Back in November, I went to my general practitioner to get clearance for my toe-straightening surgery. After asking me what meds I was on, she decided that I shouldn't be on omeprazole (acid blocker) anymore and insisted that I take all sorts of tests to see if I can get off the meds.
Those tests led to more tests....and another doctor, who..........
led to more tests and yet another doctor--a surgeon at that.
After taking a few tests (and refusing a whole lot more), I've sort of come to the conclusion that the more doctors I see, the sicker I am--just ask them.
With absolutely no symptoms, pain or indications, this guy decided he wanted to take my gallbladder out. I guess those two 1 or 2 mm size gallstones are causing me all sorts of problems that I didn't know I had. He even told me that I passed one already. Funny how he knew that and I didn't. I would think that I would notice something like that.
I'm taking the slow road with things, much to their chagrin. I refuse tests for the sake of taking tests. I ask a lot of questions--which they don't like. I question their thinking and that really makes them mad--but it is my body parts that they want to remove. I'm weird like that.
I must have really irked this guy because he said to me "YOU came to us with your GERD problems! It's not like we came to YOU!".
Uh, yeah, you did. I just came in for clearance for toe surgery and now you want to take out my gallbladder.
Is it me or is this madness?
18 comments:
The answer is, "It is madness." I won, I won!
Not long ago the dr. said to my beautiful spouse, "How do you expect me to help you if you won't do what I tell you to do?"
Stick by you guns; they may be the doctors, but it is your body.
Yep...it is madness. They will test you until your insurance runs out.:(
Keeping with the theme, "It is madness!" Keep asking those questions. After I returned home last week, I thought of several questions that I should have asked. Next week, I'm taking Sylvia with me to the follow up appointment. She'll help me with the right questions when I go into another brain freeze.
Trust me if you passed a gall stone or kidney stone you'd know it...OH YES!!! I've really had it with doctor's lately too:(
Total and complete and utter madness - and profits. My husband had so many tests - MRI's and CAT scans and X-rays I thought he was going to start glowing in the dark. They have never figured out why he continues to lose weight even tho he seems to exist on candy, cake and bread. They did find that little tumor on his kidney, which they removed - it was malignant BUT it was a single cell carcinoma and he would have died of old, OLD age before it ever threatened his life.
I don't go to doctors unless I am bleeding from an artery (and indeed that is the last time I did see a doctor) - 2 years ago I had an uncontrollable nose bleed that scared even me. Of course after 4 hours in the ER we left and my nose continued to bleed...
Don't get me started on doctors and the state of medical care...
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Bunch of quacks. Can't stand my current doctor and her arrogant attitude. Don't let them bully you into anything. From your toe to your gallbladder??? WTH??
I totally agree Lin! Pills and meds are not always the best solution for everything.
"If it aint' broke ...don't fix it."
You have to be so wary of doctors these days, I think it is always best to get a second opinion. The doctor I was seeing told me I was diabetic and promptly wrote a prescription out for pills. I thought...wait a minute here...what are the other options? I am controlling my diabetes with diet and exercise...AND I have a new doctor who is extremely supportive of my lifestyle choices. Its not for everyone, but why take all that crap if you don't have to?
Just as in any profession there are bad doctors. I had my share of them...I also know that had my semi-bad neurologist not ordered an mri for a suspected pinched nerve I would be dead 'cause that mri found my whompin' 9mm aneurysm in my brain.
Sometimes a test finds what it is NOT looking for and does more good than harm. Yes, they can tend to overtest but we as a public have caused part of it with a litigious society that sues at the drop of a hat so the doctor need fear a suit 'cause he didn't test.
You stick to your guns 'cause you know your body best. Get a second opinion and a third if necessary. There are good doctors out there. It just sometimes takes some work to find them
Maybe they just enjoy having you in the office so they do everything they can to keep you coming back! Hope you get things straightened out and keep your body parts where they should be.
EW!! And then on the reverse of that...when you really DO have something wrong they are all scratching their heads. So sick of our health care in this country!
Yep, I agree with the others..MADNESS!
sounds to me like that doctor needs to brush up on his bedside manner skills
Vanilla--It's scary because they are supposed to "know" what to do and oftentimes they don't. I don't like that it's ME looking out for me. It's good to know that I'm not the only one saying "no" sometimes.
Jean--I had a doctor tell me once "We don't make money unless we run tests". I'm half thinking he wasn't joking. It's scary sometimes, but I think we have to draw the line somewhere. It's a fine line to walk.
Chuck--I think I'll bring Joe next time too. I'm just frustrating me and the doctors at this point.
Mary Ann--I had NO idea there was "a problem" until they starting running tests. That is weird to me. And now they want to do surgery??? It's going from 0 to 60 in seconds! It scares me.
Grace--It's scary because you are afraid NOT to do tests, but they just keep going and going. Oh, what to do? I think I'm holding off on another surgery for now though.
Diane--I don't like this medical center. They are test happy. But to start all over again??? sigh.
Hot Rocks--I have found that a lot of doctors don't want to explore other options--including non-traditional forms like holistic and natural remedies for things. I mentioned acupuncture and the dude laughed. Seriously...LAUGHED. It went downhill from there. I think you did the right thing for your health. Can't believe that wasn't his first suggestion!
Patty--I get it--and that is what scares us into tests and more tests--the "what ifs". I'm guilty of that too. I got scared and did 2 expensive tests--now we are just getting silly and doing a LOT of guesswork. I had to draw the line. I think I will have some signs if there is something wrong with my gallbladder.
Beaded Tail--I don't think they think I'm funny anymore. It was not a good visit with the surgeon when I started second-guessing the surgery. I can't believe how fast he was to suggest it. Not good--I was really, really crabby.
Nancy--I think they don't know why I (and the rest of the country) have GERD. My symptoms have actually done better, but then the hormones started again. I think this is menopause related, but these doctors just laugh at that theory. You'd think they would at least listen to my thoughts. Ugh. I feel very alone in my health care.
Melodie--I love the surgery with NO symptoms! Huge red flag.
Ann--Oh, he's nice enough--but that stopped when I questioned him. I'm not good with that whole deference thing. Oops.
It's definitely not you. It's the reason why I haven't seen a doctor in years.
That is crazy! Once you go to the doctor for something, it's really, really hard to end it. They always seem to want to test and test and find more and more things wrong. Sometimes I think medicine is too advanced for our own good.
Rebecca--When did all of this start? When did good, common sense get lost? I'm glad it isn't just me, but it frightens me that this is what going to the doctor means. Well, that and a LOT of money.
Karen--Yes! Exactly! Where do you end it? They just keep looking. Heck, anyone can find something if you keep looking hard enough! I'm not sure we are advanced or just money hungry. If they were so advanced, why would we need so many tests???
And this is why I hate doctors.
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