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Forever labeled wrongly by Doctor

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Posted 5/17/2008 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Shannon,

Unfortunately, you never know how doctors are going to interpret what you say. One of the most frustrating things for me is that it seems the more informed you are and the more active you are in your own care, the more you "threaten" the doctor's little self-constructed world where he is all-knowing and no one else knows anything. A good friend of mine had a rare, severe allergic reaction to medication called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. She had done her own research on the web, and then visited a local clinic for treatment. She met with a P.A. there, who agreed with her on the diagnosis and told her to go straight to the ER, as this is a dangerous condition. So she goes to the ER and tells the doc on duty she thinks she has SJS, and he puts his hands on his hips and says, "Oh really??". He dismisses SJS as a possible diagnosis, and says it's most likely just a food allergy and tells her to take an antihistamine. The next day, her throat was swollen to the point she had difficulty breathing, her eyes were so red they looked like they were bleeding, and she had a horrible red rash over most of her body. She fortunately made it to an ER at another hospital and ended up staying for a week. Another 24 hours without treatment and she likely would have died, all because an arrogant physician didn't like the fact his patient might have as much knowledge on this particular condition as he did.

It's your body, and you know it better than any doctor ever will. All you can really do is make sure you stay an active participant in your health care, and not be a subservient patient that follows a doctor's recommendations blindly.

Anon
Posted 5/17/2008 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
I cannot sue for slander/libel because my medical records are not public documents. They are supposed to be sacred, private and personal and only accessed when medically necessary and by authorized people [yeah, right!!]. These comments/reports are what they are calling "doctor's notes" and the hospital does not consider them an actual medical report. They further claim that Doctor's notes, just like surgical notes are for Clinicans and not patients. Like when I read years ago in a surgical note that I sat up during surgery, screaming in pain until they realized the IV line had come apart and all the anesthesia drugs were just going onto the floor. Of course I had zero recollection of this until a friend of the family surgical nurse got me a copy. If you have been hospitalized more than once you are apt to see notes from Docs and nurses about how rude you might have been, etc. etc.. Why this crap goes into a record is beyond me, it serves no purpose. The Hospital knows in my case that I am legally prescribed narcotics and have no need to drug seek. Furthermore, drug seekers usually present at ER's with BS problems; mine have been very real. why, why why??????

As to a violation of my rights; there is no expectation of privacy in a hospital room. The nurses are allowed access to all areas of your room and even if they found drugs in my pants it would not constitute much of a violation. There won't be an arrest or prosecution so having the "evidence" supressed means nothing. Suing them for violating my "privacy" after they claim there was exigent circumstances and my life may have been in danger won't fly, their excuse will be accepted by any Judge. You cannot win against "city hall", believe me I have tried everything to get this "note" out of my medical record and while I claim I am entitled to copies of MY records, they continue to claim that it's THIER property and their Docs are allowed to enter opinion into a records and that's not for the paitent, period.
The lawsuit angle, the Civil rights angle, all the big angles have failed. I know a simple answer/solution to this issue exists and I need help finding it!!!
Because of what I did for a living there are not too many lawyers in the World that would represent me Pro Bono and no I am not a criminal or have a criminal record!!...............LOL

But I did sleep in a Holiday Inn Express!!!
Posted 5/17/2008 11:36 PM (GMT 0)

Nizz, I am so mad for you as we all are and I think this brings up all the horrendous treatment we have all been under.  I have chronic kidney stones which we now know are due to my AI disease and I was admitted through the ER where I had all the signs, flank pain, blood in stool etc.  After being admitted, later in the day one of the docs came in my room and felt it necessary to give me a pelvic. Now I know if female and you go in with a sprained ankle, they want to give you a pelvic, but I had all the signs of kidney stones(which it turned out I had bunches coming down both sides). So I am in agony and this jerk give me a pelvic.  A few days later I'm wheeled down for a test and they leave me with my chart and I start reading it and this a$##hole has the audacity to write that I was hysterical and uncooperative!  What gives them the right to say these things?

Melissa

Posted 5/18/2008 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Gramps, I think you have nailed it!!! For the last 10 years I have needed pain meds 24/7 just to make it through the day. I always tried to stay above the stigma and labeling as well as the general cruel treatment by all the judgemental medical types but it has finally got to me and it hurts terribly. I now find it hard to even justify to myself that without pain meds I would have zero quality of life and the impact on my family would be horrible. I am even questioning why I call them pain MEDS and not drugs like many others.
It sucks, it's not fair and it needs to stop but it won't and in this case the label is just plain freakin wrong and not deserved and something or someone needs to change things but I don't know what and I don't know who.
I bet a person who needs Asthma meds does not feel the embarassment I feel when I go to the Pharmacy to fill a script.....................................
Posted 5/18/2008 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
To me this does not sound like a Doctor on a personal vendetta, although that is a possibility. From the information you have given about the Doctor it sounds like she has something to prove. Sbe is inexperienced and knows and is afraud that as soon as she recants on her belief that you were infact sneaking your own pills in to get "high" her colleges and her boss may be thinking she is not making the right calls or decisions which may prompt them to look closely at the job ahe is doing. Doctors can be cocky and concieted creatures who once make a decision feel recanting it will cause THEM damge.
With her inexperience as an active Doctor this sounds much more the case than it being personal. She may know she made the wrong judgement but her pride and ego are too big to actually admit it.
I wish I could say there is a simple solution to this, but when dealing with this type of Dr. there is none. The actions to change Dr's notes have to be big. She may back down very quickly if any legal action was taken against her knowing she is new to this and it will follow her around where ever she goes. Dr's never want a mark on there records from legal action taken against them. Future employers would be afraid she may be a liability.
This is only what it sounds like to me, it could be a personal vendetta against you or her part against the "war on drugs"
Gramos is right, It is slander, anything written about you that has no basis in truth is slander because although not public record, judgements will be formed of you due to wrongful information which will effect your rights as a patient. That right is to not suffer in pain and from any breathing difficulties which narcotics improve. It is a right in our country to be treated for pain.

I'm not sure anyone will be able to give you a simple answere to rectify this although I wish there was a set of magic words.
It's unfortunate but to clear a name or information from a record takes alot of time and some legal action. It sounds like this Dr will not recant any other way.
Posted 5/18/2008 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
The sign of a professional is the ability to correct errors and learn from them. I'll grant her alot of leeway because she's a new Doc but I cannot tolerate her refusal to fix one of her own mistakes.

That's how and why patients die...................................
Posted 5/18/2008 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Nizzan,
I think Freya's view of this doc is probably more accurate; it's likely the doc's ego and inexperience rather than personal - this thing occurs so frequenly, though, even with experienced docs. Just read these threads, and you'll know how many of us go through similar things.

If you're not willing to take legal action, or report the doc through various channels suggested earlier in this thread, I'm not sure how much more you can do, other than advocate in a more general sense. Actually, you need to give yourself credit for all the advocacy you have done - successfully, I might add - on behalf of yourself. You actually have written documents from your pm doc, and hospital administrators acknowledging the error. That is HUGE, just in case you don't realize it. It is difficult to get. That's why I think many of us feel you have such a strong case to pursue, even if it's only to report this doc to the licensing board. That would force all the notes out on the table, but along with the correspondence you have that corroborates your total innocence.

Here's the thing about medical records. It's actually illegal to change them, even for those of us who are medical professionals. I can make an entry into a patient's record, but cannot go back and delete or change that entry. All I can do if I've made an error is add a correction to the record. There's very few ways that can be changed except by some type of legal process. That's why all of us who are health care professionals need to be more careful when we write things, but I will say we're human and sometimes write things, especially when rushed, that should be worded differently. That being said, please don't beat up on me for thinking I condone what this doc has done. Or the labeling that CPP's have to contend with. I think it's appalling. I always have, but now that I am also a CPP, I can feel what it's like. (and by the way I am not a doctor, let me clarify that)

So Nizzan I don't think there is one simple thing to do, unfortunately. I think you've done a lot for yourself; now you have to decide do you want to take it to the next level - probably the licensing board, or not? I wonder why you wouldn't, since you've gone this far. You may even be able to begin the process online.

Another thing - I know the doctor's note is there, but what else has been labeled on your chart, and who has it been sent to. You can revoke your consent to send information to other doctors, although the info. that's already gone out is already out. I think your relationship with your pm doc is good enough that you kow it's not affecting your treatment there, and that as far as outpatient care your pm doc - plus the written correspondence you have - should vindicate you. But if there are "labels' being placed on charts, etc. you should be able to get that corrected, even if you can't get the doc's note removed.

PaLady
Posted 5/19/2008 3:16 AM (GMT 0)

i don't know if my experience in a similar situation would help or hurt you and your situation.  in terms of background, i had fallen down a flight of stairs and was having tremendous pain.  I was working as a Director in the astrospace industry.  my pcp for the pain was an excellent chiropractor who referred my to several DOs and neurologists for adjunct treatment and a "holistic" approach to my pain.

i had been referred to a particular neurologist who was VERY egotistical.  he couldn't understand why i wasn't getting better despite his most excellent neurological skills.  he finally sent me to a psychologist who was fresh out of school. 

i asked the psych for a copy of the report he had written on me before he sent it to my insurance company.  based on what the psychologist said in this report, the psychologist really did a number on me with the collusion of the neurologist.  the psych said that i had somatomaformic (?) disorder, which is a brother to "malingering."  such a diagnosis would have ended my disability insurance (such as it is) as well as my medical insurance.  In addition, it would most certainly, if made known, have ended my career.  what's even worse, as a one-time writing instructor, the report was illiterate!

i was ever so nice when i made an appointment with the psych to discuss his epistle.  we met at his office.  I smiled sweetly, sat with my knees apart and my hands on my knees (body language for being totally open and honest).  i opened the conversation with a plutonium bomb.  "dr. x," i said, "you don't have enough insurance or enough resources to defend your findings on this report.  it is entirely wrong in each of it's specifics and the conclusion doesn't follow from the premises.  are you going to deep six this piece of character assassination before sending it to my insurance company or do i have to begin legal proceedings?"

his mouth opened.   foam and spittle emanated from the opening.  his face turned red and he began to sweat profusely.  somehow, from these clues, i thought that i had him on the ropes.

"what should i say?" he asked. 

"if you didn't have the false information from dr. y (the neurologist) what would be your impression?"

he then sat back, took a deep breath and began offering very favorable phych impressions for my chronic back pain.

like i said, this worked for me.  of course my wife tells me that i can be intimidating enough to stop an elephant charge with just a look.  :-)

you might want to try some aspect of this approach.  just a suggestion.  as i said, it worked for me.

warren

Posted 5/19/2008 5:34 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck Gramps! maybe that's what is needed to change (or at least start to) patient care in Hospitals today. I remember when I first was shot, I had never been in a hospital before (except birth of course). In the 13 weeks I spent, the nurses were all truly caring and compassionate and for the most part the Docs all seemed to care. Money was not number one then, it was treating each patient like a family member. It was common to hear Nurses say that they treat patients just like they would expect one of their family be treated if hospitalized. It seemed that everyone took their time, were very careful to give the right drugs, and would spend a few minutes just being social. If you hit the buzzer they came as quickly as possible. Today money is the priority, everyone is in a hurray because Hospital Admins run with staff below what is minimally necessary. Now there is 5 or 6 patients per nurse, PCP's don't make rounds instead they send hospitalist in their place who have no relationship with the patient, and if you hit the buzzer you might hear a voice say "what's the matter?". If you are not going into cardiac arrest they will get to you when they can get to you. Of course if you need pain meds you best ask for them 2 hours before you actually need them!!
Hopefully Lawsuits like yours Mr. Gramps may help get those who provide emergency medical care and those who provide the aftercare will smarten the heck up and does so ASAP!!
And Freya your are correct, this was not a personal vendetta with me. This is however a Doc who does not understand the mechanics of chronic pain and obviously was provided minimal training in chronic pain treatment. It was obvious to me that her pain management training was for acute pain based on talking with her before she started my nightmare. She told me that Tylenol #3 was great for pain and the use of percocet should be reserved for post surgical pain. She believed that drugs like Oxycontin, the MS family, Dilaudid, Duragesic etc. were developed for use in treating cancer pain.................ONLY.
So, while her vendetta is not personal, it sure is aimed at long-term Opiate use. I'll end this post with a question she asked me and a comment she made after my answer. She asked what was worse; the pain I would suffer or the withdrawal should I stop taking pain meds cold turkey. After I angrily told her that my pain was far worse than any withdrawal I might go into after stopping cold turkey, she then said " yeah, you people don't worry too much about withdrawal as long as you have access to the internet where you can get whatever you want dellivered overnight" and then she walked out.

yup, YOU PEOPLE...............................
Posted 5/19/2008 1:05 PM (GMT 0)
US PEOPLE....we are strange creatures arent we? wanting to feel less pain so that we can walk, bend, lift, sit, use our finger and get out in the sun once a week. The nerve of us, I for one am disapointed in our need to live...what are we thinking!!

Alright, enough of my silly sarcasim. I can only guess at your past occupation, as anyone can get shot. Knocking on wood................... I'm glad you were okay.

As PAlady said you should be proud of the steps you have taken thus far. It is defenitly more than most are able to get. Admittance in black and white from a hospital in taking on a bit of the blame is amazing, and highly incriminating if you were to persue the legal end. Of course I'm not a lawyer so am only judging by what little I think I know!

I agree with Gramops in waiting for stronger evidence until you feel bring a suit against them outweighs any fears you may have. You seem to really want to advocate for your rights and getting the medical and public opinion of the severity of Chronic pain to change for the better. You have already done much for yourself.

Perhaps your PM doc is willing to prescribe the medications you would need instead of having to experience the doctor and nurse attitudes in the ER. I'm not sure how bad it gets or if you would be in serious jepordy if you dont get the treatment only the ER can give.
PAlady-if you are a nurse, I mean to offense, but of course you know how it can be when they think you are there to "score" narcotics.

I cringe when I have no other choice but to go get Emergency help for my pain. I feel all the eyes watching my every move and am in constant fear of doing or saying something wrong. your darned if you do and darned if you dont. I'm sure we would all be livid if we got a view of our Emergency Room visit notes. I already know I must have a comment in there when I flipped out on a nurse practitioner for questioning my validity, well it sounded to me like he was! The doctors and nurses of course swear he wasnt and that all the patients love him, all for this one I guess!

I wish you all in luck in whatever direction you decide to go. Please keep us updated, we are all here to help in whatever way we can. I dont know where I'd be without HW support and all I've learned here.
Your in good company

Hugs

Freya
Posted 5/19/2008 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
Freya - I always love your posts. Give me a needed chuckle! (your "sarcastic" part!) And don't worry about offending me. I'm in the mental health arena, but my being in health care didn't stop my PCP (who I knew as a distant colleague, which is why I initially went to her) from claiming that she feared I was being "dishonest" with her, based on one visit when I was clearly overmedicated (meds were still being adjusted) and not communicating clearly. Instead of thinking like a doctor at the time, she wrote that in her report, which went to my worker's comp. case - which means to my employer. Later I get laid off by my employer while I'm out on medical leave from back surgery, because they're downsizing (they did lay off my supervisor first). So that one report has followed me and even though I wrote her a letter in response, and have not seen her since (but have had to see someone else in that office because I don't have the energy to search for a new PCP at the moment....need to find a pm doc first) it still hangs over me, and I know i'll have to deal with it every time medical records are transferred. I'm trying to build up positive support via my surgeon's office; his nurse has been great about sending me percocet scripts in the mail each month when I call, and calling in other meds. as needed. She keeps saying to me how she knows I'm not abusing. It's so nice to hear, that's why I hate to find a pm doc, but I know a surgeon's office won't prescribe forever. So anyway, I am in the same boat, Freya. Don't worry about offending. There are a lot of good people in health care, and a lot of valid reasons why people are overwhelmed, and often make errors in reporting, but I don't think that's what occurs in most cases with CPP's. I think the judgment and bias is built in from attitudes that have little to do with health care, but more from personal bias about drug use, etc. and that taints what should be an objective medical evaluation.

Gramps - for anyone to say your symptoms are due to hypochondria - which really isn't a valid diagnosis anyway, is nuts!

Nizzan - didn't meant to get off course from your issues, but I'm not sure I can add much more at this point.

PaLady
Posted 5/19/2008 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
Glad to give you a chuckle PaLady. I do have a tendancy to get very sarcastic!
I'm glad youe gettting the meds you need from the nurse and the call ins when you need them. That must be a real help to not have to go out and pick them up! I would be putting of finding a pm doc too. Infact, I was so nervous being referred that they would take me off my meds. Thank goodness they didnt. Mayabe a pm would give you a long acting pain med instead of just the percocet?

Sorry I dont want to hijack your thread either Nizzan!
Posted 5/19/2008 8:24 PM (GMT 0)
I have been following this thread and I while I am appalled and frightened about the circumstances that are being shared here, I cannot help but remember a comment that my PCP made to me on my last visit to her for my pain meds - for the first 5 years or so I was seeing a pain doc every three months for my refills but because I have become stable she felt it was appropriate to hand me over to a PCP for the routine 'scripts, etc. So I have been going to my PCP for the last two years now. We were discussing some of the hassles surrounding the scripts etc and somehow we got on the subject of patients who are less than honest about medication needs.

She made the comment that it is odd that in all the years (>20) that she has been prescribing medication for all sorts of problems that NOT ONCE has she had a phone call from a patient asking for a replacement script because the dog (or cat, or husband. etc) knocked the antibiotic / heart med / NSAID down the sink....that there must be some inherent property with narcotic medication that makes them more prone to drains.

:-)

After a second to process that comment, I got it and gave her the groan that she deserved........
Posted 5/19/2008 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Add to that if you decrease anxiety, you will likely decrease pain levels. So if we all knew we could, on occasion, take an extra pill on a bad day, we'd probably take one less on a few other days. I'm not advocating skipping extended release meds, but we'd probably stretch the 4 hours to 6 more often if we knew the days we needed one every four hours there would be enough.

PaLady
Posted 5/20/2008 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not aware of all the precise steps you can take based on legal grounds, but I do understand the doctor's position (although this is of no help at all to you of course). Most people have trouble controlling their pain medication and when you take opium or its derivatives, you become, unfortunately for us (I use them as well), addicted. Most people who have been through periods of severe physical pain also express symptoms of a psychological nature, that's just the facts.

When I had a similar problem, though not as bad as yours, I simply made an appointment with that doctor and explained the case calmly. It turned out to be a misinterpretation and be remained friends (we were already cordial before the incident). Now this doctor told me some of the things he'd seen ... Boy, that's unbelievable here in Belgium and I know it is even worse in most other parts of the world.

Try to talk to the guy and explain your problem. Be honest with him, as always, and reach out for his help. If he still refuses to see or help you, hit him with everything you can. But do try the nice and soft approach first.
Posted 5/20/2008 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
Again, there's a difference between addiction and dependence, at least based on how addiction is diagnosed here in the U.S. Physical dependence on the drug is expected for CPP's taking narcotics, but in the U.S. physical dependence is only one criteria for the diagnosis of substance dependence ("addiction" according to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association).

PaLady
Posted 5/20/2008 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Indeed, you're right. Addiction and dependence are defined different in the US. I was thinking in Belgian legal and medical terms. But I think we are side-tracking here. Thanks for me me straight.
Posted 5/20/2008 9:59 AM (GMT 0)
Psychological Criteria for addiction is not so different country to counry, even in Europe. The difference is that the US is quite a bit more strict than the rest of the world. 

The defenition of addiction for everyone, everywhere is the psychological compultion to take a mood altering substance despite negative consequences. 

That sometimes includes being physically dependant, but not always.

Physical Dependance is your bodies need of the substance in order to avoid withdrawls. For those of us who are not addicted this does not include the psychological compultion to take the drug.  But dependance includes psychological addiction in some cases.  Only 1-3% of those in chronic pain will become addicted to there narcotic pain medication.  Our brains do not react in the same way as someone who is taking narcotics to get High. Few of us ever feel a true "high" from our medication.

Addicts take drugs to escape from life chronic Pain sufferers take them in order to rum to it.

Thats a huge difference.

This of course does not include a psychological fear of losing the ability to take the pain medication making it appear that the person is addicted. This is called pseudo addiction and many docs are aware of the difference.  Oe undertreated pain which compells the chronic pain sufferer to seek out more medication, again making it appear like drug seeking behavior.  Also considerd psuedo addiction.  They are defenity not the same as addiction itself.

 

Posted 5/20/2008 10:18 AM (GMT 0)
Oh one last note,
I'm just talking about the defenition of addiction not the laws in Belgium. I dont live there so I dont know them.
I dont think were getting off topic at all as this problem involves the accusation of a drug problem.
Posted 5/22/2008 10:23 AM (GMT 0)
I just want to thank all of you for the great advice. My wife and I met with this Hospital Admin yesterday and discovered she was NOT a Doctor but a PA (I mean no disrespect to PA's!). I was one of her very first patients and certainly her first CP patient. In the end she still refuses to change her notes but I was able to get the Hospital to add an addendum to the electronic record that will appear on a computer screen and it states that there is no evidence to support PA (insert name) opinions. A thorough investigation was conducted by Hospital staff and the conclusion is that PA so and so's opinion is based in error, is incorrect and therefore given the appropriate weight. This will remain in the record until the PA corrects her mistake so I guess I come out somewhat a winner. I did file a complaint because I called her "Doctor" all the time while in the Hospital and she never once corrected me. She was always in civilian clothes with an ID card clipped to her belt (no name tag etc.) so she really should have made it clear to me through the haze that she was not a Doctor. She never did............
Posted 5/22/2008 10:33 AM (GMT 0)
Nizzan, Congrats on the victory...Of course it is a win for you. It's admission by the hospital itself that the clain was not true!

I do agree that the PA should have corrected you when you kept referring to her as DR. I'm glad the hospital did investiagte so that you could rectify her wrong statement. I am sure once the complaint goes through about her letting you believe she was a DR, she will think twice about her refusal to change her statement against you!

I'm glad you kept up and didnt let them brush you off. Kudos!
Wish everyone had stories like that.

Hugs

Freya
Posted 5/22/2008 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations!  I'm so glad this has been done.  Now, my next question...Why is the hospital keeping this person on if they are in error and too stubborn to correct their mistakes?  If I were running things, the PA would be hitting the bricks!  They totally lack the compassion that is needed to be working with sick people.

 

Sherrine

Posted 5/22/2008 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
NIZZAN,
Congratulations! What you've done is a huge victory! And it helps all CPP's because I bet this PA and others who have been part of this process will think twice in the future before ordering room searches and such. I don't know if you realize what a huge victory it is to have the hospital correct the record so clearly. They are basically giving you support for a legal action and/or complaint against the PA. I know, you don't want to do the legal stuff, but I just wonder if you took what you've got to an attorney whether you could get one to agree to a contingency fee. Because you've already got your proof! You've really done a lot of the attorney's work for him/her, although the hospital would probably settle pretty quickly as they'd say they have rectified the error. Still, they bear some responsibility, especially if the PA is not disciplined.

At any rate, GREAT JOB!!

PaLady
Posted 5/22/2008 8:34 PM (GMT 0)

NIZZAN,

Congratulations, and on behalf of CP sufferers everywhere that have been treated like drug addicts by health care providers, Thank You!!!!!  You took the "high road" through all this, and came out on top.  Still a shame you had to experience all this, but hopefully you can put this behind you and concentrate on getting better and living a less-painful life.  Take care and God Bless.

Anon

Posted 5/26/2008 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
I am new to this site and a friend pointed me to this thread which I read with fascination and a heavy heart.  I have some similar issues, particularly regarding getting inaccurate and damaging information taken off my medical records regarding my use of pain medication and behaviour.  My case for defence is strong, as with many if not all the respondants here.  However I do not think anybody here is from the UK, unless I missed a post.  If there is anyone from my end of the world or who knows of how I can proceed I would be very grateful for any help.  I have no money to pay a solicitor and so far cannot find one to represent me.  I have been told my case falls under the Human Rights area rather than medical negligence.  I am doing all I can regarding contacting my Primary Care Trust and the Hospitals involved, and have been fortunate in that despite terrible things written on my records I am still being treated by some physicians and given my controlled drugs.  But should I need emergency treatment, or need to visit a doctor out of town, or even if my own doctor gains access to this harmful information, I would not receive help.  I suffer daily and severe chronic pain, one condition has been diagnosed and others are being investigated, and have been using controlled medications for many years.  Yet it took the actions of one inexperienced and spiteful doctor who I saw once, who felt threatened when I pointed out some dangerous practice I witnessed to them (I have some medical training), to act by alerting all doctors and hospitals in my area that I was a fraud and a drugseeker.  The proof against their case is without dispute, yet is seems that a doctor just has to cry out one malevolent word and it is forever held against you.  I too have had the experience of being kept waiting for hours in Emergency, with a blood pressure reading which was dangerously high, and ultimately vomiting and then collapsing in the bathroom.  Their response was to call security.  I had to get myself into a taxi and spend a fortune travelling to a distant hospital to get treated.  Withought this other hospital having harmful information on me, they treated my case as it was, life-threatening, and also gave me my pain medication.  I am fighting battles with the hospital involved in failing to treat me, the doctor who initiated this information, those who distributed it, and all the while with a health condition which leaves me so fatigued there is barely any fight in me.  I need legal representation.  Does anyone, please, know of how I can get this in this country.  It seems this doctor and the medical records system would rather see me dead than right this wrong.  Any help would be appreciated.  I almost envy the Americans amongst you who have such a strong culture of legally battling with medics.  We don't have it here.  I am penniless but I don't give a darn for compensation.  I just want to be able to access health care safely again.  Thanks for reading this.
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