topic Re: My Family Doctor Rant in Wellness

My Family Doctor Rant

SXMGirl — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 22:41:12 GMT

I am so angry that I am fairly sure that I will be leaving my family doctor of almost 18 years over a mis-diagnosis.

Last summer, I saw her about what I thought was a yeast infection. My doctor assured me that I was wrong and that what I had was lichen sclerosus. Unfortunately, it can spread anywhere there is soft tissue, which mine did on my stomach, and it can turn into cancer in some cases. It is not curable.

The pain has been unbearable since November, but she assured me that at some point, with the meds, that it would get better. Since I research everything, I got on every site that I could and also checked meds. Last week I was in such pain that I sought out a specialist.

Today was my specialist appointment and I do not have lichen sclerosus but I do have a terrible yeast infection that she told me would have to be biopsied if it was not better when I saw her again in two weeks. Well, after one pill and three difference cream applications, I am already pain free and the infection looks to be almost gone. I am still livid.

I will be seeing my family doctor again in September when I get my next set of blood work done. At that point, she and I will be having quite a conversation. I know that she was unhappy in the practice where she was at for the past 5 years, but that really is no excuse. As I told the specialist today, I thought that my regular doctor just was not interested. I really do not know how to even put this nicely to her. Luckily, I am not seeing her this week.

I really hate to change doctors, but I am not sure if I will ever have confidence in her again. Anyone think that I am over-reacting to this situation? I definitely welcome all opinions. Thanks.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

kaydee50 — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 22:48:13 GMT

Unless you live in a small town where there are a limited number of doctors, I would move on. You've had "unbearable" pain since November????!!! I would ask the specialist to recommend a PCP. You do not owe here any loyalty. Do what's best for you.

Good luck!

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

Kachina624 — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 22:49:09 GMT

Probably by the time you see her again, you will have cooled off some and can discuss your displeasure more rationally. You have reason to be upset. A yeast infection is one of the most common of complaints. If there was doubt, she should have tested you months ago. Instead you suffered discomfort for way too long.

It's very difficult to find a good doctor who is accepting new patients. Find one before quitting your present PCP, if that's what you decide to do. Only you can make that decision.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

AuntG — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 22:50:34 GMT

Okay, she made a mistake, but why bother giving her a stern talking to? I'd be more inclined to cancel the appointment and start searching for a new doctor.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

I am still oxox — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 22:52:22 GMT

My Internist would never diagnosis out of her area, she would send me to a dermatologist for a consult

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

Hooty — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 22:59:36 GMT

@SXMGirl, I guess that is why they always say, if you are not happy with your diagnosis, get a 2nd opinion! I don't blame you for being upset, but if I were you, I'd find another primary doctor ASAP, and forget the talking to, drop her as your Dr.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

OKPrincess — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:00:57 GMT

If she’s unhappy in her practice then she will probably still be unhappy in September. Only you know if you want to change doctors.

Do you want to risk another misdiagnosis? If you decide to stay with her, I’d let her know in detail about your condition and visit with the specialist. Good luck.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

RainyDayGal — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:09:53 GMT

Why, if you were not getting better and the pain was unbearable, did you not follow up with your doctor?! Or at least get a second opinion right away?

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

SXMGirl — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:12:30 GMT

Thanks, everyone, for your input. It is difficult to start over with a new doctor, but I will be asking the specialist for some referrals for a gp. We have excellent medical in my area, and I don't think that I will have a problem with a doctor taking new clients. I will keep the appointment just because I think that she needs to hear what I have to say. Luckily, it will not be tomorrow and I will be much more professional when I see her.

@RainyDayGal, actually, I have seen her quite a few times, but I have never had any reason not to trust her. I did the research and everything that she told me was what I found to be true, if I had LS.

Thanks, again, everyone.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

Annabellethecat66 — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:11:29 GMT

I don't blame the OP, I'd be upset too. She should have given you a referral to a GYN. The GYN probably would have taken a sample and sent it out to be diagnosed. In the meantime they'd have given you some kind of cream that would make you more comfortable.

Something kinda similar happened to me. I have a blood 'problem' when I don't have much immunity (IGG) so when I get something the 'cure' must be way stronger than normal.

I had a yeast infection but my GYN (whom I'd gone to for many years said that it was a specific kind and he'd only seen it one other time). I told him about the IGG and he gave me some medicine that wiped it out immediately.

I'd tried lots of things on my own but could never get rid of it. The lesson is don't try to 'fix' things on your own. You were smart to go to the Drs like you did.

I hope you find another Dr that you like (that's important too). Remember, you need to like the Dr too.

If I were you, I would not go into a lot of explanation on the phone when making an appointment to see the new Dr. You should go when you aren't sick and interview the Dr because you might not like the new Dr.

Take all of your papers from the other Dr so much of the blood work, etc doesn't have to be repeated. You should have copies of it anyway.

People aren't very smart that way. They go to Drs and the Drs keep all of their records. You should request copies of everything done to you, always.

Please let us know how you are doing. Take care and I'm glad you are better. Yeast infections are unbelievable. They can be caused by a lot of different things.

When a person has one you feel like you're going to loose your mind. Take care.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

millieshops — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:12:48 GMT

What I don't remember reading is when OP went back to the doctor she had trusted for 18 years and reported the ongoing pain to her. I don't get suffering for so long without asking for more help. How was the doctor to know her diagnosis was wrong? For all she knew the med prescribed had taken care of the problem.

Changing doctors doesn't feel wrong to me - but putting all the blame on one party to this mess does. What we don't communicate to our doctors they can't much help us with. I'd like for my doctors never to make an error, but how realistic is that?

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

Mary Bailey — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:16:52 GMT

@SXMGirl I'm so sorry for your situation. I've switched doctors and dentists because I didn't like any number of issues.

About a decade ago my cousin was misdiagnosed with bronchitis. They treated her for a year. It was lung cancer. Her daughters won a malpractice lawsuit. At the same time, my second cousin had brain cancer. They put the results in her chart but didn't tell her for a long time.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

SXMGirl — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:28:31 GMT

@Mary Bailey, I am so sorry about your cousin. I cannot imagine anything worse.

@millieshops, I saw my doctor quite often and also brought in my research. I have never had a reason not to trust her, which may make me either very lucky or quite naive. Either way, I realize that I should have sought out a second opinion a long time ago; but when someone has a doctor who has always been proactive and always correct in any diagnosis, I had no reason not to believe her. As I previously posted, I did the research and everything that she told me was exactly what I found in my online searches. I am definitely to blame for not getting a second opinion earlier, but I put just as much or more on a doctor. After all, she is the medical professional who told me that she saw and treated many cases of lichen schlerosus and that I definitely had it. I had no reason to doubt her about a disease that I was not aware even existed.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

spiderw — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:42:45 GMT

I have a wonderful doctor who I have been seeing since the eighties. If there is something specifically that needs to be checked, she always refers me to a specialist. She is an internist and would have referred me to a gynecologist for the symptoms you experienced. Fortunately I live in an area where there are many excellent doctors and options.

With that being said, I know there are doctors out there who are not as competent as they should be. Misdiagnosis does happen. Second opinions are always recommended when you aren't satisfied with a particular doctor. In your case suffering with such pain should have been a red flag. Yes, it isn't always easy to find another doctor but we are talking about your health, it is priority.

Do not waste time with this doctor, just find another If you were misdiagnosed maybe you need to report it so it doesn't happen to others, perhaps a lawyer could advise. However, hopefully you will be fine and put this nightmare behind you.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

Nataliesgramma — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:46:59 GMT

Well....If you have benn happy with her up until now....I would discuss what happened and stay with her.....

I had something similar happen with my daughter....She had severe abdominal pain and he diagnosed her with a cyst on her ovary....she ended up being diagnosed with Crohn's disease after she went to emergency.

I never hesitate to get a second opinion when something doesn't seem right...

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

millieshops — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 23:58:56 GMT

@SXMGirlI'm sorry you suffered for so long. I do understand why you'd think she was right after such a long time with her, but I doubt she had any idea of your suffering. If lots of her work were subpar, you wouldn't have stayed with her for so many years.

I know we're all different, but finding out there was fast and effective relief for my pain and that I myself hadn't taken steps to get relief sooner would make me as angry with myself as I would be upset and disappointed with my doctor.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

ID2 — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 00:00:25 GMT

Remember doctors are human and can make mistakes. I'm sure your GP didn't intentionally misdiagnose you. Yes, talk to your doctor and move on.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

SXMGirl — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 00:13:58 GMT

@millieshops, I am absolutely mad at myself. I might not have even made an appointment with a specialist if I had not started taking the steroids that my ortho prescribed for my knees. I had forgotten about them, but I remembered that they were to reduced inflammation and I thought that I would give it a try for my problem. It worked, but the specialist today told me to discontinue immediately. I am just so glad to have found the cure and that I don't have an incurable disease. I guess that is the main thing and that I should be happy for today.

@ID2, I am certain that she did not intentionally mis-diagnose, but I asked her if she treated many cases since I had read that it was rare. She assured me that she sees it all of the time. Now, I am wondering who else might have been mis-diagnosed and I will say that to her. I have been with her for three different practices/offices, so I have been a loyal client and feel that she needs to hear what I have to say.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

panda1234 — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 01:32:16 GMT

@Mary Bailey wrote:
@SXMGirl I'm so sorry for your situation. I've switched doctors and dentists because I didn't like any number of issues.

About a decade ago my cousin was misdiagnosed with bronchitis. They treated her for a year. It was lung cancer. Her daughters won a malpractice lawsuit. At the same time, my second cousin had brain cancer. They put the results in her chart but didn't tell her for a long time.

@Mary Bailey Wow, that is frightening.

Re: My Family Doctor Rant

qvcaddition — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 03:37:18 GMT

@SXMGirl

@SXMGirl wrote:
I am so angry that I am fairly sure that I will be leaving my family doctor of almost 18 years over a mis-diagnosis.

Last summer, I saw her about what I thought was a yeast infection. My doctor assured me that I was wrong and that what I had was lichen sclerosus. Unfortunately, it can spread anywhere there is soft tissue, which mine did on my stomach, and it can turn into cancer in some cases. It is not curable.

The pain has been unbearable since November, but she assured me that at some point, with the meds, that it would get better. Since I research everything, I got on every site that I could and also checked meds. Last week I was in such pain that I sought out a specialist.

Today was my specialist appointment and I do not have lichen sclerosus but I do have a terrible yeast infection that she told me would have to be biopsied if it was not better when I saw her again in two weeks. Well, after one pill and three difference cream applications, I am already pain free and the infection looks to be almost gone. I am still livid.

I will be seeing my family doctor again in September when I get my next set of blood work done. At that point, she and I will be having quite a conversation. I know that she was unhappy in the practice where she was at for the past 5 years, but that really is no excuse. As I told the specialist today, I thought that my regular doctor just was not interested. I really do not know how to even put this nicely to her. Luckily, I am not seeing her this week.

I really hate to change doctors, but I am not sure if I will ever have confidence in her again. Anyone think that I am over-reacting to this situation? I definitely welcome all opinions. Thanks.

I am going through the same rant with my Dr. of many years. He is ready to retire and will give me an MRI of my head. I get terrible headaches in back on the right side behind ear. The only thing that helps is a dark room and packing my head and neck in ice pks. He said Artherites (sp)? He told someone else I know this and it turned out to be a tumor in her brain. He asked me a lot of questions and because of my answers, he ruled out tumor. I don't think I have a tumor, but when you get old, the HMO's don't want to spend money on the elderly, strictly my opinion.