Doctors can be useless. A Rant.

What did you want? to be diagnosed with liver cancer?

Well, getting a negative liver ultrasound probably rules out serious liver issues? (In combo with a blood test). Presenting with symptoms that could be serious and being told "there's nothing serious we can find" isn't "useless."

However, I agree that $700 to not resolve either of your symptoms is dumb -- welcome to the USA

In our for profit health system, doctors have no time to spend with patients and just push them off on a prescription or test instead of really taking the time to give them a thorough exam and talk about all potential health issues. Young people get the short shrift because Drs. know that the odds are good that it will just pass.

How'd you know you had jaundice if the tests were negative?

I know that doctors know a great deal and that there are a thousand possible ailments for most sets of symptoms, but speaking just as a runner, they were useless to me when I was injured with their advice of rest/quit, anti-inflammatories, and ice. PT's know how to get you back running.

Gilbert syndrome

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166971

OP is absolutely right. It seems many doctors just BS because they know almost all of the patients will be submissive and believe anything the doctor can convince or tell them just because they're considered "experts." Lot of professional incompetence amongst doctors but they have so much free leverage from the clueless public.

bot bot bot wrote:

Paid about 700$ for this combined and these guys went home and spent it on granite countertops or political donations, idfk.

Firstly, have to say that in Australia, it wouldn't have been anywhere near $700 cost for those tests and visits...max $150, and none of that would have been passed on to patient.

Perhaps the takeaway here is that you need Medicare.

Anyway, you needed a full blood test (also no cost to you here) etc to count anything else out.

The dry eyes is actually 'wet eyes', i.e. the irritation causes tears , which is dry- compared to the eye drops, which should work...find a better type , on the shelf in pharmacy

Other than that they could have diagnosed you with hypochondria

Harambe wrote:

Well, getting a negative liver ultrasound probably rules out serious liver issues? (In combo with a blood test). Presenting with symptoms that could be serious and being told "there's nothing serious we can find" isn't "useless."

However, I agree that $700 to not resolve either of your symptoms is dumb -- welcome to the USA

Obviously not a health care provider. Thanks for chiming in.

Precious Roy wrote:

In our for profit health system, doctors have no time to spend with patients and just push them off on a prescription or test instead of really taking the time to give them a thorough exam and talk about all potential health issues. Young people get the short shrift because Drs. know that the odds are good that it will just pass.

Wait for universal health care. It will be so much better. Doctors will work harder for sure. Quicker diagnosis and treatment. Basically, utopia.

yes. this wrote:

Wait for universal health care. It will be so much better. Doctors will work harder for sure. Quicker diagnosis and treatment. Basically, utopia.

Been working here for 40 yrs

Agreed.

For months I've been unable to run as I have lost all strength in my muscles. Loads of other concerning symptoms. They said I have "anxiety" and washed their hands of it. Gave me a prescription with a side effect that was much worse than any of the symptoms.

Harambe wrote:

Well, getting a negative liver ultrasound probably rules out serious liver issues? (In combo with a blood test). Presenting with symptoms that could be serious and being told "there's nothing serious we can find" isn't "useless."

However, I agree that $700 to not resolve either of your symptoms is dumb -- welcome to the USA

Why does this have to be resolved?

It's painfully obvious that you have coronavirus. My condolences.

It is interesting sociology if we were to review how those behaved in Austria & Germany 80 years ago and one has to admit that Austrians & Germans are more civilized than those in U.S. today. For profit medicine is great for a select few in U.S. What Affordable Care Act did was make that select few even wealthier. Affordable Care Act turned many in our U.S. med system from 1/2 millionaires to multi-millionaires. You do know in Austria today 50 Euro per month gets a citizen medical out-patient, surgery, dental clinical & dental surgery, psychology out-patient & psychiatric in-patient. One only pays for eye glasses in Austria. I do not like to hear you are not getting good to great medical care O.P. This goes back about 100 years in U.S. Republicans then wanted citizens to strive for a good to great corporate job in order to get health care. Those not working for a large corporation, those who could not afford private insurance just went sans health care 100 years ago. Governor Huey Long, LA wanted to change that. Long wanted to run for U.S. President to the left of F.D.R., campaigning on single-payer government sponsored healthcare for all. A medical doctor assassinated Long, 1935.

Not sure what your point is, but didn't Germany 80 or so years ago introduce the world to their death camps?

makes sense wrote:

Harambe wrote:

Well, getting a negative liver ultrasound probably rules out serious liver issues? (In combo with a blood test). Presenting with symptoms that could be serious and being told "there's nothing serious we can find" isn't "useless."

However, I agree that $700 to not resolve either of your symptoms is dumb -- welcome to the USA

Why does this have to be resolved?

I doesn't have to be but dry eyes and painful and jaundice can't be fun to have. Should the OP not be upset that they went to the doc and nothing was done about their symptoms?

yes. this wrote:

Harambe wrote:

Well, getting a negative liver ultrasound probably rules out serious liver issues? (In combo with a blood test). Presenting with symptoms that could be serious and being told "there's nothing serious we can find" isn't "useless."

However, I agree that $700 to not resolve either of your symptoms is dumb -- welcome to the USA

Obviously not a health care provider. Thanks for chiming in.

It's true, if I was an HCW I'd be pumped we are still charging out the booty for tests or whatever.

We are human. We are limited by our tools. I sincerely apologize for not having a magic wand.

Oh by the way you probably have Gilbert's disease. Avoid stress. There's no cure and it's totally benign. We know exactly what causes it and it's very common. You have a dysfunctional bilirubin uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase enzyme. Docs didn't cause that. And they can't fix it. I'm sure your doc ordered labs and a US to rule out anything scary. Be glad you don't have a real problem.

I am living with this now with my aged mother and I wonder if it is not just the nature of medicine. She presents at the hospital with total kidney failure and she cannot speak. The cause of the failure could be drugs, infection-they simply don't know but after having withdrawn all drugs and lots of IVs she has shown normal kidney function and breathing. She still cannot speak. I think she might also have had a stroke, but they won't do a brain scan with her kidneys. I want them to try harder at finding out why she developed chronic (not gradual) kidney failure. They don't quite come out and say it, but it is clear that given her age and their condition they don't see the benefits relative to costs.