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Old 11-06-2011, 11:38 PM
 
7,569 posts, read 8,608,667 times
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I know there are many cases when doctors failed to diagnose a serious condition, but here I'm interested to hear real stories when doctors wrongly diagnosed someone as having a serious disease, but later turned out the patient was fine, or had a different condition that was much less serious. I think there must be plenty of people being put in a position worrying or fearing for years about something they actually didn't have.
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Old 11-07-2011, 12:12 AM
 
Location: earth?
7,284 posts, read 12,883,262 times
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I was home sick from work when I was 24 and the phone rang. It was the HMO saying that I had ovarian cancer. I hung up the phone and told my toddler that mommy was going to die . . . (I was on the dramatic side, apparently and didn't have the greatest judgment, but I did not have ovarian cancer and if I did, do you think they should just tell you that on the phone and then hang up?)

I also lost a major organ because they misdiagnosed my condition for ten years!

I had a few other mishaps with the HMO over the years (both as serious as the first two . . .yet I am still with them . . .no other ballgame in town)
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Old 11-07-2011, 12:40 PM
 
Location: South Carolina
14,785 posts, read 23,971,367 times
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Oh yes I was sitting on the examing table when the dr came in and I thought he said I had leukemia and he was foreign and he said anemia . Well I was in tears while writing the check and his nurse at the front desk asked me what was wrong and I said I have leukemia and she said what ? Oh no dear you have anemia and she said it very slowly like I was in 5th grade LOL !! all you have to do is take some iron pills and you will be fine . Oh my god I cannot tell you how relieved I was . I went to the
pharmacy and the girl behind the counter said Oh my god you look awful are you okay ? I did not know it at the time my mascara was running all down my face . LOL !!!
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Old 11-07-2011, 01:17 PM
 
Location: earth?
7,284 posts, read 12,883,262 times
Reputation: 8956
Quote:
Originally Posted by phonelady61 View Post
Oh yes I was sitting on the examing table when the dr came in and I thought he said I had leukemia and he was foreign and he said anemia . Well I was in tears while writing the check and his nurse at the front desk asked me what was wrong and I said I have leukemia and she said what ? Oh no dear you have anemia and she said it very slowly like I was in 5th grade LOL !! all you have to do is take some iron pills and you will be fine . Oh my god I cannot tell you how relieved I was . I went to the
pharmacy and the girl behind the counter said Oh my god you look awful are you okay ? I did not know it at the time my mascara was running all down my face . LOL !!!
That's hilarious. My father, when he was very old, got a diagnosis of leukemia, but he thought the doctor said anemia and he never got any symptoms!

Last edited by imcurious; 11-07-2011 at 02:19 PM..
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Old 11-07-2011, 01:25 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
30,264 posts, read 16,022,209 times
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I'm sure there are but I'm curious why you're asking. Sounds like another 'let's dump on the medical profession' post.
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Old 11-07-2011, 02:53 PM
 
7,569 posts, read 8,608,667 times
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Originally Posted by PAhippo View Post
I'm sure there are but I'm curious why you're asking. Sounds like another 'let's dump on the medical profession' post.
Geez.
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Old 11-08-2011, 08:09 AM
 
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,307 posts, read 38,680,380 times
Reputation: 7184
Quote:
Originally Posted by ssww View Post
I know there are many cases when doctors failed to diagnose a serious condition, but here I'm interested to hear real stories when doctors wrongly diagnosed someone as having a serious disease, but later turned out the patient was fine, or had a different condition that was much less serious. I think there must be plenty of people being put in a position worrying or fearing for years about something they actually didn't have.
My elementary school used to participate in an opthamology residency rotation. The long of the short was that every year the students would get checked out by a group of first and second year residents. When my turn in the chair came around, one of the residents told me he thought I was presenting with glaucoma. I was ten, but I knew what that was and I panicked. My parents were both medical and fairly certain that nothing was wrong, but made an appointment with a private opthamologist that they both respected. He gave me a close inspection, turned off his equipment lights, paused for dramatic effect and said "Well, there's nothing wrong with your eyes at all" before turning to my father and breaking into unintelligible medical jargon while explaining what the resident was probably seeing and why it would be disconcerting to a noob.

Always get a second opinion if you're not comfortable with a doctor or his/her diagnosis, but it doesn't necessarily pay to assume that "M.D." = "wrong" or "ignorant due to years of antiquated medical training".
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Old 11-08-2011, 04:51 PM
 
Location: NYC
16,061 posts, read 26,654,105 times
Reputation: 24848
Mom was told she didn't have cancer..turned out she did. Always go with your gut and get a second opinion.

I had a doctor tell me I was fine, and knew I wasn't. Went to another doctor for a second opinion, sure enough....
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Old 11-08-2011, 06:32 PM
 
Location: South Carolina
14,785 posts, read 23,971,367 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by veuvegirl View Post
Mom was told she didn't have cancer..turned out she did. Always go with your gut and get a second opinion.

I had a doctor tell me I was fine, and knew I wasn't. Went to another doctor for a second opinion, sure enough....

Oh my god you know I tell everyone that get a 2nd opinion because that dr aint the one that has to do the dying .
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Old 11-08-2011, 07:34 PM
 
Location: Alexandria, VA
15,111 posts, read 27,588,100 times
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When I'd recently moved to the area I live in now a Doc. actually called me at work to tell me that I had some horrible thyroid disease and typical lifespan was 3-6 mos. - that was in the mid 80's (I'm still here btw)
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