I have done this for mainly for doctors who have helped me along the way and I felt they would benefit from knowing how I am doing.
However, I sent my first "dear john" letter to my family physician the other day along with a copy of an MRI.
He and my LLMD/Rheumatologist misdiagnosed a broken foot as gout. I don't fault them there as the foot was swollen and red like gout (and even may have had an episode of gout as injury can cause gout). The iniitial x-ray taken by the family doctor failed to see the fracture which is also common.
However, when the gout medicine nearly killed me and did nothing to ease the problem as was the case with all the painkillers too, I went back to my family physician asking him to reconsider a fracture.
He shrugged his shoulders and said "I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do." So I had to travel 7 hrs roundtrip to see my LLMD who ordered an MRI. The MRI found the fracture.
Now, why couldn't the FP have done the same thing and saved me the trip and out of pocket expense of my LLMD??
Hopefully he will learn from this experience. Benefits the next patient but not me.
Posts: 11 | From East Coast | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
I am still doing this - I think it's very important to let previous doctors and other medical care providers know what happened. It will probably help the alert ones with the next ones they see.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
When I was first diagnosed with lyme i composed a letter to my PCP.
He was not the one to originally diagnose me with fibromyalgia, but he never tried to find the cause and belittled me when I searched.
He ran an ELISA and told me I did not have lyme.
I detailed how my history and symptoms, along with the individual band results from Igenex (ordered by another Dr) warranted a diagnosis of lyme.
I had already provided him copies of Dr B's guidelines and several other essays/studies/papers that I thought he should read.
I have not had any reason to see him since that time in January.
It was the first time that I decided to put my credential "RN" after my name when I signed the letter.
I normally never would do that, but I wanted him to remember that I had some medical knowledge and had no trouble understanding medical literature.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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