Have you ever felt pressured into treatments that didn’t feel right?

I have been pressured into a medical procedure and I knew it wasnt right. What they were looking for in an in office test showed negative, and the urologist wanted to continue with two other semi invasive tests. I refused. We have to be our own advocates! I something doesnt feel/sound right, DON"T do it or get a second opinion . I really felt it was a way for him to bill my insurance more than was needed testing wise. I never went back. I have no problem speaking my mind...we pay them and they work for us, not the other way around.

Only last week coincidentally!

Over the years I have tried many treatments for my spinal problems; when my GP suggested a new "wonder drug" for it, 20 years ago, I jumped at the chance. Amitriptyline ... I hated it. It was meant to help nerve damage and pain, all it did was help me to sleep, and left me feeling hungover the following day. I was then pushed to try Gabapentin, which did the same thing (allegedly) but for me, even on the highest dose possible, it did nothing.

So when I asked for more Oramorph last week, (which isn't on repeat for me because of the addictive qualities; which for me never happens because I never get a high!) the doctor insisted on reviewing it, without seeing me.

It was a doctor who has never seen me, ever, and who asked me where my pain was, how often it occurred, what did I think caused it (really?!), among other things. So I had to go through 30 years of history with my spinal pain...He refused to give me Oramorph, saying it was addictive and no good for chronic pain; this is a new pain I have in the bottom of my left leg. He then offered me Amitriptyline...to which I told him how it affected me and was reluctant about trying it again. Then he pushed Gabapentin and Pregabalin, which I told him that I had tried them both at different times in my pain journey, neither of which did a thing for it! He obviously hadn't read any of my notes, because I mentioned that I was worried that the NHFL had traversed to my bone marrow and it was that causing the persistent nerve pain, his reply? "Oh...you have Non-Hodgkins?" No mention of a referral, only to MSK which I'm reluctant to do because other than surgery, there isn't much more they can do for me! I flatly refused any of the drugs he pushed at me, whereas at one time I would have said okay, knowing they wouldn't do anything; but I refuse to put my health last in my life now, I am almost retirement age (66) I want quality to my final decades (fingers crossed!). Finally after repeating that I did not get a high from any opioids at all (and I'm already on Oxycodone and Nefopam), he gave in and prescribed it, but he was adding his reluctance to my medical file. When I looked at it later on that day, he had underlined the sentence "Looking for stronger pain relief, addiction?" WTF?!!

So people, I will be contesting that sentence asking for it to be removed from my file, I am no junkie, I am not a liar, I just want a pain free life! Had he looked further into it, he would see that we (as a family) have the HLA-B27 gene, which makes us susceptible to autoimmune inflammatory conditions, giving us nerve treatment will do nothing! NSAIDs are wonderful, they really help, but my stomach can no longer tolerate them sadly. Advocate for your health!

I've had epilepsy for 51 years and now many other health issues. My mum taught me to fight for my rights when I was diagnosed at the age of 16. I was taught to query medications, do my own Google research on both health issues and medications, speak my mind and advocate for myself! I requested a 2nd opinion and am now under another neurologist who I have faith in. Last year I was put on Teriparatide for osteoporosis but queried the chemicals in the product beforehand due to allergies. No one listened and they still pushed the medication through. Three injections later it caused an allergic reaction so I refused to continue and have gone back on Risedronate Sodium which I trusted. Learn to advocate for yourself as you know your body!