• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

I am not a medical specimen!

T

the_anticarb

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,045
Dislikes
Spiders, winter, bills, ignorance, prejudice
How's this for rubbish treatment by a doctor - when I was being seen for my retinopathy on Tuesday, I had a doctor with a medical student in the room. He barely spoke to me/looked up at me to welcome me. Nothing to put me at ease. Then he looked in my eyes and started talking to the medical student like I was not even in the room! Saying 'can you see the such and such in her so and so' - all technical jargon but I understood most of it as I've learned about my condition. He said I had a new vessel growing into my vitreous (to the medical student, he had still not spoken to me at this point other than to bark questions that he should have known the answers to already if he'd read my file). I asked 'Is that bad then?' he said 'yes very bad'. He then left the room before he could elaborate any further, leaving me dumbfounded with shock and feeling very upset at what he might have discovered in my eye.

At this point I was referred to a more senior consultant, who thankfully, was a bit nicer and actually spoke to me like a human being.

But later this same guy was doing my laser and he kept barking at me for moving, this only happened once or twice as you have to keep very still for 20 mins, at one point someone knocked on the door and without consciously knowing I was doing it, my eye darted just on reflex and he barked at me.

He also didn't read any protocol to me, I had had laser before but it was a while back. I know for example that it is dangerous to look at the laser, but he didn't tell me this and if I'd forgotten about this I could have had serious injury. He also didn't give me the consent form to sign until after the procedure, not much good then if I don't consent!

I don't want to make a complaint as I dont' want to be seen as a difficult patient especially not as I'm relying on these people to treat my condition. But he made a bad situation worse, I was already stressed and worried as it was about my condition, and he could have dealt with it a lot better.

I hope not to have him again, the eye hospital is so disorganised you see someone different every time, so finger's crossed I won't.
 
Rather than complain you could have had a word in the ear of the senior consultant. I was had a doctor speak likewise during a diabetes check many years ago, I spoke with the senior consultant at the time and he said he'd have a quiet word with her, next time I seen this doctor she was as nice as can be
 
I would echo what Nigel has said.

My (very elderly) mum had to attend an eye hospital for macular degeneration and cataracts. Physically she is in bad shape, among many others thiings she has condition called cervical spondylitis affecting her back and neck. When her eyes were examined previously, they wanted to take a picture of the eye. The doctor concerned was rude, spoke to her like she was a child and he too barked orders at her. He also hurt her by pulling her head and insisting that she stayed in a position for a llong time that was very painful for her.

I went with her to the next appt, she needed the photo to be done again and when we asked who would do it, the senior doc mentioned the one mum had problems with before. We explained what had happened and the doc said that she would come with us while the photo was being done, this she did and doc 1's attitude was very different this time.

anticarb, I understand what you mean about not rocking the boat but this guy and his little stooge were way out of line. They will act like gods because nobody tells them any different and they think they can get away with it.
Maybe contact the hospital and tell them why you would prefer a different doc.
 
No one should tolerate that sort of lack of courtesy in any situation but especially not in a professional care situation. They may be stressed and busy, but who isn't?

There is no excuse for this - I think Nigel's approach is probably sensible but I'm uncomfortable at the thought of not complaining about a failure of care because you worry that might worsen your care going forwards. No health care professionals are giving or ought to be giving selective care to chosen preferred patients; each patient should be getting the best and most appropriate care for them.

We fund the NHS don't forget; we're not going in there looking for hand outs we're going in there looking to get the care we have paid for.

Best

Dillinger
 
If you don't want to complain as such, perhaps write to the person who treated you, and explain how you felt.
Writing directly to the person concerned might make him think a bit, as he probably hadn't even realised how he came across to you.
I bet within a week you will have a letter back with an apology and he will promise to mend his ways
 

As I've never had laser treatment personally myself and my husband who has can't answer me... How to they laser your eyes if you'll not looking at the laser?
 
I'm afraid I would have said something about manners. Luckily the only time I had students look into my eyes, I was asked most politely by the consultant if I would mind.
Hana
 
They tell you to look straight ahead but not to follow the red light {the laser] This is difficult as it is the only thing moving.
especially if it continues for any period of time. You sit at a table facing the operator with your chin on a rest and your
forehead agains a another. A light is shone into your eyes and usually that is all you can see. The light can be white or other colours. When the laser hits you can sometimes see small exposions like coloured fireworks or little flowers. Slightly psychedelic. It is normal for the eye to follow the only moving object in view so it needs a great deal of concentration on behaldf of the patient.
I seem to remeber only being asked for consent o laser when I first had it four years ago. I have o agree that it is stressful enough without people barking at you.
My first experience of laser was wih a very nice lady , and I had her again for my second experience. Nice as she was the reatment was wrong , I was given the wrong information and i did irreparable damage.
My next experience afer seroid injecions was with the consultant. I have to admit I was errified. he can be very blunt and I
imagined him being very impatient and brusque as described by anticarb.
I had 40 mins on one eye and twenty on the other in the same session. At one stage he was holding a computer next o my head. But noone could have been gentler and more understanding. We were both exhaiusted at the end of this session which was exremely successful. Goes o show you can never tell.
Unfortunately the sort of behaviour described by the posters above is very common. Anyone who has to atttend hospital on a reglar basis will probbly have a wealth of examples.
Even if you manage to achieve civilised behaviour from one set of doctors and nurses if your condition demands long term attendance you will find the personnel change and you have to start again with another group.
 
To be fair, the student was the nicest of the bunch! She did the 'meet and greet' bit, it was like the doctor couldn't be bothered to speak to me himself so she did all that bit. I just hope she doesn't learn bad habits from him. But in the past, I've been asked if i mind there being a student (I'm not sure if she was actually a student or just a recently qualified doctor, but she certainly wasn't very experienced as he was giving her a 'lesson' whilst examining me.) I don't mind at all if students are there, we all have to learn somewhere, but it is polite to be asked. And it's bad to feel like the student is more important than you, the patient, and that the consultation is for their benefit rather than yours.
 


Jopar, they are trying to laser the outer part of your retina, to kill of healthy but non essential cells to reduce the eye's demand for oxygen. If you look directly at the laser, there is the chance that they will kill the cells in the fovea, responsible for seeing detail, which would be a really bad thing!
 
I think that is why some of them sound very irritable if you move- fear! I am glad I now only have the consultant lasering my eyes>
 
I am a member of the local hospital vlunteer board and consider that it is ESSENTIAL that you do complain at this sort of conduct by ANY medical personel. You were opviously not only offended by this "doctor" but also assisted in teaching the student that this treatment is aceptable by not complaining.

Remember this!
You have a god-given right to complain if all is not well - however you also have a responsibility to commend if all is well

At the very least it should be brought to the attention of the doctor's immediate superior but ideally you should go to the PALS (Patient Liason And Advisoty Service) office and make a proper complaint.
You should consider that you have the right to get decent treatment from staff YOU are paying and not only that, if he/she gets away with this conduct with you he will expect to get away with others - some of whom may well not be mentally robust enough to accept it. He could very easily leave a sensitive individual in tears.
As to you being a difficult patient - we all are at some time in our lives. The medical profession never see us at our best and should expect to be growled at if they are downright insolent and sometimes even if they are really nice
Go for it - not only for your own benefit but for all the other poor suckers who follow you through his hands.
 

Sorry to ask but have you ever had panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy? I'm facing this unfortunately
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…