I don't usually use my blog to complain, but I had two horrible experiences this week that I would like to take the time to complain about. Both were in regards to medical visits.
The first one happened at my OBGYN's office. And I have to start out by saying that I love the office, I love the doctors and staff there. And it really wasn't my doctor's fault.
I have been having some testing done for some pelvic and abdominal pain. The nurse practitioner I have been seeing has been extremly proactive and helpful. She ordered an abdominal and pelvic ultrasound. I had it done last week, and went in for the results on Wednesday. They didn't really find anything significant other then scar tissue from my c-sections, and they also said I have some angry ovaries. Here's the bad experience though. In the radiologist's report of the ultrasound - it stated - "Patients gallbladder intact and in good condition". I got my gallbladder out 7 years ago. It even went into saying the duct leading to my gallbladder was good and free of stones. Furthermore, I know I have a kidney stone due to a recent CT scan I had in the emergency room. I know I didn't pass it yet. The radiologist also didn't find the stone at all?
My doctor recognized the mistake right away since she knew I had my gallbladder out. She said she would call the radiologist to see what he was looking at, or if it was a typo or what. Of course I haven't heard back whether or not that was followed up on. The whole thing has left me completly miffed. Did I get the right person's results? How competent was this radiologist?
My second experience happened the day after. I woke up on Thursday morning with all the lymph nodes in the left side of my neck swollen and extremly painful. I didn't sleep all night because my neck hurt so bad. I couldn't turn my head to the left or to the right. Thinking that I have to have some kind of infection or something to cause my glands to freak out this much, I made an appointment with a family doctor I have seen a few times.
First off, she said my glands weren't swollen. Somehow she missed the golf ball protruding out of the left side of my neck. I took her finger and showed her the several lumps I had, including the red, swollen lump on top of my head. She said the lump on my head was also a swollen gland. After lots of research on the internet, I found out that you do NOT have glands in your head. She said that it is normal for lymph nodes to get big when fighting an infection. She told me if they didn't get better in a week to two weeks, to come back and they may have to biopsy them. No strep test, no looking in my nose, nothing. I left there crying and in pain.
There is nothing worse than visiting a doctor and leaving there feeling like a complete moron, that there is nothing wrong with you, or they simply don't care about you. Last night my glands got to golf ball size, and the whole left side of my neck was swollen. Today the swolling is down, but I can still feel lumps in my lymph nodes, and they are still very tender. I just keep thinking that I must have some kind of infection. Like strep or a sinus infection, or something. Why wouldn't she evaluate me more? If not to put me more at ease. I feel like it was a total waste of my $15 co-pay. I feel like writing her a letter to express my dissatisfaction.
But above all, is it so hard to find a doctor now days that gives a shit about you, or follows up, or returns your call? I understand they are all busy, but whatever happened to the doctors that truly care so much for their patients, they go the extra mile?
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