pituitary tumor misdiagnosed

[goodgrrl]

What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? California

For four years I was worked up for arthritis and autoimmune issues, when it turns out my symptoms were caused by a growth-hormone secreting pituitary tumor, and acromegaly. This was diagnosed on a hunch by a friend. I required brain surgery last year for a macroadenoma and am considered cured of the tumor. But I have continuing joint pain and disability from the irreversible effects of the hormone, and frankly, I think I look grotesque now. I can't get health insurance and I can't work like I used to. Is there a case here?

Sorry for the double post, I don't understand whay the thread was locked / closed...

 

[ecmst12]

Most likely not, but of course consult with a medmal attorney. But you haven't posted anything to indicate your treatment was below the standard of care or that there was any negligence. Difficult to diagnose cases do not automatically equal malpractice.

 

[goodgrrl]

pituitary

hm, thanks for your thoughts. the diagnosis is fairly straightforward and their are several cardinal signs, all of which i possess and the doctors missed.

 

[shell007]

hm, thanks for your thoughts. the diagnosis is fairly straightforward and their are several cardinal signs, all of which i possess and the doctors missed.

There are "BAD" doctor's all over the place. Just because you happened to be one of the unfortunate ones who got one does not constitute malpractice.

 

[ecmst12]

And again, nothing posted even indicates the doctors in question made any mistakes. OP is not a doctor, neither am I, and she posted very little actual medical information about her case and what she considers "missed signs". Her symptoms could have pointed to multiple problems which could have been more likely diagnoses in her case. Her doctors could have followed proper procedures for someone with her symptoms to the letter and it's still possible they could have missed the diagnosis. We don't know.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

I tried to respond to your question earlier today, but you had locked the thread.
Here is an article from the Mayo Clinic re your condition and degenerative arthritis, heart conditions and lung disease that can be associated. As you have been told a delayed diagnosis is not necessiarly mal practice, this disease progresses slowly and it's symptoms, which you failed to mention may often be symptoms of other diseases, the average patient with your condition is diagnosed about 10 years folowing the onset of aymptoms, so yours was discovered in less time than usual. It would take a review of your medical rcords by an expert for which you would have to pay, unless you can cite something more suggestive of malpractice. One of the symptoms is swelling and weakness, which are also signs of Ra and autoimmune disorders.

Were they able to remove the entire tumor, if so, then it is less likely to return and may be treated with medications, however if it could not all be removed, then you might be facing additional surgery and that could explain why you feel less relief. Another factor is that once your body experiences chronic edema, it takes a lengthy recovery and depending on the nature of the edema, may never be entirely abated. If you had excessive bone growth, that can remain problematic. Perhaps your doctors can refer you for physical therapy.
http://www.medicaledge.org/newspaper/n-2005november13.html

 

[goodgrrl]

missed diagnosis

in this case, the diagnosis was missed completely by caregivers who heard hoofbeats and were thinking zebras... instead of horses. My belief is that the negligence was in the failure to recognize early on the classic, if uncommon, constellation of symptoms that point fairly obviously to a tumor of this type. I was under a nurse practioner's care who was treating me like one of the hysterical, worried well. Had she been sufficiently supervised a thorough workup for hoofbeats would have indeed included testing for acromegaly, which was not done until i insisted later, at the urging of a friend, who turned out to be right. Yes i have had irreversible changes inlcuding bone growth and other tissue englargement, and remain compromised. So, does having a nurse practitioner as the primary caregiver change things? Shouldn't their work be supervised? What if the definitive test was ordered by a specialist but not performed? Thank you for your thoughts. Since I can't get health insurnance now --it was cancelled -- I am out-of-pocket for phsyical therapy which I have indeed been doing.

 

[ecmst12]

I love when we don't say what the poster wants to hear so she chooses to not believe us.

 

[panzertanker]

So, does having a nurse practitioner as the primary caregiver change things?

Nope, malpractice, if it IS malpractice, is...malpractice.

Shouldn't their work be supervised?

It is. Your NP has a responsible supervising physician.

What if the definitive test was ordered by a specialist but not performed?

I do not understand what you are asking....ask a different way. If it was ordered, then you should have had it done. The only way I know it would not be done would be you didn't go, or the lab made an error...what am I missing?

As told to you before:
your diagnosis is indeed suspicious of MULTIPLE problems. No need to get into what they could be...you probably went through all the testing for them. The ONLY way you will know if you have a malpractice case is to have a chart review by a competent attorney practicing in medmal. Otherwise, you are spinning your wheels...here and at home. Don't drive yourself crazy, go see an attorney and be done with it.

Remember though, hindsight is 20/20. It is easy to say "they were searching for zebras instead of horses", but the fact is- you have a Zebra, NOT a horse for a diagnosis. Your complaints are all too common with "common" diagnoses involving heart, thyroid etc.

Good luck. Hope you do OK.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

Since your condition is far more rare than RA or autoimmune disease, they were looking for horses not zebras! Please provide the symptoms for which you sought treatment and any treatment you were administered and exactly why your health insurance was cancelled.