Horrifed

FOlks,

My mother, who lives in San Francisco, has Kaiser Health insurance. She called me today because she has severe sciatica in one leg, has trouble moving the leg, and is having extreme urinary urgency. She tells me ocassionally she has lost control of urination. All this started after she was moving some boxes some days ago.

She has had a herniated disk for years, and MRI done 7 years ago said "severe nerve compression etc etc." But now its at the boiling point. Never had surgery. She is 62 years old now.

It took her hours to get to see a doctor at Kaiser. The doctor reviewed her history. The doctor tested her leg reflexes and there was literally no knee reflex. But amazingly he told her she just had "some arthritis." HE also said her urinary problem was "just due to old age." He gave her Feldene and sent her home.

I talked to her again this evening. The Feldene isnt working and she is in so much pain she can barely speak.

She is going to call tomorrow and demand to see a spine specialist and get an new MRI.

This doctor is incompetent. I wish I knew who it was. Even the nurses said that my mom needs to be seen right away.

I am just so depressed and enraged over how we are treated in this country, those of us with spine problems. I just dont understand how those in so much pain and disability can be so abused and neglected by our Health Care system, and by many doctors.

Im tired of hearing stories about people begging for pain medication, of patients being told they are head cases, of patients being told to "stop being so dramatic," of relatives referring to patients as "lazy" and "they should just exercize," of people losing their jobs, patients being cut off from disability, doctors dropping their patients, and people subjected to decades of severe depression. Im tired of botched fusions, failed discectomies, nerve damage, hardware removal, multiple fusions, "revisions," "failed ADR" and "salvage operations,"destroyed lives, desperation and suicides. And Im tired of chronic pain.

[ReachtheSummit]

Paul,
I just read your post amd felt immediate grief. For both your mother and all the countless others including you and myself who have been subjected to treatment that can only be described as "horrible." As I read the end of your post I felt as if the words were coming from my own mouth. I will not even attempt to give some hypothetical answer as i believe it is sometimes more helpful just to listen and validate feelings such as yours. I feel the same rage you do, the same fear, the same sadness and the same desire to scream it at someone, anyone who will listen. With that being said know that your mom is in my prayers tonight for competent compassionate treatment.
Jenny

[Jim M2]

Paul,
Well said! I share your outrage. The doctor is incompetent, arrogant and mean. It nauseates me to hear these stories. Even if your Mom finds a caring doctor it will take weeks to start getting the tests scheduled. In the interim I hope she can see a PM and get some decent meds to take care of the pain.

Jim

[Harrison]

I am sorry too, Paul. I do see one very good thing about the situation with your mom -- and I mean this sincerely -- she has you to help her. Your note shows the utter frustration which you are stuck in the middle of right now, but you are incredibly qualified to help her - because you've been through all this hell already.

And though we are people across the distances we do care and want to help. I know this may not be what you wanted to hear, but your compassion and caring is the light in the darkness!

[Alastair]

Hi Paul,
I think it doesn't matter which country you are in of the world there are always incompetent doctors. I myself have recently been the victim of one of these. All you can do is change doctors and get on with your life. These people should not be allowed to practise as doctors if they don't have knowledge and ability. The problem is that someone is given a piece of paper and to society in general that has allowed them to proceed as doctors
Best,
Alastair

[Mariaa]

Paul,
This situation really ticks me off! I worked in HMOs as an NP and there were quite a number of what I felt were lazy and incompetent docs there that either completely missed a diagnosis or just downplayed them altogether, however,half the time the docs were worked to death it seemed yet this is no excuse for poor or sloppy medicine... thankfully there were many outstanding docs as well~

I thought some of the newer legislature re HMOs would make the docs perk up a bit about their practice... esp. at Kaiser~

I see you don't reside in the same state as your Mum however you can call the Member Services Dept for this HMO and talk with someone about the situation, and even file a grievance if you would like.

There are many things that can cause loss of bladder tone in women. Post menopause esp. the bladder is likely to lose some tone and she could have a number of things going on that are urinary in nature and/or it could be a neurologic dysfunction however, bare minimum a urinalysis should have been done and a neurological exam.

Your mother could even have what is known as an asymptomatic bactiuria (meaning no symptoms but urinary infection). She could have neurologic problems at the disc level you indicated that could also be affecting the bladder, and/or she could just have some stress incontinence(it sounded like this because of the loss of urine while moving boxes or with "stress") or non stress incontinence going on... However, it's imperative that she be fully evaluated by a competent doctor as you mentioned so I would tell her to call and get forced in with her Primary Care doctor if that is someone she considers competant and who knows her history well. Or a specialist as you have mentioned tho in HMOs the patient usually has to have a referral from their PCP altho this may have recently changed~

While it might be true that your mother has some arthritis, without the patella tendon reflex and her symptoms, I think a lower extremity neuro exam was warrented and a urinalysis. Please check to see if these things were done and if not call the Member Services Dept. and ask to speak to a rep. They can always check the chart and see who saw your mother that date so don't be concerned about not knowing the doctor's name.

I hope your Mother has been seen by someone else and treated by now , sincerely, Maria

[andromeda1111]

Paul

That Doctor is an obvious moron...arthritis(??) I don't think so!! sounds like wrongful mis-diagnosis to me without question, he needs to be splapped around for a while.

I hear you about all of the suffering of individuals regarding spine problems, I too have had my share of incompetent doctors treating me in an unprofessional manner, afterwards refusing to pay for their services and coming out without any negative repercussions, it is quite a cathartic feeling in getting away with it.

I hope your mother will be okay, it takes a long time to find a doctor that will work with you instead of against you. I find that referrals from other patients is the only way to go.

Andro1111

[sunhillow]

i agree ..people with back problems are treated badly... i know .i have a bad back and co-workers,family.drs,and others think your fakeing..just because you cant see the injury doesnt me it not there...i am on antidepressants and still in a lot of pain..i been out of work for a while...its no fun...thank god for this site...
peter

[Mariaa]

And women 50 and older seem to get the "it's in your head" treatment alot. Goes along with either being perimenopausal, menopausal, or post menopausal~
However, aches and pains all over for aging female population does and can happen.
Immediate symptoms should be worked up and treated and lesser symptoms (less bothersome or urgent) should be addressed by Primary Care Provider or specialist for that area if insurance allows (such as Medicare and AARP- no referal from PCP needed).
How is your mother BTW?? Has her major probs been addressed yet? I surely hope so~ hoping she's feeling better and in good medical hands~

My mother did finally see a spine specialist. I know she is taking off from work and she has been in traction every day for various amounts of time.

Thanks all for your support.