ranting about a doctor or two
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:03 pm
okay i'm really mad. this is not about ms it's about a lady in her 80s. below is the summary of her medical care over the last few years. but it all started with her asking me to look at her bloodwork results the other day. she had her CBC results and her MPV, MCH, MCV, and her RDW were all high. now, the history.
- receiving b12 shots from doctor #1
- doctor #1 retires
- patient goes to doctor #2 and requests b12 shots
- bloodwork reveals b12 levels are fine (duh, she was getting shots prior), doctor #2 refuses prescription
- patient complains of fatigue
- doctor #2 tells patient she's fine and sends her away
- patient collapses (this is years ago)
- doctor #2 does bloodwork
- bloodwork reveals abnormalities
- doctor #2 refers patient to blood specialist (BS) at mac
- BS at mac prescribes hydroxyurea (people assume she has cancer when they hear)
- patient continues to take hydroxyurea for YEARS
- latest bloodwork results: as above, clearly this medication is NOT WORKING
- patient continues to complain of fatigue, cognitive problems
- patient requests that i explain her blood work results to her
- i look at them and recognize that these are the findings my doctor has always looked for in my case, relative to chronic b12 issues.
- i investigate further and find that each elevated finding on her bloodwork is not only pointing an array of flashing neon arrows and spotlights at b12 deficiency, but to concurrent folic acid and iron deficiencies.
- low b12 explains the patient's cognitive problems, low iron explains the fatigue
- i am outraged!!!
is it just me, or should the freakin doctor #2 have paid some damned attention to what the patient said about b12 in the first place!?!?!??!
okay i managed to get that out without typing all the swears that were in my head earlier today whew
- receiving b12 shots from doctor #1
- doctor #1 retires
- patient goes to doctor #2 and requests b12 shots
- bloodwork reveals b12 levels are fine (duh, she was getting shots prior), doctor #2 refuses prescription
- patient complains of fatigue
- doctor #2 tells patient she's fine and sends her away
- patient collapses (this is years ago)
- doctor #2 does bloodwork
- bloodwork reveals abnormalities
- doctor #2 refers patient to blood specialist (BS) at mac
- BS at mac prescribes hydroxyurea (people assume she has cancer when they hear)
- patient continues to take hydroxyurea for YEARS
- latest bloodwork results: as above, clearly this medication is NOT WORKING
- patient continues to complain of fatigue, cognitive problems
- patient requests that i explain her blood work results to her
- i look at them and recognize that these are the findings my doctor has always looked for in my case, relative to chronic b12 issues.
- i investigate further and find that each elevated finding on her bloodwork is not only pointing an array of flashing neon arrows and spotlights at b12 deficiency, but to concurrent folic acid and iron deficiencies.
- low b12 explains the patient's cognitive problems, low iron explains the fatigue
- i am outraged!!!
is it just me, or should the freakin doctor #2 have paid some damned attention to what the patient said about b12 in the first place!?!?!??!
okay i managed to get that out without typing all the swears that were in my head earlier today whew