Nowhere on this earth do you expect to feel as safe as in the doctor’s office. It’s where we come at our most vulnerable, looking for genuine help and understanding.
But according to some women on TikTok, this is not always what you find there and they’re now sharing the most inappropriate things they were told by a doctor. The trend started when one TikToker, @kristamackenziee, shared an incident during her skin checkup.
“He was an older man and I was intimidated by him,” the woman recounted and proceeded to talk about taking her shirt off to show him the affected area. At this point, the doctor dropped a comment that left her speechless and made her feel super uncomfortable.
Turns out, she was not the only one having experienced a disturbing comment from a medical professional. So let’s see what other women have shared in response to @kristamackenziee’s question “What is the most unprofessional thing a doctor has ever said to you?”
@kristamackenziee Creepy AF!! Mom gave him shit afterwards. ##doctor ##psoriasis ##foryoupage ##fyp ##follow ##foryou
♬ original sound - Krista
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I was 15 when I was raped. I didn't tell nobody but I still went to go get checked with a doctor for std's/sti's but they didn't know that. While they were swabbing me down there I started to cry cause it hurt and I was scared. And the doctor said "don't cry now you're the one who decided to open your legs at 15"
Bored Panda reached out to Krista Wiseman, a social media content creator and mom of three girls sharing her journey through motherhood with her Instagram, TikTok and YouTube followers. Krista was also the TikToker who got women sharing the most inappropriate things they were told at the doctor's office after she posted this viral video.
“It is very unfortunate, but I think some doctors feel they are 'above' their patients because of their title and their education,” Krista told Bored Panda. “Maybe they feel they can get away with more because of that, or they feel they are entitled to speak their mind because they have worked hard to get to where they are.”
The author also said that “obviously this isn’t true for all doctors, but I’ve had many bad experiences myself and so have the women who came forward on TikTok!”
My husband and I had a miscarriage within the first year we were together. I was bleeding so we went to the ER. They were like 'there's nothing wrong with you'. I went to the bathroom and ended up birthing our baby in the toilet. I ring the emergency bell. They come in. And they look... they flush the baby down the toilet. I, in shock, walk out to my husband. He says 'what just happened?'. And I', like 'the doctor just flushed out baby down the toilet'. He [the doctor] came in and said 'Well what else were we supposed to do, it was already dead'.
So I had to start seeing a brand new doctor because I was having a bunch of issues with my skin. Turns out it was psoriasis, but we had no idea what was going on. So I got referred to this new doctor. He was an older man and I was a little bit intimidated by him at first. So the appointment starts and he's asking me all kinds of questions and then he asks to see the rash. And one of the issues I was having was in my armpit. So I was trying to show him like through my shirt. And it was kind of hard to show the whole thing. So I was like, oh, should I just take off my shirt? And this man sits back in his chair and says, yes, excite me. What? I honestly didn't even know what to say at this point. I took off my shirt and I felt extremely uncomfortable. I had a lacy bralette on and this man is just like staring at me. Anyways, after the appointment, my mom ended up going back in and giving him sh*t.
The doctor that I was going to for my birth control was checking it. And I had mirena (spiral), and I could tell that it had moved, it was uncomfortable, that she needed to check it better. She said, well, let's check it, come in. And checked it. She was like, nope, it didn't move. And I was like, well, how about taking it out? Because I'm having a lot of issues. And she says, no, you don't need any more kids. You're young, you have enough. Then proceeds to tell me after ab ultrasound, oh, no, you really do need it removed, because it moved. So we're gonna get you into surgery. Then, doesn't tell me or the doctor that is performing the surgery that I'm pregnant. And then, after I have already found out that the pregnancy was terminated after the surgery, calls and says, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were pregnant.
When asked if she’d handle the situation differently now, Krista said that she definitely would if it happened again. “I’ve been making an effort to speak up for myself more, especially if I feel I’m not being treated properly.”
“When the doctor made the comment telling me to 'excite him' I think I was in shock, which is one of the reasons why I chose not to say anything. Being a survivor of sexual assault, I froze and didn’t know what I should say or do.”
Krista said that being in therapy, she learned that this response is normal. “I would hope that if I was faced with the situation again I could gather the courage to speak up and tell him that what he is saying is inappropriate, and that he shouldn’t be speaking to women that way in this professional setting.”
what he said wasn't really unprofessional. It was more how he handled it. Big back story. I was having pain in my pelvis for about a year and a half. Had every test you can imagine. I was referred to the doctor because he was a specialist and knew my family history. I waited a year and a half to see him. He did not review my file. Asked me a few basic questions. In total spent less than 15 minutes with me. Examined me, didn't order more tests. Looked me dead in the face and said: Oh, you're constipated. You just need to take a laxative. And left. Waited a year and a half for that. He did not take me seriously in any way, shape or form. Fast forward to another specialist. She happens to be female. She ordered some tests. I get diagnosed with endometriosis. I'm now on a wait list for surgery. So was the problem that he was a male doctor and it was a female problem, or that I was female and he didn't take me seriously, or that he just didn't care?
"You aren't married, right? This miscarriage is probably a blessing in disguise, huh?"
It was a nurse. I'm well, I'm sexually active. And I was like, OK, maybe I should get tested for STDs because that's what people who are sexually active do. So I went to a clinic that specializes in STDs and pregnancy, and the nurse looked at me completely disgusted and and said, you should practice abstinence. I'll be praying for you. Then she grabbed my hand and started praying. I never went there ever again.
It's concerning that such a centre would employ someone with those views or not have realises what they were saying to patients.
The woman also said that she was surprised to see that so many women have experienced unprofessionalism from doctors. “I wasn’t expecting the TikTok to blow up, or to have so many responses. Something needs to change!”For anyone who’s wondering if a medical professional has crossed the line during an appointment, Krista says: “I think if a patient is uncomfortable in any way during an appointment, a line has been crossed.”
Moreover, “If someone comes forward saying they felt uncomfortable, the doctor should take accountability for the situation and apologize and try to learn from it,” she concluded.
OK, so when I was 18, I went to the doctors to follow up on like a bunch of symptoms that I was having. And when I was there, much to my surprise and shock, I found out that I was pregnant. I hadn't considered as an option. And I was 18. So I was understandably shock. So I because I was in shock, I started crying in an attempt to console me. My doctor said to me, don't worry, you are still really early on in the pregnancy. And sometimes this early on, people have miscarriages. And for people like you, that may be a good thing. The fact that I'm a medical professional, I thought it was her place to wish a miscarriage upon me. Anyway, this year, my daughter is going to be 10 and her dad and I are still together.
I stopped getting my periods at the age of 17. I went to my doctor who said it was because I was fat. I was told this multiple times by multiple doctors at the same hospital. Finally went somewhere else and was told its because I have PCOS. I'm 23 and finally got them back and now working on having my own family
One time I went to go get my blood drawn. [The doctor] was looking at my arm and she ended up saying that she couldn't find a vein prominent enough in the normal spot to draw blood. So she started looking higher up on my arm and she's pressing around and I'm like, you know, that's really weird. I've never really had anyone go up on my arm this far to get blood. And she was like, well, it looks like you've had needles there before. She was like, yeah, you have little needle marks on your arm. I've never used a needle a day in my life. This woman was accusing me of using hard drugs
I was having really bad stomach pains after I had had my daughter and I went to the doctor to find out what the pains were. They did ultrasounds and all of that stuff. I go back to get the results. The doctor comes in, she she tells me that she didn't see what was wrong. And then she goes, but you do have gallstones. So I proceed to ask what are gallstones, you know, all of that stuff. She tells me the best thing I can tell you is Google it.
My doctor took off his mask and said "I already had Covid I can't give it to you"
I went in for a horrible rash in an area. My doctor tried fighting me saying either I was cheating or my bf was since she said it was an STD.. Ends up I have shingles. I also had a doctor refusing to check out my son's who I brought in with hfm until I answered questions about my income and sex life. Safe to say I just walked out and that clinic closed
When I was younger, I went to a checkup with my doctor and just had mentioned that I wish I was a little taller. And a literal pediatrician responded: Men don't date tall women.
I went to the doctor at 17/18 so I could get updated on my vaccines. I need 4. I also got an std test because my narcissist boyfriend at the time had cheated on me. she came into the room with FIVE needles. I asked what the 5th one was. she said it was the DEPO shot! Mind you I was openly against birth control for myself and told her before. she said "I thought you'd be okay with it since you're active" I feel like if I didn't ask she would have given it to me.
I have chronic back pain because of a broken disk. This old doctor told me it's because I'm too fat. I needed to lose weight
If you are overweight & female, you can go to a doctor with a broken arm and they have a 50/50 chance of just telling you to lose weight.
I had a miscarriage and was told my only option was a DNC (which now with a new OB I know that I had more options). The OB [messed] up and didn't remove all that needed to be. I got very sick. The excuse was "well you did have a lot of tissue". The a week after she asked me when I was gonna try for another. 3 WEEKS AFTER I MISCARRIAGED
Well it hasn't just been one dr, it's been multiple, plus other health care professionals. "It would be easier on everyone if you killed yourself". "If you don't take oral antibiotics we will not admit you for IV antibiotics and are happy for you to die at home", "you are pretty bad at sewer slide, cause if you were good it at you would of succeeded already". "we have given up, you are unhelpable" those are probably the worst that has been said. I have chronic mental health issues and have been in the hospital system since I was 12. These things they have currently been saying have literally broken me
1. the doctor was about done, it was just a normal check up and he looks at me and he's like "your eyes are kinda droopy" and I was like "yeah I've been up since 6am" cuz of school. So then him and my step mother start talking about eye lifts!
2.another check up. So after they do the heart thing ig my heart rate was weird and he asked me (this is a different doctor btw) if I felt anxious and I said "yes" and he was like "no you dont" like you asked if that's how I felt and I said yes, and now you're telling me that's not right like what?
I went to the hospital because I fainted when I was like in my eighth month of pregnancy. And the doctors told me that I needed to put more ranch or my salads because I had only gained 13 pounds during my pregnancy and they were making a big deal that I wasn't gaining more. So they're like, don't be afraid to put in your salads. My ob-gyn said my weight was perfect
Yeah pretty sure ranch dressing contains all the valuable nutriments that a baby needs. Brilliant.
I have endometriosis, adenomyosis and other issues. I had periods so painful all my youth that I used to pass out from the pain. My father is a doctor and always found it normal. At 19 I got tired and went to a doctor. He didnt examined me and told me that "I needed to relax", refusing to even send me to the gyn. I have heard it all. "You are just anxious" "you need to be patient" (illneses dont dissapear by being patient) and my favourite "just a paracetqmol should be enough" (my pain gets so high that 200mg of tramadol dont help). It took me 11 years, 5 GPs and 4 gynecologists to even get a diagnosis while having textbook symptoms of those diseases. Now they are so bad that I am disabled and wont ever be able to have a normal life.
I was 18 and quite overweight (depression and lots of school stress) went to a new gynecologist, who turned out to be the one who delivered me at birth. He looked at me and said "oh I didnt know I gave birth to whales". wow.. the grace, the professionalism. Unfortunately back then I was too weak to stand up for myself and tell him how pathetic he was, so I just took the hit and went home crying..
I just want to say - as a chronic patient who's met exceptional doctors, pathetic doctors and everyone in between, as well as socially knowing a heck-ton of doctors -- it's not always like this. It is very important that we do share the horror stories, the exceptions, the times where things do go wrong, so that future patients know that their doctors aren't infallible (and sometimes are just straight up unethical slimebags) and people feel comfortable speaking up and advocating for themselves. We can't sweep these stories under the rug if we want things to get better. But most doctors are good, kind people - not perfect but they'll do their best and they'll respect your wishes. Doctors as a whole are beginning to embrace the idea of informing their patients as much as possible, answering questions, offering options and generally giving as much autonomy to their patients as possible. Being a patient can feel powerless, but most doctors do their best
Male here and I had a similarly excruciating experience as some of the posters above. A friend (also male, but we're both straight) and I used to go clubbing together in Johannesburg (South Africa) in the 1990s and were perhaps a tad promiscuous. One day we decided, just to be safe, to get an HIV test. The doctor sat us down together afterwards and leaned across his desk, crossing his hands and looking grave. He shook his head and said, 'Guys, I have some bad news.' Then he laughed and said, 'No, I'm only joking.' We were so relieved that we just left and forgot to punch him in the face.
I had a doctor tell me that my sudden weight gain and abdominal pain was because I was being lazy. I explained that I still exercised regularly and ate healthy food and something was wrong. He laughed and told me to join a gym and when I lost weight, my abdominal pain would go away. After four months of strict diet and exercise, I gained 17 pounds. He told me I was lying and still eating fast food so he told me to get bariatric surgery. I cried my eyes out and went to see the bariatric surgeon and she ran some test on me. It turns out I had a mass in my intestines that was growing rapidly and stomach cancer. I had to have surgery to remove most of my stomach and lower intestines plus radiation and chemo. I am cancer-free now, but damn, that doctor should not be treating people.
I went to a doctor who specializes in weight loss. I was bulimic an. He prescribed the meds and shots which I took because I thought I was fat. I weighed 102 at 5' 4". He put his knees between my knees while on his stool and I was seated in a chair. He proceeded to tell me I needed to come back in a month and see how the meds were working and that i needed to wear dresses with no panties. So not only did he give me meds that i did not need, but he wanted me back pantiless. I never went back but in that month had lost down to 82 lbs. I was sent to a treatment facility for bulimia and am now very healthy. Tge doctor, not by me, was reported for sexual misconduct by several staff members and I think 17 patients. He is on probation.
I don't remember what exactly the situation was, it was so long ago, but me and some type of medication didn't work too well together. Like making me sick and hallucinate to the point of if it hadn't worn off I would have probably hurt myself. Did nothing for the problem either. I stopped taking it and the issue went away on its own. It came back a few years ago and I went to the doctor, and got given a prescription for the same stuff as before. When I told her that I had a creepy reaction to it before and it did nothing about the issue either, her response was something along the lines of: "I don't care what you think, I don't care if you take it then kill yourself. The book says that this is used first and the book knows better than you. You take it, or you are a drug seeker and deserve to kill yourself. Get the f*ck out of my sight."
I was told for years I have stress. Until a resident vacation replacement found out I have heart inflammation due to a chronic tonsillitis. At 27 I was unable to walk up a flight of stairs without feeling like I just ran a marathon. This led to a deep depression. After finally getting a diagnosis I was sent back to my family doctor for explaining the treatment. Well she gave me some herbal medicine and sent me away. Luckily the intern was there on next time and forwarded me to get my tonsils removed. This crap took 2 years of my life and as I could not even get an academic leave for medical reasons I dropped out of the teaching degree program.
Last year I was supposed to have an operation on my shoulder. In preparation, I should have an X-ray taken. Instead of his opinion on the shoulder, the doctor kept saying that there were conspicuous white dots on the bones and that I should clarify what can still be done there, how far the tumors had spread and that I should urgently see the appropriate specialist. He never used the word cancer, only ever spoke of tumors and metastases, but what else should he have meant! Thanks to my orthopedic surgeon, I got an appointment with the nuclear radiologist relatively quickly and he gave the all-clear. For 1 week I was afraid for nothing without end.
Keep firing these drs. Be the squeaky wheel. You are the PAYING CUSTOMER (even if you're on Medicare) and if they treat you like trash, toss them out. Complain to the hospital's customer service, ombudsperson, your insurance. TELL THEM when you have a bad (or great!) Dr so they can get you better drs.
I've got a good one. I hurt my knee and after months it was not getting better, I was referred to an orthopedic doctor. Maybe three minutes into the exam she blows off everything I was saying and said " all girls' knees hurt" she left it at that. After many other doctors, though none as bad as that one, it was discovered that I have an incurable chronic pain disorder. Another good one, I wanted to get my tubes tied when I came of legal age to do so, I went to a Dr, got on the exam table and waited...and waited... and waited , after a 45+ minute wait his nurse comes in and says " he is refusing to see you" turns out , he looked at my age and completely dismissed me on that. It didn't matter that I was the legal age to get the procedure, that I was married, or that with the chronic pain thing, carrying a baby to term could kill me. Nope he left me in there long enough to bill my insurance and sent me home because I was " too young"
I was having a biopsy for cervical cancer. The doctor told me that if it was cancerous I should NOT have a hysterectomy, but to have as many babies for my husband as I could. When I mentioned this to my own dr, he said nothing. I had the hysterotomy and have ONLY gone to women dr's from then on. (My husband was furious at the "dr's") I feel it was a mixture of gender and culture that makes many of them treat us like livestock.
I still remember as a teenager my medication dosage was too high, and a side effect was suicidal thoughts. I told my Dr. (First and only time I saw him), that the dosage was too high and I was having this scary side effect. He told me if I was having suicidal thoughts, then I need to go to a psych ward. He completely dismissed that 1. I never had suicidal thoughts before and 2. This was a valid side effect, which was very clearly printed in the info for the medication. I was actually scared that he was going to call a psych ward himself. I was 16.
If anyone ever asks why I am into patient-centered medicine? I was trained in medicine. I have an MD. These a$$holes are the ones who teach students hwo to handle patients, and so the misogyny and bigotry and hatreds just spill into the attitudes even if the students try not to let it. Thus, please forgive the shouting: REPORT EVERYTHING TO A MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND LICENSING BOARD. Eventually, not even the sociopaths can get away with "I was joking". YOU HIRE THE DOCTORS. YOU CAN FIRE THEM. Please, do so. And don't fear to write them up. Not a lawsuit. Just complaints. And see if their staff members like them. Front office especially staff tend to be on the wrong end of stuff more than the nurses, in my experience.
I recall getting a $2,500US hospital bill because I passed out from the shock of my mother's cancer diagnosis. Their solution was to load me onto a gurney, wheel me down to have my vitals checked, then stick me in a room without doing anything for about an hour until I finally told them I was fine (because I was). They sent me home with directions on how to properly breathe when on the verge of passing out. I could have gotten that for free from Google, you jerks.
I think everyone has had an unprofessional doctor at some point. You do not have to put up with it, you can disagree, you can and should speak up to the doctor, and you should go to a different doctor. You do have worth and rights.
My mom had a miscarriage and when she found out she was obviously really sad. so she is sitting there crying and the doctor doesn't know what to do, but instead of trying to comfort her, the docter says, "it is okay, it was just a fetus" my mom didn't go back to that doctor for obvious reasons.
"You're tired all the time? All women over 40 are tired all the time, get used to it." (Turned out to be a parathyroid tumor.)
My worst one was a doctor who just suddenly started talking about sex and having a boyfriend and me being on birth control, im transgender and aroace i kept trying to tell her again and again it wasnt relevant but she wouldnt accept it and didnt stop 🤢🤮 they really need to ask people whether things are actually relevant to them, i only had a cough!
Remember people, YOU are in control of your health and wellbeing. If you get a jerk/abuser, report and go somewhere else. IF YOU WOULD NOT TAKE THIS FROM ANY OTHER PERSON, THEN DON'T TAKE IT FROM A DOCTOR, NURSE ETC.
Wasn't there a post a few days ago that said something like if you are not a professional you should shut up about covid vaccines?That if someone is a truck driver you won't ask the person to treat your toothache?Well this post makes it clear,doctors can be uneducated idiots like everyone else.Being a professional doesn't make you being ALWAYS right about everything.
In Western civilization, women's health used to be taken care of by other women. They were called midwives, or healers. They had centuries of collective experience with herbal medicine, massage, and common sense. But when men invented scientific medicine they began to persecute the women healers. These women were called witches. They were outlawed, and murdered. Today their practices continue to be mocked, even though many pharmaceuticals are derived from the same plants used by the herbalists of old. Learning the history of these things explains a lot about the present.
I had a friend that was having some serious issues. Went to a few different doctors. One told her straight out that she was either faking it or a hypochondriac. Then when she LOST THE USE OF HER LEGS, the ER finally did a scan of her head. Turns out she had a brain tumor the size of a BASEBALL. Luckily, it was operable, and she really suffered no long-term effects, but obviously that was luck.
I was taken to ER on a Saturday night, suffering a miscarriage. Our small local hospital didn't have place for me (needed DNC) so I was transferred, with my notes to next town. My new doctor asked for medical history and I told him about my cervical cancer, 7 years before. My notes, which he didn't look at, confirmed this. I was told I was lying and had never had cancer! It made a heart-breaking moment one which I can't grieve for, I just get angry because of him.
It doesn't matter what I go in for; they ALWAYS tell me it's because I'm overweight.
This is so sad!!! Anyone working to help people, should be doing just that. If they won't, they should not be allowed to work in the medical field, ever!
Anyone remember Ann Landers? She once wrote that we have to keep in mind that 50% of the doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class.
I was getting a second opinion for a hysterectomy, due to suspected cancer. The surgeon I DIDN'T go with actually said "I could do a gastric bypass while I'm in there". OK, yes I am overweight. But I know that recovering from a gastric bypass isn't a walk in the park. I couldn't imagine doing so while maybe dealing with cancer. The surgeon I did have do the surgery was shocked he would say that.
There are, like in every profession, ignorant people. I'd say the majority of medical professionals are not like this. I wouldn't judge all Dr's by the few unprofessional ones.
Anyone who still thinks doctors, nurses, really any professional that once held high regard in society are above reproach and should never be questioned are stuck in a different time. Always be respectful, but NEVER allow bad behavior to go unchallenged. Sometime people who go on to get advanced degrees are so stunted in their ability to deal with people properly that they think they can blurt out whatever comes to mind. Their sense of entitlement of never being questioned or contradicted is a red flag to go to someone else. Remember, their opinion of you does not make it true, they are not infallible, and should be treated the same way you would deal with anyone else who is insulting
I have a contraceptive implant in my arm. When i was 19 they decided to perform a surgery without any painkillers, in front of many students. They got it out in half an hour, many pliers involved, 4 people to hold me while i was yelling: "got me another doctor! let me gooooo! STOOOOOP!". I think that they just wanted to show the students how it is without anesthesia! The thing is stuck in your arm for 3 years, many adhesions, the thing is attached in your arm. I was shaking when i got out of the hospital, completely traumatized. When i got the bill i wrote them a letter explaining that i won't pay for butchery and torture, and if they wanted to try more to be paid i will sue them. They did not try to send another letter. YEAH! At least the torture was free.
Adenomyosis patient with female gynaecologist: 'How much longer do I have to be in pain?'. 'Well, you are 42 years old now and in a few more years you'll have the menapause and you won't have to deal with it.' Patient who is pregnant and needs a heart and lung transplant in consultation with another female gynaecologist: 'Basically, you shouldn't have got pregnant and now you'll have to terminate the pregnancy ... All you have to do is have a transplant and then you can have children... But we will do an ultrasound, but it's probably dead already and you don't know'. Further information:I was the patient in both scenarios. As a woman, I feel that I can either have a v*g*n* or a voice but not both. '
I was amazed and horrified as I read this. I have seen many doctors and the worse comment I ever received was when I still had a problem (not life threatening) and took my son in for a check up. Dr. asked me how my problem was and I answered " no better" He answered back "too bad". I never stepped foot in his office ever again!
went to get what I thought was a urinary tract issue (couldn't stop dribbling urine but the urine dip test said I didn't) so the doctor sent me for a blood test, while I was there I ask what else it could be. Because I found my question impertinent he bluntly said" I think your belly is to big and pressing on your bladder, I would like to send you to a gastric specialist to have a gastric sleeve placed" walk out and never saw that doctor again. turns out I had a kidney infection.
This one sticks with me whenever I DARE to wear black. When I was about 26 I broke my wrist and needed a cast. The doctor who was examining me to decide what kind of cast, etc. was an older white man probably in his upper 60s. It was mid-october and I was wearing a black sweater with skeletons on it and blue jeans. Instead of taking my Halloween-based sweater for what it was he entered and immediately laughed. He shut the door and then said "so you're one of those 'emos' huh?" I knew what he meant but decided to play dumb after my initial shock and asked him to explain it. He flubbered out, tried to nervously point out the black and the fact I have short hair, and went on with his job. In the end I didn't pick the dark purple cast I wanted and chose black just to jazz him.
I have had so many doctors tell me ny weight was the root of everything wrong in my life. It's ridiculous. Worst situation i have been in with a doctor though was this one time i had an emergency appointment on a weekend cause i had severe ear pain and this old male doctor, to check my ears, pressed his penis against my leg the entire time he examined me. I left the office in tears. He wasnt the doctor i usually saw at the office, but i still never went back there.
I have known many doctors, having had polio at age 6. The GP who saw me through that, was a wonderful man, always explained things to my mom, and many years later, an adult, we went to visit him, Mum went into the rooms to tell him there was a visitor outside, he came out, and almost cried when he realised who it was, driving her own car. I had almost completely recovered from the polio.
After three years and three doctors who all told me my leg pain was a strained hip flexor muscle, I finally got a doctor to listen to me. After an x-ray, it turns out my right hip has severe arthritis and I'll probably need hip replacement surgery. When I asked one of the doctors if there was a way to check on the muscle, she said in a very condescending tone, "Well, we can't x-ray muscle you know."
I couldn't get through all the comments and stories. Sadly most of these issues are ignored by our Health Providers, but frankly our system for Health Care in America doesn't care. They wake every day and go to work in their Massive, Expensive Hi-Rise world. One thing's sadly for sure: The older you get, the worse it gets.
I broke my hip when I was 28. Before I got the X-Ray results, the ER didn't believe that I was in a lot of pain. They scoffed when I said I needed help changing into a hospital gown. The test results showed the fracture, only after they almost xrayed the wrong leg.
I'm thankful that my family always had this trusty family doctor, but i feel so sorry for the people that have encountered terrible doctors.
How these "doctors" haven't been sued out of existence is beyond me.
Worst doctor experienc, I had been feeling crappy for about 4-5 months and couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong, Finally go to the doctor and get my blood drawn and my sugar levels was 340. Doctor said I need to be careful and let me leave the clinic!!! A week later I was in the ER with ketoacidosis and had to be admitted to the hospital. I was in there for 4 days.
Once had a rash on where my bra line was and around my breasts, I tried to show the doctor and he averted his eyes and told me to cover up. I looked at the female nurse in the room and she was as shocked as I was, when I tried to explain myself he made me feel extremely uncomfortable and like I had done something wrong. On another occasion, a very recent one I explained to my current doctor why I don't want the covid vaccine. He had been giving me s**t about it but my reasons are my own, I am not an anti-vaxxer, I literally had my TDAP booster at this appt....he asked if I would get the vaccine if he decided to withold my meds.
Where does it stop? I think it must be up to us to stand up for ourselves because no matter who you report these MORONS to nothing seems to happen. A lot of times they harm when they are helping for example giving Oxys for minor things and keep repeating the script. Making a drug addict. Take penicillin if you got a fart crosswise this new drug will fix you up now we have MRSA's. There were so many drugs abused by Doctors giving them to patients its astronomical!. The last two Idiots I had looking after my health (take with a pound of salt). They don't believe their patients you tell them something and they subject their on morbid thoughts to it. For example there should be mutual trust between a patient and a doctor yet they want you to piss in a bottle to prove you are not a drug addict don't see any trust here. My doctor was a piece of s**t he exposed me to COVID! I reported him and nothing of consequence happened. No wonder we have lost our trust in Doctors!
At my first visit, I told the doctor that I suffer from depression. He said, "Well, it's not like your whole family was killed in a plane crash." WTF?!
I've suffered chronic depression since I was probably 8 years old. I went through a bad period of really, really severe suicidal depression, and FINALLY decided to mention it to my doctor (after decades of not telling pretty much anybody I was having trouble). I mention to my doctor that I'm having depression, it's getting bad, I'm having trouble with it. He just laughed and said "Yeah, there's a lot of that going around recently."
I was super clumsy and would mix up words as a kid, broke my ankle once, dislocated the same ankle and broke that leg 25 years later, cracked my tailbone falling down a flight of stairs, broke my nose and broke a finger, sprained my ankles almost every spring and summer, constantly had leg pain that was so bad I wouldn't be able to sleep (when I was as young as 6). When I was 12 I slipped and slid down a flight of stairs 3 different times in 1 week, leaving my right butt cheek with a deformed lump of scar tissue. I was told this was all bc I talked too fast and didn't pay attention to where I was going and had "growing pains". In college my feet would hurt so bad after working on them for 8 hours I sometimes had to ask for a ride back to my dorm bc I couldn't walk the 300 yards. Was told it was bc I was too heavy. In my 20's my legs went tingly from the waist down for over 2 years, and even went numb for 3 months. My Dr said it was a pinched nerve, meds didn't help and neither did the chiropractor. Sent me to a specialist who looked at me and without asking me a single question told me I was too fat and to lose 100 pounds and my problems would go away. Lost 110 pounds, problems never went away. Turns out, I have MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and I've had active MS since I was a young child. Didn't get properly diagnosed until a year after I had worked for the National MS Society for a year and gone blind in my left eye.
Nobody should ever question getting a second opinion after reading this.
I have endometriosis, adenomyosis and other issues. I had periods so painful all my youth that I used to pass out from the pain. My father is a doctor and always found it normal. At 19 I got tired and went to a doctor. He didnt examined me and told me that "I needed to relax", refusing to even send me to the gyn. I have heard it all. "You are just anxious" "you need to be patient" (illneses dont dissapear by being patient) and my favourite "just a paracetqmol should be enough" (my pain gets so high that 200mg of tramadol dont help). It took me 11 years, 5 GPs and 4 gynecologists to even get a diagnosis while having textbook symptoms of those diseases. Now they are so bad that I am disabled and wont ever be able to have a normal life.
I was 18 and quite overweight (depression and lots of school stress) went to a new gynecologist, who turned out to be the one who delivered me at birth. He looked at me and said "oh I didnt know I gave birth to whales". wow.. the grace, the professionalism. Unfortunately back then I was too weak to stand up for myself and tell him how pathetic he was, so I just took the hit and went home crying..
I just want to say - as a chronic patient who's met exceptional doctors, pathetic doctors and everyone in between, as well as socially knowing a heck-ton of doctors -- it's not always like this. It is very important that we do share the horror stories, the exceptions, the times where things do go wrong, so that future patients know that their doctors aren't infallible (and sometimes are just straight up unethical slimebags) and people feel comfortable speaking up and advocating for themselves. We can't sweep these stories under the rug if we want things to get better. But most doctors are good, kind people - not perfect but they'll do their best and they'll respect your wishes. Doctors as a whole are beginning to embrace the idea of informing their patients as much as possible, answering questions, offering options and generally giving as much autonomy to their patients as possible. Being a patient can feel powerless, but most doctors do their best
Male here and I had a similarly excruciating experience as some of the posters above. A friend (also male, but we're both straight) and I used to go clubbing together in Johannesburg (South Africa) in the 1990s and were perhaps a tad promiscuous. One day we decided, just to be safe, to get an HIV test. The doctor sat us down together afterwards and leaned across his desk, crossing his hands and looking grave. He shook his head and said, 'Guys, I have some bad news.' Then he laughed and said, 'No, I'm only joking.' We were so relieved that we just left and forgot to punch him in the face.
I had a doctor tell me that my sudden weight gain and abdominal pain was because I was being lazy. I explained that I still exercised regularly and ate healthy food and something was wrong. He laughed and told me to join a gym and when I lost weight, my abdominal pain would go away. After four months of strict diet and exercise, I gained 17 pounds. He told me I was lying and still eating fast food so he told me to get bariatric surgery. I cried my eyes out and went to see the bariatric surgeon and she ran some test on me. It turns out I had a mass in my intestines that was growing rapidly and stomach cancer. I had to have surgery to remove most of my stomach and lower intestines plus radiation and chemo. I am cancer-free now, but damn, that doctor should not be treating people.
I went to a doctor who specializes in weight loss. I was bulimic an. He prescribed the meds and shots which I took because I thought I was fat. I weighed 102 at 5' 4". He put his knees between my knees while on his stool and I was seated in a chair. He proceeded to tell me I needed to come back in a month and see how the meds were working and that i needed to wear dresses with no panties. So not only did he give me meds that i did not need, but he wanted me back pantiless. I never went back but in that month had lost down to 82 lbs. I was sent to a treatment facility for bulimia and am now very healthy. Tge doctor, not by me, was reported for sexual misconduct by several staff members and I think 17 patients. He is on probation.
I don't remember what exactly the situation was, it was so long ago, but me and some type of medication didn't work too well together. Like making me sick and hallucinate to the point of if it hadn't worn off I would have probably hurt myself. Did nothing for the problem either. I stopped taking it and the issue went away on its own. It came back a few years ago and I went to the doctor, and got given a prescription for the same stuff as before. When I told her that I had a creepy reaction to it before and it did nothing about the issue either, her response was something along the lines of: "I don't care what you think, I don't care if you take it then kill yourself. The book says that this is used first and the book knows better than you. You take it, or you are a drug seeker and deserve to kill yourself. Get the f*ck out of my sight."
I was told for years I have stress. Until a resident vacation replacement found out I have heart inflammation due to a chronic tonsillitis. At 27 I was unable to walk up a flight of stairs without feeling like I just ran a marathon. This led to a deep depression. After finally getting a diagnosis I was sent back to my family doctor for explaining the treatment. Well she gave me some herbal medicine and sent me away. Luckily the intern was there on next time and forwarded me to get my tonsils removed. This crap took 2 years of my life and as I could not even get an academic leave for medical reasons I dropped out of the teaching degree program.
Last year I was supposed to have an operation on my shoulder. In preparation, I should have an X-ray taken. Instead of his opinion on the shoulder, the doctor kept saying that there were conspicuous white dots on the bones and that I should clarify what can still be done there, how far the tumors had spread and that I should urgently see the appropriate specialist. He never used the word cancer, only ever spoke of tumors and metastases, but what else should he have meant! Thanks to my orthopedic surgeon, I got an appointment with the nuclear radiologist relatively quickly and he gave the all-clear. For 1 week I was afraid for nothing without end.
Keep firing these drs. Be the squeaky wheel. You are the PAYING CUSTOMER (even if you're on Medicare) and if they treat you like trash, toss them out. Complain to the hospital's customer service, ombudsperson, your insurance. TELL THEM when you have a bad (or great!) Dr so they can get you better drs.
I've got a good one. I hurt my knee and after months it was not getting better, I was referred to an orthopedic doctor. Maybe three minutes into the exam she blows off everything I was saying and said " all girls' knees hurt" she left it at that. After many other doctors, though none as bad as that one, it was discovered that I have an incurable chronic pain disorder. Another good one, I wanted to get my tubes tied when I came of legal age to do so, I went to a Dr, got on the exam table and waited...and waited... and waited , after a 45+ minute wait his nurse comes in and says " he is refusing to see you" turns out , he looked at my age and completely dismissed me on that. It didn't matter that I was the legal age to get the procedure, that I was married, or that with the chronic pain thing, carrying a baby to term could kill me. Nope he left me in there long enough to bill my insurance and sent me home because I was " too young"
I was having a biopsy for cervical cancer. The doctor told me that if it was cancerous I should NOT have a hysterectomy, but to have as many babies for my husband as I could. When I mentioned this to my own dr, he said nothing. I had the hysterotomy and have ONLY gone to women dr's from then on. (My husband was furious at the "dr's") I feel it was a mixture of gender and culture that makes many of them treat us like livestock.
I still remember as a teenager my medication dosage was too high, and a side effect was suicidal thoughts. I told my Dr. (First and only time I saw him), that the dosage was too high and I was having this scary side effect. He told me if I was having suicidal thoughts, then I need to go to a psych ward. He completely dismissed that 1. I never had suicidal thoughts before and 2. This was a valid side effect, which was very clearly printed in the info for the medication. I was actually scared that he was going to call a psych ward himself. I was 16.
If anyone ever asks why I am into patient-centered medicine? I was trained in medicine. I have an MD. These a$$holes are the ones who teach students hwo to handle patients, and so the misogyny and bigotry and hatreds just spill into the attitudes even if the students try not to let it. Thus, please forgive the shouting: REPORT EVERYTHING TO A MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND LICENSING BOARD. Eventually, not even the sociopaths can get away with "I was joking". YOU HIRE THE DOCTORS. YOU CAN FIRE THEM. Please, do so. And don't fear to write them up. Not a lawsuit. Just complaints. And see if their staff members like them. Front office especially staff tend to be on the wrong end of stuff more than the nurses, in my experience.
I recall getting a $2,500US hospital bill because I passed out from the shock of my mother's cancer diagnosis. Their solution was to load me onto a gurney, wheel me down to have my vitals checked, then stick me in a room without doing anything for about an hour until I finally told them I was fine (because I was). They sent me home with directions on how to properly breathe when on the verge of passing out. I could have gotten that for free from Google, you jerks.
I think everyone has had an unprofessional doctor at some point. You do not have to put up with it, you can disagree, you can and should speak up to the doctor, and you should go to a different doctor. You do have worth and rights.
My mom had a miscarriage and when she found out she was obviously really sad. so she is sitting there crying and the doctor doesn't know what to do, but instead of trying to comfort her, the docter says, "it is okay, it was just a fetus" my mom didn't go back to that doctor for obvious reasons.
"You're tired all the time? All women over 40 are tired all the time, get used to it." (Turned out to be a parathyroid tumor.)
My worst one was a doctor who just suddenly started talking about sex and having a boyfriend and me being on birth control, im transgender and aroace i kept trying to tell her again and again it wasnt relevant but she wouldnt accept it and didnt stop 🤢🤮 they really need to ask people whether things are actually relevant to them, i only had a cough!
Remember people, YOU are in control of your health and wellbeing. If you get a jerk/abuser, report and go somewhere else. IF YOU WOULD NOT TAKE THIS FROM ANY OTHER PERSON, THEN DON'T TAKE IT FROM A DOCTOR, NURSE ETC.
Wasn't there a post a few days ago that said something like if you are not a professional you should shut up about covid vaccines?That if someone is a truck driver you won't ask the person to treat your toothache?Well this post makes it clear,doctors can be uneducated idiots like everyone else.Being a professional doesn't make you being ALWAYS right about everything.
In Western civilization, women's health used to be taken care of by other women. They were called midwives, or healers. They had centuries of collective experience with herbal medicine, massage, and common sense. But when men invented scientific medicine they began to persecute the women healers. These women were called witches. They were outlawed, and murdered. Today their practices continue to be mocked, even though many pharmaceuticals are derived from the same plants used by the herbalists of old. Learning the history of these things explains a lot about the present.
I had a friend that was having some serious issues. Went to a few different doctors. One told her straight out that she was either faking it or a hypochondriac. Then when she LOST THE USE OF HER LEGS, the ER finally did a scan of her head. Turns out she had a brain tumor the size of a BASEBALL. Luckily, it was operable, and she really suffered no long-term effects, but obviously that was luck.
I was taken to ER on a Saturday night, suffering a miscarriage. Our small local hospital didn't have place for me (needed DNC) so I was transferred, with my notes to next town. My new doctor asked for medical history and I told him about my cervical cancer, 7 years before. My notes, which he didn't look at, confirmed this. I was told I was lying and had never had cancer! It made a heart-breaking moment one which I can't grieve for, I just get angry because of him.
It doesn't matter what I go in for; they ALWAYS tell me it's because I'm overweight.
This is so sad!!! Anyone working to help people, should be doing just that. If they won't, they should not be allowed to work in the medical field, ever!
Anyone remember Ann Landers? She once wrote that we have to keep in mind that 50% of the doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class.
I was getting a second opinion for a hysterectomy, due to suspected cancer. The surgeon I DIDN'T go with actually said "I could do a gastric bypass while I'm in there". OK, yes I am overweight. But I know that recovering from a gastric bypass isn't a walk in the park. I couldn't imagine doing so while maybe dealing with cancer. The surgeon I did have do the surgery was shocked he would say that.
There are, like in every profession, ignorant people. I'd say the majority of medical professionals are not like this. I wouldn't judge all Dr's by the few unprofessional ones.
Anyone who still thinks doctors, nurses, really any professional that once held high regard in society are above reproach and should never be questioned are stuck in a different time. Always be respectful, but NEVER allow bad behavior to go unchallenged. Sometime people who go on to get advanced degrees are so stunted in their ability to deal with people properly that they think they can blurt out whatever comes to mind. Their sense of entitlement of never being questioned or contradicted is a red flag to go to someone else. Remember, their opinion of you does not make it true, they are not infallible, and should be treated the same way you would deal with anyone else who is insulting
I have a contraceptive implant in my arm. When i was 19 they decided to perform a surgery without any painkillers, in front of many students. They got it out in half an hour, many pliers involved, 4 people to hold me while i was yelling: "got me another doctor! let me gooooo! STOOOOOP!". I think that they just wanted to show the students how it is without anesthesia! The thing is stuck in your arm for 3 years, many adhesions, the thing is attached in your arm. I was shaking when i got out of the hospital, completely traumatized. When i got the bill i wrote them a letter explaining that i won't pay for butchery and torture, and if they wanted to try more to be paid i will sue them. They did not try to send another letter. YEAH! At least the torture was free.
Adenomyosis patient with female gynaecologist: 'How much longer do I have to be in pain?'. 'Well, you are 42 years old now and in a few more years you'll have the menapause and you won't have to deal with it.' Patient who is pregnant and needs a heart and lung transplant in consultation with another female gynaecologist: 'Basically, you shouldn't have got pregnant and now you'll have to terminate the pregnancy ... All you have to do is have a transplant and then you can have children... But we will do an ultrasound, but it's probably dead already and you don't know'. Further information:I was the patient in both scenarios. As a woman, I feel that I can either have a v*g*n* or a voice but not both. '
I was amazed and horrified as I read this. I have seen many doctors and the worse comment I ever received was when I still had a problem (not life threatening) and took my son in for a check up. Dr. asked me how my problem was and I answered " no better" He answered back "too bad". I never stepped foot in his office ever again!
went to get what I thought was a urinary tract issue (couldn't stop dribbling urine but the urine dip test said I didn't) so the doctor sent me for a blood test, while I was there I ask what else it could be. Because I found my question impertinent he bluntly said" I think your belly is to big and pressing on your bladder, I would like to send you to a gastric specialist to have a gastric sleeve placed" walk out and never saw that doctor again. turns out I had a kidney infection.
This one sticks with me whenever I DARE to wear black. When I was about 26 I broke my wrist and needed a cast. The doctor who was examining me to decide what kind of cast, etc. was an older white man probably in his upper 60s. It was mid-october and I was wearing a black sweater with skeletons on it and blue jeans. Instead of taking my Halloween-based sweater for what it was he entered and immediately laughed. He shut the door and then said "so you're one of those 'emos' huh?" I knew what he meant but decided to play dumb after my initial shock and asked him to explain it. He flubbered out, tried to nervously point out the black and the fact I have short hair, and went on with his job. In the end I didn't pick the dark purple cast I wanted and chose black just to jazz him.
I have had so many doctors tell me ny weight was the root of everything wrong in my life. It's ridiculous. Worst situation i have been in with a doctor though was this one time i had an emergency appointment on a weekend cause i had severe ear pain and this old male doctor, to check my ears, pressed his penis against my leg the entire time he examined me. I left the office in tears. He wasnt the doctor i usually saw at the office, but i still never went back there.
I have known many doctors, having had polio at age 6. The GP who saw me through that, was a wonderful man, always explained things to my mom, and many years later, an adult, we went to visit him, Mum went into the rooms to tell him there was a visitor outside, he came out, and almost cried when he realised who it was, driving her own car. I had almost completely recovered from the polio.
After three years and three doctors who all told me my leg pain was a strained hip flexor muscle, I finally got a doctor to listen to me. After an x-ray, it turns out my right hip has severe arthritis and I'll probably need hip replacement surgery. When I asked one of the doctors if there was a way to check on the muscle, she said in a very condescending tone, "Well, we can't x-ray muscle you know."
I couldn't get through all the comments and stories. Sadly most of these issues are ignored by our Health Providers, but frankly our system for Health Care in America doesn't care. They wake every day and go to work in their Massive, Expensive Hi-Rise world. One thing's sadly for sure: The older you get, the worse it gets.
I broke my hip when I was 28. Before I got the X-Ray results, the ER didn't believe that I was in a lot of pain. They scoffed when I said I needed help changing into a hospital gown. The test results showed the fracture, only after they almost xrayed the wrong leg.
I'm thankful that my family always had this trusty family doctor, but i feel so sorry for the people that have encountered terrible doctors.
How these "doctors" haven't been sued out of existence is beyond me.
Worst doctor experienc, I had been feeling crappy for about 4-5 months and couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong, Finally go to the doctor and get my blood drawn and my sugar levels was 340. Doctor said I need to be careful and let me leave the clinic!!! A week later I was in the ER with ketoacidosis and had to be admitted to the hospital. I was in there for 4 days.
Once had a rash on where my bra line was and around my breasts, I tried to show the doctor and he averted his eyes and told me to cover up. I looked at the female nurse in the room and she was as shocked as I was, when I tried to explain myself he made me feel extremely uncomfortable and like I had done something wrong. On another occasion, a very recent one I explained to my current doctor why I don't want the covid vaccine. He had been giving me s**t about it but my reasons are my own, I am not an anti-vaxxer, I literally had my TDAP booster at this appt....he asked if I would get the vaccine if he decided to withold my meds.
Where does it stop? I think it must be up to us to stand up for ourselves because no matter who you report these MORONS to nothing seems to happen. A lot of times they harm when they are helping for example giving Oxys for minor things and keep repeating the script. Making a drug addict. Take penicillin if you got a fart crosswise this new drug will fix you up now we have MRSA's. There were so many drugs abused by Doctors giving them to patients its astronomical!. The last two Idiots I had looking after my health (take with a pound of salt). They don't believe their patients you tell them something and they subject their on morbid thoughts to it. For example there should be mutual trust between a patient and a doctor yet they want you to piss in a bottle to prove you are not a drug addict don't see any trust here. My doctor was a piece of s**t he exposed me to COVID! I reported him and nothing of consequence happened. No wonder we have lost our trust in Doctors!
At my first visit, I told the doctor that I suffer from depression. He said, "Well, it's not like your whole family was killed in a plane crash." WTF?!
I've suffered chronic depression since I was probably 8 years old. I went through a bad period of really, really severe suicidal depression, and FINALLY decided to mention it to my doctor (after decades of not telling pretty much anybody I was having trouble). I mention to my doctor that I'm having depression, it's getting bad, I'm having trouble with it. He just laughed and said "Yeah, there's a lot of that going around recently."
I was super clumsy and would mix up words as a kid, broke my ankle once, dislocated the same ankle and broke that leg 25 years later, cracked my tailbone falling down a flight of stairs, broke my nose and broke a finger, sprained my ankles almost every spring and summer, constantly had leg pain that was so bad I wouldn't be able to sleep (when I was as young as 6). When I was 12 I slipped and slid down a flight of stairs 3 different times in 1 week, leaving my right butt cheek with a deformed lump of scar tissue. I was told this was all bc I talked too fast and didn't pay attention to where I was going and had "growing pains". In college my feet would hurt so bad after working on them for 8 hours I sometimes had to ask for a ride back to my dorm bc I couldn't walk the 300 yards. Was told it was bc I was too heavy. In my 20's my legs went tingly from the waist down for over 2 years, and even went numb for 3 months. My Dr said it was a pinched nerve, meds didn't help and neither did the chiropractor. Sent me to a specialist who looked at me and without asking me a single question told me I was too fat and to lose 100 pounds and my problems would go away. Lost 110 pounds, problems never went away. Turns out, I have MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and I've had active MS since I was a young child. Didn't get properly diagnosed until a year after I had worked for the National MS Society for a year and gone blind in my left eye.
Nobody should ever question getting a second opinion after reading this.