What Do You Do When a Doctor’s Words Aren’t Really a Diagnosis?
It all started three weeks ago when I was walking down the street, heading for my regular swim. I don’t love swimming laps, but I think it is good for me, and I try to keep it up at least once a week. This time would be nicer because I had arranged to have lunch with a friend afterwards.
But suddenly, there was a pain in the right side of my abdomen. Oh dear, perhaps I have a stitch. But it continued, always in the same place, getting worse. I tried prodding it but couldn’t feel anything.
What was under that particular part of my abdomen? Yes, the appendix, but that should be lower down, and I believe you tend to get a fever and possibly even nausea or vomiting. Nope, none of that – just a very strong pain.
Oh dear, perhaps I need to be in hospital. There go my plans for the week. Still, I am generally healthy, so it’s unlikely to be anything too serious.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned my good health to a friend only the day before. One shouldn’t tempt the gods.
I continued on my way, but increasingly felt that I wouldn’t be able to swim. Indeed, something was really, really wrong.
Getting to a Doctor
I got to the pool, found my friend and told her I couldn’t have lunch. She mentioned that her husband suffered regularly from intestinal pains, something called diverticulitis, and I should eat only soothing things. Oh dear, another chronic disease.
I then phoned my GP to see if, by any chance, I could see a doctor that afternoon. The school holidays were still on, and appointments tended to be easier to get over the summer. Anything to avoid Accident and Emergency, which always takes hours these days.
Good luck, there had just been a cancellation.
I took a bus home to relax, drew a circle where the pain was and noticed it was receding somewhat. Still, best to see the doctor just in case.
The doctor’s surgery (yes, that is the English word for the place where doctors work) was close by. I wasn’t kept waiting long. They keep saying that the NHS is in trouble, but we find appointments are processed quickly.
She asked what the problem was and lay me down, pushed and prodded where I had drawn the circle and asked loads of questions. Couldn’t see anything wrong.
I asked about diverticulitis. She said that was usually on the left-hand side and it wouldn’t have gone away so quickly. “Unlikely,” she said.
Diagnosis
She was a good doctor. Don’t get me wrong. She did everything she could do in the circumstances, given that I didn’t have the pain while I was there. She even checked my blood pressure. But she clearly didn’t know what was going on.
“These things happen”, she said. “If it happens again, do come back to see me.”
I didn’t feel any wiser.
Is “these things happen” a diagnosis at all? Sounds a bit like the French expression, used constantly in all sorts of situations, “c’est comme ça.” (That’s how it is.)
I was, of course, relieved that the pain was gone and I wouldn’t be going to hospital that day.
And it has not come back.
These things happen.
Share Your Experience:
Have you had non-diagnoses like this one? How did you feel about it? Do you expect doctors to always have an answer?
Tags Medical Conditions
This could easily ha e been me.but my pain was in the lower left hand side and radiates to the back. I have seen 2 different doctors and both very vague with.my family dr telling me to wait let’s see! The pain comes and goes and has lasted for 2.weeks. Am.at a complete loss. At times certain foods irritate me as I alternate between constipation and runny tumm. Wondering how serious the whole thing is
“These thing happen” is not a diagnosis. This means the assessing provider does not know or have any idea what happened or is happening or why. Some patients might feel silly or incompetent or even confused for showing up at the clinic. The provider could say.”from what you’re telling me and by assessment, I do not see any signs or symptoms of an abdominal emergency at this time.” And then provide appropriate teaching, reassurance and answer any follow up questions.
More and more I am getting appointments with physician assistants rather than with doctors and I wonder if they are as experienced and/or qualified. I now have severe and unexplained bruising on my legs. The physician asst of my GP dismissed the case after blood testing showed normal results (tho no vitamin or iron deficiencies were tested for) as probably just a ruptured tendon in my thigh. When I called one of my dermatologists for an overall skin check, I was told next appointment available was in February but that I could see her physician asst next week. Will a young physician asst (I saw her picture!) be as competent at diagnosing unexplained skin bruising? Should I keep seeking a dermatologist who is actually a doctor to see me? Or should I just accept unexplained severe bruising as a sign of aging thin skin (I am 73)?
I have a PhD but absolutely no medical training and don’t know what to advise you. We also use what we call physician associates in the UK. I suspect some of them are great and some are awful but you and I don’t know which are which.
I would go for another blood test….something isn’t right if the bruises are UNEXPLAINED!
Hi Margaret, GO TO THE DOCTOR NOW AND ASK FOR A COMPLETE BLOOD CHECK. 73 is young and unexplained bruising can be a sign of serious illness. Don’t be fobbed off by anyone.You especially need to know your White Blood Cell level and your Platelets. I write this from experience. Good luck Margaret! ❤️
Bruising? Ask them to check your spleen. They should be doing a CBC, maybe a CT or ultrasound of the spleen and/or MRI to trace the blood flow to the spleen. I just started with a new PA, today, in fact. She is terrific.
Btw, I use the Mayo Clinic site online and find it very helpful. Not sure where you are located.
Unexplained severe bruising should be tested and treated, my goodness: when I had it, it was thrombocytopenia! Not something to mess with. So please, get a second opinion, ask for tests such as the PTT prothrombin or clotting time; a platelet count (very important); and a CBC. If your doc won’t do it, find a telemedicine doc who will order those tests and others to make sure you don’t have a clotting/bleeding disorder or something else. Take photos of the bruises as they change over time, so they can see if it has petechiae or “dotting” or purpura or other diagnostically distinguishing features to the bruise. Because the way things are, by the time you get to see a doc, they’ll be gone. I agree with one of the posts below that says the Mayo Clinic Online site has a lot of good up to date info.
I find a “these things happen” diagnosis reassuring. Unless the symptom returns, then demand more be done to find a cause.
I agree. I just thought it was a funny response.
A few months ago, after a bout with bronchitis, my husband started getting a burning in his chest after exercising. He informed his heart doctor. Nothing to worry about. A couple months later still happening, did chest x-ray, nothing. He went to his primary and he actually did an EKG on my husband. They found it was abnormal sent it over to the heart Dr who ordered 2 more tests. One came back normal, the other test showed an almost blocked artery. Now it’s taking a long time to get in to see another specialist to perform a heart Cath. We had to go 2 hours away because the drs near us said he couldn’t get in for 2-3 months. We had to keep calling the heart Dr to tell him we him we couldn’t get in. We gave up and found the Dr 2 hrs away.
Sounds terrible. My sympathy. I live in the UK and although there is much concern about the National Health Service (NHS), we do get appointments quickly on the whole.