Need Opinions On The Medical Treatment You Received So Far

[Maxine]

Well folks, I'm not sure how some of you feel about your medical care so far, but I know that some of you still have not found competent care for your medical needs.

Mine is a bit patchy, but I do have about 4 doctors who are trying to help, but without the cooperation of the other doctors thier efforts are a bit futile. I have had a couple more who were helpful in the past also.

For the immediate problem I'm having now-------the cervical/cranial instability (CCI), the options are very low. Believe me, I know other people who have very simular situations who have wanted to give up because they can't find anyone with experience in this area. I still see a lot of you struggle to get decent care for your POTS/NCS, and other ANS dysfunction.

We all have conditions that are still poorly understood by the medical profession. I do see some headway with POTS and NCS---------BUT still see quite a few with this disabled, and the quality of their life diminished.

Well, I thought We----( meaning those of us with ANS dysfunction, EDS, and chiari related conditions) were the only ones having trouble with getting competent medical care for the most part.

However, in 2007 my family had a rough time with the medical profession. They failed to see the blinking neon cancer sign on my mother saying "I'VE GOT CANCER, HELP ME"!

Just a few days ago I was talking with my cousin who's son has cystic fibrosis. She takes her son to the major university hospital I posted about recently, and when she takes him to the ER, she still has to direct his care.

My sister in law went to an ER complaining of severe foot pain, and numbness of her toes. They took an x-ray and told her is wasn't broke, and sent her to a podiatrist who diagnosed planter's fasciitis. The pain traveled up her leg, so the podiatrist sent her to a rheumatologist. The rheumatologist did an ultra sound doppler, and saw lack of blood flow. Then she was sent to a vascular surgeon------A MONTH LATER--- By the time she saw him, he told her she might lose her lower leg. He was able to do surgery and restore most of the blood flow, but she still does not have great function.

Bottom line--------------the ER should have done a doppler ultra sound. She had a huge arterial blood clot, and thankfully it went south. If it would have traveled north, she wouldn't be here now. She was a walking time bomb.

Also, another rather unethical thing I see is preferential treatment by some doctors for certain body types, higher socioeconomic status, and people of higher education. I have been watching this over a period of time, and conducting my own study.

What is your opinion on this? Have you noticed preferential treatment for certain groups such as the ones I mentioned above? Have you noticed poor treatment of people who are overweight, lower income, not very attractive in the shallow sense of the word----(meaning that they don't have great---(skinny) bodies, and jump out at you beautiful), and people with a lower education level. Or have you noticed they just can't get decent treatment at all?

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I would like to know when doctors are held accountable for the unethical things they do?

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When are they held accountable for the mistakes they make bacause of their egos getting in the way of making intelligent decisions?

Now I wait for the oral surgery department at this major university to make a decision based on the incorrect assessment of the neurosurgeon that I saw at the same university hospital. I need my back molar extracted, and based on the NSGs notes, no precautions need to be taken for my CCI. This is plain crazy---------(even if he doesn't agree with the other three doctors on the CCI), there are plenty of other things wrong with my upper spine to warrent stabilization of this area.

I have sent his notes to my others doctors and waiting for their opinions on this. Meanwhile my back molar is barely hanging on, and at any time an abcess can form.

Maxine :0)

[Ernie]

HI,

We have the same kind of problems here. Here is if you are a man you have a better treatment than a woman. If you are a woman older than 65 years old than you are very unlucky. There are many tests that are no longer available. Also, when you are disabled there are tests that the doctors will not order. So it also depends on your social status, your sex, religion ,etc.

[bjt22]

There is no doubt that our medical system is in dire trouble. Looking back, I cannot believe the deterioration I've seen in the past 25 years. It used to be simple...you had a doctor, that doctor took care of you, and even when referred to a specialist, that doctor still played a very active role in helping to manage your care. These days, this system seems to have broken down horribly. Trying to access decent care now feels a little like trying to find a suitable vehicle at a used car lot....you're taking your chances, and if you don't come prepared, you're going to be screwed. I think much has to do with the overall breakdown in the system as a whole...no doubt, primary care doctors are stretched too thin, we're all being gouged by a for profit system that has little to do with actual patient care and over all, we've just become a meaner, less thoughtful society in the past couple of decades...little wonder that our medical care would reflect this, if you think about it.

Access. A couple of years ago, the New York Times did a great series of articles about class issues in this country. One feature was about healthcare received by three individuals who had suffered heart attacks. All were insured, I believe, but their level of access was very different and their financial and social circumstances had much to do with how they were able to access care. They were all treated very differently by the system as a whole.

I've seen this, too. As I'm not getting any younger, I've noticed a huge difference in how people are treated as they age. And these days, I do sometimes get a bit of a feeling that maybe, because I'm no longer able to work and my kids are not young any longer, that I receive a different kind of care. Its almost as if I'm sometimes picking up the vibe that "well, if you're not working, and you don't have any really pressing responsibilities, why do you need to feel better?"....well, maybe I'd like to feel better and be more functional just, to, well, feel better and be more functional?

[delphicdragon]

I think there is a complete and total failure of the medical system in the US. (Can only speak of here, not sure if you're in the US or not)

I had a car accident. My leg was completely numb. I have a blown disk in my lower back from it. At the ER, I was "boarded" in the hallway for 4 hours. After much manipulation (on my part) I was able to relocate both hips and my coccyx which returned some of the feeling to the inner part of my leg. I was sent home WITHOUT steroids for the spinal cord trauma and without ANY pain suppression. Granted it was flu season, but that was completely against book.

My ortho, when I saw him about a week later, gave me steriods but told me it was too late- the damage was permanent because the spinal cord had been swollen for too long. He was appalled that I hadn't been given the appropriate meds.

I am not overweight and consider myself to be generally pretty (or at least the boy thinks so ). I am highly educated. The doctor was flirting with me in the ER (BUT STILL DIDN'T GIVE ME THE PROPER, TEXTBOOK MEDICATIONS). Sometimes I have received very very good care. Other times the care is absolutely atrocious.

I am lucky to have a good team of doctors. My PCP, Endo, and Ortho are all excellent. The neurologist I am seeing now for the car accident damage is very knowledgeable and knew about POTS (OMG!!), but others have been horrible. The autonomic specialist I saw said my POTS is viral (even though I couldn't remember getting sick) and would get better. He didn't even know about a connection between EDS and POTS and was not receptive to the papers I gave him. I have yet to find a good cardiologist, most around here have their heads up their.... well... yeah.

The old joke is true. A medical student who graduates at the bottom of their class is still called Doctor.

Sara

[Maxine]

Thanks for your input, and I'm not surprised at all at your opinions, and answers. I think the medical profession is in total meltdown-------------trainwreck ect...........

I know girls/woman that are overweight have been treated terribly, and their medical complaints are not taken seriously. I also see classist behaviour in some docs. I have only a partial college education, but most of my family has gotten their degrees, and my husband has his bachelors degree in accounting but remains a letter carrier due to good medical benefits and good salary. My family does not treat anyone who doesn't have a degree any differently.

I do find it interesting that a lot of doctors don't have the passion for helping patients because they can't get past being shallow. I also think a person with higher education should know better.

Maxine :0)

[vemee]

To all the good doctors out there who are really trying I apologize and I know you often have to pick up the slack of the other doctors that do not do a decent job. However, big business has taken over the medical profession as corporations own more and more clinics and hospitals. A lot of doctors are required to see up to 30 patients a day to make their quota. Some places call it production. If they do not make their production goals some companies penalize their doctors by cutting their salary. This leads some doctors to play a numbers game where they will only accept simple cases where the patient can be processed in the 10 or 15 minutes allotted for them. Cases such as ours that are more difficult are sent off to a specialist who probably knows less about our condition than they do.

It seems that if you are fat you do not get taken seriously at many places. Modern Medicine has not yet figured out that sometimes chronically sick people can't go to the gym everyday or get enough exercise to keep the weight off. I gained 50 pounds within a year when my pots symptoms started full blast. I had a tilt table test with one doctor where I easily met the heart rate requirement for pots and then passed out and went into seizures when given the medication. Dr. said nothing was wrong with me because my bp did not change ( he didn't even know the proper parameters for diagnosing pots) and said my problem was my obesity, perhaps my blood was going into my fat. When told I was healthy and in good shape when this started he just shrugged it off and gave me 2 months off work to lose weight, no medication needed.

Another time I woke up with the feeling of a rock stuck in the bottom of my shoe except I was barefoot. I thought It might be a blood clot so I went to the doctor and was told it was nothing. A few days later I had what felt like a charlie horse in the same leg and a fever so with the little medical knowledge I had as an emt I went to the emergency room and told them I had a blood clot in my leg. It turned out I also had multiple pulmonary embolisms in both lungs which are deadly if not caught in time.

The sad thing is I feel I have to diagnose myself before I see a doctor or at least check his diagnosis and that is not good since they do or are suppose to know more than I. I try not to go into a doctors office and tell him what I think is wrong ( well not at first) because I do not want to give them tunnel vision and miss something I have never heard of.

[Guest tearose]

I think most doctors mean well. These issues are still not well understood and in their attempt to help us I think they get burned out. Let's face it, we have numerous issues that are not easy to capture, measure or see with ordinary tools.

I absolutely have had my fair share of totally arrogant, unprofessional, and incompetent doctors. I think we here get more than our share.

It is extremely difficult to look back on many doctors I have seen, too many! I just want to have a body that is functioning naturally automatically, I do not want to spend time or money or energy going to the doctor! Adjusting to limitations has been hard.

The best treatment for me came from the Mayo Cllinic, MN because for the energy I had to expend I had an excellent quality of testing and diagnosing and interaction of various departments that I have not had anywhere else. I think they have some kind of inner code of core values and ethics that they actually practice!!!

best regards,

tearose

[sandymbme]

My husband and I have often discussed how very frustrating it is to live in an area where seemingly pots does not exist. Every time I go to the hospital here locally ( and I live in a major metropolitan area, mind you) I have to explain my condition to the doctors. Who respond by looking at me as if I had grown two heads! I beg them to contact my specialists and they also say something along the lines of not "wanting to bother them over something small". So I live in perpetual terror of them missing something important, and in the meantime keep getting sicker and sicker.

I speak from personal experience, having gone from being uninsured for ten years to getting insurance just a couple of years ago, treatment varies widely on your level of insurance. When I had no insurance I was routinely treated with indifference and rudeness. Now that I have excellent benefits my reception is wildly different. I can tell you that no one made the slightest effort to diagnose anything when I was uninsured, just stabilize and get me the heck out the door! It got better when I got insurance, but once I developed pots it seems at least in some ways I have gone back to ignored. Because my symptoms are difficult to make sense of they just dope me up and send me out the door.

[Maxine]

I do think some doctors mean well, but I don't know how optimistic I can be that most of them mean well.

I've heard so many horror stories, I have lost my trust in the medical community. I've had a lot of experience myself with really bad medical care and ethics.

I'm hanging on to hope from the few good doctors I have seen who have given me very good care. I just do not have a local doctor, and fear the day I have to go to an ER with three rare conditions that no one understands. I would much rather have a doctor who knew nothing, but meant well. If they at least try to understand by listening, or at the very least just tell us they don't know, and wish they could help. A lot of them would just rather protect their egos by blaming the patient. This is not ethical, and borders on emotional patient abuse.

I'm not in their shoes, so I might think differently if I was.

Maxine :0)

[Mary P]

A month ago I saw an ANS dr. He was the most arrogant abusive person I've ever had the misfortune to meet. It was an emotionally abusive and draining experience. He walked into the room with an arrogant and a 'holier than thou' attitude evident on his face and in this body language. The consultation lasted only 10 minutes. That was more than enough.

A son who was with me would have left as soon as he opened his mouth, had the appt had been for him. On seeeing him, we put our questions away, knowing it would befutile to think this arrogant man might care. We were right. He didn't.

I'd like to have said to him, "I hope you're kind and gentle with your family because a lifetime of your abuse would surely destroy them".

I can't help but think that seeing him was a total discriminatory experience, but what did he discriminate against? Age? Failing body? A timid person who did not fight back? Facial features (I have neurofibromatosis, not really pronounced, but still it's there)? Female? or ? ? ?

I've heard a programme about discrimination in the medical field. The 2 doctors who talked agreed that there certainly was age discrimination. On the other hand, we hear of some seniors, leaders of our countries, who get immediate and the absolute best care when they need this. They have status that the rest of us don't.

The 2 doctors also spoke of how, if we can access a family member in the medical field, we get quicker and perhaps more thorough care than the average person seeking help. This is also discriminatuion. What is the name of the poem that says, "Let me count the ways"?

Mary P

[Maxine]

I was already wise to the wickedness before I got sick, and I was still stunned at how badly I was treated. Here I was-----I lost 25 pounds in less the 6 weeks, and I was looked at, and talked to like I had an eating disorder. Geee, I wasn't THAT thin--------just went down to a size 6. Wouldn't I have to be a size -0- to consider this? When I gained my weight back, plus 10 more pounds, then my health problems were dismissed because I looked healthy, and one NP who should know better put OBESE on my chart. I didn't know a size 12 was obese. My wellbutrin for the pots symptoms caused the weight gain. Also, it doesn't help that I can't be nearly as active as I used to be with no exercise tolerance.

Another doc who should know better said I couldn't have EDS because I'm not tall and thin enough. Could you imagine if I would have listened to him? After seeing two geneticists who confirmed hypermobile EDS, then going to the NIH EDS study, and having the diagnosis changed to classical because of how much on my body is affected, I'm stunned that this doc could stereo type me like this. The EDS is destroying my spine, causing cervical/cranial instability, 3/4 of my large intestine is diverticuli---only the ascending colon being spared, and a very large 5mm diverticulum in doudeum, problems with subluxations all over my body, AND I have vascular involvement.

I'm not just talking about rude and abusive behaviour, but the amount of ignorance is stunning. One neurologist I have is a good example. At the NIH study they found out I have a missing left vertebral artery, and fetal origin of the posterior cerebral arteries on an MRa that was taken. I asked her why the MRa from 2005 said the artery anatomy was "esquisite", and she said she would have to compare the two MRA's. Well, she called my home and said the two MRA's were EXACTLY the same. Then said she wanted to compare the two to make sure I didn't have some kind of dissection---------WELL, wouldn't I know that----------wouldn't she? How would I be functioning at all? http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/TOPIC832.HTM And this person teaches at this Medical University---

When I asked why did the MRA report from 2005 state that my anatomy was "esquisite"? Her reply was, "well this radiologist is in his 70s, and to tell you the truth, he's not very good." Ok then........ that sounds like a good enough excuse----(sarcasm)-- How many other MRI's/MRA's was this radiologist wrong about???

I remember another neurologist---(same group----same university hospital), told me there was absolutely nothing whatsoever wrong with my musculoskeletal system at all. I asked him if he thought it was OK to jump on a trampoline since he was so sure of this, then asked him if he thought only he was right, and all the other docs who have diagnosed my health problems were wrong. He said "I'm trying to help you, you have manifested all of this in your mind".

It's like dodging bullets.

Maxine :0)

[bjt22]

MaryP: Having a family member in the medical field most certainly does give you a kind of access that cannot be replaced. It's amazing to see the difference, let me tell you. All of a sudden, when its discovered, you seem to be part of some kind of club. Probably natural, and I'm sure this happens with other fields and professions as well. However, when its to the point that its about the only way decent care can be accessed, well, then its a problem.

I'm not a shrinking violet type, and I think I'm probably discriminated against because of this. I think there are some who really, really like the crying, clinging female that's begging for help. Well, that just isn't me....and apparently, despite stereotypes, it's not most women. We all have heard all the stories and the studies done showing that in the cardiovascular field, men get far superior treatment. Well, a while back, I read a study that said that women were not getting the same quality of care because they did not complain ENOUGH....we're too stoic. Maybe there is something to that...maybe we aren't all whining and crying and acting as if we are dying and its assumed we're not as sick. However, this is a double edged sword, because the minute we start acting that way, there are plenty out there who will write us off as "hysterical".

[bjt22]

I was already wise to the wickedness before I got sick, and I was still stunned at how badly I was treated. Here I was-----I lost 25 pounds in less the 6 weeks, and I was looked at, and talked to like I had an eating disorder. Geee, I wasn't THAT thin--------just went down to a size 6. Wouldn't I have to be a size -0- to consider this? When I gained my weight back, plus 10 more pounds, then I my health problems were dismissed because I looked healthy, and one NP who should know better put OBESE on my chart. I didn't know a size 12 was obese. My wellbutrin for the pots symptoms caused the weight gain.

Then another doc who should know better said I couldn't have EDS because I'm not tall and thin enough. Could you imagine if I would have listened to him? After seeing two geneticists who confirmed hypermobile EDS, then going to the NIH EDS study, and having the diagnosis changed to classical because of how much on my body is affected, I'm stunned that this doc could stereo type me like this. The EDS is destroying my spine, causing cervical/cranial instability, 3/4 of my large intestine is diverticuli---only the ascending colon being spared, and a very large 5mm diverticulum in doudeum, problems with subluxations all over my body, AND I have vascular involvement.

I would like to be stunned on your behalf, but I'm really not, sad to say. I think many doctors like to try to fit patients into preconceived patterns rather than waiting around to see what pattern might emerge. I also think, sometimes, we just plain old get written off if we aren't showing dramatic improvement. I think this is especially so if we are already not working due to disability, don't have small children, etc. The feeling I'm getting is that I really don't have a right to keep asking for further measures that might indeed improve my condition...it just doesn't seem like a lot of effort is being put into it. Not the kind of effort there was there at the beginning when I was younger, had small children, etc. Not the kind of effort I see being put into those who are still working or are younger.

[Maxine]

bit22,

It's true.

If your advocating for yourself, and letting your medical professionals know you want them to do their job, there is a sense of discrimination. Your an hysterical or delusional woman in their eyes for this too. How dare we patients expect our doctors and nurses to actually help us. Either way you can't win, because the "hysterical" label wll be there anyway, weather you cry and scream----------or stand strong and advocate for yourself.

I know a couple of doctors thought I must be out of my mind when I stood up to them, and then told them they were WRONG. Some docs just need to get over themselves!

This does not apply to every doctor, and I think really good and compassionate doctors are precious jewels to us, and need to be recognized for their passion in helping patients.

I'm not doctor bashing, just sick and tired of some docs getting on my last nerve by thinking I'm crazy because I want to be taken seriously, and ask for good medical care to help me function better. I'm also very tired of the ignorance, and discrimination. How obtuse it is to not give a patient good medical care because she is older, fat, not beautiful, educated, rich, have good insurance ect. I've watched this, and heard about it over the course of 8 years.

Don't back down, manage your own medical records, control which records make it into any new doctor's hands---------------and if a doctor doesn't treat you with respect, TELL HIM/HER-------THEN FIRE THEM!

Maxine :0)

[dizzygirl]

Maxine~ i totally have to chime in on this topic... I agree and see alot of what you are talking about and have directly experience alot of hoorrific care.

LIKE__

Last wednesday i began having gall bladder pain and come thursday night into friday morning it was so severe that I couldnt not sit up striaght or move w/o making the pain a million times worse...and the pain was affecting my breathing.. well anyways I went to the ER where my GI doc is out of b/c i called his office bright and early and spoke with his receptionist... he was at the hospital all day and he was suppose to have been called when i got there...

Well long story short.. I waited over an hour to get back to a bed.. (mind you my Bp was low and my heart was racing..more then normal) 2 1/2 hours after being taken to a gurny...a dr comes - talks to me for like a minute... they get an IV started.. and the guy nurse.. he didnt set the pump up properly... or connect my iv tubing properly.. and he walks away as the pump is going off! i was lik ***?

so few seconds later the tubing comes apart and there is blood and saline running everywhere i hit the emergency bell.. 5 minutes passed before anyone came back.. then they asked me me "what i did to the Iv!"

IDK i told my B"F that this hospital is where all the neds school/nursing school rejects go... meaning the ones that barely pass out of meds school for reall.. (aside from my gi dr he is sharp as a tact..) bunch of ding bats...

ANYways.. I aksed for pain meds.. they brought me meds i was allergic to 3 times! (3 diff meds) then once they gave me toradol and it didnt work they would not give me anything else...

come to find out.. the dr comes in and tells me that my liver isnt functioning properly and that is swollen the liver.. and then discharges me.. I asked why is my breathing being afected..IDK..then said your liver is pressing on your lung b/c its swollen........ i asked why is my liver swollen and not functioning properly? IDK.. asked again.. why cant you give me some answers in sentences? IDK!

I was so mad! i asked him to page my GI doc considering the CT finding and the fact that he was right in the hsopital... dr flat out refused to... said it was necessary.. uh hello!

he said follow up with dr so in so on thrusday of this wk! wrote me a script ofr pain meds.. nurse comes back with the script and i said I cant take this I'm allergic to it.. and she got all huffy and went ot he dr and he said then i cant give her anything else.. so I've suffered and am still suffering today!

I also noticed that if you have any past mental health dx's even if they are past issues that ARE resolved.. that you complaints are chalked up to your mental health stuff.. and you are not taken seriously....

I was dx with ptsd and major depression when i was 15... im 26 now and if a dr see's that in my chart.. he will automatically be dismissive...

I watched family members be brutalize and treated like dirt b/c they have no insurance...my fathers has damamge to his heart from a heart attack in april and no cardiologist here in our town will see him w/o 250 down first before he is even seen...

My father and I where also seen by the SAME neurosurgeon in recent months.. and we where both treated like crud... I was told that there was absolutley nothing wrong with me.. despite a highly respsected nuerosurgeon telling me otherwise.. and a stack of MRI's also showing other wise... my dad's MRI's where never even reviewed and they told him there was nothing wrong with him.. when he is having severe neurological symptoms.. and his mri shows serious stuff on it...

and as far as weight issues go and treatment.. its horrible! for me specifically.. what dr's dont seem to understand.. is my rapid weight gain is a SYMPTOM of whatever is going on.. dr's see that your overweight and autonomaticaly assume that you dont take care of your self...and eat horribly and well are lazy...

now for me i have abnormality showing up all over the place and nobody is putting the puzzle pieces together...

I have a brain/pitutary mri done like ohh 3-4 yrs ago.. and it came back abnormal showing stuff on the pitutary and pineal gland.. I pushed for answers and follow up and was dropped as a patient...

I have many horror stories and could go on forever....and i'm in a rambly kinda talk forever mood.. so I'm gonnna stop here....

but yeah the health care blows ... espec if your poor....

[vemee]

I understand that missing a vertebral artery is bad but is the part about the fetal origin of the cerebral arteries also bad? I ask this because I had a head scan that said I had fetal origin of the right posterior cerebral artery. I was told it was a normal exam, of course the doctor reading the scan also told me to just drink Gatorade and that nothing was wrong with me. I had to wait 2 hours for him to tell me this pearl of wisdom, why? I don't know, I arrived on time for my appointment but he was plainly visible in his office doing nothing and seeing no one except he did eat his lunch. The nurses quietly apologized for my wait but no reason was given, I guess he was having a bad mental day. I should have left but I went through a lot of testing and wanted to get the results especially since I needed a note for work.

[Maxine]

I don't know if the missing vertebral artery is necessarily bad, but having both problems on the same side might be.

I was told it wasn't a big deal, but that was by one of the ignorant docs I talked about earlier.

One of my good doctors (NIH) said it would be bad if I had a stroke because the blood flow is already compromised, and it would make it less likely to survive a stroke. Also, the anatomy back there isn't so great-----and that doesn't help either.

DIZZ, I know you have been through so much already, I'm so sorry to hear your getting more Dr. Mullet style treatment.

I think we can now use (Dr. Mullet) as a code name for "idiot doctor". Some docs just get so full of themselves, and in their world, they don't think a patient could possibly have enough intelligence to see though thier facade covering up their ignorance. Who could be more intelligent then them?

I love the docs that have enough intelligence to learn from their patients-----------after all, without the patients, how do they become doctors?

If I had people's lives in MY hands, it would be so humbling.

If I acted like some of those rude and egotistical doctors act, I'd be afraid lightning would strike me.

Dizz, I hope you get more answers on why the liver is swelling. I'm disgusted on how people with lower incomes are treated.

Keep your chin up dizz.

Maxine :0)

[ladyt]

hi..

There are alot of horror stories. Up her in the north of europe we are supposed to have the best health care for all. But it is not the case for all. Even here education, rich/poor, gender etc plays inn.

I know a woman who worked at a hospital and desiaded to lose weight when she experiensed how bad owherweight people where treated. woman whit stomac ace, and when finaly somebody lisent, it was to late, canser spread to much.

I had to go to the states to gett diagnosed, and when returning, even whit a diagnose, i had a very very hard time finding a doc. I feel like the stepchild (sorry for the neg use of this word) of the healtcare system here. Nobody told me about my rights and other posible help. And when our head and body is out of work most of the time its hard to gett the info needed to gett more help.

But a lot of people gett great help in our system, and thats a god thing, i ust whant in on it too....

[Maxine]

Casper, I'm sorry you deal with some of the same type of poor medical treatment in northern europe that we do in the states.

You know how it is when you know something is wrong all along, and it's finally validated by a "good" doctor.

Well the same thing applies when going to a new doctor, and it's finally validated by a "shallow" doctor.

This also applies for other medical professionals------------(not just doctor's, it also applies to doctor wannabes).

Maxine :0)

[corina]

maxine (and others)

this might sound a bit controversial to you, but in my opinion this isn't the right topic to discuss. i think this should be a very positive place for us to be, to share experiences and help eachother but i don't see how all this could help us. i do understand that at times we need to venture about everything we are going through but maybe this can be discussed in a more personal way, like via email. this is just my opinion and i do hope you won't feel offended as that is NOT my intention, but i really would want us to keep being optimistic!

all the best,

corina

[Maxine]

Thank You Corina--

I fully understand your opinion, but on this forum you will read all kinds of horror stories about people being treated poorly by the medical system.

It is depressing to read these stories, but we all understand how it is, and some people feel better knowing they can share the same stories of mistreatment from the medical community. It helps some, but may not be helpful to others.

Unfortunately I don't see a lot of positive stories, but it's uplifting to see when they are posted.

There is a lot of prejudice shown towards patients, and something needs to be done about it.

If people don't share their stories, then we can't find out what's going on-----------and more docs, and other medical professionals get away with this. We also won't know which doctors to avoid, and go through the same heart ache.

Seeing a physician that doesn't take your health concerns seriously because you don't look skinny, beautiful, have a higher education, poor insurance ect. can be dangerous for one's health.

I have witnessed a lot, because I was there with quite a few patients who went through various forms of abuse and neglect from the medical community.

I'm going through a very difficult time right now because of a couple of doctors opinions affecting my medical treatment.

On Wednesday I'll be getting this back molar extracted which is very close to where my instability is. Let's hope this is taken seriously, as I have been having some pretty serious problems. My EDS Doc has discussed my instability problems with my neck on more the one occasion with the oral surgeons.

Doctors go to medical school for years, and we need them to actually use this education. They need to listen to their patients without prejudice. I know I'm sometimes thought of as being overly dramatic by some medical profssionals-----------------AND I know this is what a lot of others on ths sight go though.

Maxine :0)