A physicians oath....to first do no harm.

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Fri Dec 22 14:25:45 2000


At one of my appointments in the early 1970's...it made me very angry when a doctor ( Dr. # 1 ) laughed -- as I tried to explain how much pain I was experiencing!! I have no idea why he laughed -- unless this was his way of telling me that he did not believe my pain was real! I knew right then and there that I would not be scheduling another appointment with him; because his inappropriate response caused me to lose all respect for this doctor!

I was labeled as having psychoneurosis ( that my pain was not real -- that "It was all in my head" ) even to the point of seeing the word "hypochondriac" written in my medical records. For six and one-half years, I had NEVER been prescribed the right kind of medication for chronic pain!! Rather, I had been prescribed muscle relaxants, anxiety medications, and tranquilizers.

I had wrongly assumed that the best doctors would be found at the large clinics...such as the Mayo Clinic. I had been to the Mayo Clinic six times over a span of 26 years. Each time I was told that all of my diagnostic tests were negative or normal. I was disappointed. I felt humiliated. I felt defeated. At my 1993 appointment at the Mayo Clinic the doctor, who examined me, was really nice. After he had completed my examination, he told me that his supervisior ( the of the head of the gastroenterology department ) would be in to see me. His supervisor ( Dr. # 2 ) walked in and in a matter of a few minutes began to verbally attack me -- with alot of anger in his voice...insinuating that there was NO explantion for my complaints of severe pain; because all of my diagnostic tests were negative or normal. He told me I was wasting their time!!

Not only was my chronic pain never validated at the Mayo Clinic; but after my experience with Dr. # 2, I felt like I had been verbally abused!!! What these two doctors ( Dr. # 1 and Dr. # 2 ) did to my emotional well-being at that time was reprehensible -- totally undignified behavior for someone who had taken the oath "to first do no harm."

After having lived in chronic pain for so many years, I began to suspect that even my family and friends did not believe me! Whenever others would ask me how I was feeling -- and I would try to tell them -- I quickly noticed that most of them were really not interested in hearing my answer. At first this bothered me; but not anymore!!

Now, the International Adhesions Society Message Board is the place where I/you can safely express my/our innermost thoughts and feelings -- and I/we will not be made to feel that what I/we have to say is not worth talking about. I am ( We are ) among people who have gone through similar or worse experiences!! The IAS Message Board is the place to retreat to. It is here that I/we will not be harmed!!


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