My doctor is hiding my X-ray from me.

Posted by Mrs. Donna M. @donnaejm, 3 days ago

I had an X-ray that showed a black spot in my rib in 1/2023. I still haven't been able to get it. They sent me X-rays 3 times and the one that shows the black spot is missing. I've had mammograms 20 years ago that showed cicle shaped calcium deposits in my milk ducts and said "don't worry as long as they're not round it's not cancer", then next mammogram found round calcium deposits in them and said "don't worry as long as they're not cicle shaped it's not cancer". Each time the doctor said it's not cancer without ever even doing any other tests. None of the doctors have ever even done a physical examination of my breasts. My ribs beneath my breast no longer are smooth they feel more like the back of a dinosaur covered with lumps. I feel unheard and like the doctors think I'm ignorant. I had chest x-ray that showed a black spot in my rib and my doctor not only never spoke to me about it but is actually hiding it from me!!! Yet right after he saw it he prescribed me codeine for pain and after all the years I've been seeing him with spinal stenosis and all these other extremely painful problems he's never prescribed any kind of pain medicine for me. I can't get a copy of it or a picture of it. I have every single symptom of stage 4 metastatic breast cancer yet none of my doctors believe me. All the way down to tumor like growths growing down my ligaments and tendons in my lower legs, along with constant twitching in my calves. Excruciating pain in places that shouldn't hurt. I'm so tired it's unbelievable. And I have to fight to force myself to eat to stay above 110 lb. I wish I could find a doctor that would actually listen to me and understand that I'm not an ignorant human being I actually have a high IQ. I don't do my research through Google, I generally go to Mayo clinic or Johns Hopkins or other national research hospitals and centers. I even had one doctor tell me that I was on the wrong website I didn't know what I was doing. I finally sent him a photo of my diploma being a web producer. I feel like it's really hard being a woman speaking to a doctor because most doctors do not take women seriously even women doctors. Had heart problems for years and women doctors still blow off women's heart attacks as indigestion or panic attacks or something like that. My chest pains turned out to be a clogged artery in my heart that I now believe is probably 95% clogged. I don't even have the energy to bathe. What's worse is it's the Widowmaker artery, and I'm having a hard time getting in to see a new heart doctor because the old one moved away. I honestly believe I'm in desperate need of a stent or something, and soon! I find it strangely odd that in today's world, even women doctors do not take women's complaints seriously. I don't know if anybody else ever feels like I do, but I feel totally unheard.

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katgob | @katgob | 3 days ago

MRS Donna- Are you in a small town? Are you near another hospital? Seems if you are not being heard, you need a 2nd opinion. I feel your pain as you write, and it makes no sense that no one is listening. You have way too many body issues. Do not give up.

vic83 | @vic83 | 2 days ago

If your insurance allows you, change doctors.
The Law now requires that all tests be posted on the Internet for the patient to have access. The reading of the x-ray by the radiologist should be included. That will tell you what they found
Unfortunately, tests are not always done well as I have documented with a local clinic....I found a test summary contradicted itself! And Doctor Notes contradicted the report. One has to be vigilant.
However, I would make a suggestion. Keep your correspondence short and to the point. That is how you get their attention. We used to say at work that it takes a long time to write a short memo.

wellgirl | @wellgirl | 1 day ago

Mrs. Donna: If you have Medicare, you can see a doctor out of network. I know this because almost all of my doctors are out of network. You need to go to a major hosptial like Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Dana Farber, Memorial Sloane Kettering... Every region of this country is blessed with major hospitals or Cancer Centers.
You may need to travel some distance but it will be worth it. When I had my last mammogram at a major Cancer Center, there were women in the waiting room who had driven three and a half hours to get there. They did it because they felt they were getting better care at a major cancer center. I travel 55 miles to get my care.
Because you feel you have heart disease as well, you need more than on oncologist. You need a cardiologist.
I can't imagine how it benefits your doctor to withhold information from you. If you get a second opinion at a major center, the doctors there will review all of your records. If something is missing (hidden) they will have you tested again. At the very least, you will have your first diagnosis confirmed. Your care will then be in good hands.
I've learned that for some people (like me) delivery of care: listening, showing compassion, educating , is as important as the medical treatment itself. I leave my doctors' appointments feeling healthy and hopeful rather than demoralized and unheard.
Notice others in this group are saying the same thing. Get a second opinion.

moshi | @moshi | 1 day ago

God Bless you friend. Don't give up. We're here to support you... Be direct and don't stop until you get the answer. The squeaky wheel get's the grease...
Biggest hug ever...