Over many years, I have not been able to find any doctor who was able or willing to take on the responsibility of finding the underlying cause of my long-term health problems, but my wife and I have had some remarkable experiences with so-called professionals in the health industry. These are just a few of the worst.
Dr B, a “Consultant Physician” who sold me 14 consultations over a 3 year period. He was recommended to me as being a General Physician, a specialist trained doctor who does not specialise in one disease. He turned out to be a two-disease “consultant”, selling diabetes and heart disease consultations. He tried a number of times to convince me that I had diabetes even though many pathology tests over the years failed to confirm that. I even bought a blood glucose meter and showed him that my blood glucose levels were well within normal range throughout the day. He also sold me a heart scan and four ECGs over the 3 year period, even though there’s nothing about my symptoms to suggest heart disease and every one of these tests showed my heart was healthy. At the end of every consultation, he would tell me to make another appointment and he would consider something different next time. At the end of every consultation, his receptionist, his wife, would ask if I had had an ECG, so she could add an extra couple of hundred dollars to the bill. Neither I nor my wife could ever ring to talk to the doctor; we were always told we had to make an appointment and come in to see the doctor. In other words, we had to buy another consultation.
Dr J, another “Consultant Physician” / General Physician, listened but didn’t say much during my initial consultation, carried out a very basic physical examination. She didn’t send me for any tests, didn’t suggest any diagnosis, didn’t offer me any suggestions about where to go next, absolutely nothing. She then followed me to the reception area, stood behind her receptionist until after I’d paid the $285 and then told me not to make another appointment, that she couldn’t help. In other words, not interested in doing any work, just sells consultations. But I still had to pay for the “consultation”.
Dr E, yet another Specialist Physician, for two quite useless consultations and some pathology tests, cost me a total of $941, then lost interest. I should have been a little cautious when I rang for the initial appointment and the receptionist offered me any of four times in that same week.
The Pain Clinic at one of our large teaching hospitals. Supposed to be a “multi-disciplinary” clinic, consisting of Specialists in Rehabilitation Medicine, Anaesthetists, a Physiotherapist, Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Nurse Consultant and Registrars. Turned out to be a single-minded team with the senior doctor deciding everyone’s opinion for them. They had just one standard operating procedure (SOP), hydrotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy. Even though I explained to every member of the team that the worst pain was in my sinuses, nose, eyes, mouth, etc., they sent me for hydro-therapy, in a heated, chlorinated pool in an enclosed room.
Dr D, the so-called Sleep Physician and the Sleep Disorders Laboratory at the same large teaching hospital. I told the Sleep Physician that I had been using a CPAP machine for 4 years with no benefit, and that I wanted to find out if I had any other sleep disorder, other than apnoea, so he sent me off for yet another sleep study. While I was talking to Dr D, I asked about the lab testing for other sleep disorders and his reply was all about apnoea only. While the technician was wiring me up, I asked if they look at other sleep disorders, other than apnoea, and she replied that they also look at heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, in other words, apnoea. The Sleep Disorders Laboratory had me in for two nights, because they had some equipment problems on the first night. Over those two nights, not one apnoea event, not one. On the first night, I had a lot of trouble sleeping and the sleep technician came in a few times and told me that I had to go to sleep so that she could do her measurements. I was having a lot of trouble sleeping but she wasn’t interested in the cause, just in doing her apnoea measurements. My sleep was significantly disturbed over those two nights, but not from apnoea. Yet their “diagnosis” was severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Back to Dr D, the so-called Sleep Physician. His recommendation, keep using the CPAP machine, that’s all, even though I had told him many times that I had been using it for four years with no benefit and I had not had even one apnoea event over two nights in the Sleep Disorders Lab. From the initial referral letter from my GP to the last “consultation” with the so-called Sleep Physician, wasted almost a year of my life, waiting for appointments. These people just can not think outside the little box that they work in. It’s not a Sleep Disorders Laboratory, it’s an apnoea measurement laboratory. They just do apnoea consultations. Now that I think about it, this doctor was not really a Sleep Physician, he was a Respiratory Physician who sent people to the sleep lab. No, he was just a Respiratory Consultant, selling useless consultations. He really did not answer any of my questions about sleep disorders.
The Neurologist who told me that no-one has a head-ache twenty-four hours a day, then spent the rest of the consultation telling my wife and me about his depression and his distrust of psychiatrists. We still had to pay for the “consultation”.
Dr S, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the top private hospital in the country, recommended to me as being an investigator, specialising in difficult-to-diagnose cases. She very arrogantly told me that she was at the peak of her profession. She turned out to be just another Endocrinologist, tested a few hormones and then lost interest. The last “consultation” lasted less than five minutes and consisted of her telling me that she had lost interest. I was still expected to pay full price for this ”consultation”.
Dr C, the CEO of one of our leading private hospitals, has sent me numerous letters soliciting donations. I wrote back offering a significant donation and requesting his help with my health problems. His first response was to suggest that I visit his Medical Centre for an Executive Health Check. This health check costs $830 and consists of the usual pretty basic tests, all of which I’ve had over the last 17 years. He then suggested Dr W, the Vegan Diet consultant. Finally, I wrote to Dr C again seeking his help and his reply indicated that he had lost interest. The CEO with the entire resources of Sydney’s largest single campus private hospital at his disposal, but he baulks as soon as it looks like real work. “Access to world class doctors … dedicated to patients’ welfare … internationally renowned for their expertise … state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities …”, but not interested if it gets too hard. According to their website and their brochures, this is “Christianity In Action.” But I’m still receiving letters requesting donations.
The other Pain Clinic at another leading public hospital. It took about ten months of filling in and and returning various forms and questionnairs before I could get to the first appointment. Four “consultations” over about five months but they did absolutely nothing for me. Again, this multi-disciplinary pain clinic was all decided by the senior doctor. This particular doctor didn’t like the way that I spoke to her with a less than reverent tone of voice. Because of that she refused me treatment of any sort for my pain. She sentenced me to a lifetime of pain because she didn’t like me. Very petulant attitude for a professional doctor.
I am absolutely astounded that some of these people are allowed to continue practicing medicine, selling quite useless consultations, having sick people relying in their non-existant expertise and believing that they know what they’re doing. Some of their collegues must know what they’re doing, or not doing. The protection of collegues within the medical community, the “old school tie”, or maybe the “old university tie”, seems to be far more important than the health of the patient.