Doctor visits are supposed to address ailments that a person may be dealing with. But of course, that’s not always the case. In some instances, people end up having some of the worst experiences that leave a bad, lingering taste in their mouths.
Here are some disappointing and worrying stories shared by people on Reddit. You wouldn’t believe how some medical professionals could actually put their patients in danger with their negligence.
Some of these responses are quite difficult to read. If you have similar experiences, feel free to share them in the comments below.
#1
I've severe chronic pain for the last 11yrs but I also have a very h**h pain threshold. I was weaning off my meds so we could possibly begin looking at starting a family.
Everything was going OK, I was in more pain but I was managing it when one night I woke up screaming. I couldn't put my leg on the ground. I went to the ER and I spent 3hrs sitting outside the front door in a wheelchair vomiting and shaking in pain before they let me in and without any xrays told me I had a pulled hamstring and told me to take ibuprofen.
I went to my own doctor 2 days later when the pain was no better and I hadn't slept more than 10mins at a time and her exact words were "how do you expect to have a baby if you cant handle a few sleepless nights". I left there so disheartened and felt like I was over reacting. Weeks later, after l spending most days screaming in pain and thinking I was overreacting, I started loosing bladder control and went to see my pain Specialist who is amazing. She had me in an MRI that day and I was operated on by my neurosurgeon the day after. I was diagnosed with Cauda equina syndrome. He said had I waited any longer that I could've have ended up with a permanent wheelchair and urinary catheter.
He rang both the ER and my Dr in front of me and yelled at them. I realise I'm lucky I have two Specialists who have my best interests at heart but I never felt so gaslit in my life.
Everything was going OK, I was in more pain but I was managing it when one night I woke up screaming. I couldn't put my leg on the ground. I went to the ER and I spent 3hrs sitting outside the front door in a wheelchair vomiting and shaking in pain before they let me in and without any xrays told me I had a pulled hamstring and told me to take ibuprofen.
I went to my own doctor 2 days later when the pain was no better and I hadn't slept more than 10mins at a time and her exact words were "how do you expect to have a baby if you cant handle a few sleepless nights". I left there so disheartened and felt like I was over reacting. Weeks later, after l spending most days screaming in pain and thinking I was overreacting, I started loosing bladder control and went to see my pain Specialist who is amazing. She had me in an MRI that day and I was operated on by my neurosurgeon the day after. I was diagnosed with Cauda equina syndrome. He said had I waited any longer that I could've have ended up with a permanent wheelchair and urinary catheter.
He rang both the ER and my Dr in front of me and yelled at them. I realise I'm lucky I have two Specialists who have my best interests at heart but I never felt so gaslit in my life.
48points
#2
Friday Morning:
Me: My stomach is really hurting, I can't stand up straight it hurts so bad, I feel like I'm going to p**e and/or poo my pants and the pants of everyone in a 4 yard radius.
Four hours later:
Dr: Here's a prescription for ibuprofen, take some pepto. Peace out.
Sunday Morning:
Me: My stomach is still hurting really bad, I haven't slept at all since Thursday, I haven't eaten at all, yet I still feel like I'm going to be spraying from both ends.
Two hours later:
Dr: Cool lets get an scan done.
An hour later:
Dr: Yeah, looks like your appendix is about to burst, you will need surgery immediately.
2 hours later:
Dr: The surgeon will be coming in an a few hours.
3 hours later:
Dr: Yeah, the surgeon will be coming in Tomorrow afternoon.
1 hour later:
Me: I just left this other hospital because my appendix is about to burst and they can't help until tomorrow
45 minutes later:
Better Dr: Ok, we got your scan results let cut you open.
2 hours, 1 surgery and $84,000 dollars later:
Nurse: Your insurance will cover most of this but for some reason even though our hospital is covered your anesthesiologist isn't so another $3,000 will need to come out of pocket.
6 months, dozens of phone calls, hours and hours on hold, and calling one insurance agent a jerk later:
Insurance: Turns out you were covered, we just filed the claim wrong.
C64LegsGood:
"Turns out you were covered, we just filed the claim wrong."
IOW, we knew you were covered, but I'm trying to make our numbers look better (because one of my KPIs is mitigating payouts), and most people will just give up and pay.
Azriial:
I had a similar insurance issue. I go in for an elective but pre-approved surgery. Months later I get a bill for $5000 from the hospital. It says that the day I had surgery one of the regular operating room nurses was out sick so they had to use a locum nurse and she was not in network so I had to pay for her fee. Luckily my surgeons office fought the bill with me and although it took almost a year I finally got the insurance company to pay it. My basic argument was that I was under anesthesia at the time this issue arose and therefor had no way to consent or not consent to an out of pocket surgical nurse. It was very stressful and a huge pain in the a*s. I hate insurance companies and their rules and policies regarding treatments etc.
Me: My stomach is really hurting, I can't stand up straight it hurts so bad, I feel like I'm going to p**e and/or poo my pants and the pants of everyone in a 4 yard radius.
Four hours later:
Dr: Here's a prescription for ibuprofen, take some pepto. Peace out.
Sunday Morning:
Me: My stomach is still hurting really bad, I haven't slept at all since Thursday, I haven't eaten at all, yet I still feel like I'm going to be spraying from both ends.
Two hours later:
Dr: Cool lets get an scan done.
An hour later:
Dr: Yeah, looks like your appendix is about to burst, you will need surgery immediately.
2 hours later:
Dr: The surgeon will be coming in an a few hours.
3 hours later:
Dr: Yeah, the surgeon will be coming in Tomorrow afternoon.
1 hour later:
Me: I just left this other hospital because my appendix is about to burst and they can't help until tomorrow
45 minutes later:
Better Dr: Ok, we got your scan results let cut you open.
2 hours, 1 surgery and $84,000 dollars later:
Nurse: Your insurance will cover most of this but for some reason even though our hospital is covered your anesthesiologist isn't so another $3,000 will need to come out of pocket.
6 months, dozens of phone calls, hours and hours on hold, and calling one insurance agent a jerk later:
Insurance: Turns out you were covered, we just filed the claim wrong.
C64LegsGood:
"Turns out you were covered, we just filed the claim wrong."
IOW, we knew you were covered, but I'm trying to make our numbers look better (because one of my KPIs is mitigating payouts), and most people will just give up and pay.
Azriial:
I had a similar insurance issue. I go in for an elective but pre-approved surgery. Months later I get a bill for $5000 from the hospital. It says that the day I had surgery one of the regular operating room nurses was out sick so they had to use a locum nurse and she was not in network so I had to pay for her fee. Luckily my surgeons office fought the bill with me and although it took almost a year I finally got the insurance company to pay it. My basic argument was that I was under anesthesia at the time this issue arose and therefor had no way to consent or not consent to an out of pocket surgical nurse. It was very stressful and a huge pain in the a*s. I hate insurance companies and their rules and policies regarding treatments etc.
28points
#3
At a hospital.
A little context. I am white. My wife is African-American.
We were checking in for the birth of our child. It was after normal business hours so we were checking in through the emergency room. A woman (white) was there in front of us. She had a bad accident and cut off a toe. Me and my wife were waiting patiently next to each other because the woman was definitely the priority. They check her in and we walk up to check-in. They ask my wife some questions and take her back for vitals before we are to go to maternity.
A few minutes later a nurse indicates that they are done and I can join my wife. I start to walk to her when a security guard (late fifties white male) stops me and yells at me. He puts his hand on his firearm. He then insists I join my wife. I step forward towards my wife and he grabs the handle again and orders me into a room. I step into it where I see the woman with her toe cut off. He steps in and continues to yell at me (and the woman) for not listening to him. He berated her for having an 'idiot' for a husband. It took another security guard and a nurse to stop his shouting and tell him my wife was the African-American woman.
He didn't finish his shift before he was terminated but it didn't make the experience any less bad.
ANONYMOUS:
Some people's idiocy amazes me, I'm sorry that has happened to you
usually_late:
Similar thing happened to my friend. She had her second child in the height of covid when there were lots of restrictions on who could be in the hospital with you. The rule was only spouses/parents were allowed in. My friend was already in labor when her wife was trying to get in to the building to meet her. A security guard was refusing her wife entry and escalating things because he literally could not wrap his head around the fact a woman could be there for the birth of her own child yet not be pregnant. Eventually a supervisor came and sorted it out but imagine nearly missing the birth of your child because some guy didn’t believe you were the spouse/parent.
A little context. I am white. My wife is African-American.
We were checking in for the birth of our child. It was after normal business hours so we were checking in through the emergency room. A woman (white) was there in front of us. She had a bad accident and cut off a toe. Me and my wife were waiting patiently next to each other because the woman was definitely the priority. They check her in and we walk up to check-in. They ask my wife some questions and take her back for vitals before we are to go to maternity.
A few minutes later a nurse indicates that they are done and I can join my wife. I start to walk to her when a security guard (late fifties white male) stops me and yells at me. He puts his hand on his firearm. He then insists I join my wife. I step forward towards my wife and he grabs the handle again and orders me into a room. I step into it where I see the woman with her toe cut off. He steps in and continues to yell at me (and the woman) for not listening to him. He berated her for having an 'idiot' for a husband. It took another security guard and a nurse to stop his shouting and tell him my wife was the African-American woman.
He didn't finish his shift before he was terminated but it didn't make the experience any less bad.
ANONYMOUS:
Some people's idiocy amazes me, I'm sorry that has happened to you
usually_late:
Similar thing happened to my friend. She had her second child in the height of covid when there were lots of restrictions on who could be in the hospital with you. The rule was only spouses/parents were allowed in. My friend was already in labor when her wife was trying to get in to the building to meet her. A security guard was refusing her wife entry and escalating things because he literally could not wrap his head around the fact a woman could be there for the birth of her own child yet not be pregnant. Eventually a supervisor came and sorted it out but imagine nearly missing the birth of your child because some guy didn’t believe you were the spouse/parent.
28points
#4
I thought I had a broken nose. The doc was showing me, on a heavy glass x-ray plate, that my nose was not broken. But as I was looking up, he dropped the plate on my nose and broke it.
anonymous:
"I, uh, guess you're here for a broken nose after all, huh?" - Dr probably
anonymous:
"I, uh, guess you're here for a broken nose after all, huh?" - Dr probably
Report
26points
#5
When I wanted a hysterectomy because my life was literally in danger due to anemia and non-stop bleeding and was told no, because my husband might want kids. I am not nor have I ever been married, I was in my 40s and I didn't want kids in the first place, but after explaining all this, was still told no. Because I might meet a man and he might want to knock me up at over 40, and I did not get a say, apparently.
I went to Mexico and they yoinked that thing out for me.
I came back and met with a completely different doctor for follow-up, and when he learned I'd had a hysterectomy without my future husband's consent, he told me he wouldn't treat me and to see PP for any future care because 'they're used to dealing with loose women.'
This was six years ago, if you're wondering. 2017. I have no reason to think anything has changed and quite a few reasons to think it's getting worse.
stubbytuna:
What is it with awful OB/GYNs?
I saw an OB/GYN in my twenties that I really regret spending so much time on. I have amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), severe uterine cramps, ovarian cysts, and pain during intercourse. Every time I would talk to my OB/GYN about it he would say: “Try using lube during intercourse” and give me a half used bottle of lube. But my complaint was I wasn’t menstruating and I was in pain all the time. He was laser focused on how I didn’t want have intercourse as much bc it was painful, so he was only worried about that. For nearly ten years btw.
Turns out, I have endometriosis and PCOS.
I went to Mexico and they yoinked that thing out for me.
I came back and met with a completely different doctor for follow-up, and when he learned I'd had a hysterectomy without my future husband's consent, he told me he wouldn't treat me and to see PP for any future care because 'they're used to dealing with loose women.'
This was six years ago, if you're wondering. 2017. I have no reason to think anything has changed and quite a few reasons to think it's getting worse.
stubbytuna:
What is it with awful OB/GYNs?
I saw an OB/GYN in my twenties that I really regret spending so much time on. I have amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), severe uterine cramps, ovarian cysts, and pain during intercourse. Every time I would talk to my OB/GYN about it he would say: “Try using lube during intercourse” and give me a half used bottle of lube. But my complaint was I wasn’t menstruating and I was in pain all the time. He was laser focused on how I didn’t want have intercourse as much bc it was painful, so he was only worried about that. For nearly ten years btw.
Turns out, I have endometriosis and PCOS.
24points
#6
Was 17, had an infected ingrown toe nail. My pediatrician tried c*****g and digging it out with what looked like pliers and bracing his leg against the table. After messing around for a bit he realized he wasn’t going to get it. No numbing gel or anything. Hurt like h**l. Scheduled an appointment with a podiatrist, he numbed it, had it removed in about two minutes and told me to never see that dr. Again.
JayisBay-sed:
Reading this while having a potentially infected ingrown toenail is making me rethink my life choices
Sam_i_am_68:
Go to a podiatrist. They’ll fix you right up without pain.
PromotionOk9737:
I had a similar thing happened to me when I was 9 or 10. I went to the ER because it was severely infected and I hadn't told anybody about it for whatever reason.
They didn't even numb me when they cut it out. Thinking back on it, it's a pretty messed up thing to do to a person.
JayisBay-sed:
Reading this while having a potentially infected ingrown toenail is making me rethink my life choices
Sam_i_am_68:
Go to a podiatrist. They’ll fix you right up without pain.
PromotionOk9737:
I had a similar thing happened to me when I was 9 or 10. I went to the ER because it was severely infected and I hadn't told anybody about it for whatever reason.
They didn't even numb me when they cut it out. Thinking back on it, it's a pretty messed up thing to do to a person.
22points
#7
When I got the news I had stage 4 cancer 🫠 after being told by a Dr. That I was “too young for cancer” (I’m 29).
nananananaanbread:
My primary care is an office of rotating residents. I went in one time for a suspicious raised area on my back. Before doing the skin biopsy, the resident told me I was too young to be worrying about cancer. Had to break the poor guy's heart and tell him I couldn't lay on my stomach for the biopsy because I had a mastectomy a few months ago and can't lay on the tissue expanders.
Fair_Ad_6259:
My second time with cancer I'm waiting weeks on the biopsy results because the surgeon went on vacation right after ordering the tests. So I call my GP and ask about the results and staging? He tells me I have 'tumors'. I go can you give me more staging information than that? He repeats 'tumors' and says sorry. (Tumors can be benign or malignant the 'sorry' tipped it into malignant for me.). So I get his office staff to drop the info in the patient portal and find out I have Invasive Breast Cancer all by myself.
nananananaanbread:
My primary care is an office of rotating residents. I went in one time for a suspicious raised area on my back. Before doing the skin biopsy, the resident told me I was too young to be worrying about cancer. Had to break the poor guy's heart and tell him I couldn't lay on my stomach for the biopsy because I had a mastectomy a few months ago and can't lay on the tissue expanders.
Fair_Ad_6259:
My second time with cancer I'm waiting weeks on the biopsy results because the surgeon went on vacation right after ordering the tests. So I call my GP and ask about the results and staging? He tells me I have 'tumors'. I go can you give me more staging information than that? He repeats 'tumors' and says sorry. (Tumors can be benign or malignant the 'sorry' tipped it into malignant for me.). So I get his office staff to drop the info in the patient portal and find out I have Invasive Breast Cancer all by myself.
22points
#8
Dealing with my daughter’s illness and having doctors downplay it, ignore her pain and tell me it was all in her head. Until she died from her “imaginary” illness. I find it very difficult to deal with doctors anymore after witnessing the widespread incompetence and horrible behavior.
GrannyTurtle:
My daughter had three different serious problems - one of which involved her heart and could have k****d her in an instant. She got ignored and didn’t get them diagnosed until she became an RN and asked questions of the doctors in the hospital she works at. They pointed her in the right direction - as an adult.
I was told I was “coddling” her by her h**h school, so I took her out that school. Jerk doctors and jerk educators made her teen years rather horrible. I’m lucky she didn’t try to self-medicate then.
GrannyTurtle:
My daughter had three different serious problems - one of which involved her heart and could have k****d her in an instant. She got ignored and didn’t get them diagnosed until she became an RN and asked questions of the doctors in the hospital she works at. They pointed her in the right direction - as an adult.
I was told I was “coddling” her by her h**h school, so I took her out that school. Jerk doctors and jerk educators made her teen years rather horrible. I’m lucky she didn’t try to self-medicate then.
21points
#9
I went to a clinic to see a doctor about a fever and body aches and informed him I was allergic to NSAIDs.. he said he'd give me something and it was not an NSAID
Went home, swallowed the pill, immediate allergic reaction starts.. rushed to the A&E of a hospital where they pumped me full of meds to stop the allergic reaction.. and the doc there asked me why I took the NSAID.
I think the A&E doc reported the clinic doctor because he was never seen again.
Impossibilia:
I had a similar thing at a hospital here. Told multiple nurses and staff that I was allergic to aspirin, basically everyone except the doctor. Doctor prescribed me Advil, and assuming he looked at my chart and having no idea that both are NSAIDs, took Advil. Came back to the hospital an hour later in anaphylaxis and difficulty breathing.
25 years later, had a minor surgery at the same hospital and now they put a bright band around my wrist immediately, and the first thing any person I interacted with asked is “Do you have any allergies?” Annoying to be asked that 25 times in a 4 hour period, but nice to see that policy has changed to make sure that kind of thing doesn’t happen again.
Went home, swallowed the pill, immediate allergic reaction starts.. rushed to the A&E of a hospital where they pumped me full of meds to stop the allergic reaction.. and the doc there asked me why I took the NSAID.
I think the A&E doc reported the clinic doctor because he was never seen again.
Impossibilia:
I had a similar thing at a hospital here. Told multiple nurses and staff that I was allergic to aspirin, basically everyone except the doctor. Doctor prescribed me Advil, and assuming he looked at my chart and having no idea that both are NSAIDs, took Advil. Came back to the hospital an hour later in anaphylaxis and difficulty breathing.
25 years later, had a minor surgery at the same hospital and now they put a bright band around my wrist immediately, and the first thing any person I interacted with asked is “Do you have any allergies?” Annoying to be asked that 25 times in a 4 hour period, but nice to see that policy has changed to make sure that kind of thing doesn’t happen again.
19points
#10
It took me 13 years to find out my gall bladder was dead. I went to my doctor repeatedly, then another, then another. Seven different doctors. I had excruciating pain that never moved, always flared when I ate. It would last for hours. If I felt the pain coming on, it would stick around for about 6-9 hours before it abated. Solid 10 on the pain scale. If I ate anything other than toast the next day, it would come back. Impossible to sit, stand, move, lie down, exist.
Went to the ER a few times. They’d give me ultrasound after ultrasound—and because they saw NO GALL STONES they always wrote it off.
You’re probably constipated.
You’re just overweight.
After begging for a referral to another specialist, they gave me a full body MRI and several hours of testing (a HIDA scan—this was the test that caught it!) to watch the minute-by-minute function of my organs. Turns out my gallbladder had 93% non-function. Just a mostly dead organ. They had me scheduled for surgery the next week. I had it out and it was life changing.
It was only AFTER having it out that I realized how common the surgery is, and how any doctor who’d given me even vague consideration might have realized a gall bladder can malfunction WITHOUT stones.
I did not know how to advocate for myself because I kept being dismissed. I wish I’d been more assertive, because I suffered A LOT.
ifiwereinvisible:
Omg this happened to me!! I finally got my gallbladder out after 15 months of t*****e, only to get back to work for 9 whole work days before a disc in my back herniated and I had my second back surgery. Of course I had to suffer for another year with complications from that one, so I had my third back surgery on my birthday last month and hopefully NOW I can get my life back. Good luck in life, gallbladder buddy!
Went to the ER a few times. They’d give me ultrasound after ultrasound—and because they saw NO GALL STONES they always wrote it off.
You’re probably constipated.
You’re just overweight.
After begging for a referral to another specialist, they gave me a full body MRI and several hours of testing (a HIDA scan—this was the test that caught it!) to watch the minute-by-minute function of my organs. Turns out my gallbladder had 93% non-function. Just a mostly dead organ. They had me scheduled for surgery the next week. I had it out and it was life changing.
It was only AFTER having it out that I realized how common the surgery is, and how any doctor who’d given me even vague consideration might have realized a gall bladder can malfunction WITHOUT stones.
I did not know how to advocate for myself because I kept being dismissed. I wish I’d been more assertive, because I suffered A LOT.
ifiwereinvisible:
Omg this happened to me!! I finally got my gallbladder out after 15 months of t*****e, only to get back to work for 9 whole work days before a disc in my back herniated and I had my second back surgery. Of course I had to suffer for another year with complications from that one, so I had my third back surgery on my birthday last month and hopefully NOW I can get my life back. Good luck in life, gallbladder buddy!
19points
#11
I had been having chronic migraines for probably 7 years at this point and couldn’t for the life of me get a doctor to listen to me about wanting medication. Saw another doctor, gave her the backstory to which she replied with something along the lines of “Well you’re about to turn 25 soon, you’re starting to get up there in age and need to start planning for a family soon. You shouldn’t be on any medications while pregnant, so just think about staying more hydrated and stress free for a while.”
I did not continue seeing that doctor.
Edit for context: I do not want children, and when expressed she said I would change my mind and need to start working on it soon. Again, because I was “old”.
I did not continue seeing that doctor.
Edit for context: I do not want children, and when expressed she said I would change my mind and need to start working on it soon. Again, because I was “old”.
19points
#12
I was getting a bone density scan for some odd reason, and the doc came in a while later and told me I had Osteoporosis. This was not why I was there in the first place and was completely surprised. I asked him if I could see the chart, and it was for a 70 year old woman. I was a 30 something man, and he had the wrong chart! Turns out I did not have any issues at all, well, bone density related….
swanlakepirate423:
Oh god, this reminded me of the time I took iron pills daily for four months because LabCorp mixed my results with someone who had severe anemia.
When I went back to be tested again, my iron levels were SO g*****n h**h it was almost bad.
Chronohele:
I was in the hospital during a Crohn's disease flare-up several years ago, just bloody diarrhea everywhere. A nurse came in and gave me a cup of laxative to drink. I had to yell twice that it wasn't mine to get her to come back, and she still tried to argue until I showed her that the name on the label wasn't mine. She left saying "Good thing I caught that." I guess that kind of denial is how nurses sleep at night?
swanlakepirate423:
Oh god, this reminded me of the time I took iron pills daily for four months because LabCorp mixed my results with someone who had severe anemia.
When I went back to be tested again, my iron levels were SO g*****n h**h it was almost bad.
Chronohele:
I was in the hospital during a Crohn's disease flare-up several years ago, just bloody diarrhea everywhere. A nurse came in and gave me a cup of laxative to drink. I had to yell twice that it wasn't mine to get her to come back, and she still tried to argue until I showed her that the name on the label wasn't mine. She left saying "Good thing I caught that." I guess that kind of denial is how nurses sleep at night?
18points
#13
If an emergency room counts:
Walked in with chest pains and severe pain area around left shoulder blade. Here, fill this out. Wait over here. Walk back here. Go back to waiting room. Walk back here again.
Doctor walks up, first time I saw him, hands me discharge papers. “Follow up with your doctor in a few days.”
Wife drove me 40 miles to another hospital. They f***k. Rush me to the cath lab. In the Nick of Time.
Had 200% blockage of coronary LAD. Also known as the widow maker heart attack.
Hooligan9892:
Did you ever get in touch with a patient advocate at the first hospital? They needed to know about that incident.
OP:
I met with the hospital president and staff. He stated the ER doctor no longer worked there. I brought a hard copy of my paperwork from the other hospital and showed it to them.
Walked in with chest pains and severe pain area around left shoulder blade. Here, fill this out. Wait over here. Walk back here. Go back to waiting room. Walk back here again.
Doctor walks up, first time I saw him, hands me discharge papers. “Follow up with your doctor in a few days.”
Wife drove me 40 miles to another hospital. They f***k. Rush me to the cath lab. In the Nick of Time.
Had 200% blockage of coronary LAD. Also known as the widow maker heart attack.
Hooligan9892:
Did you ever get in touch with a patient advocate at the first hospital? They needed to know about that incident.
OP:
I met with the hospital president and staff. He stated the ER doctor no longer worked there. I brought a hard copy of my paperwork from the other hospital and showed it to them.
18points
#14
I had a doctor tell me that I, as an autistic adult, shouldn't be in charge of my own medical decisions and that I definitely shouldn't be going to appointments by myself. I was in my mid-twenties, an honor student in college, and generally pretty d**n functional.
My brother, who was waiting out in the parking lot, nearly came inside to fight him.
My brother, who was waiting out in the parking lot, nearly came inside to fight him.
18points
#15
Months after a breast lump removal my breast was still numb. I had the surgeon recheck it for the reason why. He said he didn’t cut any nerves, flicked my n****e and said “You’re fine.”.
TheRealJackReynolds:
My wife is an ER doc and the way HMOs treat women is ridiculous.
“Take an Advil before we blow air into your uterus. It’s like bad cramps.”
“We can’t take out your ovaries because then we’ll have to put you on estrogen therapy. We don’t care how much your PCOS hurts.”
I honestly do not understand it.
TheRealJackReynolds:
My wife is an ER doc and the way HMOs treat women is ridiculous.
“Take an Advil before we blow air into your uterus. It’s like bad cramps.”
“We can’t take out your ovaries because then we’ll have to put you on estrogen therapy. We don’t care how much your PCOS hurts.”
I honestly do not understand it.
17points
#16
I had a non-emergency emergency out of network (it was later found out that I have PCOS and one of the cysts had popped, 10/10 do not recommend) so I managed to get back into my health insurance network area and a doctor's office was closer than an ER.
Went to said doctor and he was convinced that I was either faking it for attention or faking it to obtain some pain meds. During his examination he kept pushing on my lower torso/uterus area and every time I screamed in pain he'd tell me to stop being dramatic and that if I didn't stop flexing that area then he'd have to push harder. I wasn't flexing that area but he insisted that I was.
I kind of zoned in and out of the rest of the exam but I remember realizing I was completely screwed when he was literally hopping up and down to be able to feel what was going on. Eventually he proclaimed that I probably just have an upset stomach due to being fat and that he'd draw blood if it got my mom to stop "enabling" me. His nurse couldn't get a vein after multiple attempts in both arms. When a different nurse tried multiple times she finally went "Oh, you're really dehydrated" to which the doctor then chastised me for drinking too much soda which likely caused the dehydration.
My mom was frantic and kept my doctor up to date with everything that was happening. My doctor told her to just take me and leave and try to hold out until we reached the closest ER. As we were leaving the doctor told us that he had already called ahead to multiple nearby ERs in our plan to let them know that I was just trying to get pain meds and to not give them to me.
Eventually my pain started subsiding and we drove to my regular doctor. She was beyond pissed and ended up helping us file a s**t ton of paperwork to complain to the medical board about what happened. My doctor's biggest push to my mom about why she should file an official complaint and negligence claim was because
1. He didn't know what was wrong and if someone complains of pain somewhere you shouldn't be pushing so hard that you're jumping up and down to dig in because you could be making things WAY worse.
2. Due to the pain being caused by a cyst popping there was a good chance that digging his fingers into my lower torso could have caused more to pop
3. If a patient comes in screaming and crying saying they're in pain, you shouldn't automatically dismiss it, especially when they continue showing signs of pain when you touch the area they're complaining about.
Went to said doctor and he was convinced that I was either faking it for attention or faking it to obtain some pain meds. During his examination he kept pushing on my lower torso/uterus area and every time I screamed in pain he'd tell me to stop being dramatic and that if I didn't stop flexing that area then he'd have to push harder. I wasn't flexing that area but he insisted that I was.
I kind of zoned in and out of the rest of the exam but I remember realizing I was completely screwed when he was literally hopping up and down to be able to feel what was going on. Eventually he proclaimed that I probably just have an upset stomach due to being fat and that he'd draw blood if it got my mom to stop "enabling" me. His nurse couldn't get a vein after multiple attempts in both arms. When a different nurse tried multiple times she finally went "Oh, you're really dehydrated" to which the doctor then chastised me for drinking too much soda which likely caused the dehydration.
My mom was frantic and kept my doctor up to date with everything that was happening. My doctor told her to just take me and leave and try to hold out until we reached the closest ER. As we were leaving the doctor told us that he had already called ahead to multiple nearby ERs in our plan to let them know that I was just trying to get pain meds and to not give them to me.
Eventually my pain started subsiding and we drove to my regular doctor. She was beyond pissed and ended up helping us file a s**t ton of paperwork to complain to the medical board about what happened. My doctor's biggest push to my mom about why she should file an official complaint and negligence claim was because
1. He didn't know what was wrong and if someone complains of pain somewhere you shouldn't be pushing so hard that you're jumping up and down to dig in because you could be making things WAY worse.
2. Due to the pain being caused by a cyst popping there was a good chance that digging his fingers into my lower torso could have caused more to pop
3. If a patient comes in screaming and crying saying they're in pain, you shouldn't automatically dismiss it, especially when they continue showing signs of pain when you touch the area they're complaining about.
17points
#17
Went to go get blood drawn before surgery
Got stuck 13 times in my hands, wrist and elbow, still couldn’t draw a drop
My mom, who came with me because this was 2 HOURS out of the way, “can I try”
She got it on the first try
(For context my mom used to be a phlebotomist).
Got stuck 13 times in my hands, wrist and elbow, still couldn’t draw a drop
My mom, who came with me because this was 2 HOURS out of the way, “can I try”
She got it on the first try
(For context my mom used to be a phlebotomist).
16points
#18
A doctor once told me that I didn’t need antidepressants, that I needed to find Jesus and I would be fine.
anonymous:
Hope you reported them to the medical board
anonymous:
Hope you reported them to the medical board
15points
#19
I had been sick for a while and had been gaining about 20 pounds a month. I had seen multiple doctors and they just told me I was just eating more than I thought which was ridiculous. I went to a doctor for a skin issue and the new doctor walked in the room and looked at me from across the room and said “let’s get you to the emergency room” after about five seconds.
I had end stage cirrhosis of the liver. That kind of sucked. I had a liver transplant 362 days ago and only in the last month have I started to feel like I am getting back to normal.
Did you know you can get so sick your hair turns gray and then get better and the gray hair goes away? It’s weird honestly.
I had end stage cirrhosis of the liver. That kind of sucked. I had a liver transplant 362 days ago and only in the last month have I started to feel like I am getting back to normal.
Did you know you can get so sick your hair turns gray and then get better and the gray hair goes away? It’s weird honestly.
15points
#20
I was booked in for a Pap smear and my regular dr wasn’t available on the day so the offered to fit me in with another dr in the practice. What could go wrong?
After the Pap smear which was unpleasant as usual, the dr(mid50s, very strict headmistress type) followed up with “I like to do a manual exam” I said ‘No’ but she then told me that “it was compulsory part of her care standards.”
I felt like I could not refuse. So the dr gave me a manual exam, and pushed on my stomach from the outside while her whole hand was in my v****a. When I complained that she was hurting me I was told that “this is nothing compared to childbirth and I had a lot to learn.” When she removed her hand she told me off for coming to get a Pap smear when I was on my period - (which I wasn’t I had timed the appointment specifically) she had made me bleed.
I was in shock of what had happened and paid the bill and went home in a haze. I took two ibuprofen and went to bed. For more than a week I was in pain and walked hunched with a hot water bottles on my stomach.
When I next saw my usual dr, I told her what happened, and how I was unwell afterwards, and was told that ‘ah yes, some drs do things differently, but you are ok now and you have had your Pap smear, and the results are fine.’
After that appointment I changed drs practices.
After the Pap smear which was unpleasant as usual, the dr(mid50s, very strict headmistress type) followed up with “I like to do a manual exam” I said ‘No’ but she then told me that “it was compulsory part of her care standards.”
I felt like I could not refuse. So the dr gave me a manual exam, and pushed on my stomach from the outside while her whole hand was in my v****a. When I complained that she was hurting me I was told that “this is nothing compared to childbirth and I had a lot to learn.” When she removed her hand she told me off for coming to get a Pap smear when I was on my period - (which I wasn’t I had timed the appointment specifically) she had made me bleed.
I was in shock of what had happened and paid the bill and went home in a haze. I took two ibuprofen and went to bed. For more than a week I was in pain and walked hunched with a hot water bottles on my stomach.
When I next saw my usual dr, I told her what happened, and how I was unwell afterwards, and was told that ‘ah yes, some drs do things differently, but you are ok now and you have had your Pap smear, and the results are fine.’
After that appointment I changed drs practices.
15points