Size Discrimination in Health Care!!

Something has happened to me that I need to get off my chest and talk to you all about. At first I was going to keep it to myself but after thinking it over I've decided to share...my apologies in advance for how long this post will be. As well it's of  "female" issues so be warned...

I have been seeing my gynocologist for about 8 years or so...She is extremely busy always taking new patients and very money hungry. She is curt, to the point but I've never really had a problem with her up until now. She has never weighed me or ever mentioned my weight.

About 6 months ago I went to see her for my anual check-up. I have fibroids and severe, severe periods. I lose so much blood I am anemic. She would send me for ultrasounds and the technician would always end up doing an internal because my uterus is very high.Even with that they had a hard time reaching my uterus with the ultrasound probe. She at this time decided she wanted to do a biopsy to make sure everything was ok before deciding on the next step. (Her next step was to put me on a Mirena IUD) something that I didn't want because of all the side affects associated with it.

Before I continue I need to say something...in her exam room she has an exam table with NO stirr-ups! I've complained about that because she wants me to keep my feet on the edge of the table with my behind close to the edge and not move!! You have got to be kidding me!! I already have terrible pain in my knees and  she refuses to put the stirr-ups for my feet. (Her reason..."people brake them all the time!!")

Prior to going into her office for the biopsy I had to pay $50.00 in CASH. I went in and she tried to do the biopsy with this long thing that looked like a straw. I was squirming a bit obviously my feet kept slipping, she was annoyed and she said that we may need to do the biopsy again if the sample was not enough. She said she would do the procedure in the hospital where I would be more comfortable and they had longer more appropriate instruments for me as well as...stirrups!! She also said she would not charge me again...

The biopsy did not work!

Biopsy #2 at the hospital. I miss a day of work. My daughter needs to drive me because she told me I could not drive myself so she's missing work. I go in and it's a whole procedure that will be performed in the OR. I was hooked up to an IV and wheeled into the OR where I was told she would perform a hysteroscopy and a D/C. OK...I'm nervous as is and then I hear these BIG words...the nurse explains the procedures to me...not Dr.W.I finally see the Dr. and she assures me all will be ok and that they have all the instruments they need to do the biopsy.

I'm in the OR...there must have been 10 people in there with her. She's trying to insert the speculum to reach my cervix but it doesn't reach! I feel everything and she gives me a shot in-utero to anesthetise me but the pain and discomfort was terrible. After she tried for about 10 minutes or so...she came close to me and said she was sorry but it was not possible that the instruments were not long enough. She was very apologetic (people were around her) and said that she would order special instruments for me.

Biopsy #3...I got a call from the hospital saying that I was scheduled on June 17th and that I needed to go for pre-op on June 15th.(The Dr. had decided to put me under general anesthesia so I would be more "relaxed".) They needed me for  about 3-4 hours.for pre-op.

I decied to call my Dr. to confirm a few questions I had before going again:
1) Was it ok to go even if i was menstruating?
2) Did she have the special instruments she promised me that she would order?
3) Instead of doing a regular d/c could she do an ablation of the uterine wall(burning of the lining) so I would not bleed any more?

The secretary was very quick to say yes..yes to every one of my questions until I told her that if I went to the hospital and it was not the case...I would go back to her office and have a talk with her (the secretary) directly!!

She at that point decided to get Dr.W. Dr. gets on the phone and I ask the same questions.When I asked her about the instruments she said, "No! I didn't get them. The hospital refused." She then proceeded to tell me "...it's because you are so fat it's not possible and the hospital will not waste money on those instruments" She kept telling me I was "fat" "obese" over and over and I could here she was in the reception area because I kept hearing the phone ring. She said that the hospital told her"...tell your patient to lose weight instead". I asked her to repeat herself and the more she repeated the more offensive she got.

She even said about the "ablation" that she would need to contact the company that makes the uterine ablation balloon if my being "so fat" would not make it possible to use and she would not waste the $1000 on me. You can see in the diagram the balloon...what does weight have to do with it?

I then said why in God's name are you going to try a third time?
She said that if I was under general anasth. it might be easier...she would try again!!





Needless to say I cried most of that afternoon at work and got home with my spirit broken. I have always been a very confident person even though I've battled my weight most of my life. Never have I felt so low and degraded.

I cancelled the apt. on the Monday but just as I expected they did not call the hospital to cancel.It was there responsability to do so and they didn't. The hospital called me and told me I had missed my apt. I told them what had happened and I in turn asked them for the number of the hospital ombundsman(patient relations)

I explained everything to her and she was appalled. She was launching an investigation into her allegations that the hospital basically refused to do my biopsy.

I will now follow up with a complaint at medical board of quebec but this now leaves me without a gyno and the need for medical attention.

I even contacted by e-mail the office of Dr.Garneau if they could refer me to someone who does not discriminate based on size. No answer from him yet.

We shall see what will happen and I will keep you posted. If you have read 'til the end I thank-you...and I hope that something like this happens to no-one!

Hugs,
Ada

Dear Ada, you did the right thing sharing that with us, to get it out of your chest... You are at the right place to be understood... What a $%/""$%?* doctor!  She is surely those naturally slim women that don't even know what the word diet is! She has no right treating you like this, and I encourage you to go ahead with your complaints...

The health system is supposed to cover everybody equally, the handicapped, the smokers, the antisocial, the abusers, the drinkers, the toxico...etc... everybody has right to have equal quality health care! But we, obese, are in another category, we are not handicapped, we are not sick, we are big because we lack willpower to eat less and exercise! What a joke! 

When I went to see the knee doctor, when I was 320 pounds, he didn't even said hello, the very first thing he said  as I walked throught the door was: you are too big, that's why you have knee problems, so I cannot do anything for you, lose weight and come back... I didn't even had time to sit down! When I finally get to see another more comprehensive doctor, he found that I have a congenital malformation in my knee that is aggravated by my weight, but that I would have had knee problems even if I was normal weight, maybe later, but would have  anyways...

Try to find another doctor, asking Dr Garneau seems a good idea... I know they sometimes don't have the right equipment to threat us, but I think they should try to get it, they can order those from the US if they don't have it here, because they threat tons of large people there!! 

Your doctor don't want to take the extra time it takes to find special equiment and threat you right, she surely prefer taking easy cases, more money for less time... My family doctor had to order a longer speculum to examine me, and she gladly did it without any bad comments...
Luckily all doctors are not so narrow minded as yours...
Continue with your complaints and hope you'll find a nicer doctor!

((hugs))
Diane

Hi Ada,
I don't have any thing else to add. Except to agree with Diane. And you are definetly in the right place to get it off  your chest.

Hugs to you
Cindy

Thanks for your kind thoughts ladies. It's really frustrating when you need to trust a doctor and they turn around and treat you like "crap".

Diane it's good to know that their are some doctors that are kind and sensitive to our needs...I just need to find them.

I will just keep on fighting and searching.

Good-night for now.

diane, I am really sorry for your experience but I am also in total disbelief. I am a social worker in a family planning clinic so in a gist I work in a clinic that performs abortions, that treats infertility, that treats sexually transmitted diseases, and that does contraceptive counselling. So I have never heard in all my years from my doctors say we cannot do a procedure due to obesity. If your uterus is too high, that has nothing to do with weight. As for instruments well she is bull****ting you. We can order instruments for any procedure when needed. I don,t comprehend that she says the hospital refused to pay. She must not have full hospital access but it isn't heard of in my neck of the woods. It just doesn't make sense to me. Let get real here some pregnant woman get to be obese during their pregnancy. Do they not have instruments for them? What if they miscarry and need a D & C? It just doesn't make sense. I am so sorry you had to go through that and feel humiliated. I would continue my complaint with the ombundsman! As for the Mirena, it is right now the most effective contraceptive on the market and it doesn't have an estrogen base so many women with severe bleeding, migraines are excellent candidates to have them. In our clinic we install many of them- on a weekly basis. The biggest side effect last several months and it is abdominal cramps and pain; and it is easily controlled with and antiinflammatory med like motrin or advil. With Mirena your periods are less abondent and for most women stops. It atrophies the uterus lining so you bleed less. Many many woman really like that product. If you want to PM me to talk more about it and I could maybe address some of your concerns personally. It's just an offer so feel free to use it or not.

Hi Ada
I just wanted to say I am sorry you had to go through that. Stay strong.

Hi everybody,

Well I have an update to this mess!

The ombudsman (patient relations) called me and told me that she spoke to the person in charge of all the instruments and of the OR's and of whatever needs to be ordered and was told that my Dr. NEVER tried to order any instrument for my particular case. She also went on to say that the hospital already has those special instruments...!!!

OK so at that point I was not only confused but starting to get angry because I couldn't quite figure out what my Dr. was up to.

The ombudsman in turn called my Dr. and all she had to say is that she would be more than happy to perform the procedure on me...^&*$#$#$ !!! Is she for real???

What I'm thinking is that she has been caught in a lie and it is now snowballing and she has to cover her a**.  As well each time she does a procedure whether it works or not she'll get paid and as I've said before she is extremely money hungry.

So I have decided to not let this go. I have decided as the ombudsman suggested to put everything in writing and she will send it off to the Medical Examiner of Quebec. As well I am sending the same letter the Les ordres des medecins de Quebec. We shall see what she has to say to that!

Anyway guys thanks for listening and I'll let you know what happens as it unfolds...

Ada