An incompetant doctor

Tina Brown
Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Not sure if I have shared this with you all, but I went to see my GP (primary care doctor) with 4 minor issues. The people in my health practice know me very well and also knew and respected my late mother. Whenever I go in they always ask how I am and always fit me in for short notice appointments. So I am very happy with the service.

So I go and see this doctor who is new and who I don't know. I begin talking to him about my weight gain. I have put on 2 stone (28 pounds) during and since chemo. I know it is all about the steriods and was hoping for some reassurance, informantion from him to help me. I didn't actually tell him I had been on steriods - but hey he has my notes. So he said to me "You put weight on during chemo, that is very unusual!!!" I just stared at him................... Because I am a fairly intellegent woman I was just amazed at his ignorance but if I was a woman with little understanding of the way steriods work I would've been horrified by his reaction. He then went on to ask me "which breast was it? was it the left one?"!!!!!!!!! "NO" I said I have PPC. He looked blank so I explained what it is. He then asked me how was it diagnosed? What treatment did you have? Did you have surgery? I so wanted to tell him to read my notes but I am too polite for that.

My next problem was with depresssion and seeking counselling. He said there was a waiting list and I would have to wait 8 or 9 months. He told me to go private. That was it - no discussion about how I was actually feeling. I've been on medication for 20 months and he never mentioned that!!!!

My next problem. I have been on sleeping tablets since Jan 10. I asked him if I needed to come off them. He said yes, take one every other day and expect to be tired on the day I don't take one. I had to hide a laugh at this as it was becoming ludicrous.

My final problem. I have a very painful wrist and wondered what it was & whether it was a side effect of chemo. He said "I don't know what it is" after wriggling my hand around. "Put a bandage on it and take a pain killer" OMG this is now getting beyond a joke!!!!!

As I am typing this I am laughing because he was such a bad doctor and handled my situation really badly. (My wrist is still agony and a different doctor has sent me for an x-ray) However when I came out of the surgery I was FUMMING & went home to write a letter of complaint.

I have written about this on this board because I know some ladies experience blase doctors and it makes me angry. We don't have to stand for it. Our health, now more than ever, is SO IMPORTANT to us that it is disgusting that doctors can treat us with disregard.

So if this ever happens to you write and complain. I am still waiting for their response and will let you know when it comes.

Comments

  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    Stunned
    Repeat comment ..arrgh
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    third repeat
    I'm trying to delete these, I wish there was a daggone delete key!
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    Stunned, this was this last repeat, FINALLY
    OY and VEY! This was the last repeated post. I thought I'd never finish editing them. If this one repeats, you'll just have to read it umpteen gazillion times!

    HUGS!

    Leesa
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    leesag said:

    Stunned
    Repeat comment ..arrgh

    I never tried to delete but here are the instructions....
    To edit or delete your discussion board posting:

    •Log on to your CSN account at www.cancer.org/csn using your username and password; you will be directed to the CSN Home page
    •Click on ‘Discussion boards’ on the left navigation menu or under ‘Connect and Communicate’
    •Locate your posting on the discussion board you posted to.
    •Click on the ‘edit’ tab and update your entry. You may preview it or submit it by clicking on the appropriate button at the bottom of the page.
    •Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the ‘Delete’ button. Confirm your deletion on the next page.
    •To delete your entry, find and click on your message. Then click on the ‘edit’ tab and click on the ‘delete’ button at the bottom of the page. Confirm your deletion on the following
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    Socialized medicine
    Aren't you in the UK under socialized medical care? I can hardly wait for the full effect here in the USÅ.
    There are incompetent doctors all over, I guess. I think I would have lost my temper. Saundra
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    Oy trying the delete thing--sorry Nancy, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I still don't see a delete button ;(
  • eward
    eward Member Posts: 210
    incompetent dr
    I am so mad you had to deal with a totally incompetent doctor. I am infuriated right now. Every response was without compassion. Practically without any skills at all.

    I don't know you, but I care about you, Tina. You deserve to have a medical team concerned about your physical and emotional symptoms. I think there should be a team of doctors meeting around the clock to help you and my mom face this cancer with the best knowledge and technology possible.

    Please get another appointment and don't settle for this low level of service.

    xoxo
    Eileen
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    I can't imagine
    I wouldn't have been so polite. It's a good thing I wasn't with you. When my mother was in the hospital and really struggling to get down her one million pills a day, some kidney guy said, "fine, then you won't go home". I let him have it....there's no reason for that type of BS. We complained too and asked that he never come into her room again and we got the head of the kidney section every time after that. Inexcusable. As if this disease isn't hard enough to deal with. I hate to be sexist here, but it seems to me that the rude ones tend to be men........
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    Lisa13Q said:

    I can't imagine
    I wouldn't have been so polite. It's a good thing I wasn't with you. When my mother was in the hospital and really struggling to get down her one million pills a day, some kidney guy said, "fine, then you won't go home". I let him have it....there's no reason for that type of BS. We complained too and asked that he never come into her room again and we got the head of the kidney section every time after that. Inexcusable. As if this disease isn't hard enough to deal with. I hate to be sexist here, but it seems to me that the rude ones tend to be men........

    Incompetence doctor up-date
    Still not had a response from the practive manager but I have been back in to see one of the regular doctors who was as nice as can be.

    - I had my wrist x-rayed and I have a cyst near to the nerves called a ganglion. He is referring me to the hospital.
    - He also spoke to me at length about my depression and has upped my meds. I told him I am seeing a private counsellor & he said that was a good move.
    - I am also having a test for coeliac's disease as my digestive tract is very uncomfortable and tender.

    When will all this medical stuff ever end????????

    Tina xx
  • Tasgirl
    Tasgirl Member Posts: 85

    Incompetence doctor up-date
    Still not had a response from the practive manager but I have been back in to see one of the regular doctors who was as nice as can be.

    - I had my wrist x-rayed and I have a cyst near to the nerves called a ganglion. He is referring me to the hospital.
    - He also spoke to me at length about my depression and has upped my meds. I told him I am seeing a private counsellor & he said that was a good move.
    - I am also having a test for coeliac's disease as my digestive tract is very uncomfortable and tender.

    When will all this medical stuff ever end????????

    Tina xx

    HI Tina
    Sorry to hear you

    HI Tina
    Sorry to hear you have been going through all this bulls....and you saw a nice doctor this time.
    Ganglions tend to disappear on their own. I have had a couple on my foot and not painful. Sorry to hear about the depression and hope upping the meds will help.
    I don't think the medical stuff will every go away but hang in there.... Jenny
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677

    Incompetence doctor up-date
    Still not had a response from the practive manager but I have been back in to see one of the regular doctors who was as nice as can be.

    - I had my wrist x-rayed and I have a cyst near to the nerves called a ganglion. He is referring me to the hospital.
    - He also spoke to me at length about my depression and has upped my meds. I told him I am seeing a private counsellor & he said that was a good move.
    - I am also having a test for coeliac's disease as my digestive tract is very uncomfortable and tender.

    When will all this medical stuff ever end????????

    Tina xx

    ganglion cyst
    Tina,

    I had a ganglion cyst and they injected it with something and I had to keep my finger pressed on it for 48 hours and it went away..make sure they tryt hat before they recommend surgery...I went to a hand doctor and he was great and it took 2 minutes.....I don't think you need a hospital.....just a thought
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thanks for your responses
    Thank-you for your responses about my ganglion. It will be difficult to treat it as it is inside my wrist & it took an x-ray to find it. I hope it just goes away on its own. I'm on anti-inflamatory meds until I get to see the orthopod at the hospital. My depression began after my mum died and a very close relationship I had with someone I had fallen in love with ended. It has been compounded by my cancer and recently problems with my marriage. I sometimes feel I am stuck in a kind of hell (the hardest thing had been getting over the end of my relationship) but it is something I have to work through.

    Nancy, why don't doctors take the time to look at or even glance at your notes before they see you??????

    Tina xx
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677

    Thanks for your responses
    Thank-you for your responses about my ganglion. It will be difficult to treat it as it is inside my wrist & it took an x-ray to find it. I hope it just goes away on its own. I'm on anti-inflamatory meds until I get to see the orthopod at the hospital. My depression began after my mum died and a very close relationship I had with someone I had fallen in love with ended. It has been compounded by my cancer and recently problems with my marriage. I sometimes feel I am stuck in a kind of hell (the hardest thing had been getting over the end of my relationship) but it is something I have to work through.

    Nancy, why don't doctors take the time to look at or even glance at your notes before they see you??????

    Tina xx

    Dear Nancy
    Bummer that the cyst is so deep...OMG you have been through a lot...I once went through a divorce because my best friend was sleeping with my spouse....I was new to Minneapolis and knew no one....I was unemployed and ended up with a kidney stone and hernia....It was like walking through Hell...but you can get through it....I joined a support group, met my new best friend, and am happily living with someone for 15 years (NEVER WILL MARRY AGAIN)... None of this is as bad as cancer, but I KNOW YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS....I did find that the support group I went to and anti-depressants helped..Also I found a church that changed my life....I don't know if any of this is helpful, but there is hope for happiness and satisfaction.....You can get through this and remember..WE ALL LOVE YOU ON THIS BOARD!!!!!!!!
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    Lisa13Q said:

    Dear Nancy
    Bummer that the cyst is so deep...OMG you have been through a lot...I once went through a divorce because my best friend was sleeping with my spouse....I was new to Minneapolis and knew no one....I was unemployed and ended up with a kidney stone and hernia....It was like walking through Hell...but you can get through it....I joined a support group, met my new best friend, and am happily living with someone for 15 years (NEVER WILL MARRY AGAIN)... None of this is as bad as cancer, but I KNOW YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS....I did find that the support group I went to and anti-depressants helped..Also I found a church that changed my life....I don't know if any of this is helpful, but there is hope for happiness and satisfaction.....You can get through this and remember..WE ALL LOVE YOU ON THIS BOARD!!!!!!!!

    Thank-you
    Thank-you for all of your comments.

    Tina xx
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    Lisa13Q said:

    Dear Nancy
    Bummer that the cyst is so deep...OMG you have been through a lot...I once went through a divorce because my best friend was sleeping with my spouse....I was new to Minneapolis and knew no one....I was unemployed and ended up with a kidney stone and hernia....It was like walking through Hell...but you can get through it....I joined a support group, met my new best friend, and am happily living with someone for 15 years (NEVER WILL MARRY AGAIN)... None of this is as bad as cancer, but I KNOW YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS....I did find that the support group I went to and anti-depressants helped..Also I found a church that changed my life....I don't know if any of this is helpful, but there is hope for happiness and satisfaction.....You can get through this and remember..WE ALL LOVE YOU ON THIS BOARD!!!!!!!!

    Thank-you
    Thank-you for all of your comments.

    Tina xx
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    Why am I not surprised?
    Out

    Why am I not surprised?

    Out of the countless number of doctors, specialists, etc., I have had more than a couple of the same experience you have had. (Nothing as bad as yours however).

    I will always make a point to make sure that the issues at hand are
    clearly being addressed; thanks reminding all of us to be on point when it comes to our health.


    Sharon