2nd Time Around. Surgeon Issues

Lynette73

2nd Time Around. Surgeon Issues

Lynette73

hi. ..

In 2012, I had a cyst in my left breast and several intraductal papillomas removed from my right breast.   The Surgeon I went to had little to no bedside manner. In fact after my billateral procedure, I ended up with a seroma in the left breast. I was scared to death and ended up going to the ER because I was in so much pain I couldn't walk. When I went back to see him for my follow up visit he basically made me feel like I was silly for going and then I was wasting his time.

fast forward two years. About 2 weeks ago I noticed a black head like discharge coming out of my left breast and I also noticed 3 new lumps.  

I went to my OBGYN who unfortunately referred me back to the same surgeon. Luckily for me, she felt enough concern to order a bilateral mammogram and ultrasound which I will have on the 25th. I had to see him today due to the discharge concerns. My appointment lasted all the 10 minutes, he felt my breasts told me that he didn't really feel anything and that he'll just have to wait to see what the mammogram says and then tried to leave the room.

I stopped him to ask him a few questions in regards to the lumps I'm feeling around my nipple and in the same area where he removed the previous cyst.  He basically told me that if the discharge isn't bloody there's nothing to worry about and then I need to wear a better bra. I was flabbergasted it's bad enough the emotional toll that these types of situations places on a woman but you have a doctor completely disregard your feelings and act like it's all in your head it's beyond frustrating.

I'm going to have the test done and after the results come in I will be looking for another surgeon. I just hope that there arent other women out there who have to deal with an imbecile like this man.

if a patient comes back to you two years later with the same symptoms as before wouldn't you think that he would take it a little bit more seriously but again his bedside manner hasn't changed. Thank you for letting me vent 

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You are certainly not alone.  It makes such a big difference in your experience of diagnosing a medical problem.  As you said, if you have someone with poor bedside manners, it doesn't make you want to go back to them.

There are certainly exceptions, but, in general, surgeons have a reputation for having poor bedside manners.  I think most surgeons go into surgery because they like to do surgery, which means they like their patients sedated.  I read one psychooncology book which said that if you want 'warm and fuzzy', its generally better to get that from your medical oncologist, not your surgical oncologist.  The book said (paraphrasing) 'you can't expect the person who takes you apart and puts you together again to be warm and fuzzy.'  I have had 2  (not breast) surgeons in particular, who were one of the exceptional surgeons who do have a good bedside manner.

Of course, doctors are individuals, and I certainly have had medical doctors who had poor bedside manners too.   I sure hope I never have any more breast problems that require surgery, because I certainly don't like the breast surgeon I had.  If I do have more surgery-requiring breast problems, I hope she has retired before then.  To me, this is especially important if I know I'm going to have an on-going patient-doctor relationship with them.

Sometimes I hope that people will change.  But some people are open to looking at themselves and changing, and some aren't.  It can make it very hard on their patients.

When you deal with a situation that is beyond your control, to me, it is helpful to at least have some control over your 'team'.  Best wishes to you.