Dr Jekill & Mr Hyde strikes again!

Soooooo frustrated i could scream, cry & generally need a straight jacket i'm so cross with my consultant!

After 3 months of my work chasing my cons for a medical report he has sent one to them and its complete rubbish (not just my opinion, my HR officer said 'its useless to us and utter rubbish').

In it he states that i don't have asthma (i've had asthma my entire life form a tiny toddler), that i have VCD even though an ENT (top guy in our PCT and as per my respiratory nurse 'knows his stuff and is highly respected') cons categoracally stated that i do not have it.

He also states that although i am very ill during an attack, my peak flow returns to normal within 24 hrs and there is no reason why i should be missing work (utter, utter lies as thankfully well documented by my gp and resp nurse and seen many times by my work that i am extremely sob, coughing and exhausted from days and days of pf at around the 200 mark). Yes, my pf does return to almost normal following nebs, mag sulph, adrenalin etc but only for about 3-5 hours after my attack has finished then i'm massively down on my pf again for days.

I wouldn't mind but at one point he saw me and when i walked in to the room he said ' i could hear you coughing and wheezing through the wall'!

On top of that he's said that i'm only on brochodilators and have had no ill effects from meds.....erm, what about the 9 months of steroids with all the horrible side effects and muscle issues then?!?! Again all documented and discussed with gp, resp nurse and him!

As the icing on the cake he has stated that i should be put on anti-depressants and see a phsychiatrist. Now if i WAS depressed or suffering anxiety i'd have no probs asking for help but i'm not so how dare he make a decision like that without discussing it with me?!

Thank goodness my work know me so well and know its twaddle.

I rang the cons secretary to discuss it and he's refussing to change anything and told me to seek a second opinion. When i pointed out the errors all she could say was 'oh'. I told her if he needs to speak to my gp or resp nurse i don't care but he needs to change the incorrect info as i refuse to have that on my files.

I saw my gp this afternoon and he's thankfully totally backing me re the peak flow, side effects from steroids and no depression and my respiratory nurse is compiling a seperate report for me as well for my work.

My gp has referred me to see another cons through my private medical ins with work so i won't have to see this cons again but how dare he?!

I'm so sorry to rant but i just can't believe this cons. My resp nurses have never had a good word to say about him and now i know why!!

Thanks for reading.

Rant over honest!!!!

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You have my sympathies re-consultant getting things completely wrong I know how fustrating this can be. If he won't change what he has put, first of all complain to your patient liaison officer at your local hospital, then if this does not help write to the hospitals chief executive. Also write to your GP practices manager and ask for this letter to be removed from your file.

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Thanks malawi, I most definitely will be doing that if he wont change it.

My gp hasn't been sent the report so far and didn't want a copy if the work one as hr refused to put it in my records!!

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Oh no That is terrible - what the hell was he thinking?! I'm so glad for you that you do have a very supportive GP, work etc as I can see for many people that could really screw things up for them at work if they weren't being believed. And as you say it's an upsetting letter to have when he gets so many things wrong and basically seems to be implying that the problems are in your head/all have psychological causes.

Don't have much practical advice, but very glad you're getting to see another cons. I think though this is horrible, at least it's meant you are now free of this guy and worrying about which 'persona' he's going to have next time! Crossing fingers new cons is good, and if he can't help then hopefully can refer you to a specialist centre.

Good luck! xx

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I am glad your work are being supportive and know what the real situation is like. The consultants letter could make things very difficult for you under different circumstances. I know your work are paying for you to see another consultant, if you find you have to go back to a NHS consultant at some point in time it might be worth asking for a referal to another consultant.

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Oh my! How can they get the information in your letter so wrong?! Perhaps giving them the benefit of doubt, they was a mixup with details but in any case, it should not happen. I think Malawi2's advice is spot on about having it changed and raise with PALS and hospital management. I am very glad you have good support from your GP, nurse and work.

It is so frustrating when consultants say such <insert relevant words>, I know the feeling from experience too. Even worse sometimes when they don't raise such issues in person rather than leave you to read it later.

Good luck with the new consultant

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I don't know if you asked already, but it is worth asking to see the letters before they are issued to your work and ask for them not to be released until they have your approval. Just in case they need altering. When you signed the approval for work to contact your medical professionals you can write on the bottom you wish to see the letters and approve them before they are given to your work. You can also write directly to the person that your work are contacting and say you want to see the letters before they are sent and you must give your approval before they are sent to your work.

I found this out after I had problems with my GP sending out the wrong info... Letters where changed three times before they got it right...

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Thanks everyone! Sounds like others have experienced similar issues in the past by your replies .

TJ, I was really shocked that he would put in recommendations re anti-depressants in aletter to my work without any discussion with me about this previously, its like he took it as an opportunity to change treatment without seeing me!

My main concern when I read the report was that after having had so much time off work, changing jobs etc, my work would think I've been lying and been sat at home enjoying some time off and that I wasn't really ill. If they'd believed the report I could have been fired.

I'll br speaking to his secretary again early next week and if he's still refusing to change things I will contact pals etc.

Thanks for the support people, its nice ti know I'm not the only one who's had this happen.

X

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That's absolutely appalling Angelica. I'm sooo glad your GP and work are supportive of you. I hope you can get this sorted out without too much hassle. Hugs xx