My Doctor Is Gaslighting Me

Two days ago, my sinuses were SOOOO bad, that I pretty much just wanted to die.

Rather than doing that, though, I headed to the nearest Walk-In Clinic, to see if the trained professionals could fix what I couldn’t seem to fix with over-the-counter remedies and good old-fashioned whining. None of that was working.

Walking out an hour later with 20mg of Prednisone - EEP - but no antibiotics (“No infection for YOU!!”, the doctor barked!), I thought that a visit to an even MORE trained professional - as in ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) - was in order.

So, I went yesterday to see “Doctor Smith.”

Walking into the lobby of Doctor Smith and his fellow ENT’s building, I had a bit of deja vu - but couldn’t quite put my finger on why this lobby looked so familiar. I felt like I had been here before - but knowing this was my first time seeing Dr. Smith, I shrugged it off.

When Dr. Smith walked into the exam room, he’s peeking at my chart - and says, “Ahhhh...I see you that you saw “Dr. Jones” here six years ago for your sinus surgery.”

I looked at him like he was nuts, and said, “Uh...no. I had my sinus surgery in Florida.”

Dr. Smith looked at me like I was nuts, and said, “Huh. Sure. Because it says here you saw Dr. Jones.”

And I gave him the side-eye, and said, “Uh, I’m pretty sure I know where I had my surgery. And it was in Florida. Yes, I might be a bit crazy - especially on 20mg of Prednisone right now - but I KNOW where I was.”

Dr. Smith gave me one last look - to see if I really WAS crazy - and then shrugged and got down to business.

Weird.


So, after determining that I do, indeed, have an infection - and deciding to boost the Prednisone up “to a larger dose” to help with the inflammation of the sinuses, he’s having me come back next week for a cat scan - and possibly inserting tubes in my ears so I can fly. Wheeeeeee. I set my next appointment, and head out to go pick up the drugs.


Imagine my alarm when I was given this for the Prednisone:

Holy CRAZINESS, Batman - that prescription is calling for THREE pills - at 10mg apiece - THREE times a day!!! That’s 90mg of Prednisone, folks!

I am NOT a trained professional, by any means - but I DO know that the MOST Prednisone usually prescribed a day is 60mg. There is something wrong with this prescription.

I called the pharmacy back, and asked, “Um...can this be right? Don’t you think it should be ONE pill - THREE times a day?”

The pharmacist pulled the written prescription up, and said, “Well...this is how the doctor wrote it...but you’re right. That doesn’t seem correct.”

Ya’ think???!!!


So yes, the prescription is wrong. Whew. I go slightly nuts at 20mg a day - I can’t even imagine what 90mg would have done!


In the meantime, I’m lying in bed last night - dealing the side effects of insomnia - when I replay that conversation with Dr. Smith regarding Dr. Jones...and it dawns on me.

I did indeed have my sinus surgery in Florida. That is correct. BUT - I was so anxious to come home for recovery - before I was released by my Florida surgeon - that my Florida surgeon said he would only allow me to come back to Kansas City IF I had an ENT that would do my follow-up care.

And Dr. Jones was my follow-up care for the surgery.

Voila.

THAT is why I was having deja vu in that lobby. And THAT is why Dr. Jones is listed in my chart as seeing me for sinus surgery.

I wasn’t crazy. And neither was Dr. Smith.

All is well in my world.

I would say, “I can rest easy now” - but on 30mg of Prednisone now, I am not resting at all - but that’s a whole nother story!

Peace.