Chronic pain and medical negligence shifting my personality

[Unhumble]

Since 6+ months I'm suffering from progressing chronic pain (getting worse day by day) due to medical negligence in diagnosing what I had.

In the end it was something I knew all the time and told them... but they didn't listen me until, 6 months later (!!!), another doctor looked at an old MRI they first said was negative, and said that it was evident that I was right!!! (problems with the discs in the spine which passes through the neck, probably bulging or herniation... but I mean anything could have happened in these 6 months).

 

Brief description of pain: like a knife stabbing the neck and spine, while everything surrounding it (nerves departing from spine) feel like oil jumping onto the skin from a frying pan and acute pain is triggered down the arms an fingeres; all this during every second of the day.

 

For 6 months I was told it was nothing, that it was probably just "psychogenic" pain. When it was unbearable and I went to the hospital to ask for a revaluation, they literally chased me saying I was a hypochondriac. Some told me to even go back dancing, to just live normally, and stuff like that.

I was initially (for the first month) prescribed a bunch of painkillers and other pharmaceuticals, including daily injections, that weren't helpful at all and actually produced more side-effects rather than curing. So I stopped all medications after the first months.

I tried my best to live normally these 6 months, complaining about the pain from time to time, but nobody believed me. So I just lived with it.

I'm still going to college and everyday I go to lectures I do my best to concentrate and not think about the pain; and sitting and taking notes itself is also painful, but since "it's just psychological pain" I just did what I had to do.

(N.B. note that even studying wasn't really that efficient as well, despite my efforts: )

 

And now some doctor just says "How could the other doctors not see this and that on the MRI?! It's obvious that there's something wrong with the discs blablabla yadda yadda yadda."

On that day I was so angry that I wanted to personally go and shoot into the previous doctors balls and let them experience their "imaginary pain". I obviously calmed down now, but I'm getting kind of depressed after this whole adventure.

 

For six months people thought I was crazy and arrogant for the way I behaved, my parents actually still keep telling me "Ah, don't pretend you're not feeling well" etc.

 

But my pain + my the experience with this negligent health care system are simply draining my energies. Whenever I'm with my friends on the street and see an ambulance passing by I openly raise my middle-finger at them.

I don't trust anyone, I hate the whole health care industry.

I even created a blog with the names of the health care "professionals" who "treated" me and what they did. A public complaint.

 

I also look arrogant towards others probably. I mean... nobody really cares whether you're in pain all the day long. Yet when I interact with people I feel it constantly.. and I start loosing my will to speak with other people.

Or doing anything at all.

 

I keep reading newspapers and internet articles on medical negligence where people even die because of medical errors. That's all I'm really interested in doing nowadays...

 

Any advice on how to become peaceful and good again, on how not be arrogant, and how not be violent towards incompetent health care professionals?

 

P.S. I'm 21 and from what I read about my potential problem (cervical disc herniation?) caused by those doctors, I won't be able to do most things that I was planning to do... no more dancing, no more sports... actually no more running even.

[Miss Firecracker]

You should be angry, but the problems you have were not caused by the doctors, were they? Most likely even if you had been diagnosed correctly you would still be in this pain. Maybe I'm wrong here?

[Unhumble]

No; If they had diagnosed it in time - when I told them, i.e. from the beginning, 6 months ago - it wouldn't have progressed to this point.

 

 

P.S.: Since I'm an Economics student I have all the reasons and evidence to make a hypothesis that they purposely "overlooked" what I had so that it could escalate to a more serious stage... so that I could finance the pharmaceutical and medical industry. Haha, they need me on the surgery table so that they can earn their money...

[Miss Firecracker]

What would they have done that they cannot do now? They could still do surgery to relieve your pain, couldn't they?

[Unhumble]

What they could have done?

Physiotherapy, massages, osteopathic treatment, stuff like that that could have stopped the aggravation of my inter-vertebral discs.

[shes2smart]

I am no fan of the health care industry for a variety of reasons. However, they are necessary...in my less generous moods a "necessary evil."

 

Something you need to keep in mind is that, despite what some people believe, medicine is more "art" than "science."

 

You have to be your own advocate...and if you think your doc is on the wrong track, you have to speak up and/or find a doc you can work with. This is difficult because we are taught from the time we are kids that we should just do what the doc says and not question.

 

I had a herniated disk in my neck C6-C7 several years ago. I had gone head-first into a cement block wall in an equestrian accident back in 1994, and when I hit my mid 30's the thing just blew on its own. Fairly common scenario with that type of head/neck injury, from what I've read...although most people sustain the initial injury in an auto accident...but I digress. I had surgery (diskectomy) in 2001 and have no lingering effects from the herniated disk, save for some slight numbness in the tip of my left index finger. I don't even notice it unless I think about it.

 

And, yes, I have gotten on horseback since then, although I will not do jumping anymore.

 

Have you consulted with another doc? I'd suggest writing a few docs first and explaining the issues you have. See if one of them is responsive to your concerns, and make an appointment for a consultation with the one(s) who respond to your letter. I have gone this route before and found some decent docs who I could work with (and who didn't mind the 3 million questions I ask and the extra research I do on my own.)

[Unhumble]

Point is... I need some kind of "revenge" or something.

I want a laywer... or a gun... or at least publicly humiliate them.

 

I mean it's obvious that initially I didn't have any disc herniation. It evolved throughout these 6 months they kept saying " there's nothing ", and it could have been avoided if they had listened to me and checked properly, if they had told me "Yes, something is happening to your discs, do this and that therapy and you can avoid herniating them."

 

But no, they waited so that they could drain both my money and my health.

I see some intentional fault in what they did.

[Angel_baby]

As someone that has an extremely bad back I know how horrible and unbearable the pain can get. It is VERY draining when you have to live everyday in pain.

I have severe pain to where I need help out of bed, sometimes need help brushing my hair, getting dressed, etc

 

4 months ago my DR I see for it said she wasn't going to treat my pain anymore. So for the last 4 month it has been hell. The DR just basically viewed it as: A 22 year old + pain pills = Bad. I hate pain pills anyway but sometimes the pain brings me to tears.

So I have to be punished because she doesn't like helping anyone. The health industry profiles and doesn't care about anything but $$$

 

As far as trying to file a lawsuit against them... Be prepared for a LONG drawn out battle. They will try to prove that the condition you are in now was unpreventable, etc

[Miss Firecracker]

I do not believe they did this intentionally. They are just humans, even though they are educated.

 

My sister was told recently that she has probably had a mini-stroke.

 

She had a friend's husband look at her MRI, and he said he would never have made that conclusion based on the MRI alone.

 

If you ever feel the doctor's wrong, change doctors.

 

It does no good to feel this way, and I would take the blog down. You don't need a lawsuit on top of the other problems you have right now.

 

I have disc problems, and so does my husband. I feel your pain.

[Unhumble]

I know very well that they're humans. And all humans - in this case: doctors, pharmaceutical companies, medical system companies, the whole infrastructure, etc. - need a profit, you know?

 

Let me do a brief recap: my MRI was done one and a half months after all those medications failed to bring any results.

 

I, through my own research on the internet and academic papers at university about spine problems, concluded that there wassomething: at that time it was clearly visible on the MRI that the discs were at least bulging, and I knew I urgently had to do something to prevent them getting worse.

 

But the doctors just took me for crazy; I did go to different doctors...

my general practitioner, three "specialized" orthopedics, and obviously the neurologists who performed and then analyzed the MRI.

They all told me there was nothing to worry about; and whenever I said or asked something they just arrogantly rejected what I said.

 

Some of their key phrases were:

"What can happen to you anyway? You're just 20 years old!!"

(Note that I had that incident before I became 21... it was a painful birthday when I woke up that day...)

"It doesn't make sense! There's absolutely nothing wrong here! You didn't even need to do the MRI..."

"You're just having psychogenic, imaginary pains... just relax, go to the nightclub and have fun."

"You have some interesting theories there..." in a satirical tone.

etc.

 

Two weeks ago I went to the newer doctor (at the same establishment) who simply confirmed what I had concluded by myself from the beginning... (before I even told him about my own "theory").

It was clearly visible on the MRI.

 

Well, good luck Miss Firecracker; and good luck Angel baby.

I hope we all will get out of these problems well, and I hope we will encounter less profit-oriented health care "professionals"; in the meantime - in my opinion - it is only right to expose their malpractice and deter other doctors from taking such negligent measures...

Angel baby, I honestly and sincerely hope for you that you win the lawsuit against those devils.

 

I don't know how taking down the blog would help society become more aware of how doctors really behave; everyone (including the doctors themselves) believes that doctors are like gods.

I hope the blog, and the voice of all victims of these small errors (but with big consequences) will make the health care system become a bit more efficient...

[15 Storeys High]

I take offence to the fact that you seem to be labelling the entire healthcare system as incompetent. I'm good at my job and wouldn't appreciate you sticking your finger up at me based on what some other medical professional has done to you. I'm not in my job to be abused, regardless of your medical history.

 

Fine if you want to go after the ones that actually missed the diagnosis, but to stick your finger up at any ambulance that goes by? Where is that going to get you? Have you made an official complaint and asked for an explanation as to why they missed it? Or have you just decided to abuse every medical professional you ever see from now on?

 

I'm sorry you suffered and I hope your health improves now that you have a correct diagnosis.

[Miss Firecracker]

I wouldn't bother with a blog. If I truly felt I would suffer the rest of my life because of someones negligence, I would file a suit. Not that many people are going to bother to read a blog. And if you are in pain the rest of your life, you will need money since you will be unable to work.

[Unhumble]

I take offence to the fact that you seem to be labelling the entire healthcare system as incompetent. I'm good at my job and wouldn't appreciate you sticking your finger up at me based on what some other medical professional has done to you. I'm not in my job to be abused, regardless of your medical history.

 

Fine if you want to go after the ones that actually missed the diagnosis, but to stick your finger up at any ambulance that goes by? Where is that going to get you? Have you made an official complaint and asked for an explanation as to why they missed it? Or have you just decided to abuse every medical professional you ever see from now on?

 

I'm sorry you suffered and I hope your health improves now that you have a correct diagnosis.

 

Sorry I was just trying to express how my experiences have shaped my current feelings and personality towards the world, the people and society. I know it's wrong to label... but it's such a hell.

 

I believe that by publicly expressing my feelings and doubts about the health care system (yes, I say system because it wasn't just one doctor, it was a set of doctors who did it; I feel some inherent opportunistic behavior in the form of collusion; they withheld information), at least the public knows what goes on in the health care. That certain professionals aren't to be trusted. That they have more monetary intentions rather than trying to heal people...

And in general, not to view health care professionals as Gods.

[Unhumble]

I wouldn't bother with a blog. If I truly felt I would suffer the rest of my life because of someones negligence, I would file a suit. Not that many people are going to bother to read a blog. And if you are in pain the rest of your life, you will need money since you will be unable to work.

 

As I said, I'm trying to raise public awareness.

[shes2smart]

link removed

 

Thought you might find this site to your interest.

[15 Storeys High]

The thing is you're jumping to assumptions based on what you think you know happened when in actual fact these things are inherently more complicated. Before jumping down their throats you need to do several things.

 

You need to request to see your medical notes and you need to make an official complaint and ask for an explanation of what happened.

 

Then, if the answer isn't satisfactory to you or the evidence is there in black and white that they purposely ignored your imagery and condition then you need to consult a lawyer. If you then want to publicise the situation you need to go to the professional media.

 

Spouting off on a blog and "naming and shaming" the individuals will get you nothing except a slander lawsuit.

 

I also don't understand where all this "monetary gain" you're talking about is coming from? How does that link to your case?

 

One other thing, if you don't want people to view medical professionals as gods (which we aren't) then you need to accept that mistakes will be made. It's unfortunate if you are one of those a mistake affects but people are human and cannot be expected to cure everyone, notice everything and be everywhere at once. The expectations placed on the health system is rediculous and is literally impossible to meet. All we can do is our best. Sometimes our best isn't good enough for people but we can't help that. If someone isn't trying their best then yes, they deserve to be punished in some way. Although, many people that make a mistake beat themselves up about for years afterwards.

 

If you have actual proof it was negligence then use it in the correct way.

 

Again, good luck with your health from here in out. I hope you get an adequate treatment to improve your quality of life.

[Unhumble]

Yep, I have the medical notes by all the doctors.

 

One of them literally says "completely negative for disc and nerve problems" (and it's literally underlined by the doctor to stress that there's nothing wrong); the notes accompanying the MRI say "no disc herniations or bulges".

 

Whom do I have to complain to?

The individual doctors, the hospital, or the government?

 

...

How can I get a slander lawsuit if I'm only stating what really happened to me, in a blog-diary-like manner? (i.e. "Today I went blabla, but this doctor told me, blabla. later I found out. blablabla")

...

 

 

Monetary gain...

Well, if the doctors purposely lie and wait till the condition gets worse, they automatically get one more customer (me) to buy health services from the industry as a whole. More MRIs, more pharmaceuticals, and who knows probably also surgery = profit!

 

I can understand that some professionals do mistakes, but I think it's pretty shrewd to do them on purpose.

[shes2smart]

Minor, nitpicky note from someone who sat through way too many journalism classes in high school and college.

 

It's slander if it's spoken.

 

If it's written it's libel.

 

And either way, if the answer to the question, "Is that the truth of what happened?" is "Yes," it's neither slander or libel.

[15 Storeys High]

Doctors generally don't care about making money. It's the managers that care about that and the managers don't treat patients. The drs don't get any extra wages from it.

 

You need to contact the hospital and ask for their complaints department to find out how to make your complaint.

 

It's important to make a complaint if you aren't happy with something. If you don't go down the offical route nothing will ever change. In the past I have encouraged patients to complain about various things because it's the only way things will change for them.

[shannonwells]

If medical negligence really occur on your case then they should be responsible for it. You don't have to just bear the pain, let them know what happened to you. There are people who can help you on cases like this.

[shannonwells]

Did everything go well for you?

[Capricorn3]

Did everything go well for you?

This thread is over five years old and the OP hasn't been back for 4 years.