About a month ago, the severe back pain started. It happened when I sat down. It didn’t hurt when I was standing or walking. It was severe back pain.
So I called my PCP
I had a history of pain in this area of my back, but it would come and go and was never this severe. I thought this back pain was due to scoliosis and arthritis. My PCP agreed and told me to continue with the steroid pack that a doctor friend had prescribed for me.
I had one night of rest and then the pain returned with a vengeance. So I went to the Chiropractor. He took an x-ray and said it looked like I had a kidney stone. A shout out to that awesome practice and also a link! http://citypointchiro.com/ They are a totally amazing and holistic clinic!
I went back to my PCP. I still had back pain.
When I met with the MA, I suggested we do a urinalysis. I am a nurse, so I have a way of leading doctors down a path, if I think they require that.
So far, I had been very impressed with my PCP. However, he obviously misdiagnosed this one.
They did a urinalysis.
Then they said I would need to see a Urologist. They would set up a referral. I had been down that road with my PCP before and the referrals never seemed to happen so I arranged an appointment with a Urologist on my own.
I showed him the x-ray and the reason for my back pain.
He said he couldn’t see much from the x-ray. So, he wanted a CAT scan. I paid over $200.00 for a CAT scan and then he said he couldn’t read the CAT scan.
I am like WHAT???!!! Are you kidding me? You ordered a CAT scan and then can not figure out how to read it on your computer? What the fudge!!!
So I was pretty frustrated at this point. I decided to change course.
I figured it was time for me to see a Nephrologist, which is a kidney specialist, because by this time my left leg was hurting so bad each morning I could barely walk.
I am thinking, oh, great; I have a doctor who can’t read a diagnostic CAT scan and meanwhile I probably have cancer which is migrating to my bone. Each morning I would take a few steps and have to stop, take pain pills and sit down for awhile before I could do anything.
At first I thought the pain in my leg may have originated from a herb I was taking so I stopped the herb. Then I realized it wasn’t the herb but the antibiotic that my PCP AND UROLOGIST had ordered which was causing the pain. I stopped that and started on probiotics. The pain has decreased but not entirely disappeared.
My appointment with the Nephrologist was a waste of time.
He wanted to do two 24-hour urine collections on me to see why I had developed this kidney stone in the first place.
I almost burst into tears.
I knew why it had developed! I had taken calcium supplements for years to help me sleep and then I took Vitamin C. That is why the kidney stone developed. I didn’t need some stinking lab test to figure that out. Furthermore, I was no longer taking either of those supplements so the findings now would be totally irrelevant.
I still had back pain. I began to think that a kidney stone may be more than these doctors could handle.
Oh, but hold on! They were not done with me yet!
I got a call from the initial Urologist who couldn’t read the CAT scan and guess what?
Now he wanted to do a CAT scan with contrast!
HOLY SHEETS! Really?
Do you know what contrast can do to kidneys which are in distress? It can literally kill them!
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/741018/
It is called contrast induced nephropathy. It only happens with kidneys which are not healthy though. Those which do not have a good Glomerular filtration rate. (GFR)
So, since this back pain started I have had blood in my urine, a high white blood count in my blood and urine and did I mention, severe back pain? Yep, these are all pretty stark and bold signs (like a huge neon billboard) that my kidneys are crying out for some attention. For example, maybe an antibiotic which is effective against the infection?
Definitely NOT IV CONTRAST THOUGH!
I have had doctors literally screw up my body in surgery so bad that I thought I could not live with the pain after.
I am not about to let another Dr. “Stupid” cut into my body again.
Once is enough, the first time was an orthopedic surgeon, not a urologist.
God was gracious enough to heal the horrible fracture that that orthopedic surgeon left me with but I don’t want to test God with my kidney.
So after all of this frustration, I needed to formulate a plan.
1.I need to look to my one and only successful physician which is God. Requesting His presence and peace in dealing with this profession who is clearly still “practicing medicine.”
2.Ask for intercessory prayer from my friends and family which is a large and wonderful group.
3. I need to call the shots with the doctors. I must tell those who are clearly outsmarted by my kidney stone to take a flying leap. I need to do this while remaining calm; trying not to give them help with that flying leap thing by giving them a drop kick in their groin.
(Somehow dealing with stupidity when I am dealing with severe pain does not bring out the “nice” girl in me. I wonder why?)
4. I need to obtain the lab results from Quest and determine how my kidneys are responding to this stone. I must examine the UA, C&S lab, so I can suggest an antibiotic which would kill the infection. Macrobid was not effective at all and led to the intense and shearing leg pain.
5.Arrange for a second opinion with another Urologist and go back to my PCP to make sure he is in the loop because I still consider him to be brilliant and well meaning. I know that from being his patient for several years and he has earned my trust.
I am not sure why I seem to run across so many doctors which seem incompetent.
My sweet friend, Wendy from Rockport, NY keeps telling me, “They are just practicing medicine, honey.” Yet, I am tired of being a guinea pig in their practicing game. This is my life and I would prefer to live it in an abundant fashion.
I have dated doctors and I know the men I have dated are brilliant. My PCP is also a very smart man but I have had dentists, orthopedic surgeons, urologists and nephrologists who seem to be clueless as to how to heal my body.
Once again, many times God has had to take over as physician in the healing department and I give Him my highest recommendation!
I wonder if it is because some specialists think of money before they consider a patient’s well being?
What are your thoughts? Have you ever had a doctor who had a difficult time figuring out your condition?
Have you suspected he was just trying to pad his pockets with needless diagnostic testing and worthless medications?
Enter your comments below.
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