I thought doctors are supposed to be smart

[fistfullofsteel]

or at least have a little bit more brain power than the average person.

I get a fucking mole removed on my chest that was 1 centimeter in diameter because it was kind of suspect and I had it tested to see if was cancerous (better safe than sorry or even dead in some cases). I also had a brown spot or some call it a sun spot (or so I think) removed that was about 2-3 millimeters in diameter and it was 1.5 inches from the mole. So today I went to have the stitches removed and the guy is totally clueless what he did on me. He also removed 4 other brown spots, but these were bigger and I did that just for cosmetic reasons just like the other one next to the mole.

He walks into the room and off the bat he asks me what I had done exactly. He has a folder in his hands with my info or so I was assuming, but all he remembers so far is that I had a blemish of some king removed and had it tested for cancer. I thinking, wtf, you have to be joking. You spent 45+ minutes 12 days ago to remove that one mole while I was watching the Yankees vs. Redsocks game 7 and we were talking about it including the nurses while sweat was pouring down your face while you were doing the surgery and you don't remember me?

I also paid his stupid ass $1,000 in cash too. He asked how I was going to pay and I showed him twenty $50 bills. So I replied, "Is this acceptable?" He replied, "Cash is definitely acceptable," or something like that. He also spent about 40 minutes removing the other blemishes. I was in his fucking office for like 4 hours. I did a lot of waiting. I figure the guy would remember me and what he did or at least write it down.


I tell him what he did. I also had another blemish removed from my back and he totally didn't remember that either or even remember where it was exactly. He tells me to take off my bandages and then he points to the little 2-3 millimeter blemish next to 1.5 inch gash I have in my chest where the mole once was and he points at where the 2-3 milliter blemish was and says, " I did a punch and a biopsy on it." At that point I'm thinking no fucking way. I have a 1.5 gash in my fucking chest with a bunch of stitches and he thinks that the biopsy was done on 2-3 millimeter brown sport or sun spot that had two tiny little stitches after he removed it.

I'm thinking to myself, don't fucking tell me he sent the wrong sample to lab. I point at where the mole was and say, "NO, I requested on this one. Don't you remember?" When you removed it, you even said it kinda looked like 3rd nipple." Then he says, "O yeah," but he didn't sound very convincing, so I ask him, "Are you sure?" Then he says, "Yeah" again. So now I'm going to request the report from the lab and have my doctor look at it. If the report doesn't have specific info on it then I might call up the lab too.

I don't know, maybe he just mispoke, because he did say that the results from the lab stated it was not cancerous but it did have a descent possibility in the future of becoming cancerous. I don't know if a brown spot or a sun spot that is 2-3 millimeter has a shot of having a descent possibility of ever becoming cancerous.

Before you say, I'm paranoid or some shit. You can look up one of highintensity's threads where he was having a something on his leg checked out and the doctor removed a scab or some shit instead of what he was supposed to remove in the first place and have it tested. I don't remember exactly but something it was something along those lines. Sort of like the dentist removing the wrong tooth. I don't get doctors these days.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

O yeah, he also had to restitch half 1.5 cut that he made to remove the mole because somehow the cut reopened on one side but I didn't think much of it because it didn't look that bad but it didn't look great either. So he says, "Im going to do some more cutting and stitch that side up again but the stitches might rip open again so I might even have to do it for a third time."

 

[2Thick]

Some people just do not care to remember things that do not help their golf game

Plus he sees so many people per day he probably blocks them out.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

I just checked it out, it did reopen a little bit already. I don't think I have done anything to aggravate either.

 

[Lumberg]

You picked the wrong doctor bor. There are a lot of them out there. DO some research.

My ortho does dozens of perations a week but you better believe he either a) has an awesome memory or b) takes awesome notes and checks them before entering the room. In my opinion it is both because he remembers our conversations AND I have seen his notes.

Don't get short changed. You need to shop around for doctors like you would shop for a car or a house.

 

[FreeballinDC]

You picked the wrong doctor bor. There are a lot of them out there. DO some research.

My ortho does dozens of perations a week but you better believe he either a) has an awesome memory or b) takes awesome notes and checks them before entering the room. In my opinion it is both because he remembers our conversations AND I have seen his notes.

Don't get short changed. You need to shop around for doctors like you would shop for a car or a house.

Rightie-O!! I went to a Dr for a skin problem I had. I knew what it was, because I had it before, and I told him so.

He didn't believe me, and he gave me a scrip for a medicated lotion, which didn't do a damn thing.

I went back to him, complaining of the same symptoms, then he got the point and perscribed the stuff I wanted in the first place.

It worked, but I immediately found another doc to go to after that ordeal.

 

[Becoming]

Dude- He most likely did what you wanted him to, but with the thousands of things he has done since then he probably does not remember... Do you honestly remember everything you have done at work 2 weeks ago? If so, that is cool, but most people don't.

That said- if you are unsatisfied, or doubt his competency, that alone is enough reason to find a new doctor- at least he should make good stiches that hold...

PS- Next time, come to me when you need medical attention, I will slice that $hit off and sew it up right quick, for the low low price of $59.95! lol

 

[Y_lifter]

Is this dude Dr Phil from the Simpsons or something ?

 

[Lumberg]

Is this dude Dr Phil from the Simpsons or something ?

Dr. Nick.

 

[biteme]

Without reading that long post, they have to be smart in order to get in and make it through medical school. Many of them are ignorant as hell though.

 

[Synpax]

This is not a joke - a lot of those guys take advantage of readily available morphene and related stuff they shouldn't. Keep that in mind.

 

[Zebo]

You do realize that doctors are just ex-medical students?

My doc used to work at Disneyworld.....oooooooh.

 

[gonelifting]

joke#1

All I got out of that post was you had three nipples and you removed one.


joke #2

Don't get short changed. You need to shop around for doctors like you would shop for a car

When I shop around for doctors, They get mad when I kick their shins.



Now serious answer
I lost a lot of respect for doctors in the past several years. I used to put them up on a pedestal until I realized they`re just as normal as we are.

They`re almost like mechanics. "Try this" If that does`nt work "Try that". wtf?

I kept going to doctors for a cough I had for months/years they said it was "in my head" lol Like I had nothing better to do than wait in a Dr`s office all day for them to tell me that.

 

[Citruscide]

LOL at the title.

C-ditty

 

[Y_lifter]

Dr. Nick.

right.. My bad... Dr Nick Rivera

I have Dr Phil on the brain since that post earlier..

 

[Bullit]

Right.
I'm positive that fistfullofsteel has a much higher IQ than the guy that went through med school.

 

[Crazy Ivan]

They only know shit they read in books.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

I have another visit with him tomorrow. I might have to ask him straight up, "Do you know what you are doing? It's not looking and sounding like it."

 

[Warpath]

I have another visit with him tomorrow. I might have to ask him straight up, "Do you know what you are doing? It's not looking and sounding like it."

You seem pretty knowledgable, just do the procedure yourself next time.

 

[velvett]

I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years that hasn’t been sharing a brain with a corpse.


I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years that cares about his patients beyond how much paper work they will create for the support staff.

I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years whose eyes don’t glaze over while trying to have a discussion with them.

I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years that knows as much as I do about my own ailments nor have I met a doctor that is willing to take a single moment away from my appointment to try and research information that may help me have a day without pain.

I haven’t met a doctor yet that doesn’t make me wait 20 minutes in his office, another 20 minutes in the exam room and then has the nerve to rush me through my appointment that I waited several weeks to get.


My newest knucklehead doctor gave me a script for Zomig and my insurance company requires a doctors verbal phone approval to let the script be filled because I am taking more than yearly allowance in pills.

The morning after the evening that I dropped off my script the doctor left me a message on my home phone telling me that the insurance company would not refill my script and perhaps I should try something else. If the knuckhead had listened to me he would have known that of the available Triptans (abortive migraine meds) only one works for me (the Zomig) so changing would not be an option.

Now that afternoon I hadn’t heard my messages at home so I called the doctor’s office to give them a direct phone number for them to call so they would not have to be on endless hold. When I spoke to the lady that runs the office (who happens to be a neighbor of mine) thanked me for the number and told me that the doctor had been on hold for 25 minutes and was not able to get through to the insurance company.

He lied.

He lied because it was an easy out for him – not taking into consideration that this is the only med that I have tried in 12 years that works for me.

My insurance company filled the script the very next day.


I have no respect for this idiot doctor – I will not even waste my breath on telling him that I caught him in a lie – I will use him for the only thing he is good for – writing scripts and authorizing referrals.

F**KING IDIOT DOCTORS.

 

[danielson]

they see a lot of patients, they forget, thats what the notes are there for.....cant believe he didn refer to them

its bad practise he didnt goi to the notes as soon as it became evident he couldnt remember the details of the case. but if he sent results to path. then there will be results regardless of whether he remembers them or not...but the fact he couldt remember you doesnt suprise me....

as for doctors in general, be fair....their patient lists can be 10000+, and they get given a 5 minute consult to take a 10-15 minute history, knowing the longer they wait, the less patients they can see. they will have to cut that down, and they do that by sometimes being harsh. a lot of the time they are idiots about it, but i dont think many people spare a thought for the shit they have to sit through on a daily basis

if you have a shit Dr (i;ve been on the bad end many times) i;d find another.....

 

[fistfullofsteel]

I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years that hasn’t been sharing a brain with a corpse.


I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years that cares about his patients beyond how much paper work they will create for the support staff.

I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years whose eyes don’t glaze over while trying to have a discussion with them.

I haven’t met a doctor in the past three years that knows as much as I do about my own ailments nor have I met a doctor that is willing to take a single moment away from my appointment to try and research information that may help me have a day without pain.

I haven’t met a doctor yet that doesn’t make me wait 20 minutes in his office, another 20 minutes in the exam room and then has the nerve to rush me through my appointment that I waited several weeks to get.


My newest knucklehead doctor gave me a script for Zomig and my insurance company requires a doctors verbal phone approval to let the script be filled because I am taking more than yearly allowance in pills.

The morning after the evening that I dropped off my script the doctor left me a message on my home phone telling me that the insurance company would not refill my script and perhaps I should try something else. If the knuckhead had listened to me he would have known that of the available Triptans (abortive migraine meds) only one works for me (the Zomig) so changing would not be an option.

Now that afternoon I hadn’t heard my messages at home so I called the doctor’s office to give them a direct phone number for them to call so they would not have to be on endless hold. When I spoke to the lady that runs the office (who happens to be a neighbor of mine) thanked me for the number and told me that the doctor had been on hold for 25 minutes and was not able to get through to the insurance company.

He lied.

He lied because it was an easy out for him – not taking into consideration that this is the only med that I have tried in 12 years that works for me.

My insurance company filled the script the very next day.


I have no respect for this idiot doctor – I will not even waste my breath on telling him that I caught him in a lie – I will use him for the only thing he is good for – writing scripts and authorizing referrals.

F**KING IDIOT DOCTORS.

I also noticed most doctors don't even listen to me. I try telling them everthing I can remember that might be important in solving my headache problem. I have been having them for more than 3 weeks now 24-7 and I never hardly ever get headaches until this one long one. They are telling me it's just stress and tension. It seems to make it worse but I know it's not the primary reason I'm getting the sort of tension type headache symptoms in the first place.

This from the ACHE Website

http://www.achenet.org/understanding/

"Psychologic factors have been overemphasized as causes of headaches."

More from the website

http://www.achenet.org/about/


We have worked to build public awareness about the impact of headache as a serious disorder that can disrupt quality of life and, at its worst, destroy quality of life for chronic sufferers. Over the course of the decade, doctors, patients and their families have come to understand that migraine and other forms of headache develop because of biological, not psychological, differences. Still, missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment are common in North America, compared, for example, to Sweden, where 90% of migraine patients have been diagnosed.

To back up the credibility of ACHE

http://headaches.about.com/library/weekly/aa-istanbul.htm

In the United States Senate letter to Turkey’s Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Senator John Warner said: “I commend you for your leadership in advancing awareness of Migraine disease and headache disorder in Turkey and around the world.” The letter goes on to note: “I have had the opportunity to work with MAGNUM, The National Migraine Association in their efforts to advance the knowledge and understanding of Migraine disease and headache disorder in the U.S. over the last decade.” The document continues to commend the work the American Council of Headache Education (ACHE) as “…another notable American NGO, to help lessen the burden of head-pain suffers worldwide.”


Many of the world’s best and leading Migraine and headache medical experts were in attendance, including Britain’s Dr. Tim Steiner, EHF President (also WHA) and Dr. Peter Goadsby; Dr. Jes Olesen of Denmark; Italy’s Dr. Matilde Leonardi (WHO) and F. Antonaci MD PhD; Belgium’s Dr. J. Schoenen; Turkey’s Dr. Prof. Dr. F. Cankat Tulunay (President of the Turkish Headache Society) and F. Idiman; Germany’s W.D. Gerber; and India’s Dr. K. Ravishankar (WHA) to name but a few. Also in attendance where well know international patient advocates, Directors and Trustees of the World Headache Alliance: C. Andree, Förderverein Migraine Action from Switzerland, American Michael John Coleman with MAGNUM, Ireland’s Audrey Craven, of the Migraine Association of Ireland, New Zealander Ann Hallam with the New Zealand Migraine Sufferers Support Group, Pierre Lefebvre with Fondation Quebecoise de Migraine et Cephalees Canada, Luis Taboas of Puerto Rico with Fundacion Puertorriquena de Dolor de Cabeza, England’s Ann Turner with Migraine Action Association, and WHA COO Kary Shannon from Canada. MAGNUM’s Information Services Director, Susan Moeller Denny was also in attendance manning the WHA’s colorful and informative display booth.

For more information, visit MAGNUM’s top rated and award winning healthcare website www.migraines.org, for more on the 6th Headache Congress visit their website at http://www.6thehf.org. For further information on Migraine and headache disorders also visit the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE) at www.achenet.org, and the World Headache Alliance at www.wha.ws.


I was just talking to one of the nurses where I had the mole removed and she told me that she had a headache for a long time and she went to a doctor and the doctor told her that it was psychological and gave her anti-depressants. She told the doctor, "bullshit and I rather just live with the pain." She got lucky and it eventually went away on its own. I'm starting to realize that most doctors are fucking just clueless and don't want to admit they don't know what's wrong with you and don't really give a shit about you in the first place, so they just pin it on you and say it's psychological. It makes their life easier and they can just keep collecting their paychecks. How many doctors do you think talk about their patients with their colleagues and try to come up with a solution to a problem they can't seem to solve? I'm guessing ZERO, as soon as you are out that door or even in some cases when you are right there in front of them they forgot about you already.


It's so fucking hard finding a good doctor these days.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

You seem pretty knowledgable, just do the procedure yourself next time.

no problem mother fucker, thanks for the advice.

 

[velvett]

I'm starting to realize that most doctors are fucking just clueless and don't want to admit they don't know what's wrong with you and don't really give a shit about you in the first place, so they just pin it on you and say it's psychological. It makes their life easier and they can just keep collecting their paychecks. How many doctors do you think talk about their patients with their colleagues and try to come up with a solution to a problem they can't seem to solve? I'm guessing ZERO, as soon as you are out that door or even in some cases when you are right there in front of them they forgot about you already.


It's so fucking hard finding a good doctor these days.

I know how you feel.


You have my full empathy in regard to your situation.

Do you still have that headache?

 

[fistfullofsteel]

they see a lot of patients, they forget, thats what the notes are there for.....cant believe he didn refer to them

its bad practise he didnt goi to the notes as soon as it became evident he couldnt remember the details of the case. but if he sent results to path. then there will be results regardless of whether he remembers them or not...but the fact he couldt remember you doesnt suprise me....

as for doctors in general, be fair....their patient lists can be 10000+, and they get given a 5 minute consult to take a 10-15 minute history, knowing the longer they wait, the less patients they can see. they will have to cut that down, and they do that by sometimes being harsh. a lot of the time they are idiots about it, but i dont think many people spare a thought for the shit they have to sit through on a daily basis

if you have a shit Dr (i;ve been on the bad end many times) i;d find another.....

how could he be so fucking stupid though and point at the smallest cut and say the biopsy was done on the 3 millimeter cut with two stitches while there is a 1.5 inches cut next to it with a bunch of stitches? who the fuck orders a biopsy on a fucking little brown spot? i could fucking tell you it's not cancerous and bet my fucking family jewels that the biopsy results will come out negative. That's why I pointed at the where the mole was and said, "NO, it was this one, remember?" and you know the rest of the story.

NOTE : (I forget to mention when he told me the results from the lab) After I told him what he had removed. Then he read me the results of the biopsy from a report and it might have been in his own handwriting. After that he told me to take off my bandages and then he proceeded to point at the wrong one that the biopsy was performed on. That's my big worry. Did he misspeak or did he say that from what he saw on his report. At the same time I don't know how specific his report he read from is either, because it seemed like he was just summing it up.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

I know how you feel.


You have my full empathy in regard to your situation.

Do you still have that headache?

Yep, it has gotten a little bit better though.

Doctors who say it's psychology=I'm clueless.

Next time, I'm going to ask them if they have a doctors degree in psychology.

 

[velvett]

as for doctors in general, be fair....their patient lists can be 10000+, and they get given a 5 minute consult to take a 10-15 minute history, knowing the longer they wait, the less patients they can see. they will have to cut that down, and they do that by sometimes being harsh. a lot of the time they are idiots about it, but i dont think many people spare a thought for the shit they have to sit through on a daily basis

if you have a shit Dr (i;ve been on the bad end many times) i;d find another.....

Be fair?


If a doctor can not successfully see 6 patients an hour than they should only see 4 or 3 if need be - the point is medicine is no longer about keeping people well - it's about insurance rates, billable hours, and writing scripts to fill the pockets of the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies.

Why find a cure - when keeping you sick is far more financially advantageous?



My father was a doctor and throughout my childhood the phone rang in the middle of the night when his patients had aches and pains and wanted to know what they should do.

He gave a shit and was responsible for every kid he brought into the world until they were 18 years of age.

He worked harder to see that all of his patients were content, happy and taken care of - his patients received more quality time from him that his own family did.


Be fair my ass.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

Be fair?


If a doctor can not successfully see 6 patients an hour than they should only see 4 or 3 if need be - the point is medicine is no longer about keeping people well - it's about insurance rates, billable hours, and writing scripts to fill the pockets of the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies.

Why find a cure - when keeping you sick is far more financially advantageous?



My father was a doctor and throughout my childhood the phone rang in the middle of the night when his patients had aches and pains and wanted to know what they should do.

He gave a shit and was responsible for every kid he brought into the world until they were 18 years of age.

He worked harder to see that all of his patients were content, happy and taken care of - his patients received more quality time from him that his own family did.


Be fair my ass.

Funny thing is how the plastic surgeon who removed the mole was complaining about his fight with insurance companies to pay up and how much his life sucked because of it. Then of course he got in his Porsche 911 and went home.

My friend is ER doctor and has a friend who is top notch scientist in cancer research. His scientist friend thinks there is already a cure for cancer but there is more money in just treatments and they like the money coming in from donations and such so if there really is a cure we won't be seeing it.

 

[Imnotdutch]

When Iw as working at a uni I saw some people doing medicine who I would never ever trust. Just like every other trade, you have the good, the bad and the down right scary.

 

[Lumberg]

velvett- sounds to me like you are in an HMO. if true therein lies the problem.

as they say don't hate the player hate the game.

I'm in a PPO and I find doctors that are good. I would recommend my orthopedist, dermatologist, and dentist to anyone.

My internist, eh. There's a shortage of those in downtown washington DC

 

[danielson]

Be fair?


If a doctor can not successfully see 6 patients an hour than they should only see 4 or 3 if need be - the point is medicine is no longer about keeping people well - it's about insurance rates, billable hours, and writing scripts to fill the pockets of the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies.

Why find a cure - when keeping you sick is far more financially advantageous?



My father was a doctor and throughout my childhood the phone rang in the middle of the night when his patients had aches and pains and wanted to know what they should do.

He gave a shit and was responsible for every kid he brought into the world until they were 18 years of age.

He worked harder to see that all of his patients were content, happy and taken care of - his patients received more quality time from him that his own family did.


Be fair my ass.

i think medicine works differently stateside. over here if the docotr doesnt see all his 6 patients, the other 2 dont get seen for a good few months. they have no choice in the matter, they either plow through or some patients dont get a consult.

yet patients still labour under the belief that they can miss appointments when they want, or get offended when the doctor hurries them through the history to what really matters.

if you are in private medicine, then yes, its TOTALLY inexcusable to short change your patients on time. if you charge them for the time, you should give a 100% during that consult.

 

[velvett]

i think medicine works differently stateside. over here if the docotr doesnt see all his 6 patients, the other 2 dont get seen for a good few months. they have no choice in the matter, they either plow through or some patients dont get a consult.

yet patients still labour under the belief that they can miss appointments when they want, or get offended when the doctor hurries them through the history to what really matters.

if you are in private medicine, then yes, its TOTALLY inexcusable to short change your patients on time. if you charge them for the time, you should give a 100% during that consult.

Why does everyone feel the need to make excuses for doctors?


If the electrician or plumber jerks you around - do you make excuses for him?


The doctor gets paid for every visit and I personally have never made an appointment and just not shown up. I made the time to show up for my appointment because I need asssitance and I'll be damned that I have to rushed through my appointment because it's Friday at 2pm and I'm the last appointment of day.

If everyone excepts the the poor working standards then there will be no improvement - why should there if no one cares in the first place?

 

[Heahy Minister]

Always trust a pharmacist over a doctor!

If you have an ailment, go to your pharmacist first and ask him what he/she recommends. Then go to the docs and try to get a script for that.

Trust a pharmacist over a doctor anyday!

 

[Warpath]

no problem mother fucker, thanks for the advice.

lol

 

[danielson]

Why does everyone feel the need to make excuses for doctors?


If the electrician or plumber jerks you around - do you make excuses for him?


The doctor gets paid for every visit and I personally have never made an appointment and just not shown up. I made the time to show up for my appointment because I need asssitance and I'll be damned that I have to rushed through my appointment because it's Friday at 2pm and I'm the last appointment of day.

If everyone excepts the the poor working standards then there will be no improvement - why should there if no one cares in the first place?

but as i understand it you pay for your visit so if you dont show up its no skin of anyones back. over here is a patient fails to show its money and time lost

the reason i make excuses for doctors is most people dont seem to spare a thought for what they have to put up with...and as soon as one insignificant error, insult or lapse of judgement is made, all the past woes of modern medicine are trawled up and levied at the poor sap who has someone pissed off at them merely because he hurried them through one part of a history. if its serious malpractise then its justified but the vast majority of claims are not, and usually are due to the fact that the doctor is a person too (and therefore will err)

if your paying for your care and you feel you have been mistreated then switch doctors, you have that choice just like with an electrician or plumber....any time i felt i had a poor consult i sought advice of another doctor and left the other one.

you're also talking about one of the most self-analytical proffesions there is, Doctors themselves are acutely aware of patients grievances, there are constant audits and polls done, and new doctors are being trained in being ethics, being more compassionate and understanding at medical schools now.