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My wife has been having bouts of postnasal drip for prolonged periods of time, lasting several hours and going on every single day. This has been occurring for about six months, and it's only getting worse. She coughs up copious amounts of sputum with no relief, despite taking many over-the-counter medicines.
Tonight it was so bad that we decided that she should go to the emergency room. She felt that her throat was closing up. We went to the hospital at 3:30 in the morning. She was constantly gagging and clearing her throat. When the doctor came, he just opened the drapes and barged in while my wife was still getting dressed into a hospital gown. He reprimanded her, "Could you stop that! That's disgusting!" Our jaws dropped. My wife said, "I can't stop it! That's why I'm here!" He said, "So do you want me to treat you?" My wife said, "Are you going to apologize?" He said, "No I'm not!" and walked out.
I and my brother-in-law, who accompanied us, told the doctor how unprofessional and uncompassionate he was. My wife was in tears. He called security to have us removed. I've never, in my life, seen a doctor treat a patient this way.
My wife and I are over 50, and this behavior by a doctor is apalling. My wife's blood pressure was elevated from the medications she's been taking. Also, she could have been in anaphylactic shock, because her throat was closing up. Fortunately, by the time we got home, the medications she took began to ameliorate the symptoms. My wife is having self-esteem issues from this. Has anyone had any experience like this? What do you think we should do?
My wife has been having bouts of postnasal drip for prolonged periods of time, lasting several hours and going on every single day. This has been occurring for about six months, and it's only getting worse. She coughs up copious amounts of sputum with no relief, despite taking many over-the-counter medicines.
Tonight it was so bad that we decided that she should go to the emergency room. She felt that her throat was closing up. We went to the hospital at 3:30 in the morning. She was constantly gagging and clearing her throat. When the doctor came, he just opened the drapes and barged in while my wife was still getting dressed into a hospital gown. He reprimanded her, "Could you stop that! That's disgusting!" Our jaws dropped. My wife said, "I can't stop it! That's why I'm here!" He said, "So do you want me to treat you?" My wife said, "Are you going to apologize?" He said, "No I'm not!" and walked out.
I and my brother-in-law, who accompanied us, told the doctor how unprofessional and uncompassionate he was. My wife was in tears. He called security to have us removed. I've never, in my life, seen a doctor treat a patient this way.
My wife and I are over 50, and this behavior by a doctor is apalling. My wife's blood pressure was elevated from the medications she's been taking. Also, she could have been in anaphylactic shock, because her throat was closing up. Fortunately, by the time we got home, the medications she took began to ameliorate the symptoms. My wife is having self-esteem issues from this. Has anyone had any experience like this? What do you think we should do?
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well I would report this asap to the hospital, but my guess is, there isn't too much you can do. He sounds like a jerk to me. Let us know what happens.
Try a neti pot for the nasal drip. For the doctor, I'd speak to the hospital administrator, chief of medicine... Just keep at it till you get a formal apology.
Read my recent thread asking about General Surgeons. I had a terrible experience with one. My PCP told me to report the general Surgeon to the state medical board. That surprised me because doctor's stick together. I wasn't even contemplating it. My PCP brought it up, and said she strongly felt I should do it.
Definitely seek recourse. Report him to the hospital administration and the state medical board. Use every avenue you can because your wife is having self-esteem issues because of this. When I left the general surgeon's office, I was shaking all over inside. I went straight to my PCP's office to tell them what happened and started crying while I was telling them. I was shaking inside for two days. I couldn't figure out why I felt so shaky because mentally I got over it and felt like I was a survivor or escaped having the crazy loon do surgery on me.
My PCP prescribed klonopin. Just one dose and I stopped shaking. Haven't needed a second dose. I think I was shaking because of trauma. I got over it mentally, but my body hadn't physically gotten over the adrenaline fight or flight response.
Please continue to find out what's wrong with your wife. See an ENT. I don't want to assume everyone is having something similar to experiences in my family, but there is such a thing as cerebral fluid leaks that happen through the nose or ear.
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This kind of treatment is precisely why I simply stopped going to allopathic doctors. Been seeing a supervisor of student clinicians at the teaching clinic of a naturopathic university, and I am grateful every day for the genuine care, as well as the competence of the individuals who help me take care of my health. I hope this country is trending away from the phony doctors with God complexes.
Sounds like there's something missing from the story. I work in the ER and there are so many people around that would have witnessed this. Your wife was "seen" by the physician, and would have to be discharged, even with security. Just doesn't sound right.
Last edited by in_newengland; 09-18-2013 at 04:09 PM..
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He's obviously not suited for the current one.