Short Story / Should You Get a Second Opinion?
Should You Get A Second Opinion?
By: Robbie Tittle
Usually, you only go to the doctor for two reasons; a regular check up or you’re not well. If you’re not well, the doctor may require some testing or scans. You’re told to reschedule in a few days if you’re not better and you leave with prescriptions in hand. More often than not, you do begin to feel better.
But what happens if you don’t? You schedule a follow up. You’re thinking, maybe the tests show something. Maybe this could be serious, but these thoughts quickly evaporate, because all you can really think about is how bad you feel.
You’re in the doctor’s office and while you’re waiting you think “God Help Me.” The doctor comes in and says “It looks like you’re not doing so well, are you?” He opens your chart and reviews the test results while you explain your symptoms. You’re hoping he has an answer.
“Well,” he says, “the test we just ran shows…, but nothing serious.” Let’s run a few more tests!” What? You think to yourself. Something should have showed up but you go for more testing. Does this sound familiar?
My personal experience brings me to this question. Should you get a second opinion? I thought about this time and time again. I considered myself to be pretty healthy and never experienced anything other than the common cold. I was in my early thirties, managing a family, a job and my second year in college.
But then, here I was. Not only was I really sick, I couldn’t understand why with all the testing my doctor could not give me an answer to my illness.
A few days after my initial visit, my doctor calls and asks how I’m feeling? I told him, I still felt really bad. He told me to get plenty of rest, fluids and no work. He then says “You might have pancreatitis.” What I asked? He explains it is inflammation of the pancreas usually brought on by alcohol but there are other causes, therefore, making you ill. He instructed me to go to the hospital if I felt worse because this is a serious illness and I may not feel better for a couple of weeks. He prescribed new medications.
I have never heard of it. This was a new medical term to my family and friends and no one had any input except for one friend. She said a friend of hers had it a couple of years ago and was really sick for a few weeks. Wow, I thought! This is a really bad. I took care of myself and began to feel better for a few weeks.
I was at home with my boys when it hit and all the sudden I began to feel my world spin followed by this pain on my right side. It literally took my breath away. I fell to the floor and just started gasping for air. My boys called their grandpa and he rushed me to the hospital. After being drugged and in the ER for hours, the tests were back and showed no red flags. I was advised to follow up with my doctor and released. I saw my doctor and had more tests. I tried to continue my life as normal, or at least, as normal as I could.
Some friends and I went to the local sports bar to watch a game. I had a draft beer and fries. About halfway thru my beer, I began to feel that familiar wave of nausea as the pain in my right side struck with no mercy. My friends took me to the hospital. Once again, I was drugged and in the ER for hours as tests came back a little off, but, no flags. This time they told me no drinking because this could be what is making me sick. I told him, I only drink on occasion and this is the first time I have ever been in here throwing up beer and fries.
Again, in my doctor’s office still experiencing the same symptoms followed by severe pain in my upper right side which penetrated to my back and around. More tests and an MRI this time but still nothing! Everything was within normal range with just a few lows and highs with my blood work up. This went on for months, trips to the ER and my doctor with tests coming back negative. I was given a variety of prescriptions (these just masked the underlying problem). Each time I prayed to god they would find it this time.
My doctor referred me to a gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist took note of all my symptoms and scheduled an upper and lower GI and a hydro scan for my gallbladder. He thought my gallbladder could be the culprit.
I had the hydro scan done at the hospital and the gastroenterologist discovered that I had ulcers in my stomach. I was given medications to heal the ulcers. The ulcers could also be causing my stomach pain. I was excited to begin my treatment.
A few days later, I began to have joint pain in my hips, hands, knees and ankles. I felt so much pain that I could barely walk. I felt that I would die before they figured out what was wrong with me and I was puzzled as to why I was suffering so and no one could figure it out. They were just prescribing medication. My doctor had no answers about the new ailments and referred me to another specialist.
I was rushed to the ER, once again. During this visit, I was treated the worst. I was told I need to see a psychologist and I needed something for depression because nothing could be found. I was so upset. How could they say this to me? What I feel, is real and I have been healthy my whole life, I sobbed. You doctors can’t go above the normal testing to figure it out.
Then the doctor said she would like to do a pap test. “What the Hell!” I yelled! “What is wrong with you people? My pain is not down there!” Now, I was just plain angry. The doctor performed the pap and said everything seemed normal. I am no doctor and I could have told them that. I was being released as the doctor came back in and apologized. “I am sorry Ms. the test results from the hydro scan show that your gallbladder needs to be removed.
I burst into tears! “See I screamed at the doctor! See! I am not depressed! I am sick you F&%$&n freak and you should have your license revoked for treating me like you have. The tears turned sighs of relief because there was an answer. Something easily fixed. It had been five agonizing months. I saw a surgeon the following week and the surgery was scheduled.
My illness was taking a toll not only on me but my family as well. My little boys worried and cried every time a pain attack hit or I couldn’t do anything with them because even the ride in the car would make me sick. So not only was I relieved but so were they. Our lives could get back to normal!
I had the surgery and my gallbladder was removed. I was told it was definitely not functioning and I was sent home to heal. I was so happy when we left the hospital. “Finally, No more being sick” was all I could say. This is where the story should end, but sadly, it does not.
I remained very sick. I felt as if I was throwing up bile by the buckets and running a fever. I called the surgeon. They put me on antibiotics incase I had an infection and nausea medication. I never recovered. I just got worse. I was off work for three months and pretty much stayed in bed unless it was one of our trips to the ER. After a few months of not getting better, I decided to get a second opinion or even a third.
I continued to see doctor after doctor and was told so many scary things from you might have cancer, or this disease or that disease. All in all I had seen 16 different doctors. I knew I was in for the fight of life.
My medications were just band aides and I was giving up hope. I quit taking the medication because I wondered if it might be causing some of my symptoms. I just tried to make it through my work day the best I could and often went home sick. When I did get home, I slept, fought fevers and stomach pain, as well as, the impossible vomiting.
The doctor for my joint pain prescribed anti-inflammatory drug therapy and a “see ya in six months”. I remember just sobbing. I thought we had this great medical profession team and I was so wrong. I am not saying that all doctors are bad; I just felt that with all the doctors, someone should have come up with something.
I began to think, maybe they were right and I should seek help for depression. My sickness had gone on for more than two years. But how can you get fevers, stomach pain and throw up so much bile, time after time, and it all be in your head. My sickness was real and I knew they were wrong.
Instead of going to the ER I would just suffer at home. I got some relief when I popped the pain pills. The pain would start in my stomach area and rip thru my back. I swore, on many occasions, that I had a kidney infection. It was this pulsating pounding pain and each time I would scream for God to Please Help me!
My husband actually took the initiative and wrote to a gastroenterologist doctor in Portland Oregon. I soon had an appointment. This was our last straw of hope. We prayed this would be the doctor with the answers. On the first appointment he wanted to know everything from onset to current issues. He ordered blood work and would call as soon as the results were in. He told us, from my symptoms alone, he had my illness pin pointed, but wanted to confirm before he told us anything.
I felt good about this doctor and, I knew, he knew what was wrong. He called us a week later. I needed a specific ultrasound done before my appointment so we could discuss the test results. I scheduled the appointments.
On the day of my appointment I was so scared. What would he tell me and could I live with his diagnosis whether it is good or bad?
At the appointment the words hit me like bricks. I had chronic pancreatitis. The ultrasound showed the hollowing of my pancreas in great detail. He showed us the scan and said “See its right here in black and white! We found it!” I just cried. I told him when I first got ill they said I might pancreatitis. The blood tests revealed an autoimmune disease which also explained my joint pain.
Ninety-seven percent of the time, Chronic Pancreatitis is caused from alcoholism but since I had no history he did the blood work up for autoimmune disease. I just cried! One, for relief to finally have answers; two, this diagnosis was not completely fixable; three, he cared to get answers; four, the right medication and five, I did not need a psychologist! I needed a doctor to listen and care.
Each day, I continue to fight but, I know what I am fighting. So should you get a second opinion? Yes! You should get as many opinions as it takes to find the answer. Always have hope because doctors sometimes do not know, and only you know how you feel.
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