Okay, for the sake for Sue and any other MDs on the board, I must clarify: some doctors really piss me off. Unfortunately, it’s been nearly every one in my experience. I tend to stick with Physician Assistants or Nurse Practicitioners. They actually listen. And seem to give a shit.
What set me off? 10 years ago (age 16) I was diagnosed with mitrol valve prolapse, a mild heart condition that causes a murmur. The doctor who diagnosed me as an asshole. No really, he was. He misdiagnosed my dad–saying he had a cracked hip when it was in fact broken (and so was his back, we’ve since learned). As a result, my father’s hip and back were largely untreated, healed and set incorrectly, and he is now permanently disabled, cannot work, had radical surgery–and will never live pain free again. (Yes, lawyers have been involved.) Anyway, this incompetent ass who diagnosed me spoke to me like I had an emotional problem. He didn’t want to hear about my symptoms. Several months after I stopped taking the lanoxin (a beta blocker, slows the heart rate and eases its workload) I was on–by his recommendation–I had a rare night of uncomfortable palpitations. When I paged him in my distress, he angrily asked if I’d taken my meds. No, I said. “Well, shit!” he snapped at me. But, I said, you told me to stop. He wouldn’t hear it, and berated me. Asshole.
Move on to doctor #2, some 3 years later. While going over my medical history a tthe first appointment, he hears of the MVP and listens to my heart. “Your don’t have MVP. MVP patients have a clicking sound in their heart.” I protest, saying I’d been diagnosed following an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart–they actually SEE the damn valve flapping away). He asked if I had the records of the echo, and I did not. The office that did have them closed down, and the echo disappeared. New doc shrugged, said I didn’t have it, and let me be. Didn’t bother pursuing it more.
Pull forward to now: I need to get a root canal. At the new dentist office, they asked on the questionaire specifically if I had MVP (I’ll explain the relevance later). My answer: “Depends on which doctor you ask.” They wouldn’t touch me until I had a medical release form signed. So, I go to my new office, get the paperwork signed, and get my teeth worked on.
Yesterday I visited my new doc (actually, physician’s assistant), saying I wanted to know if I had this blasted MVP thing or not. While repeating my history, I told her the 2nd doc had dismissed the diagnosis and she was actually a little miffed, saying, “Well, he didn’t take an echo.” This new doc listens to my heart, says she does hear the clicking murmur, and is referring me to a cardiologist to have a new echo done. She heard in my heart what doc #2, the asshole, dismissed. He proved to be an arrogant bastard as well, as other incidents showed. Regardless, I’m getting the care I need now. My symptoms are rarely present, but Tuesday night I had one of the episodes like I hadn’t had in 5-6 years. Annoying litle bugger.
What really pisses me off is I have to take antibioics prior to dental work, as I run the risk of getting endocarditis (an infection on the heart valve–somehow, dental work can cause that). The risk is low for my condition, but still–you don’t mess with it. For several years I had dental work done, never taking antibiotics because asshole #2 said I didn’t need them. This sucks.
I know, what matters is I’m getting good care now. But it royally pisses me off that these arrogant pricks had so much power and potential to seriously fuck up my life, as asshole #1 did to my father.
I do not understand how anyone could ever accept the words a doctor tells them solely on trust. I do not trust most of them, and learned not to before I ever exited my teens.
Assholes.
I used to think the world was against me. Now I know better: Some of the smaller countries are neutral.