# Four Years & Bad Doctors



## Tyger (May 17, 2011)

From the beginning, in highschool, I started to experience two symptoms. One was diarrhea after I ate, no matter what I ate, within fifteen minutes. My GP's PA said it was probably from the stress of graduating highschool, starting a new job, and starting college. So they prescribed Citalopram for Anxiety (Even though it's an anti depressant).

I went to the Emergency Room twice that year for extreme abdominal pain. A doctor there told me it was "probably" kidney stones and to follow up with my GP. When I did this, I said the ER suggests kidney stones as the source of the pain and if I could get anything if the pain sprung back up. The PA didn't even look at the files or order any tests or anything. Her response was "Just call if it happens again."

Now, this baffles me. I'm a CPhT and every other person and their mother are hooked on norco in this town. All I was asking for was a few tablets in case the pain hit me at 3am like it usually had. Whatever, right? I'm no druggie, I wasn't going to push for pain medication that I didn't really need. Well, over the next three and a half years I went to the ER at LEAST four more times after that for "kidney stones." I had more attacks, but these were the extreme cases. They never found anything. They never investigated further. They, again, told me it was "probably" kidney stones.

Personally? I think they thought I was faking the whole thing. I think they thought I was trying to get drug handouts. (One time they gave me a shot of toradol and let me drive home.) As time went on, the pain got worse. I must have just learned to live with it. However, now it was my back and it was constant. I could barely make a 20 hour work week and 5 hour day. I couldn't bring myself to sit through class because my back was killing me. All day. Every day.

So, I followed up with my doctor in October 2013 for this, again, hoping to get something so I don't have to waste 4 hours making yet another trip to the ER for excruciating pain for it to result in nothing. It was getting more and more often despite changes in diet and lifestyle. I had gained a lot of weight, but contributed it to the Freshman fifteen or whatever.

I saw a different PA this time. One who looked at the ER records, one who looked at the tests, and said she didn't think it was kidney stones at all. Well, this was news to me. Got a full abdominal ultrasound to find out that the cause of all of my problems since highschool. My failures in college. All contributed to a failing gallbladder and the stones relating to said attacks. Here I am, $8,000 in debt (could've been a lot worse) trying to put myself through college and failing miserably because of my health, all because a handful of bad health professionals didn't test me sooner. My family even has LONG history of gallbladder abnormalities. I informed them of it. They knew. Strangely, though, that topic never came up in any of my visits (except the last one). Had my gallbladder removed in December. Dropped 20lbs in weight. Have the energy to do thing again. IBS still never cleared up fully, but I take Bentyl for it, and it works fine.

Surgeon said it was the worst gallbladder he's seen on someone my age. I was 20 in December. I'm 21 now. Looking to go back to school in the fall (If there's any college out there that would take my shit GPA). I was considering consulting a law firm about malpractice, but I don't think I even have a case. 3.5-4 years later and I find out my IBS was part of my gallbladder's impaired function and inevitable failure.


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## Mary S (Jun 25, 2013)

I don't know what is wrong with these friggin doctors. I've got bad doctor's too.I feel for you. Good luck to you and you are in my prayers


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## zivtzi (Mar 6, 2014)

I'm sorry to hear that, Tyger. I can't call them "bad doctors", but the doctors I've seen were so impatient with me, some of them didn't even bother to take their eyes from their keyboard and have a look at me. It's frustrating and I feel for you.


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## Sugatree87 (Sep 21, 2011)

After dealing with IBS & another issue, I have found out there aren't too many patient doctors out there. For my IBS diagnosis, I got very lucky. My GP recommended me to a great GI doctor. They even checked the gallbladder first. After 3 doctor visits they found I had a twitchy colon. With another issue, it took me a little over a year and several doctors & useless medications before I found the right specialist who helped me figure out my problem. Sounds like you've finally found someone who's capable now, so hold onto them, and good luck!


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