So when do I get to sue? (just kidding?)

[thermodynamic]

The latest saga in my mystery illness.

Threw up this morning after the diarrhea attack. So I called the medical clinic's scheduling center.

Though the receptionist yesterday said there were no openings for anybody until tomorrow, when I called today I had a whole plethora of openings available (what, did 4 people really cancel?!)

So I got in as a followup to my ER visit.

Well, despite reading the loooong report, the doc (now the 3rd one at this kooky klinic) asked me the same questions.

She thought I might be improving (my stools yesterday were a slight improvement, but this morning it was back to what I've had to live with for a month...) but in the end she still recommended a flexible sigmoidoscopy. But not a whole colonoscopy, though she admits she has no clue as to why I'm still doing the diarrhea trips.

I became assertive and asked WHY only a sigmoidoscopy when everybody else recommended a colonoscopy. She responded that it takes less time. (which I didn't register as meaning "not as thorough" until a few minutes ago when driving home from the grocery store with the, um, "prep tools"...)

I'd love to sue because nowhere do they say we should be assertive. And why should we have to be? They should be making the right choices and agreeing with what 3 other doctors had said (2 clinic doctors + 1 ER doctor all said "colonoscopy" if the problem remained.) I am prone to forgetting details and they always jot down notes. So far the clinic has not given a potential positive test result consideration (though the ER did) and now this.

I just don't know.

My own psychiatrist also puts me on drugs that I've told him before, SEVERAL TIMES, that don't work on me. Or he still thinks I'm on meds which I've been off for a long time and had told him earlier that I was off of. (so maybe doctors DON'T write notes after all? Either way, my opinion of this overpaid cesspool of a system is plummeting by the week.)

So, that's the latest. On the 7th they'll whip out the camera for a quickie sigmoidoscopy. If they find nothing, I'll demand they do a whole colonoscopy because, pardon me, I'm not going through this again! I'm tired of being ill and I've got a lot of work to do at work.

I HATE DOCTORS! THE SYSTEM SUCKS ELEPHANT TESTICLES!

On the plus side, when the nurse asked if I was worried about domestic violence, I replied in a coy voice "Well, I live alone, and I'm not afraid of myself." (it's as much how I said it along with what I had said.) At least I still have my sense of humor throughout all this... :D

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Could be worse -

you could have the writer of "Nemesis" and/or "First Contact" as your doctor. :-)

Otherwise, nothing but sympathy being sent your way, and patience to deal with the system.

Sorry to hear you continue to have such a problem. Unfortunately, doctoring is as much art as it is science, but the doctors and the medical establishment don't want to let us know that, preferring instead that we assume that there is no art, just facts and obvious diagnoses without error or failure so we consider doctors infalible and don't ask questions.

Sending good thoughts your way!

[thermodynamic]

3. Thanks! I appreciate it!

I shouldn't be too hard on them, but the inconsistencies are ridiculous. I feel like a pawn in their game.

As long as my condition does not worsen, then I'm cool. After all, we're only human. Heck, President Shrubbypants* thinks we're all sinners too, so it's all okay then. But a month is a long time to get as much inaction as this. I'm grateful the hospital had such a quick opening.

Time will tell and I'm keeping a detailled log on this one...

[Avalux]

2. If I may ask

I don't know the before story - before this post, so forgive me if you've already stated this...how long have you been ill? Did they do a stool culture and check for c. dificile? Did your new psych meds start on or about when you became ill?

[thermodynamic]

4. On the first doc visit, 7/14...

the doc did order 4 stool tests (1 bacterial, 3 parasitic)

Apparently the tests did suggest there was a chance of a parasitic infection, but nobody bothered to call me back (I was told I'd be called if they found something.)

Only the doc at the ER seemed to notice where in the report it said possible parasitic infection (traces of N___________, I don't recall the name), everybody else up until then ignored it, including the doc who looked at my records on 7/28 - the day before I had to go to the ER.

I've been on the psych meds for over 2 years and the only risk there is constipation, quite the opposite from the problem I'm having. :-)


I've been experiencing these symptoms, mainly the diarrhea, for 1 month as of August 7, 2003. The bloating and gas come and go.

[Avalux]

5. This happens way too often, unfortunately

I'd like to help so here's what I suggest. Call the clinic and ask to speak with a nurse (forget about the docs). Tell the nurse you had stool cultures, and want to know the results; you are concerned you are not any better and believe you may have a parasitic infection - would like to be sure before having the sigmoidoscopy. The nurse should help you. I would even ask to have the tests repeated. The suggested treatment is flagyl and it won't hurt to take it as empiric therapy even if your tests are inconclusive.

I would insist on taking flagyl and even a course of antibiotics like septra before allowing an invasive procedure that may be completely unnecessary. Don't let them to push you around - be proactive and demand treatment.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.