Unacceptable Treatment

[Guest guest]

I just thought you might enjoy a " good news " story about bad treatment from an

endo.

After being told for several years that there was nothing wrong with my thyroid

despite not being able to get off my bed and low levels of T4 and T3 but a

" normal TSH " , I eventually got help from a doctor on the other side of the

country from where I live, who commenced me on Armour Thyroid ( the Aussie

version). I had no sooner started the medication than that doctor got sick and

stopped practising.

I decided that the only way forward was to take on the public system where I

live head on, and arranged to see an endo at the local hospital. He told me

within the first couple of minutes that he believed that I had decided that I

had an endocrine problem and had made up my symptoms to match. He did so whilst

smirking and snickering like a schoolboy.

I was prepared for a fight, and by then with 6 weeks treatment under my belt,

strong enough to have one. So I told him he was behaving unprofessionally, and

demanded that he stopped his childish behaviour and start discussing the test

results etc properly.

I then informed him that I had commenced Armour ( which he admitted he had never

heard of!!!!!), and hydrocortisone and that my symptoms were improving. I told

him that I expected him to order the appropriate follow up tests to check the

levels, and to continue to prescribe the medication. He stopped snickering and

smirking, but said that he wouldn't agree to that. At that point I told him

that if he did not I would be holding him to account by both lodging a formal

complaint about his conduct, and taking whatever action necessary to force him

to do his job properly.

At that he ran out of the room and came back with the patient advocate, who then

witnessed another two hours of us arguing, and fortunately she witnessed him

repeatedly unable to answer my questions and unable to explain my test results.

There was one glorious moment when he pronounced that my bald armpits and sparse

body hair were not connected with my thyroid, but were the result of sex hormone

deficiencies. I said that I wanted treatment for that then too. He refused.

The patient advocate suddenly leant forward and said she wasn't sure it was fair

to ask him for that, and asked him whether that was in his area of expertise. He

looked pained, but had to admit that it was. I nearly laughed out loud when she

then said " Well Doctor, if that is your diagnosis, why are you refusing

treatment? " If looks could kill......... I can assure you he was no longer

smirking or snickering!

Finally he agreed under duress to order the tests that I had asked for, and we

agreed to meet again several weeks later to review those test results and decide

further treatment.

Over the next 4 weeks the test results slowly trickled in, and whilst I was

checking with my GP for results, discovered that the endo had written to the GP

a day or so after my consultation with him and told him there was nothing wrong

with me and that I should be reviewed by a psychiatrist. I obtained a copy,

went home and fumed.

As I was due to see him a couple of days later, I was getting very worked up,

until I decided that I would not waste my time and precious energy on such a

jerk, and instead approached the same patient advocate for the hospital and

informed her of what had happened. I said I was not prepared to see him again,

and requested for her to arrange for another doctor to do the follow up. I also

told her that I wanted to make a formal complaint about his conduct.

All of this was assisted by the fact that the new blood tests that he had been

so reluctant to do clearly showed that I was still low in FT4 and FT3 despite

having been on Armour for 8 weeks by the the time those tests were done. The

tests also revealed low aldosterone and several other issues.

The next day I was invited to a meeting with the Director of Medical Services

for the hospital. At that meeting I told my story, and showed her the various

test results and the new results. She had a background in emergency medicine

and had a good working knowledge of thyroid and adrenal issues. She did not

need convincing that I had been inappropriately dealt with.

By the end of that meeting, she had agreed to have the endo's letter to my GP

withdrawn, and an apology issued to me and delivered to my GPs surgery with the

request that anybody who might have seen his original letter be apprised of the

apology.

She also agreed that I needed to see a tertiary level endocrinologist with a

particular interest in pituitary issues to determine whether my problems are the

result of Sheehan's syndrome because of my history of major post partum

haemorhage some years ago. She agreed that the costs involved in flying me

interstate, the accommodation and medical expenses will be borne by the hospital

here. In other words a lay down misere.

The endo that I shall be seeing is first class and world renowned for his work

with growth hormone, and he is very highly regarded in the area I need help

with. I am over the moon.

I am sorry this is so long winded, but I just want people to know that it is

possible to fight back and win. And what I have discovered at least here in

Australia is that these little bullies are just like school yard bullies.....

very often cowards when it comes to people calling them to account. And

importantly, the systems that they work in are very sensitive to the possibility

of being sued for negligence. That doctor has now had his tail kicked, and

these events have unleashed an investigation in to the way the endo clinic at

the hospital is operating.

I don't have an answer to what is wrong with me yet, but I am now finally on my

way. Hopefully with the correct testing I will soon know whether my problem is

at the pituitary level, or below that. But with the help of this site and the

people on it, I was able to push through with my Armour treatment without the

doctor to help me, and to prove that I must have been hypo because taking the

Armour did not make me hyper. That acts as an insurance policy against anyone

telling me I don't need it in the future. And I can tell you nothing on this

earth will stop me taking it in the future, no matter what, because I am finally

off my bed, enjoying 80% good health, and up to a good fight.

I haven't yet decided whether to make a complaint to the medical registration

board about the treatment that I have had, and the incompetence and negligence

that I have encountered. I shall decide that when I have a proper diagnosis.

For the moment, getting well is my priority.

I take the view that I am entitled to proper health care from the public system

where I live like anyone else, and I intend to make the system work.

I am absolutely sure that unless patients stand firm and fight for their rights,

that nothing will change.I know that is not a course for everyone, but I have

found that it is much easier than you might imagine, and well worth it.

Good luck to everyone else who must hoe these difficult roads too.

Cheers