What would you do if you were misdiagnosed for 2 yrs, then found out you had cancer?

Question

For two years, I had chronic hemroid problems. I constantly went to the doctor and was given creams, suppositories, etc. I requested a general surgeon to do a colonoscopy and was told I wasn't old enough to worry about anything serious and having a colonoscopy. I was 44 at the time. They told me again I had hemroids, and to change my diet, use stool softeners, etc. In January 2006, I went to the doctor again because I had an abrasion in the vaginal region. I was told I had a tear, and still had hemroids. By April 2006 the problem was still there. I went to my gynecologist because the "tear" was still bothering me. He pulled back the sheet, covered me up and told me to see an oncologist. Make a long story short, if they had done their job, I would have a 95% survival rate, instead of the 40-60% rate I have now been given. Stage 0 instead of Stage IIB. Would you sue? Is it a waste of my time and energy? I just can't decide what to do and would like some ideas from others.

Answer 1

I can only imagine the pain that you feel. Please don't waist your time trying to sue them. I honestly don't believe they intentionally misdiagnosed you. My mother is now getting over lung cancer after surviving cervical cancer. She caught it at a late stage as well because she didn't like going to doctors due to a misdiagnosis she had years before from a doctor. Regardless of these survival rates you MUST have FAITH like we did because, she has overcome the cervical cancer and will be getting out the hospital today for surgery on her lung cancer. Don't waist your time fighting the doctors use it wisely fighting the illness and getting closer to God. He is the doctor above ALL doctors!!

Answer 2

The problem here is that the cancer may have been microscopic two years ago . . and not visible at all. Cancer is a progressive disease, which means that it starts out teeny, tiny . . cell size . . there is no way it is possible to find cancer when you can't see it. This is why cancer is so deceptive and so deadly. In the overwhelming majority of cases there are NO symptoms . . or the symptoms are vague and attributed to other conditions and the problem here is that with the majority of doctors cancer will be the last thing they rule out.

There are several possibilities here . . the first being is that you cannot prove that two years ago you had cancer. Cancer, in general, is fast moving, an uncontrollable cell growth . .in other words . . two years is a long time. So, it may be concidental that you had problems two years ago and that it was not a misdiagnosis, and that you did have hemmoroids. It is possible to have more than one condition going on . . my son had hypothyroidism which he was first diagnosed with . .two weeks later he was diagnosed with stage IV abdominal sarcoma.

When cancer is small there are little or no symptoms and cancer is generally found by accident. Your hemmoroids may have saved your life as they continued to bother you so you continued to return to the doctor.

Here is an illustration about the stages of colon cancer. Please note that at stage 0, I, and II that the nodule is so small it does not intefere with tissue or organs . .that it can grow unfelt and undetected until it is a Stage III or Stage IV. By the time a patient feels or experiences symptoms or the tumor is large enough for a doctor to spot . . the cancer is already advanced.

Colon cancer by stages
http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/cancer.gov/Media/CDR0000415501.jpg

It is a waste of time and energy to try and blame doctors and fate for what has happened. Put that behind you and concentrate on beating your cancer. It is human to try and blame others for your misfortune . . and we try to believe that doctors are superhuman and should have known. But, cancer is a deceptive disease. It fools everyone, even the doctors. Save your strength to fight the real enemy . . the cancer.

Best to you.

Answer 3

That is horrible. I have had a few experiences like that. 34 years to diagnoisis a rare disease.........which I lost an important part from. Another three years to find out my gal bladder was ready to explode. Among other issues.
The trouble with medicine is that it is NOT an exact science.
Math is an exact science, 2 + 2 = 4 and always will.

Doctors mess up. I am not sure if you can sue or not. Check with an attorney.

This reminds me and other people who are sick and doctor's ignore it or can't figure it out. Get Other opinions. Many if need be.

Yell & scream if you need to. I had to do that for my gal -bladder. It wasn't until my liver was infected and the right kidney was very infected did they do an ultra sound that showed my galbladder was about to explode

You have every right to be furrious. But, please don't let your anger upset your getting well. You need all your positive energy to win this fight. I mean it, your attitude will infulence your healing.
Fight hard and be strong. Beat those odds!
About sueing......I did once when I got hit by a car and injured. I told the attorney I was too sick and stressed- I said......."do your job, I can't deal with it, I will trust you"
Wll the attorney made way more money than I did, but at least I got something..

Make sure that your most and first energy goes to your well being.

Answer 4

Alot of people are misdiagnosed and vice versa. Especially now in the media, i've noticed that alot of doctors are being sued for this reason. You probably have a good chance of winning if you do sue. But right now, you should focus on winning and getting through this cancer. Best of luck to you and You will definately be in my prayers.

Answer 5

i would def. sue but thats not malpractice so it would be lengthy trial but if u wanted to have it done and they told u not to worry about it you do have grounds to sue and win good luck and dont give up i kno someone that was at stage 3 and actually lived a normal healthy life well after the kemo and all