What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana
I was diagnosed with a kidney infection at the ER a couple of weeks ago and given an antibiotic. I also had an appointment with a surgeon for a lump that was biopsied and diagnosed. I made a follow up appointment with my family doctor to address both issues. He gave me a second prescription for antibiotics to treat the kidney infection as it had not resolved yet and samples of celebrex to treat the pain associated with the lump issue. He did not address any underlying causes of the lump as suggested by the surgeon and told me it would just go away in 6-8 weeks. (I have had the lump for about 5-6 months now. When I asked my family doctor about it around 3 months ago he said it's probably just a vein and dismissed me. I have had a tumor before and knew that this lump was something more so I found the surgeon myself for a second opinion. Now I have several of these lumps and the surgeon said it's a sign of systemic disease that needs to be looked into but not something that's in his area of practice.) My doctor has a list of my drug allergies on file. At the appointment he also asked me what allergies I had which include a sulfa allergy. I took the celebrex the same night and about a half hour afterwards I started feeling very ill and broke out in hives and my face started swelling. It continued to get worse with severe stomach pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms, trouble breathing, and dizziness. I thought it could be an allergic reaction so I started taking benadryl for the hives and my inhaler for the trouble breathing. I called a local pharmacy and asked if it could be an allergic reaction to the celebrex. The first thing the pharmacist asked me was “if I had a sulfa allergy” which I do have and my doctor was aware of. The pharmacist confirmed that people with sulfa allergies should not take celebrex. Because it was not a prescription but rather samples it was not caught by the pharmacy. After taking 3 benedryl I was still in severe pain with my stomach and then chest so I went to the ER. They diagnosed it as an anaphylactic reaction. The following day I had to continue to take benedryl as my eyes were almost swollen shut and missed work. I went to my family doctor’s office (the one who gave me the samples) and informed the nurse about the reaction and showed her the swelling I still had. I also complained about being dismissed about the lump issue. My doctor was not in the office but she said she would make a note to discuss it with him. She also initially denied that celebrex had sulfa in it and excused herself from the room I was in. When she came back she reported that she had spoken to a pharmacist that said some people with sulfa allergies can still take celebrex. I have done some internet research and everything I have read says no to celebrex if you have an allergy to sulfa drugs.
I don't know what legal options I have but I'm sure that there's someone I can at least make a report to about my doctor's treatment. Any ideas on who can I make a report to about my doctor?
Any opinions about if I would I have a case for medical malpractice?
Thanks ahead of time for any help.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
I was diagnosed with a kidney infection at the ER a couple of weeks ago and given an antibiotic. I also had an appointment with a surgeon for a lump that was biopsied and diagnosed. I made a follow up appointment with my family doctor to address both issues. He gave me a second prescription for antibiotics to treat the kidney infection as it had not resolved yet and samples of celebrex to treat the pain associated with the lump issue. He did not address any underlying causes of the lump as suggested by the surgeon and told me it would just go away in 6-8 weeks. (I have had the lump for about 5-6 months now. When I asked my family doctor about it around 3 months ago he said it's probably just a vein and dismissed me. I have had a tumor before and knew that this lump was something more so I found the surgeon myself for a second opinion. Now I have several of these lumps and the surgeon said it's a sign of systemic disease that needs to be looked into but not something that's in his area of practice.) My doctor has a list of my drug allergies on file. At the appointment he also asked me what allergies I had which include a sulfa allergy. I took the celebrex the same night and about a half hour afterwards I started feeling very ill and broke out in hives and my face started swelling. It continued to get worse with severe stomach pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms, trouble breathing, and dizziness. I thought it could be an allergic reaction so I started taking benadryl for the hives and my inhaler for the trouble breathing. I called a local pharmacy and asked if it could be an allergic reaction to the celebrex. The first thing the pharmacist asked me was “if I had a sulfa allergy” which I do have and my doctor was aware of. The pharmacist confirmed that people with sulfa allergies should not take celebrex. Because it was not a prescription but rather samples it was not caught by the pharmacy. After taking 3 benedryl I was still in severe pain with my stomach and then chest so I went to the ER. They diagnosed it as an anaphylactic reaction. The following day I had to continue to take benedryl as my eyes were almost swollen shut and missed work. I went to my family doctor’s office (the one who gave me the samples) and informed the nurse about the reaction and showed her the swelling I still had. I also complained about being dismissed about the lump issue. My doctor was not in the office but she said she would make a note to discuss it with him. She also initially denied that celebrex had sulfa in it and excused herself from the room I was in. When she came back she reported that she had spoken to a pharmacist that said some people with sulfa allergies can still take celebrex. I have done some internet research and everything I have read says no to celebrex if you have an allergy to sulfa drugs.
I don't know what legal options I have but I'm sure that there's someone I can at least make a report to about my doctor's treatment. Any ideas on who can I make a report to about my doctor?
Any opinions about if I would I have a case for medical malpractice?
Thanks ahead of time for any help.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?