TLDR- The ER Dr scheduled a CT scan for my leg edema/veins but when I was transferred to the hospital and saw the attending physician, he was a d**k and just cancelled the CT scan bc he was in a bad mood and I had the audacity to ask what the scan was for and if I needed to have the dye. Now I have to wait eons to get an appt and get seen, then once I get an appt, have to wait eons to get the scan. And by then, my symptoms would be gone, or to a point where they don’t see it’s an issue.
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God I HATE dealing with dr’s. They just don’t f*ing listen or take us seriously!
Anyhow, I had to be admitted in-patient from the ER to hospital for 5 days for a horrible bacterial infection. I have SO many issues with how I was treated by certain dr’s and nurses those 5d but this post will specifically be about my leg edema.
The bacterial infection caused my leg to balloon up and swell to the point I couldn’t walk or bend my leg/foot/ankle etc. It was OBVIOUS I had issues but I had gone to THREE dermatologist a total of SIX times and only ONE casually mentioned I should see a vascular specialist for 2s before stepping out the room and rushing me out of the appt.
So I saw dermatologist #1 (PA)- THREE times and not ONE time did she mention my leg or show any concern when I brought it up. dermatologist #2 (PA)- was the one that mentioned as a sidenote i should see a vascular person for my leg before quickly leaving before I could ask any question. dermatologist #3 (MD)- He was the actual Dr. If anyone should say something it should be him. And I specifically brought up my leg and he also showed no concern, just like derm #1.
I then later check into the ER bc derm #3 (the MD) said I no longer had an infection when INDEED I still did bc my giant wound was still oozing yellow pus.
The ER had dr scheduled a CT scan (which I wasn’t told) till the attending physician came in and was talking to me (very rudely and mean) and a nurse came in to wheel me to get the CT scan.
I asked the dr what this CT scan is for and he was so dodgy and refused to answer the question directly. He kept saying if you don’t want the scan then we’ll cancel it. I said no, I’m not saying I want to cancel the scan, I just want to know what it is for and do I have to get the dye? He said it was to see if my infection reached my joints and tissues and said “you don’t need it.” He NEVER mentioned it was to check my legs bc the edema I had was BAD. That’s why the ER dr sent me to get the CT scan.
Anyhow, that shity dr just canceled my CT scan! And I just now read his visit summary that he said *I* denied the CT scan bc I refused the dye. WTF. If I knew the CT scan was for my leg edema/veins, I would have totally gotten the scan, even with dye!! I just didn’t know what part of the body they scheduled it for and no one told me I was getting a scan until the nurse came in and suddenly sprung it on me that I had a CT appt right now I needed to go. They had ALL DAY to tell me but no one did. So it happened that the Dr who you rarely get to see FINALLY shows up, that was the exact moment the nurse came in to say I needed to be wheeled in to get my CT Scan. But the a**hole dr just cancelled my scan when I simply asked what the scan was for and if I needed to have the dye. So he just f*ing cancelled my scan.
Now I’m released from the hospital and obviously STILL need to be seen by vascular specialists. OH, and the hospital I was it, actually happened to specialize in this area!! But now I am home, still have issues, and need to now start from scratch- ie finding a dr, making an appt, waiting an eternity for an appt, then waiting to get another appt to get the scan. It’s a long ass process, when it could’ve already been done!!! Plus, it’s not easy for me to walk or even get to appts. Let alone now have to start the process from SCRATCH.
God I hate my life. You have no idea how much bullshit I’ve had to deal with drs over the last 21 years. 99% of them ignore me and dismiss my symptoms. And about a dozen who ACTIVELY harmed me. But that’s another story(ies) for another time.
I can’t deal with this…
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OH, I just realized that I might now be charged 20% for the scan and procedures, vs if it was done in the hospital I was already admitted to, it would have been fully covered. FML. Just FML.
5 comments
Most MDs at the very least suck, a fair amount of PhDs and oh my too many PsyDs also suck. Seriously, long other rant about PsyDs and how they influenced me to rethink my grad plans.
In my experience ER docs are worse still. Nurses too. Granted I haven’t been the patient most of the time, more often I’m the concerned family member, trying to advocate.
I have one good doctor in my life, and he only does my psychiatric meds. I’d be more likely to get other things checked on if I could have a doctor who actually gave a shit.
actually, my dentist isn’t too bad either, and he’s technically a doctor. That’s just a well run office, maybe the quality of the office is the thing that matters.
how have no idea how many drs have screwed my health up- irreparable damage. From fucking chiropractors to acupuncturists to podiatrists to PCP’s to dentists. SO many. Not just one. And the damage is LIFE LONG. How am I NOT supposed to be angry and bitter about this?
I can’t argue, you have every reason to be upset. It’s justified, it’s just also shortening your life.
Long term stress and anger take a toll on every important system in your body. So if you’re seeking peace and relief from anger remember why; it’s for you. It’s less pain for you, that’s the only good reason.
Even so, I understand how hard it is. I wish there was some help I could offer.
i know, being angry isn’t good. at least u and chronic illness ppl are aware of this, but the majority of the ppl by and large, blame ME for being angry, bc “i can’t be angry at life.” like the shit my fucking aunt says. WTF. i guarantee you they’d be even more pissed than me if they had to walk in my shoes and live my life, and get screwed by the world like i have, and have NO ONE in the fucking world to give a damn about u. but they’ve never experienced anything like what i have.
I’m so tired of getting SCREWED.
I can’t take it anymore.
And my body can’t take much more.