Why Don't Doctors Listen?

Firstly I should point out that I have nothing but admiration for the medical profession. They do a difficult job in trying circumstances. However, I think that they could all do with a course in listening to their patients.

On three occasions I have been left with the feeling that the doctors I have spoken to have really not heard what I have had to say.

I am well aware of the difference between bone pain, muscle pain and nerve pain, as I am fairly certain most of us are.

Some months ago I complained to my lovely oncologist that I had an achy back and could do with a massage as I had done absolutely no exercise for over a year. I had gone from swimming, yoga and walking to doing practically nothing apart from curling up on the sofa feeling sorry for myself. Her response was "it's the cancer." It really wasn't, firstly it was in a different place and secondly is was muscular rather than bone. Anyway, she acceded to my request and I have been having massage therapy for the last few months and my back feels much better.

My second not listening doctor was my GP. I have an itchy back, the lower part is because of the dry skin from radiotherapy, the top part is because of a misfiring nerve, not dry skin. This much is obvious as there is no dry skin to be seen. Further, since my mastectomy a little over 6 years ago I have a numbness that extends from my sternum round under my arm to approximately half-way across my left shoulder blade. the problem with the itching is that because it is numb scratching actually does very little most of the time. In spite of the evidence before her, she maintained that it was dry skin. So I am issued with much ointment which does nothing for the high up itchiness.

My third not listening doctor is the chemo unit oncologist and is also related to the itchiness. A couple of days before I was due in the chemo unit the itching was unbearable and so I attacked it with a hair brush. Big mistake! What happened was I completely buggered up the nerve and instead of itching it was excruciatingly painful. No amount of painkillers helped as they are useless against nerve damage.

I mention this to the chemo nurse who calls over the oncologist. I fully explain the 6 years of numbness and itching, the subsequent damage caused by the hairbrush. As I am explaining this I get the feeling that he really isn't listening. He looks at my back which obviously shows nothing. He disappears off to look at my most recent scan, he returns telling me that it was progression of disease. It isn't because whilst my bone mets are annoying, irritating and occasionally painful, they are very stable. He is wrong. He clearly ignored what I had told him about the previous 6 years. He offers me morphine which I decline as it would be of no use at all.

As I said at the beginning I can tell the difference between the various types of pain and I know what is going on inside my body. All I want is for doctors to treat me as an intelligent human being who knows what is going on with my body.