Is There A Doctor In The House?

[Julie Marie]

No, I'm not looking for a diagnosis, just some help explaining how the mind of a doctor works.

A year ago I think I have a sinus or inner ear infection. I'm experiencing balance problems, stuffy nose, fatigue, etc. I go see an ENT. He does hearing tests on me and has me go for a CT scan. I come back to see him and he says, "It's not a sinus infection. You're hearing is fine. I don't know what's wrong with you."  I leave pretty bummed out.

I return a week later and he says I have a sinus infection and prescribes antibiotics. 

Now I'm experiencing the same thing. Because I don't want the same doc who said he can't help me I go see a different and more specialized (sinus) ENT.

He asks about pain.  I said an occasional slight pain above my left eye but it's really nothing.  The big problem is acute sensitivity to sharp sounds and balance, disorientation problems.  He looks at a CT that's three months old.  And he does a scope up my nose.

"You're sinuses are clear. There's only a slight indication of sinusitis.  You have a deviated septum and if you get that fixed it will help the breathing problems. The pain I can't explain. You'll need to see a neurologist." (I stressed I wasn't there for the pain. It was NOTHING!)

He wants to see me in three months and have another CT done then so he can rule out sinus problems completely.  I leave the office and when I'm checking out I mention the deviated septum and say I want to have that corrected.

My nurse is called and she tells me, "That's not the way he works. He will want to see you again and then he will discuss surgery."

I told her, "The deviated septum is not going to repair itself. He said if I have it corrected it will help my breathing."

"Well, yes, but he doesn't like going straight to surgery on the first diagnosis."  She seems to agree with me but she is following the doctor's direction.

I tell her a head and neck specialist already diagnosed it as a "classic" deviated septum and only surgery will correct it. She agreed but said the doctor doesn't work that way.

Back in '96, when my dad was dying of cancer, I went to visit him. He never complained about pain once in his life but here he was laying in bed unable to move without causing unbearable pain.  He was on 1000/mg of morphine/day at the time. I looked at his chart and saw a tumor had caused a partial collapse of a vertebrate in the middle of his back.

Right after I'm done reading it, the anesthesiologist walks in. I asked if he could do a local. He said yes but it wouldn't last long.

I said 'how long?' he said a few months.

"Do it!"

The next day I visit my dad and he's just walking out of the bathroom on his own. The back pain was completely gone. He died a month later but without that excruciating pain.

So what is it? Am I dense? Have I watched too much House and now I expect doctors to actually think?

My head is stuffed, I can hear fluid in my ears, they block up like when you're on a plane but I can't clear them. I have a deviated septum that I want corrected and I'm told I need to see a neurologist because a three month old CT said my sinuses are clear. 

Huh?

I could go on and on but I think you get my drift. What I don't get is what thought process do these doctors use to arrive at their recommended treatment decisions?

Julie
PS: Sorry for the rant but this girl is FRUSTRATED!!!

[lisagurl]

Meniere's Disease?

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/menieres/menieres.html

[VeryGnawty]

What's your diet like?

[aisha]

they might be blocked because you have an earwax build up.. that happens to me a lot to the point where about every 2 months I have to use one of those water picks things to get it out.. my dad had sinus problems a lot and he got surgery once that helped. But theres all kinds of stuff you can do to clear out that area, like blowing your nose?

these are my two cents

[shanetastic]

Just as a little chime in.

I had surgery to get my deviated septum fixed and it absolutely did nothing heh.

Hopefully you'll be able to find a better doctor who can actually help you with your problems Julie.  Best of luck to you.

[Jeatyn]

It's sad but I do think a lot of doctors don't give a rats ass about their patients and just want to get them in and out as soon as possible. They focus on one symptom that's the easiest to diagnose/fix and ignore the rest. If it requires a bit of brain power it's easiest to just ignore it.  I had a similar experience, I went to my doctor because every time I swallowed something it hurt like freakin' hell and would often get stuck in my throat. She asked me where I got the pain and I pointed to my chest just under my collarbone. I then saw her write down "chest pain" in the notes and she hooked me up to a heart monitor, she then told me there was nothing wrong with my heart and opened the door for me to leave. I was like...huh?    The excruciating pain fixed itself after a few weeks thank god but I still can't swallow things properly. This is why I avoid doctors xD

[aisha]

most doctors are punks.. time is the best healer, and gratefulness.

[lisagurl]

What I don't get is what thought process do these doctors use to arrive at their recommended treatment decisions?

Doctors are no smarter than most people it is the image that puts them on  a pedestal. Doctors do not and can not know all things. The general practitioner will send you to a specialist. Sometimes to the wrong one. A specialist only knows his field. I would suggest an ear specialist to start.

[NicholeW.]

What I don't get is what thought process do these doctors use to arrive at their recommended treatment decisions?

The more they *pass you around*, keep you coming back . . .

The more Black Mercedes Payments get made?

Knew a doc once who kept a "dummy patient" in the right seat for the HOV lane?

I really hate to be sceptical, but why did I get the impression reading the OP that this is exactly the tactic that Kiera says it is.

Kinda like going to a new dentist where they say "O, you need a crown, a bridge, whatever. But we need to do eight cleaning sessions first because of plaque build-up." Then, once they eventually get to the crown, bridge whatever the first step is not a permanent replacement but a temporary one that's about $400 less than the permanent one? Then they do the permanent one and charge you yet again.

I'll just bet "that's the way the doctor works." Why, I'd work that way if my interest was making money from the visits rather than helping the patient solve the difficulty.

Of course, don't forget there is the "malpractice angle" as well. He maybe also wants to cover his own butt with more tests. The two aspects work rather well together though, don't they? Butt-covering makes a good cover for bringing in money as well.

Call me sceptical.

Nichole

[Dennis]

I'll second that about some doctors. I had a similar experience with my dad. He was dying and in a lot of pain. So much that I made an appointment to see his doctor and said "he needs more medication. At this stage, I don't care if I have an addicted father. I want him out of pain." The doctor said "he seems a little depressed. I was thinking of prescribing some anti-depressants".

I managed to restrain myself from shouting "OF COURSE HE'S A LITTLE BUMMED. HE'S DYING YOU IDIOT." Got a different doctor involved, who promptly tripled the pain medication.

Dennis

[Julie Marie]

I'll second that about some doctors. I had a similar experience with my dad. He was dying and in a lot of pain. So much that I made an appointment to see his doctor and said "he needs more medication. At this stage, I don't care if I have an addicted father. I want him out of pain." The doctor said "he seems a little depressed. I was thinking of prescribing some anti-depressants".

I managed to restrain myself from shouting "OF COURSE HE'S A LITTLE BUMMED. HE'S DYING YOU IDIOT." Got a different doctor involved, who promptly tripled the pain medication.

Dennis

OMG, this reminds me SO much of my experience with my dad's doctors.  Here I am, an electrician, and I'm telling the doctors what to do.  Then I'm talking to some robot doctor, who's eyes indicated no human life form behind them, and he's telling me "in a month we'll do this then in three months we'll do this then in six months we'll do this".  My dad died a month later.  He was a guinea pig.

This ENT I just saw who "doesn't work like that" is yet another robot.  It would be like me going into an orthodontist with crooked teeth and him saying, "I don't like to do make any decisions on the first visit.  Come back in three months and we'll take another look", like my teeth will fix themselves in the meantime.

After I see the head doc, I'll decide if I'm going to file a formal complaint, both with the hospital and with my insurance company.  I have to, it's just the way I work! 

Julie

[Ell]

doctors are like books. for any 50 of them, one is an absolute gem, five are sort of ok, and all the rest are a waste of time.

some members of my family were having recurring headaches that the doctors could not cure. they came to me as a last resort (i'm the tribe's herbalist). i put them on a sudafed regimen, 2 to start, then 1 every four hours. they finally had relief.

please note i said sudafed, the one you have to buy with your ID, not one of those over-the-counter meds with a PE after the name. the PE stands for phenylephrine, which is dangerous if mixed with some SSRI's.

-ell

*my opinions only. not to be taken in lieu of professional medical advice.

[gothique11]

I have problems with doctors as well.

[Chrissty]

I have a deviated septum that I want corrected and I'm told I need to see a neurologist because a three month old CT said my sinuses are clear. 

Julie

Hi Julie, you have given me so much expert advice recently; I thought I might return the favour, having got a family of nasal sufferers.

Having had the operation myself, I have to join shane in saying it did nothing for me, or anyone else I know.

I'm also not aware of a deviated septum causing the symptoms you describe.

The sinus system is very complicated, and even be affected by a narrowing/blockage of the tear ducts to our eyes in later life.
Once the delicate balance of all the components is disturbed, it can take months for it all to settle down again with or without medication.....there is usually no "quick" fix.

Most success seems to come from mild treatements of the symptoms, that allow your body to re-balance the system.

Have you had an allergy test recently?



Chrissty