When your doctor fails you
December 29th, 2008 at 09:30am Georgette Braun
This story in today’s Chicago Tribune — about how doctors don’t always know what’s wrong with you, and the sage advice of one woman who says “If your doctor won’t listen, fire him and find one who will” — reminded me of a few similar issues I’ve had with doctors.
One was when I was having to shoot adrenaline while having acute asthma attacks, the advice of my longtime general physician. I finally wised up and went to an endocrinologist, who prescribed some preventive pills, and I’ve never had to inject adrenaline again.
The other was when my now late mom broke her hip about 25 years ago. She was having cold/hot sweats in the hospital and the attending physician said she was having symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol. We told him she was no alcohol abuser. She might drink a six pack of beer in a year, and she made bourbon balls at Christmas, but that was about it. I don’t think the doctor believed us. She came out of that hot-cold sweat whatever-it-was thing in a very short time, maybe even that day or the next. Fortunately, we didn’t entrust her further care to him, because he was merely the doctor on call at the hospital.
Tell your tales about when doctors have failed you, and you’ve switched to another doctors.
Entry Filed under: health
2 Comments Add your own
1. dudessabides | December 29th, 2008 at 11:02 am
If you have insurance coverage that allows you to switch doctors, you can switch. If you have no insurance and can’t afford to pay a doctor out of pocket, you have to go to the ER. Then you are really out of luck because most ER docs just read your previous chart and repeat what the other ER docs have already said. If they think you will probably not die that day, they will just write a bogus dx that might fit, and send you home.
My horror story is too long to fit here. Sometimes I become angry and try to work with others to change the system that caused me so much grief for so many years. But mostly, I try to be laid back and enjoy the additional years I have because a nurse practitioner finally heard me and found medical care for me.
I need to write it down sometime soon. God bless nurses. Dudess
2. Georgette Braun | December 29th, 2008 at 11:12 am
dudessabides: Thanks for sharing your troubles. Sad that it’s so hard to find someone who truly listens. Glad you found a nurse who found you the right medical care.
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