I am posting this as a warning to everyone. It happened 4 and a half years ago.
I had been referred to an Orthopaedic consultant for treatment for severe arthritis in my hands. After seeing him initially, he sent me for X rays and for a nerve conduction test. I assume he suspected that some of the pain I was feeling was not caused by arthritis and could be peripheral neuropathy.
The doctor who did the nerve conduction test was quite chatty and I got on quite well with him. He asked how long I had been diabetic and after finishing his tests, assured me he could detect no sign of any nerve damage. As you can probably imagine, I left the building with a big smile.
When I next attended the clinic to see the Orthopaedic consultant, the report from the nerve conduction test had not been received. I waited while a nurse made a phone call to the relevant department to ask for it. When the report arrived I saw the consultant. As he scanned through the report, I noticed he was not wearing his glasses. He had worn then throughout my previous appointment. He then said he was sorry to tell me I had neuropathy. I was puzzled and said, "That's odd. It's not what he said to me.". I then leaned forward to see the report and spotted the word "not" before the mention of neuropathy. I put my finger under the "not" and read out the whole sentence aloud.
There was a silence. My consultant stared at the letter and after a pause, admitted he had not been reading the "not". I think he must have lost his glasses. The part that worries me is the fact that he was probably reading what he expected to see, rather than what was there. I left with my mouth open in disbelief.
I always had excellent treatment and real understanding shown me at this clinic, but I suspect the label 'Diabetes' has an effect on the ability of most doctors to see us as individuals rather than another example of Diabetes. We can develop any condition at any time just like the rest of the population. I was told at 20, that I had nerve damage to the bowel, when I complained of diaorrhea every morning. This turned out to be a symptom of an over-active thyroid. The GP concerned had the grace to apologise afterwards.
The moral of this tale is ...... ? We always need to be considered as individuals. We are not just Diabetics.
I had been referred to an Orthopaedic consultant for treatment for severe arthritis in my hands. After seeing him initially, he sent me for X rays and for a nerve conduction test. I assume he suspected that some of the pain I was feeling was not caused by arthritis and could be peripheral neuropathy.
The doctor who did the nerve conduction test was quite chatty and I got on quite well with him. He asked how long I had been diabetic and after finishing his tests, assured me he could detect no sign of any nerve damage. As you can probably imagine, I left the building with a big smile.
When I next attended the clinic to see the Orthopaedic consultant, the report from the nerve conduction test had not been received. I waited while a nurse made a phone call to the relevant department to ask for it. When the report arrived I saw the consultant. As he scanned through the report, I noticed he was not wearing his glasses. He had worn then throughout my previous appointment. He then said he was sorry to tell me I had neuropathy. I was puzzled and said, "That's odd. It's not what he said to me.". I then leaned forward to see the report and spotted the word "not" before the mention of neuropathy. I put my finger under the "not" and read out the whole sentence aloud.
There was a silence. My consultant stared at the letter and after a pause, admitted he had not been reading the "not". I think he must have lost his glasses. The part that worries me is the fact that he was probably reading what he expected to see, rather than what was there. I left with my mouth open in disbelief.
I always had excellent treatment and real understanding shown me at this clinic, but I suspect the label 'Diabetes' has an effect on the ability of most doctors to see us as individuals rather than another example of Diabetes. We can develop any condition at any time just like the rest of the population. I was told at 20, that I had nerve damage to the bowel, when I complained of diaorrhea every morning. This turned out to be a symptom of an over-active thyroid. The GP concerned had the grace to apologise afterwards.
The moral of this tale is ...... ? We always need to be considered as individuals. We are not just Diabetics.
