    So there you have it, my legal options are now exhausted. My former urologist is still practicing medicine and laughing all the way to the bank. I wonder if he even remembers me. As I said before, beware of a man with a smile and a handshake!    - BDS

     

    Malpractice Litigation

    Most attorneys can not afford to take on a malpractice case. The $50,000.00 advance is an extremely conservtive estimate and no case is a "slam dunk".  I believe the insurances carriers have convinced the medical community with cherry picked anolomies to justify their premuims. 

  • DonMiller
    DonMiller Member Posts: 109
    BDS said:

    Have you considered suing?

    Positive_Mental_Attitude before I answer, I just wanted to state that before I was diagnosed I had no idea what kidney cancer was. I do not have a medical background. I do not even think before 2012 if you ask me to spell renal cell carcinoma I could! I just trusted my doctors.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
    Have you considered suing?

    Oh yes, I have pursed this option. My wife and I went to three of the best malpractice attorneys in the Philadelphia area; all eager to review my case. I have in the process learned some bitter lessons about the legal system and malpractice law.
       
        1.    For all their whining and complaining about malpractice Doctors are truly a protected class in this country.


        2.    For a Doctor to be successfully sued in a court of law in Pennsylvania that doctor has to be an “F” Doctor, not a “C” ,not a “D” but an “F” doctor.  A doctor has to commit gross malpractice like cut off the wrong leg or commit fraud against Medicare in order to have a judgment against them.


        3.    In order to sue a Doctor a lawsuit must be filed within two years of diagnosis. At a time when the patient maybe truly fighting for his/her life or scramming to determine the best treatment options suing your doctor and all that it entails is the last thing on the patients mind. Because of this many malpractice cases are never go trial.


        4.    A malpractice attorney will not pursue a lawsuit unless they feel it’s a slam dunk case.  It can cost a legal practice up to $50,000 to try a malpractice case in front of a jury. If your case does go to trial your attorney will settle out of court even if it is for a lesser damages at a drop of a hat. I was told by all three of my attorneys that the last thing they want to do is have a jury trial in the Bucks County PA area. It’s not uncommon in Bucks County to have juries that have strong ties to the insurance industry.
       
    My legal case was not accepted based on the following points:

        •    Unlike a gynecologist who must routinely order a mammogram. A urologist is under no medical obligation to ever order a kidney scan. A kidney scan is not legally considered part of “Standard of Care” for urology. This is what I found most appalling!


        •    My medical records were written with just basic information about my office visits. Nothing was ever written down about my concerns about my kidneys. Nothing to prove my urologist was negligent.  


        •    In June 2011 trace blood was found in my in office urine sample – I was never informed.  Not informing me about the blood in my urine was the one legal point that my urologist was negligent. However, because I was diagnosed one year later in May 2012 all the lawyers that I spoke to said the legal damages that could be incurred would be minimal. In short, it was not worth their time to pursue.

    So there you have it, my legal options are now exhausted. My former urologist is still practicing medicine and laughing all the way to the bank. I wonder if he even remembers me. As I said before, beware of a man with a smile and a handshake!    - BDS

     

    Malpractice Litigation

    Most attorneys can not afford to take on a malpractice case. The $50,000.00 advance is an extremely conservtive estimate and no case is a "slam dunk".  I believe the insurances carriers have convinced the medical community with cherry picked anolomies to justify their premuims. 

  • rainsandpours
    rainsandpours Member Posts: 136

    Re: strange urgency;

     

    I was having to pee quite often and usually didn't realize it until I was running to the bathroom.   Never felt that

     ""full" bladder feeling we are all used to creeping up.  Almost had an accident or 2.  I eventually  mentioned  it also to my GP.   She sent me for a UA  but it showed no infection.  

     

    I'm keeping that experience  as a trigger should it happen again.  

  • I went to the ER with left

    I went to the ER with left side pain.  Mine was found during a CT.  The pain in my side was related.  I had surgery with three weeks.

    Brian

  • Trease
    Trease Member Posts: 17

    I had vague symptoms  that I

    I had vague symptoms  that I couldn't quite put my finger on.  I was, at the time, being followed/treated for thyroid cancer.   I had mentioned  to my Rad Onc at the time that something was going on with my kidneys.  I'd had strange urinary urgency, some low back pain, and weirdest of all, a skin smell only I picked up on.  Ammonia like.  I asked my family if they noticed it and no one had.

     

    Any who. ... that was fall 2012.  In Jan 2013 I had a neck ultrasound  that showed a large thyroid tumor in my upper chest.  The radiologist  recommended  a neck,  chest abdo  CT.  Which I had mid March.

     

    The scan took forever,  and I knew something  was up when they pulled me out of the scanner and wouldn't release me until I went for a chest xray.   I knew they saw something.   Rcc was not in my vocabulary.   My GP  gave me the results a few days later.  But I had to do the entire diagnosis circle jerk  before a real diagnosis.  This was late March 2013.  By the time I finally had surgery in Oct 2013, I'd been put through 3 cts,  2 ultrasounds,  2 biopsies and 2 other unrelated surgeries.  

     

    Not a simple process by any means.  My 1.3 cm tumor was removed by open partial Oct 15/13.  Small certainly, but I had a mutant renal artery and the tumor was in a difficult spot.  Painful recovery!.  

     

    My urologist  forgets he operated every time I see him.  His follow up is shaky.   Ct once a year, but after my next scan in Feb it'll  switch to ultrasound.  

    Endpoint- I was fairly in tune with myself.  Had the rad Onc actually  listened  to me, they may have found the Rcc a year earlier.  

     

    Ammonia smell

    Rainsandpours,That's funny. I've had this issue of smelling ammonia on my skin now for a couple years. No one has ever smelled it except me. I've told my doctor and he pretty much thought I was nuts too. Maybe I'm not nuts !