Doctors are SO FRUSTRATING

[hopeful-girl]

So I have been accumulating my medical records so I can have them my self and organize them. That way when I do get to the Mayo clinic in Rochester I can be organized.

So I get my records from my GI Doctor who I have really like and said was awesome. Well I was a bit taken back about some of the comments he has made.

Comment #1 Last visit of July 28th he stated Symptoms have slowly resolved. GESSH what the **** is he talking about. When I had my j-tube placed I got a very serious staph infection that made me deathly ill. That resolved. But I never said oh I feel better or any thing has resolved. OH I am so mad about that! Then he also states I said I feel new pain around the tube. I never said that either I have the same pain and swelling!! ARGH!!!

Comment#2 He also said the same visit I said I feel better than I have in months. THAT is NOT what I said. I said I don't feel like I am on my death bed any more tanks to this j-tube. I got so malnourished I got down to 95lbs and could not even get up. I was so dehydrated too!! I swear doctors are SO frustrating.

Comment#3 June vist he stated under impressions: chronic narcotic use and then he goes to state. I again cautioned Corina on the excessive use of narcotics and she is doing her best to limit her self. OMG I can NOT believe this. I take oxycodone liquid. I can take up to 15ml every 4 hours. So that would make 6x a day. I take it maybe 1x to 3x a day if I need it. I make a months supply last almost 2 months. SO how the H*** is that excessive use. That is what I want to know. I am SO SO fricken mad right now I can not stop shaking.

Comment#4 when I first saw him he had validated some stuff and said my Gastro Paresis was caused by my ANS. Whew that was SO nice to be validated. SO he told me to tell him every thing. SO I typed all my symptoms up and the gave the list it to him on the next visit. These are and were all symptoms I have had for a long time. Well he then says : She complains of chronic fatigue now and also complains now of difficulty in swallowing. WHAT!? I never said it just happened NOW. I told him it has been that way for a long time. He is making it sound like all of a sudden now i have all these other symptoms. I can prove to him it goes back as far as 7 years. I have records 7 years back that state some of the symptoms i am talking about. I even seen and ENT for the swallowing and they could NOT figure it out.

Comment #5 Then he states There has been concerns about an eating disorder. OMG I told him i was a bulimia along time ago. And that I chose to quit because it was NOT worth killing my self over. GEESH that was along time ago. And the tests results do show delayed gastric emptying. SO WHAT the ****

There is MORE!! I will NOT go there I am just SO SO angry. I thought I found a Gastro that was my saviour. But now I see they can act one way and then right some thing else down. I am not sure what to do about him now.

I am in the process of writing him a letter. If I am going to continue seeing him there are things that need to be clarified and changed in my records. He needs to here me and understand.

Thanks for being here and allowin gme to RANT!!

Corina (hopeful-girl)

[morgan617]

I am so so sorry this has happened. That is the chance we take when we get our records. They are not always what we think they are going to be.

I went to one of my gastros partners and we went in circles for 1/2 hour and then he blurted, hey I know you have a history of psych problems!!! Just a little flabbergasted. I did what you are doing, sat down and wrote a long letter to my doc, asking him what the heck he was charting about me. I went to my pcp, they talk about me all the time, I was shaking and crying I was so upset. My pcp stated emphatically that my gastro never in any way implied to him he thought I was a nut ball.

My gastro called after getting the letter and said come in now. We had a very long sit down, and he said he did put a history of depression in my chart, but the other doctor drew his own conclusions. We ironed things out.

This however, is your primary gastro. I don't think it's at all out of line for you to be so upset. The thing is, your letter needs to be calm and factual, as hard as that is to do. What you want to do and what you need to do are probably very different. The letter you send him will also be a part of your permanent record. So the just the facts, calmly, set the record straight, and let him he know he seems to have misunderstood some things you are going to clarify.

My gastro doesn't like me taking even a small dose of valium. My pcp said tough blank, he's not giving it to you, it's not his problem or decision. I told that to my gastro and he said, you are right. I have to calm down for a long time before I attempt to clarify, because my first choice is to send a death note, but that only strengthens his position.

I am not in any way taking away from your hurt and anger. They are more than justified. I would be furious too. What I am saying, is how you respond to him will make a huge difference. Then if you want, blow the bugger off. Good luck, and let us know how it goes. sosorryforyoumorgan

[corina]

Hi Corina,

I'm really sorry to hear about this. But it is what happens. My endo advised me NOT to stop my meds while having tests. So I did. And he wrote to my PCP that he couldn't diagnose the test as I was on my meds. HE TOLD ME TO USE THEM, as he didn't want to make me any sicker than I already am. I saw an internist who wanted to do more tests on my dysautonomia and I asked if I had to stop my meds for those tests. She said, no, there's no need to. You just take them and we will see what happens. The testing went bad and they told me that it was my own fault because I was using meds and they didn't want to see me again for new testing. After that they called my PCP. I told my PCP (later that day) that I had ASKED if I was allowed to use the meds, and THEY said YES. GGGGGRRRRRRRRR.

They make us look like fools and I really HATE them for that. I'm glad that my PCP is my best friend and that I could explain to him what happened. But it sure is bad these things happen.

I've decided NOT to do any more testing while on meds. I wouldn't know what to do about doctors writing things that you didn't SAY. Maybe bring a recorder????

Best wishes Corina.

Corina

[Miriam Poorman-Knox]

Some of these morons will add info. as if they just discovered it. They don't know how to say pt. told phys................. What a maroon. Sorry--DON'T let him take away your power You knew this before you read this. Don't let him take that away. That would be tooo sad. I would also send a copy of your letter to the county medical society. The pres. will talk with both. And it just goes as a concern re. him. Unless they find more about him. Also some get a higher level of payment for more complicated visits. Sorry this happenned.

Take care Miriam

[Ernie]

HI,

I am sorry for your disappointing visit. I can absolutely relate to you.

I think the doctor is building up a file against you to protect himself in case somethings happens to you.

I would find someone else.

Always nice to read doctors' comments. We find out we they really think of us!

[Sophia3]

Hopeful Girl,

Wow, you must feel so betrayed. I totally understand your fear, disappointment as well. But like Morgan said, calm down before firing off a letter. Don't want to burn any bridges but try to get why "his reality" seems to be interpreted in a completely different manner than you expected.

I am big on letter writing. BUT!! Do this..what ever you write...edit it..edit it some more. Let the "final draft" sit 24 hours w/o reading it or overnight. Then detect the TONE of the letter. Be firm but polite but ask in a diplomatic way why he worded things as he did.

But from what I gather, he does have a lot to answer to but maybe you can at least make peace about the situation and move on. Or fire this guy and move on. But whatever you say in your letter could follow you as well as his notes...Good luck to you. You deserve an answer.

[hopeful-girl]

Thank you all. I cam here to share in my frustration with all of you so I can vent here and be calm in writing LOL I know it will do me know good to write a condecending pissed off letter. I also do want to keep him if we can work threw things. He really was MY IDLE at first. He was the first Doctor to really was able to speak to and was very empathetic and compassionate. So it is like a stab in the back to read all this. I know that I have to write and re write and look at what I have written. Part of my sickness is being able to write and have it comeout the way I want it. I loose concentration easily and to write a very intellectula in depther letter takes me for ever ;-). I started writing it But I won't send it until I go over it with my Mom ;-).

I thought he was for me not against me. I do think it is because maybe he is trying to cover his Arse for what ever reason.

In my letter there is so far allot of why, why, why. Like why did you state this and not this. And asking for an explanation of his thoughts etc. Also at the end i stated I wanted this added to my records. Of cours I am NOT done with it yet.

You guys are SO awesome. I just think it s to bad that all of us have to deal with Doctors being idiots LOL

[melly4]

Corina, I'm sorry for what you're going through. I wish I had some brilliant advice to give you on how to handle docs that put lies or "distortions of the truth" in your med records, but I don't really. My wonderful internist I saw before I moved told me to "start fresh" with any doc I saw or my son saw, because of the "anxiety" in my records. He said it should never be used and abused in my medical treatment for other non-related issues. Besides which, my other troubles CAUSED my anxiety, not to mention 3 and a half years worth of dumb docs. Of course, as soon as I moved and found a new primary, he asked me to sign over my med records!!

I got my children's records in hand when we moved, and was shocked to see what was written in my oldest son's. He was recently diagnosed with POTS here, and I found "anxiety" written in his files. Please. This is a kid who goes to taekwondo tournaments and teaches little kids taekwondo, even when he's feeling bad!! Yeah, he really has anxiety. Yes, some docs are dumb. I say get out the paper shredder and take out of your records what you don't want anyone to see, and then take your records that are important to a new doc. And don't feed them anything they can run with, like former eating disorders!! I used to have anorexia years ago, and now would be considered anorexic at first glance because I can't gain any weight. But it isn't from self-imposed starvation; it's from inflammatory bowel issues and morning nausea. The rest of the day, I eat like a horse. So, take my internist's advice, and tell a new doc only what they need to hear to help you. Sorry for the long sermon, but this stuff makes me mad. You shouldn't have to stand for it.

Melly

[blackbirdsings]

I have been going through the same thing with doctors writing incorrect stuff in my chart. It baffles me...I say something is wrong and have witnesses, yet in the chart they say it has gone away and I am all better. When it comes to the narcotics, we have had the same problem. I think its more about them covering their backs than taking care of us. There is a really good article by the AARP online that really explains pain, and the issues surrounding those meds.

Write a letter the office manager complaining and you can have you letter added into your chart and your chart amended. Sorry, this happened to you too. Its so frustrating, especially when we already feel so bad and think for once we have a decent dr.

[Miriam Poorman-Knox]

Dtill thinkin that the best thing may be to sit down with the hemmoroid with an advocate and go over para by par and find out why he felt he needed it written that way. Be "professional" even if he wasn't. And ask what he suggests(with the support person of course). Before I was first diagnosed I passed out in a hospital parking lot for 3 hrs before someone finding me, and another 3 inside. My note said that I went to see my mom and was so stressed that my family members showed up(not) that this was why I passed out and became dehydrated. I wrote and asked that this be re-written and the hospital said it wasn't their "work product". The doctor totally ignored my attempts to contact him. So I understand the frustration. Still think we shouldn't give away any power you had. Thinkin about you, and wishin I was ready for a "Road Trip"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miriam

[Evie]

I have no idea what my records say (i dont think i want to know eeek)... i think the system in Aus may be a little different as when i have moved drs i have never had to give old records.

When i go to doctors lately i tend to be a mess .. for some reason i find talking about everything really emotional and i just want to cry ... i must look like a complete nutball.

Good luck with writting your letter Even if it does not give you the response you are wanting at least you know that you 'stuck up' for yourself.

It must be tough being a dr though, i find the best ones are the ones who have sufferd illness themselves.

[momofpreciousboy]

Oh dear. I better not get my records! I saw a couple of really terrible drs. But even the dr I thought was the best had some mistakes--I only have his. I think this is terrible they can do this. They should only be able to state facts and put their ideas in a special section. No telling what is on our charts! JenniferTX

[hopeful-girl]

LOL I Love road trips ;-)

Yah I am actually going to post my letter here to share with you guys and have you help me pick it apart. I hope that is ok? I really do have troubles with writing.

When I was going threw my fight with the insurance. It took me a week to write the letter. I had to keep re-reading it and re-wrtiting certain things and such. I can't stay focused and I ened up rambling. It is so hard for me to just get to the point some times LOL I won on my thrid leevl of grievance. But at that time I also sent a letter to the Oregon insurance comision. But I WON Yippee that felt good!

[sally]

It's always a good idea to keep copies of records to not only check for accuracy but to have on hand when you need them for any future appts with outside specialist without having to wait for the office to send them. Having said that, try to remember that if you do find something that doesn't seem correct, that doctors are only human and they are fallible as any human being (even though some might not like to think so).

I think the problem also lies with making sure to have clear communication when speaking with the physician, trying to keep things clear and concise as possible. With anyone who has a ton of different symptoms or difficult health issues, the information can be overwhelming. For me, usually when I am relaying symptoms etc, I am probably feeling badly (symptom wise) at the time and may feel nervous and I think also that when you have a condition that is chronic, the person wants to feel validated so that any notion outside what we think is validation is deemed an insult rather than just probably just an opinion, a mistake in writing or communication.

I have had my records written incorrectly as well in the past, I've had them making live family members; deceased on paper due to the overwhelming information being taken down at the time. Usually all you need to do is calmly let the physician know what needs to be corrected and why. They want things as correct as possible as well to avoid any further complications for them. Also keep in mind, some docs use transcription for the record department and alot of docs have the most horrible hand writing so things may get incorrectly transcribed.

I'm not saying that there are not some jerks out there that just want their opinion to be right no matter what but most docs understand if you explain the whys and they would probably appreciate you making the correction to avoid future problems. You have to remember, that they see a ton of patients who have a ton of complaints with complicated complex problems such as this one as well and I could imagine that things could get messed up once in a while with words and records. As long as you like this physician and he/she has done well with your care so far, give him/her a chance to rectify the situation. It could just be an honest mistake.

[hopeful-girl]

Hello. Oh I agree Doctors are NOT perfect and they will make mistakes. Heck that is why I would never be one. I woul dmake way to many mistakes LOL

I have a alot of respect for Doctors and what they do and know. Actually I have more respect for nurses LOL They do really all the work and get to know the patent better than the Doctors IMO I could never do what these nurses do. I would be so SCARED to take some ene elses life into my hands ;-). Especially if I had to deal with some one like me LOL

I do agree that when I visit and if it is bad day I am frustrated and tend to babble more ;-). SO I do take that into consideration. Because I know I am not always accurate my self ;-).

SO great post Kudos and I agree I do have to keep it professional and I will. I just use my support sytem for my unprofessionalism so I can stay calm when and where needed *giggle*

Corina (hopeful-girl)