Page 4 | For doctors to have hidden this from me?

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:01

Bigfatsunandclouds · 17/04/2025 08:59

I wonder how many women are labelled with health anxiety whilst suffering and unable to access treatment because of this. My DM was labelled a nuisance with pain in her leg years ago, turned out to be a rare bone eating tumour which would have been found sooner if the GP had sent her for an X-ray. He didn't, he accused her of trying to get out of work, refused any treatment and said she was anxious.

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I'm sure that anecdote will be very helpful to the OP 😍

Bigfatsunandclouds · 17/04/2025 09:19

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:01

I'm sure that anecdote will be very helpful to the OP 😍

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You seem determined that the OP has health anxiety and my anecdote proves that health care professionals can dismiss patients as anxious despite having chronic symptoms. The OP has a cyst on her brain and had one previously and you are still dismissing her.

MissDoubleU · 17/04/2025 09:20

If the cyst is under a certain size they wouldn’t need to tell you as it’s not a concern or source of symptoms.

I spent ten hours in a hospital waiting room last weekend to be told I had a particularly large cyst on my right ovary (which they suspected at first could be appendicitis) and I’ve basically been told to take painkillers and hope it goes away.

A pineal gland cyst would only be of concern to doctors if it was itself unusual or over a particular size. If it’s small enough not to report it to you then it’s likely not the cause of your issues.

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:22

Bigfatsunandclouds · 17/04/2025 09:19

You seem determined that the OP has health anxiety and my anecdote proves that health care professionals can dismiss patients as anxious despite having chronic symptoms. The OP has a cyst on her brain and had one previously and you are still dismissing her.

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Except the OP hasn't been dismissed, she's had multiple investigations. Which is very different from your mum's situation. But I'm sure OP will appreciate your input.

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:23

Beeloux · 17/04/2025 08:52

Ignore the ignorant comments trying to insinuate you have health anxiety.

There are many incompetent medical staff. My ex was a doctor and used to hear some horror stories.

I was once accused of having health anxiety by a trainee GP years ago. This was after they’d discovered a large ovarian cyst which they believed could to be cancerous (they had also told me it was much smaller than what was actually recorded on the initial ultrasound report).

Ended up going to another A&E as I could barely walk. It had ended up rupturing and twisting around my ovary. Was rushed in to surgery.

Sorry you're going through this OP. From now on request a copy of any ultrasound/mri scans and medical reports. Take them to any future appointments with consultants. Hope you get sorted x

Horror stories such as yours are very helpful to health anxiety sufferers ☺️❤️

Bogginsthe3rd · 17/04/2025 09:24

JustsamanthaJayne · 16/04/2025 18:28

So I've been ill for several years, symptoms have worsened since last year year
One of my symptoms is a facial spasm where my brain feels like it's squeezing and then my mouth goes to the side for a few seconds it's been worrying me
So I had an mri in 2018 they told me everything was fine and then had another mri in 2024 I was told i have an pineal gland cyst which is incidental
So i requested my medical records and on my 2018 mri report it said I have a small retention cyst in my right maxillary sinus ( this would explain why I've had so many sinus issues and now it could explain the facial issues as well) but they didn't tell me about it??
Now I've suddenly developed a pineal gland cysts but no mention of the right maxillary cyst on on my recent mri scan?? Did it just disappear?
I don't understand why I'm getting 'incidentental' cysts at random like this and doctors are not concerned about this ?
My folate is low again with no explanation ? I constantly drained and having horrible nurological symptoms
Am I being unreasonable to be dismissed like this ??

I don't think anyone has hidden anything from you. Sounds like an incidental finding.

MissDoubleU · 17/04/2025 09:25

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:22

Except the OP hasn't been dismissed, she's had multiple investigations. Which is very different from your mum's situation. But I'm sure OP will appreciate your input.

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This is the issue. OP has found out they have a cyst, which immediately becomes “I have a lump in my brain. I also have neurological issues (a facial twitch) so the two must be connected”

In reality it’s very unlikely the cyst would cause any symptoms. OP mentioned having sinus issues. Sinus issues themselves can cause a facial twitch. Sinus pressure can also cause high levels of fatigue.

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:30

prettytoxic · 17/04/2025 08:25

It sounds like you might be experiencing compassion fatigue and projecting. Yes, of course some patients might have health anxiety. But others might have valid concerns and/or worrying symptoms that legitimately require a second opinion or review of previous findings/scan results to ensure nothing has been missed. It’s basic medical care.

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OP has posted before about this exact topic, so has clearly had multiple second opinions.

Greengagesnfennel · 17/04/2025 09:31

MistressoftheDarkSide · 17/04/2025 07:48

OP you have my sympathy.

While "Not All Doctors" unfortunately there are a good cohort that seem to come under the banner of a joke that has stuck with me after decades of medical obfuscation and arrogance, applied not just to myself but numerous family and friends:

"What's the difference between Gid and a doctor?"

"God doesn't think he's a doctor".

The prevailing attitude of some that patients should not question or be pro-active in health care processes leads to loss of trust and poor outcomes that could have been avoided by clearer communication leading to mutual respect.

I hope you can get to the bottom of this.

This immediate leap to "it's psychological" in so many scenarios is condescending and breeds animosity, and is often a useful tool in the "avoiding accountability" handbook of too many professionals / authority figures.

Thank you.

Gives me hope that not all the profession are as arrogant as some of the posters on here.

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:33

Greengagesnfennel · 17/04/2025 09:31

Thank you.

Gives me hope that not all the profession are as arrogant as some of the posters on here.

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It's not arrogant to point out the futility of seeking reassurance on Mumsnet after multiple normal, reassuring MRI results.

Fartughtyred · 17/04/2025 09:37

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 07:28

Do you have health anxiety?

Oh thank goodness the ' Health anxiety cavalry have arrived!

Are you always so dismissive?

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:40

Fartughtyred · 17/04/2025 09:37

Oh thank goodness the ' Health anxiety cavalry have arrived!

Are you always so dismissive?

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Read the full thread ☺️🙌

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:41

OP is clearly not returning 🤷‍♀️

QOD · 17/04/2025 09:42

my daughter has just had an "incidental" finding of a 1.8 by 1.7 by 1.1 CM pineal cystic lass - they really ignore them which is crazy as she went to the dr with years of the repeated symptoms that are listed for pineal cysts... following with interest

Nextdoor55 · 17/04/2025 09:43

JustsamanthaJayne · 16/04/2025 18:28

So I've been ill for several years, symptoms have worsened since last year year
One of my symptoms is a facial spasm where my brain feels like it's squeezing and then my mouth goes to the side for a few seconds it's been worrying me
So I had an mri in 2018 they told me everything was fine and then had another mri in 2024 I was told i have an pineal gland cyst which is incidental
So i requested my medical records and on my 2018 mri report it said I have a small retention cyst in my right maxillary sinus ( this would explain why I've had so many sinus issues and now it could explain the facial issues as well) but they didn't tell me about it??
Now I've suddenly developed a pineal gland cysts but no mention of the right maxillary cyst on on my recent mri scan?? Did it just disappear?
I don't understand why I'm getting 'incidentental' cysts at random like this and doctors are not concerned about this ?
My folate is low again with no explanation ? I constantly drained and having horrible nurological symptoms
Am I being unreasonable to be dismissed like this ??

This is interesting to me because I'm having the same issues. I had surgery to remove a cyst & lump from my nasal passage but it hasn't made any difference. I'm having awful neurological symptoms also, face, neck, ear. I don't know what to tell you but I am understanding the frustration & how irritating it is
Personally I'd just ask questions about it & ask whether it would make a difference to remove the cyst or why they didn't tell you. I'd find out more before my next step.

Whattodo1610 · 17/04/2025 09:45

BobbleHatsRule · 17/04/2025 02:56

I think you have escalated an incidental finding to the cause of your symptoms and assumed a deliberate with holding of information and 'dismissal'

Loads of stuff shows up on scans which are incidental, insignificant and asymptomatic and not a problem. If Dr's spent their lives describing all the incidental, asymptomatic insignificant findings it would make identifying the significant issues a problem. They'd then spend ages reassuring patients it's a normal observation (in this case 13% of posters on here would have same finding on a scan). Many patients then focus on the normal incidental finding and tell everyone they have a lump, mass, shadow and worry they have a serious issue without ever being reassured. They then attribute every symptom to that and start to notice more symptoms they expect to have. Its unhelpful. Tbh it's best not to know!

Exactly this. Excellent post.

Flamingo68 · 17/04/2025 09:46

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:41

OP is clearly not returning 🤷‍♀️

Don’t blame them tbh, the way this thread has gone.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 17/04/2025 09:48

There are a number of posters on MN who have a combination if "dog with a bone" syndrome, and "last worditis", and you my friend appear to be one of them.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, to be sure, and I admit to having my moments where I've kept engaging despite futility, but honestly I don't get the obsessive need to shout down or come back at every single post that offers a response or anecdote at odds to your own position. Always comes with a side order of superiority, passive aggression or accusations of intent to cause harm, or that the poster is too ignorant to see the error of their ways.

Conversation flows, and what happens is you get an obsessive dam builder that obstructs that flow and no-one learns anything and no progression is made.

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:49

Flamingo68 · 17/04/2025 09:46

Don’t blame them tbh, the way this thread has gone.

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It's not her first thread on this topic 🤷‍♀️

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:50

MistressoftheDarkSide · 17/04/2025 09:48

There are a number of posters on MN who have a combination if "dog with a bone" syndrome, and "last worditis", and you my friend appear to be one of them.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, to be sure, and I admit to having my moments where I've kept engaging despite futility, but honestly I don't get the obsessive need to shout down or come back at every single post that offers a response or anecdote at odds to your own position. Always comes with a side order of superiority, passive aggression or accusations of intent to cause harm, or that the poster is too ignorant to see the error of their ways.

Conversation flows, and what happens is you get an obsessive dam builder that obstructs that flow and no-one learns anything and no progression is made.

Thank you, I guess? Very helpful contribution! ❤️☺️

Beeloux · 17/04/2025 09:50

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:23

Horror stories such as yours are very helpful to health anxiety sufferers ☺️❤️

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Are you an incompetent ‘medical professional’ by any chance? 😊❤️

MistressoftheDarkSide · 17/04/2025 09:51

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 09:50

Thank you, I guess? Very helpful contribution! ❤️☺️

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You wouldn't be "a rose by any other name" by any chance would you?

BlackSwan · 17/04/2025 09:55

I wonder what some posters here would have said if I posted here some years back when my then 2 year old had an MRI and was given the all clear. He had a strange head shake, and visual symptoms. Instead of just not worrying about it, I continued worrying & shopped him round to a number of different neurologists with different neuroradiological teams & also a neuroopthalmologist, showing them the scan...
It was only the last neurologist, a full year after the original MRI, whose radiologist spotted that something was amiss with DS's pituitary gland. A follow up MRI revealed a cystic tumour there. Surgery and radiation followed.
Clearly this is a different case... in ours the original report was incorrect & many drs chose to just take it as a given that it was correct.

I think it's patronising to withhold information from a patient. And Drs can be wrong too.

Smallmercies · 17/04/2025 10:02

Beeloux · 17/04/2025 09:50

Are you an incompetent ‘medical professional’ by any chance? 😊❤️

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No 💕🤷‍♀️

faerietales · 17/04/2025 10:02

I think it's patronising to withhold information from a patient. And Drs can be wrong too.

Nobody is saying that Doctors can’t be wrong.

But I don’t agree that it’s patronising to withhold information - there’s a reason you need medical training to interpret results and to be able to give diagnoses.