malpractice???

Options
tangles
tangles Member Posts: 508
edited October 2015 in Breast Reconstruction

Feb 2014 I had an LD flap surgery. The PS severed my Long Thoracic nerve and now I have a winged scapula and also a paralyzed arm. I have been though 18 months of hell trying to get this diagnosed. The PS just kept saying all the pain in my back and my lost ROM in my arm was not from him. I do think he knew it was, and didn't want to address it. I spent over a year going to doctors, physical therapist and on lots of drugs. Missed work and many social activities.

A year ago my family Dr. Ordered an EMG on the report it stated "may have long thoracic nerve damage" and she did not report it to me. I just went on searching for answers. I feel both of these Doctors need to be held responsible for my pain and suffering. I would do anything to go back and not have this surgery again. What a mess. To top it off the surgery was a failure and I will still need to have my reconstruction fixed. An legal advice??

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited October 2015

    Hi Tangles. I don't have any legal advice (I'm in Canada) but I just wanted to say how sorry I am that your surgeon made such an egregious error. I honestly didn't know what you were suffering from so I had to look it up. Sheesh. I imagine that too much time has passed for the nerves to regenerate. Is surgery still an option? Can they give you some mobility back in that arm and help the pain a little? The nerve pain must be awful. Hopefully, someone with a little legal expertise will come along shortly. If it's anything like here though, once you sign that consent, nobody is held responsible.Whatever happens, my very best wishes to you that this can be fixed. Hugs.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • runnergirl26
    runnergirl26 Member Posts: 82
    edited October 2015

    I don't have an answer for you but I work in health care and this makes me sick. Best of luck to you. I think my breast cancer was missed in a mammogram and then I found the tumor nine months later and it had already spread to my lymph nodes stage III. I can't even get a second opinion to have someone look at my previous mammograms to see if it was missed. No doctors want to say another doctor missed something. The good old boys/girls network. Hugs to you. I did reconstruction and wish I didn't. My pecs are constantly flexed and tight feeling. So not worth it to me.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tangles
    tangles Member Posts: 508
    edited October 2015

    Runnergirl I think mine was also missed in my mam as you I found it 9 months after I had a mam and it was spread in the lymph and I also did not have clean margins. The tumor was hiding behind my nipple:-( I have had so many doctors make mistakes along this journey who can you trust anymore??

    I am headed up to Mayo Clinic to see if I am a candidate for a nerve replacement surgery.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sam2U
    Sam2U Member Posts: 233
    edited October 2015

    Tangles--I am so sorry this has been so difficult. It would be best for you to consult with an attorney that specializes in medical malpractice.

    I hope the Mayo Clinic can offer you some help.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • macb04
    macb04 Member Posts: 1,433
    edited October 2015

    Wow Tangles,that just sucks. Similar story.Missed on mammo. Have had numerous instances of incompetent care by the doctors at seattle cancer care. I am not too trusting anymore Of md's, thinks that it often stands for morally deficient. Read somewhere that acetyl L carnitine has been shown to repair nerves damaged by diabetic neuropathy. Maybe it might help a little bit?I know its a long shot. Hope that nerve replacement helps you. Sue their selfish, deceitful buts if you can. They get away with murder. Good luck.



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • anotherNYCGirl
    anotherNYCGirl Member Posts: 1,033
    edited October 2015

    I agree re a malpractice attorney, - I have a friend that settled out of court for a good sum of $ for another type of surgical malpractice. She had been referred to a malpractice attorney who was somehow able to determine that her surgeon had settled with several other women with similar situations. It took years, but she did well. Unfortunately though, by settling out of court, the surgeon still appears to have a clean record. :(

    I, too, feel that my 2nd BC was overlooked by the MO that I had been seeing every 3-4 months for 14 years! He never even called me back when i requested/insisted for years for an mri, which I finally had, then needed a biopsy which came back showing malignancy, and he STILL didnt call me back! Its an awful feeling after we trust these drs!

    Perhaps call your local bar association for recommendations?

    Good luck! I hope that you feel better, and get a long term solution!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories