so yesterday i had an appointment in which i was told i had bacteria overgrowth and walked away with four perscription, two sets of samples (one of which expired two months ago) and a slew of tears. (i had the test at the end of september...)
i have had problems with this doctor, many many problems. he obviously did not read my chart before he came in the room, and he does not care about me. he had the lab results two months ago and "forgot" to tell me and treat me. i have documented a lot of stuff that he has screwed up. i went to my PCP and was denied a second opinion because, "Dr. X was the best and i don't know who else to send you to". then i was given a perscription for an antideppresant, and lomotil.
a huge problem for me is that i am possibly losing my job because i have been sick too much. i have until next week to either resign or get better. when i told my GI about losing my job he started scrambling and asking questions and giving me some answers. he also wants me to go to an allergist on tuesday and see him again on thursday. he perscribed xifaxan for the bacteria and finnally nexium for the gastritis, bently for the cramps and IB-stat (a spray for IBS). he also said he would write a letter to my work, but at this point a letter will not help, and i don't want to see him again. when i got assertive with him he told me i was anxious and angry and needed to see a shrink. i am anxious because i can lose my job, and angry because he forgot to treat me and is not working with me to get better. "it is just IBS" yet he wants me to now do a stool culture for O&P, girardia, c=diff, fecal fat and another culture. why now? shouldn't this have been done four months ago?
this is making me stressed out, i don't like him, i want to feel good, control this ibs, but i feel really stuck. i have called my insurance company to tell them about the second opinion. but i need to talk to work, i am stressed out and angry that someone would be so nonchalant about my poo problems. actually i am furious. i have a lot of people telling me to get a lawyer, i don't know what to do. i haven't written the whole story, but i don't think this guy cares about me, and me saying i was going to lose my job seems to be what lit the fire under his butt--still i don't know what to do, this dr. has made me feel worthless and stupid.
maybe i should not write all of this but i need to vent and validated that i am not crazy, that i have a bad doctor.
thanks, any advice is appreciated
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
Big hugs for you, Bunny. (((BUNNY)))
What a lousy doc you have. He is putting you through hell. What did your insurance say about the second opinion? It is the law - you have a right to a second opinion. If you have HMO and you can only see that 1 doc, speak to your insurance about switching primary care. If you have PPO, you can choose whoever you want. Go find a different doc!
As for your work... Why won't a note from the doc work? Can you sit down with your boss and explain your terrible medical/doc situation? Tell your boss you love your job and will do (almost) anything to keep it... Part-time? Temporary leave of absence while you get diagnosed? See if you can negotiate something.
Yes, you should have had the battery of tests months ago. What an idiot! I can't believe your doctor.
Don't give up. See if you can find a new doc and tell him/her everything you have been going through. Also mention the tests you have yet to have (stool, etc.).
Fight the system... fight your retarded doc, fight your insurance, and fight for your job.
I really hope things start to get better for you soon.
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Bunny, I am so sorry to hear about this. You've had a lot of trouble with this guy and I can't believe there's no one to get a second opinion from! Where do you live again? Do there happen to be any tertiary care centers somewhat nearby? I'm talking places like Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, etc. If you want to be seen at a tertiary care center, your PCP should not prevent you from doing so; s/he should get you a referral. If they give you crap about it, you know you need to switch PCPs.
As far as the job goes...are you on FMLA? Family Medical Leave Act? If you are a full-time employee, working 40 hours a week, you should be protected from losing your job due to illness. Here is a website explaining it. http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/statutes/whd/fmla.htm
Keep us posted. We don't want you to lose your job! Have you spoken with your boss about the whole thing? Is anyone understanding??
Don't resign!!! Whatever you do, don't resign/quit/walk out!!! If they fire you (and you are in the U.S.--I don't know about other countries) you are entitled to unemployment benefits. If they pressure you into quitting, then they don't have to pay for your unemployment. That's why they want to make you quit. You never have to quit a job unless you want to or you make a deal to resign for a payoff. They cannot twist your arm behind your back and make you quit.
By all means get a letter from a doctor--any doctor--preferably both of your doctors--that says you have a definite medical condition that they are only now trying to treat and that it will legitimately keep you from working all of the time. Tell them you need it now. Not tomorrow, NOW!! Because if your work can't force you to quit, they will fire you and say it's your fault for being absent without an approved excuse and they will try and weasel out of paying you unemployment that way. If/when they do, get your doctor letters and termination letter, march down to the unemployment office and tell them that you were fired and that your employer has erroneously accused you of being at fault. Then give them copies of your doctor letters saying that you are legitimately sick. If it isn't taken care of in a week or two, get a lawyer because they fired you in direct violation of FMLA (provided they have more than a certain number of employees--12, I think) and you are really entitled to the job. Hopefully they will chose to settle with you and give you a hefty severance package in addition to your unemployment benefits. Then you can find a job that's more understanding.
After you get your letters out of your two doctors, I would find a new PCP and then find a new GI. If your PCP won't help you get help, you don't need him either.
By all means get a letter from a doctor--any doctor--preferably both of your doctors--that says you have a definite medical condition that they are only now trying to treat and that it will legitimately keep you from working all of the time. Tell them you need it now. Not tomorrow, NOW!! Because if your work can't force you to quit, they will fire you and say it's your fault for being absent without an approved excuse and they will try and weasel out of paying you unemployment that way. If/when they do, get your doctor letters and termination letter, march down to the unemployment office and tell them that you were fired and that your employer has erroneously accused you of being at fault. Then give them copies of your doctor letters saying that you are legitimately sick. If it isn't taken care of in a week or two, get a lawyer because they fired you in direct violation of FMLA (provided they have more than a certain number of employees--12, I think) and you are really entitled to the job. Hopefully they will chose to settle with you and give you a hefty severance package in addition to your unemployment benefits. Then you can find a job that's more understanding.
After you get your letters out of your two doctors, I would find a new PCP and then find a new GI. If your PCP won't help you get help, you don't need him either.
i called my insurance company and they gave me names of other GI's, the suggestion was to make an appointment and tell my PCP to write me a referral for that doctor. i made an appointment this afternoon with another GI group. on monday i will go to the pcp to get my referrals.
as for work they have been understanding, i am part time now, but they need me full time by next semester. they told me that they could hire me for a different job, or on a contingent basis (i would have an income but no benefits). i have used up all the time i am allotted. i still think that i can do my job, i just need more time. i plan on laying out the whole situation to my bosses, i do think they will understand, but it is hard right now to instill confidence in them, when i am not entirely sure myself.
also, i can't take the xiafxan yet--the insurance needs to approve it, and you are sopposed to have relief within 24 to 48 hours, i was hoping to start it this weekend and be feeling better by monday. he wants me on so many meds and i am supposed to see him thursday and what i really want to do is sue him, how do you 'forget' to tell a patient they need an antibiotic??? oh, he also claimed i came to see him for a constipation problem!!! i said READ MY CHART i was crapting blood and crapping my pants, that is why i came to you!!!! he also told me to stop taking acidophilus, my mom is outraged, is there any valid reason to stop taking the acidophilus? he told me the bacteria overgrowth was from the acidophilus...
i plan on talking to work, i think honesty is the best solution, yeah the GI doesn't want me to say anything to them... the whole thing is shady. i want to sue him, but i really don't want the money--i want him to crap his pants as many times as i have, i want him to crap blood for a month straight, and then occacionally, i want him to hear the words, "it is just IBS". that is what i want. no one deserves this, and i am so livid, i have had a headache all day...
when work did talk to me, they were genuine about the fact that they don't want me to leave, they have done a lot for me, and did say that i could maybe do admin stuff, but they are concerned. and i do believe them, i think that if i talk to them they will understand, and if they don't--yeah, it is illegal.
i am concerned if i get into all this legal stuff though, i am not wealthy, i don't know if we could afford it.
one thing at a time i guess. do i go back to the bad GI on thursday? i just want to take the xiafxan and forget about him and try this new group, i don't trust him and he has taken so much time away from my life and is costing me my job. this is plain wrong.
thanks for the support and info,
bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
as for work they have been understanding, i am part time now, but they need me full time by next semester. they told me that they could hire me for a different job, or on a contingent basis (i would have an income but no benefits). i have used up all the time i am allotted. i still think that i can do my job, i just need more time. i plan on laying out the whole situation to my bosses, i do think they will understand, but it is hard right now to instill confidence in them, when i am not entirely sure myself.
also, i can't take the xiafxan yet--the insurance needs to approve it, and you are sopposed to have relief within 24 to 48 hours, i was hoping to start it this weekend and be feeling better by monday. he wants me on so many meds and i am supposed to see him thursday and what i really want to do is sue him, how do you 'forget' to tell a patient they need an antibiotic??? oh, he also claimed i came to see him for a constipation problem!!! i said READ MY CHART i was crapting blood and crapping my pants, that is why i came to you!!!! he also told me to stop taking acidophilus, my mom is outraged, is there any valid reason to stop taking the acidophilus? he told me the bacteria overgrowth was from the acidophilus...
i plan on talking to work, i think honesty is the best solution, yeah the GI doesn't want me to say anything to them... the whole thing is shady. i want to sue him, but i really don't want the money--i want him to crap his pants as many times as i have, i want him to crap blood for a month straight, and then occacionally, i want him to hear the words, "it is just IBS". that is what i want. no one deserves this, and i am so livid, i have had a headache all day...
when work did talk to me, they were genuine about the fact that they don't want me to leave, they have done a lot for me, and did say that i could maybe do admin stuff, but they are concerned. and i do believe them, i think that if i talk to them they will understand, and if they don't--yeah, it is illegal.
i am concerned if i get into all this legal stuff though, i am not wealthy, i don't know if we could afford it.
one thing at a time i guess. do i go back to the bad GI on thursday? i just want to take the xiafxan and forget about him and try this new group, i don't trust him and he has taken so much time away from my life and is costing me my job. this is plain wrong.
thanks for the support and info,
bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
this may not be constructive but i would sue the pants of him for mal practice and get him struck off.
Gotta throw in my two cents even though they won't be very motivating...generally, successful malpractice cases result in profound health loss (meaning...they cut off the wrong arm so you have to live without it for the rest of your life, or they give you a dose of epinephrine that makes you a vegetable for the rest of your life, or something of that nature) that could have easily been prevented if the physician hadn't been off in lala land or neglectful. If your diagnosis is in question, though, and you had a bit more D because of what they gave you or you waited two extra months to get proper treatment for a chronic but incurable illness, a suit won't likely be successful. It would be extremely costly and stressful and it wouldn't likely win. That isn't to say it wouldn't for sure, but if you do a cost/stress-benefit analysis you might find that a malpractice suit would leave you in the poorhouse if it wasn't successful.
This is NOT coming from the pre-med/my-family's-full-of-doctors standpoint (even though I suppose I can't help but be biased!). This just comes from a LOT of reading. There was an article in the New Yorker a couple of weeks ago on malpractice that you might want to check out. Great article...maybe you can go to newyorker.com and see if there's a link to it.
It's not fair when doctors don't give us the treatment we deserve, or when they give a treatment that seems to be pulling at straws. It is downright infuriating. I know this blazingly well. If I were you, I would write my physician a letter explaining why I think he's an idiot and send it certified mail so he's sure to get it. Those letters from patients can mean a lot. It may not get him to change his ways, but it will get him to think. Maybe it'll even keep him up at night a bit if you write it strongly enough. That may not seem like enough with all the crap you've been through, and I hear ya there; I've left doctor's offices crying in rage because they were being such a-holes/idiots/morons, and I've wanted the sue the crap out of them too, but ultimately realized that my experience with them empowered ME more and thought, well, at least some good has come from it.
Definitely, definitely you need a new doc, maybe a new whole team of docs. I know you're strugglin', girl. Go get those referrals from your PCP and let us know how it goes.
that is so disappointing. but he knew i needed antibiotics, he knew i needed nexium (for gastritis) and he flat out forgot to treat me. i have followed all of his instructions and he has written me off several times. he has since started scrambling writing me persriptions and sending me off to poop in more cups, that to me says he feels guilty, as he should. i think he screwed up and took advantage of me. yes, i can't afford an all out suit, but i also can't afford all this jerkin around i have been through. and i still don't have the xiafaxan for the bacteria!!!
he also told me to stop acidophilus, is that right?
i have another appointment with another group, and i am supposed to see a food allergist on tuesday and i am supposed to see the bad gi on thursday...
i just think this guy needs to learn a lesson, every patient is important.
thanks though everyone, i will let you know what happens next
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
he also told me to stop acidophilus, is that right?
i have another appointment with another group, and i am supposed to see a food allergist on tuesday and i am supposed to see the bad gi on thursday...
i just think this guy needs to learn a lesson, every patient is important.
thanks though everyone, i will let you know what happens next
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
Hi Bunny,
Usually I would follow my doctors order, BUT yours has been such a dingbat that I don't know. Why would any doc say to stop probiotics? There are no ill effects. ??? Did you ask him why?
Usually I would follow my doctors order, BUT yours has been such a dingbat that I don't know. Why would any doc say to stop probiotics? There are no ill effects. ??? Did you ask him why?
In my opninion (I can't stress that enough), if the probiotics seem to help I wouldn't stop. Unless any of the meds you are taking blatantly states DO NOT TAKE WITH PROBIOTICS. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge than me will come along and help answer this question. It's a toughy!
Good luck!
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Bunny,
If all you want to do is get his attention so he doesn't do this again or at least to report him, you may want to write a letter to the Medical Board. They will keep it on file and will let him remark but I'm sure he will get the picture and possibly learn that patients are people and there are consequences. I'm kind of leaning toward what Sarita is saying, a malpractice suit is hard even for people that become permanently disabled from a doctor's negligence. I'm not saying that you don't have a reason to but if you decide to pursue it, I would talk to a few different lawyers. You don't want to be snaked by a lawyer (yes my hubby is an attorney but he's one of the good guys :)
If all you want to do is get his attention so he doesn't do this again or at least to report him, you may want to write a letter to the Medical Board. They will keep it on file and will let him remark but I'm sure he will get the picture and possibly learn that patients are people and there are consequences. I'm kind of leaning toward what Sarita is saying, a malpractice suit is hard even for people that become permanently disabled from a doctor's negligence. I'm not saying that you don't have a reason to but if you decide to pursue it, I would talk to a few different lawyers. You don't want to be snaked by a lawyer (yes my hubby is an attorney but he's one of the good guys :)
Hugs, Des
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thanks,
he told me to stop acidophilus because i had too much bacteria in my system and the acidophilus would add more-- he told me that i did this to myself. but i thought that acidophilus was great and you couldn't OD on it, and the bacteria i have is in the wrong place and that is what overgrowth is...
i am getting jerked around...
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
he told me to stop acidophilus because i had too much bacteria in my system and the acidophilus would add more-- he told me that i did this to myself. but i thought that acidophilus was great and you couldn't OD on it, and the bacteria i have is in the wrong place and that is what overgrowth is...
i am getting jerked around...
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
That is ridiculous! Probiotics combat the bad bacteria. Is he saying you have too much GOOD bacteria? I hope not because you can't OD on it. If you did you wouldn't be having so much D. He's an idiot. Go see someone else.
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You did this to yourself??? What an a-hole. How have you not managed to punch him yet? I have NEVER heard anything but good things about probiotics. And here's how they work (per what I have read): you have a finite amount of surface area in your intestines where bacteria can attach. When there's no where for them to attach, they float on out with the rest of your food. Period. A bacterial overgowth occurs when you get more than the usual amount of bad bacteria attached to your intestinal walls and they are what causes trouble (I think you can also have bad bacteria attach in places where they shouldn't be attached--like the large intestines). The trick is to dislodge them (with antibiotics) and put good bactiera in their place (probiotics). You will always have some bad bacteria in there, but that's to be expected; there's a minimum ratio of good to bad, however, that has to be maintained in order for you to work properly.
I did a lot of reading on C. difficile this summer because that's what I thought my problem was. Every medical journal and holistic site I came across said to take antibiotics and lots and lots of probiotics. If you don't add the good bacteria in, you'll almost certainly get overrun with bad bacteria again. Sometimes it takes multiple antibiotic treatments to get the balance right again. The worst places to catch C. difficile and other bad bacteria? Hopsitals, nursing homes and pharmacies. It's one of the few things that does actually live on a toilet seat (acutally its spores does--I think it propagates kind of like a mold) and those three places are just chock full of them. And unfortunately, having diarrhea, you're prone to do a lot of toilet sitting. Invest in some toilet covers to take with you because you'll want to avoid getting more. But on one Dr.'s site that I read, he said anytime he prescribed antibiotics, he put his patients on MEGA amounts of probiotics to make sure that they didn't get antibiotic-associated diarrhea or, worse, C. difficile. We're talking multiple acidophillus pills multiple times a day. Not just millions but billions of bacteria every day, for as long as they were on the antibiotics and for several days afterwards. And not just achidophillus, but some of the others too (like come in some yogurts).
My G.I.'s nurse practitioner swore by Culturelle (a probiotic). She said she took it before, during and after a trip to Mexico and was the only person in her party not to get sick with diarrhea. Read: she took probiotics even when she wasn't having a problem. She took them as a PREVENTITIVE measure. How can they possibly be bad for you then? It's like taking vitamin C during the winter to boost your immunity.
Just remember, if there's space at the table, a bacteria will invite itself to a seat. If you have room in your intestines, something will attach. If you are consuming large amounts of probiotics, odds are a good bacteria will get there first. If you are left to the whims of chance, you're probably more likely to have something bad attach.
I did a lot of reading on C. difficile this summer because that's what I thought my problem was. Every medical journal and holistic site I came across said to take antibiotics and lots and lots of probiotics. If you don't add the good bacteria in, you'll almost certainly get overrun with bad bacteria again. Sometimes it takes multiple antibiotic treatments to get the balance right again. The worst places to catch C. difficile and other bad bacteria? Hopsitals, nursing homes and pharmacies. It's one of the few things that does actually live on a toilet seat (acutally its spores does--I think it propagates kind of like a mold) and those three places are just chock full of them. And unfortunately, having diarrhea, you're prone to do a lot of toilet sitting. Invest in some toilet covers to take with you because you'll want to avoid getting more. But on one Dr.'s site that I read, he said anytime he prescribed antibiotics, he put his patients on MEGA amounts of probiotics to make sure that they didn't get antibiotic-associated diarrhea or, worse, C. difficile. We're talking multiple acidophillus pills multiple times a day. Not just millions but billions of bacteria every day, for as long as they were on the antibiotics and for several days afterwards. And not just achidophillus, but some of the others too (like come in some yogurts).
My G.I.'s nurse practitioner swore by Culturelle (a probiotic). She said she took it before, during and after a trip to Mexico and was the only person in her party not to get sick with diarrhea. Read: she took probiotics even when she wasn't having a problem. She took them as a PREVENTITIVE measure. How can they possibly be bad for you then? It's like taking vitamin C during the winter to boost your immunity.
Just remember, if there's space at the table, a bacteria will invite itself to a seat. If you have room in your intestines, something will attach. If you are consuming large amounts of probiotics, odds are a good bacteria will get there first. If you are left to the whims of chance, you're probably more likely to have something bad attach.
thanks for the plethora of information!
i have a new doc, but i can't see him until the 28th, and a friend of mine, a PA, is going to look over my lab work too.
and i am still waiting for my antibiotic, apparently there is some insurance hold up...
can cranberry juice help out this bacteria thing too?
thanks for letting me vent
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
i have a new doc, but i can't see him until the 28th, and a friend of mine, a PA, is going to look over my lab work too.
and i am still waiting for my antibiotic, apparently there is some insurance hold up...
can cranberry juice help out this bacteria thing too?
thanks for letting me vent
--bunny
what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
I've heard that cranberry juice is good for people with urinary tract infections because something in it helps the inflammation and/or kills off the yeast or whatever causes it. I don't know if it will kill bad bacteria, but as long as it doesn't make you feel worse (gas, more diarrhea), then it certainly won't hurt anything.
Keri, it's funny you mention that because I think we have all heard cranberry juice helps with UTI's. However, I recently read "Why Do Men Have Nipples?" and the author writes that is a myth. Go figure.
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