Tragedy Becomes Farce

[PloskoPlus]

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[needadvancement]

Dude if there is anything I can sympathize with your frustration out of experience is wasted time and money in these treatments. Did you contact this guy through email first? If not that would be the right approach imo. Basicely get the questions answered online first, evaluate and then go for the actual consultation.

[JimmyTheGent]

20 months ago the local luminary performed statistically the safest surgery on me (Le Fort I) and absolutely WRECKED my infraorbital nerve.  I have been living with horrendous paraesthesia ever since.  My upper lip is a burning rubbery hell.

Today, after waiting for 3 months, I finally saw a neurologist.  My GP had warned me that it would be pointless, but a drowning man  will hold to a snake.  He told me that the infraorbital nerve does not supply the upper lip, it supplies the eyes.  I told him that he is mistaken - it's connected to the lip as it comes out the infraorbital foramen.  He then PULLED UP WIKIPEDIA and said I'm right.  Needless to say, he can't help me.  That was $375 for 20 minutes. A nerve specialist, practicing for decades, who DOES NOT KNOW BASIC NERVE ANATOMY.  He has a 3 month waiting list.  I have seen everything now.

Oh my God I dont even know what to say to this.  Firstly, why did you pay?  I would have taken this to court and told them exactly what happened.  You taught the Neurologist something that day and he should be paying you!! Then he checked your knowledge against Wikipedia, a publicly updated encyclopedia?? He didnt even have official medical books to reference?  I would have cursed this guy out and told him to see me in court if he wants to try to get his money. 

[notrain]

20 months ago the local luminary performed statistically the safest surgery on me (Le Fort I) and absolutely WRECKED my infraorbital nerve.  I have been living with horrendous paraesthesia ever since.  My upper lip is a burning rubbery hell.

Today, after waiting for 3 months, I finally saw a neurologist.  My GP had warned me that it would be pointless, but a drowning man  will hold to a snake.  He told me that the infraorbital nerve does not supply the upper lip, it supplies the eyes.  I told him that he is mistaken - it's connected to the lip as it comes out the infraorbital foramen.  He then PULLED UP WIKIPEDIA and said I'm right.  Needless to say, he can't help me.  That was $375 for 20 minutes. A nerve specialist, practicing for decades, who DOES NOT KNOW BASIC NERVE ANATOMY.  He has a 3 month waiting list.  I have seen everything now.

I had such a high opinion of Australia. After following your story for the past year, that has changed quite a bit. You shouldn't have paid that guy (for what service and why 375 bucks?). Such a basic verbal consultation without a thorough examination costs € 40,- over here and I'm pretty sure no doctor over here would consult wikipedia for anything.

[PloskoPlus]

I had such a high opinion of Australia. After following your story for the past year, that has changed quite a bit. You shouldn't have paid that guy (for what service and why 375 bucks?). Such a basic verbal consultation without a thorough examination costs € 40,- over here and I'm pretty sure no doctor over here would consult wikipedia for anything.

He did do a basic exam - follow my finger, can you feel a pin prick here (I can, I don't have dysthesia, I have severe parasthesia, I had hoped he'd order a nerve conduction study to see if the nerve is impinged).  He suggested a high dose of lyrica might help, see a psychologist, do meditation or yoga to distract yourself. That's it.
40 euro is what my GP charges. My German expat friend told me the doctors here are so bad in comparison its infuriating.
P.S. Medicare returned $128, so it wasn't so bad.

[Lazlo]

He did do a basic exam - follow my finger, can you feel a pin prick here (I can, I don't have dysthesia, I have severe parasthesia, I had hoped he'd order a nerve conduction study to see if the nerve is impinged).  He suggested a high dose of lyrica might help, see a psychologist, do meditation or yoga to distract yourself. That's it.
40 euro is what my GP charges. My German expat friend told me the doctors here are so bad in comparison its infuriating.
P.S. Medicare returned $128, so it wasn't so bad.

i mean just WOW. I knew most doctors were f**king retards but this beats the cake.

[PloskoPlus]

Thanks for your support, everyone.  I had known that it would come to nothing.  I just didn't expect it to be so expensive and so farcical (he did look up a textbook first, but for whatever reason decided it was better to google it).  I heard that the medical union in Australia is the most powerful, effective union in the country.  I wonder if it's basically a guild that makes sure to keep the number of doctors down.  This may explain why he has a 3 month waiting period - I guess an artificial shortage does not mean quality.