Can You Trust Your Doctor?

Going to the doctor is one of the most nerve-racking places we go. Between, the sick and screaming children, the long waiting periods, and not knowing the outcome of the visit it is no wonder no one likes to go. Even though all doctors are human beings and do make mistakes, we put all of our trust into them and expect the best. Doctors have a hard job with being able to remember all the patients and their circumstances, we sometimes take for granted that we are not the only patient they see. Doctors do have an obligation to provide us with all the care we need and to help find a cause/cure whenever possible. Is that too mush to ask? Should we expect less?

My dad has had a lot of health problems stemming from a motorcycle wreck when he was 17-years old, in which he broke almost every bone in his body. He went to the same doctor for years. He had a back injury from work as well as an elbow injury they never could figure out. He was constantly taking pain medications. Most of the medications needed other tests run periodically to insure they were not causing damage to his liver. None of these tests was ever run. My dad started hurting worse and went to this same doctor, and what did he do but give him more pills. No tests were run. No in-depth look to see if something else could have been wrong. My dad went back again and received cortisone shot in his ribs, which made his lung collapse. They corrected this but ran more tests to see why, imagine that. Unfortunately, my dad was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and it was spreading to his lungs and brain. I was seven weeks pregnant with his first grandchild that he would never see. Because his doctor did not do his job, my dad died 5 months later at the age of 40. I am not saying he could have stopped what happened but he could have found it sooner or changed some medicines to help. Can we trust our Doctors to be doing their jobs? We did not go to medical school; we do not know everything that is out there.

I had a cesarean section with both of my boys. After the delivery of my first child, I hurt pretty badly. This is normal the nurses would tell me, but I knew something was not right. After going home for a few days my family began to notice this spare tire forming around my stomach. I told my family the nurses said it was normal. I then noticed I could not stand up straight anymore. I went to the bathroom one night and left a trail of blood through my house from the incision on my stomach. I call the hospital and they tell me NOT to come in unless I am running a high-grade fever. Well the next morning I awake to a fever of 104 and I am rushed to the hospital with an infection that has almost made it to my heart. If I had waited any longer, I would have died. Why do they not listen to us when we tell them something is not right? We know our bodies.

My son was bit by a black widow spider and me and my husband took him to the emergency room. The doctor checked him out and told us he had an ear infection. He had been crying for a long time. Hardly paying any attention to the swollen foot with the mark the spider had left. They gave him some pain medication and told us to take him to his doctor the next day. My son spent the next twelve hours squirming and screaming in pain with that toxin going through his little body. He could not sleep or sit still which we were told by his doctor was due to the bite. He did not have an ear infection. This same ER Doctor has seen my boys on other occasions and has told me every time that they had ear infections, whether they went in for breathing problems or had the flu. Do you see a pattern here?

This is just a few examples of how a doctor has missed something because of not paying attention to the patient. I am by no means saying all doctors are like this. I have a had some who take the time to talk to you about anything you feel like, even when they are running behind or have a full lobby. I have had Doctors call me just to see how I am doing. Many Doctors are a blessing and do care about their patients.

Interview the candidate you have in mind for your physician and go to more than one. If you know someone that goes to that doctor, ask them questions to see if they have had any problems or concerns with this person. Do some Internet research, if there are any complaints you should be able to find them. If you have noticed, that your doctor does not take the time to listen to your complaints, or pushes you in and out of your appointment, talk to this doctor or think about changing physicians. Make a list of any questions you may have about your appointment before you go that way you will not forget anything. It is hard enough going to the doctor without having to worry about if you are getting the care you need. If you feel like you are not getting the care you need do not hesitate, your life could depend on it.