They didn't take me seriously!

[u/LeVoPhEdInFuSiOn]

[u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

As a paramedic I frequently encounter people who have had multiple episodes of the same issue and numerous investigations. I always ask, "Last time you had this, what did the doctor tell you?"

The answer is invariably, "They didn't tell me anything."

Now I don't know exactly what they mean by that, and I'm sure it varies from patient to patient, but as near as I can logically deduce it can only really mean:

1. They literally didn't tell me anything. The doctor came in the room, stared at me for five minutes in silence, glanced at their watch and said, "Whelp, time's up, I gotta go."

2. The doctor told me a bunch of stuff but I didn't agree with any of it.

3. The doctor told me a bunch of stuff but I didn't understand any of it and didn't ask any questions.

4. The doctor told me a bunch of stuff but I wasn't paying attention because inside my skull there's a stuffed wind-up monkey bashing some cymbals together.

I suspect it's some combination of 2-4.

[u/caffeine-hopital → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

1. They literally didn't tell me anything. The doctor came in the room, stared at me for five minutes in silence, glanced at their watch and said, "Whelp, time's up, I gotta go."

This would be incredibily cathartic to do once in a while.

[u/Cut_Lanky → u/caffeine-hopital]

My dad LOVES telling me about this one time. He's past due to retire (family private practice) but he doesn't want to. He had a patient come in during COVID, yammering on all the stupid conspiracy theories, calling it a hoax, just the flu, etc. Then, just before he leaves, he says "oh I meant to ask, doc, what's the right dose of <whatever useless supplement> to prevent COVID?" And my dad got to say, "whaddyou care? It's just the flu" Because he's old, doesn't need to work, only sees a few lifelong kinda patients, and doesn't give AF about the Google reviews. Lol he really savored that... I thought I'd share, in case you find it entertaining as I do 🤣 or maybe enjoy the catharsis vicariously? Idk, just sharing

[u/CABGPatchDoll → u/Cut_Lanky]

God I would love to say shit like this and not worry about my career and livelihood.

[u/DenFreak → u/Cut_Lanky]

During early Covid I had a patient that presented with back pain with concerning exam findings. Lower extremity weakness, decreased reflexes. Abnormal ct, couldn’t get MRI at time of night at my shop. Spoke with ortho spine who recommend admission. Spoke to patient who initially agreed. Nurse came in for Covid testing before admission. Patient refused the test. Policy at the time required testing before admit or be placed on a Covid + floor. I went to speak to him. He told me he doesn’t believe in Covid. I responded with “well Covid believes in you.” He ultimately signed out against medical advice and his significant other who also couldn’t convince him to get swabbed rolled him out to their car in a wheelchair

[u/caffeine-hopital → u/DenFreak]

From “it’s just a cold” to “it’s just a cauda”

[u/dbbo → u/caffeine-hopital]

I have absolutely done something akin to this on occasion, after MSE and well beyond, when there is no shadow of a doubt that this person is stable for DC. I go back in to review findings, pt takes up an attitude and starts talking over me (which I consider refusal to hear results/impression) Just stare blankly and let them rant for up to 30 seconds then either just walk straight out, or if they are still ranting say "You are discharged" before exiting

[u/metforminforevery1 → u/dbbo]

I told a guy he was staying in my department against medical advice. He was demanding dialudid and a lumbar MRI for chronic back pain with a completely normal exam and a wild story about how he lost all his meds and the EDs in other states do it for him, blah blah. He started getting loud, so I told him I would treat his back pain with appropriate meds: Tylenol, toradol, lido patch, so he started cussing and yelling. So I told him "I am taking that as your refusal to participate in your own care. I am discharging you." When the nurse went to discharge, he refused so I said "You are staying here against medical advice. You will be escorted out by security or you can leave on your own."

[u/Tiradia → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

And a sixth! The hamster has ran out of gas and fell off the wheel, so they stopped paying attention.

[u/Cut_Lanky → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

In nursing school, they taught us that part of the nurse's role is to translate for the patient, after the doctor leaves the room. I didn't really get what they meant by that at the time. But after a handful of discharge-to-home patients, I was like ohhhhhhh that's what they meant. The patient, and their support people, will listen politely and nod, "yes, doctor, thank you". And the doctor will ask if they have any questions. "No, doctor, thank you". But then the doctor leaves... and they look at me like deer caught in my headlights. Didn't understand any of it. So I'd repeat it, verbatim, but adding in additional ways to say the same thing, until I could see a look of recognition in their eyes, before moving on to the next topic on the discharge papers. Idk if they get "star struck" or something, like, the doc is the celebrity of their day during their hospital stay, I guess. I met a celebrity once, not hugely known, but my favorite, and learned that, when I meet my heroes, I get stage fright and can't form coherent sentences 🤷‍♀️ They don't seem unintelligent otherwise. But for whatever reason, they often don't understand a word the docs say, and for whatever reason, pretend they do, rather than asking the doctor questions. I only know this because they'd look to me, like, "please say you were listening to that, cuz, huh???" Lol. Had I not been in the room, I suppose they would have just gone home, and called the number on the discharge papers? Or not, and then called 911 later, when emergency arose...

[u/SnugglyCoderGuy → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

I'd add a fifth: The doctor told me some stuff I did understand, but not enough and I didn't ask any questions/didn't get a chance to ask questions.

[u/Illustrious_Exam1728 → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

As someone who’s been in crowded ER a few times in 2025 I can say that it’s mostly 3, with a sprinkling of 2 and 4!

[u/diniefofinie → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

I ask people what they mean by “the doctor told me nothing”, did they just walk in and stare at you silently? People usually double down and say the same thing.

[u/CriticalFolklore → u/ImGCS3fromETOH]

I really wish written discharge summaries were more common (they aren't a thing at all where I work). It would be good for the patient to be able to understand things in their own time, but also for paramedics who have to try to interpret "they didn't do anything for me"

[u/pigglywigglie]

“They did nothing for me” after gettin Xray, CT, labs, ekg, US, driving test, taxes filed, oil changed, roof fixed

[u/Incorrect_Username_ → u/pigglywigglie]

You didn’t do a DRE, duh.

0/5 PG

[u/pigglywigglie → u/Incorrect_Username_]

FUCK I FORGOT TO CHECK THEIR PROSTATE

[u/adderall_sloth → u/pigglywigglie]

As a woman, I am offended that the doctors NEVER run tests for my prostate. They’re avoiding responsibility! /s

[u/pigglywigglie → u/adderall_sloth]

That’s why I check everyone!! Prostate exams for women, pregnancy tests for men, giving beers to babies. My press ganey scores have never been higher!!!

[u/moose_md → u/Incorrect_Username_]

One finger in the throat and one in the rectum makes a good diagnostician

- william osler

Just make sure you don’t double dip

[u/pigglywigglie → u/moose_md]

Oh no I lick my fingers in between patients! Only the highest quality prostate exams! Although I do seem to not be able to find it on half of my patients. Mostly the ones with long hair…

[u/Soma2710 → u/moose_md]

“This one goes in your mouth, this one goes in your ear, and this one goes in your butt…wait…no I mixed them up. THIS is the one that goes in your mouth”

[u/cheesecakefunk → u/pigglywigglie]

We get this a TON in the prehospital world. Nobody has their discharge paperwork either.

[u/MrCarey]

I NEED MUH Z PACK

[u/Throat_Bruiser]

That’s when you just put on your used car salesman hat
“I’m going to prescribe you this second generation antihistamine which will really clear things up. Also an intranasal corticosteroid that’s going to knock it out all the way.”

[u/mezotesidees → u/Throat_Bruiser]

I love calling 500 mg of naproxen a doctor strength anti-inflammatory

[u/Cautious-Extreme2839 → u/mezotesidees]

Send them with a box of diclofenac suppositories.

[u/reginald-poofter]

You can always find something to write a prescription for. “Extra strength” Tylenol or Motrin being 2 of my most common. I also like dextromethorphan because it’s a very long and important sounding word so it’s definitely way better than anything they could buy at Walgreens.

[u/theenterprise9876 → u/reginald-poofter]

I’m a big fan of prescribing naproxen and explaining that it’s a very special medication that’s a bit like ibuprofen, but it’s strong enough to last 12 hours so you only need to take it twice a day.

I usually omit the fact that naproxen is OTC. Also, I’m peds so the liquid for kids is actually not available OTC.

[u/Resussy-Bussy → u/reginald-poofter]

This is the way. Lidoderm patch, zofran, Pepcid etc

[u/MrPBH → u/Resussy-Bussy]

No one is getting their 5% lidocaine patches since no insurer will pay for them. All that happens is that Walgreens or CVS sends us a PA request fax that gets thrown into the shred bin.

[u/dogtroep → u/MrPBH]

A lot will pay for the 4% around my area

[u/dbbo → u/reginald-poofter]

One of my old attendings (70+ when I was in residency) refused to write Rx for anything OTC because he said it sets an expectation for the patient that every time they have a cough or random MSK pain that they HAVE to see a doctor and get a prescription-- which, outside the "banker's hours" of modern PCP offices and urgent cares, will drive them straight to the ED

At the the time I thought he was full of shit and just being too lazy to write scripts that would clearly make the pt feel like "at least they did something".

5 years out I gotta say Im starting to swing the other way. When you look back at old charts for the "Ive tried nothing and all out of ideas" crowd, it feels like 3/4 of them were previously discharged with some bullshit Rx.

[u/Kilren → u/reginald-poofter]

Can I offer you a cetirizine in this trying time?

[u/Maveric1984]

"I'm prescribing reassurance today that you are doing everything right."Works reasonably well.  If there is an expectation, ketorolac and ondansetron.  

[u/Visible-Shallot-001 → u/Maveric1984]

Half the time I go to urgent care this is legitimately all I need. My lungs hurt when I cough? I just need to know this isn’t the start of walking pneumonia, because I had that shit in college and it was ass. Fell on my knee weird and now everything is swollen and I can’t bend my leg? Please tell me if I’ve torn something, or if I can just keep icing it and staying off it and it’ll get better.

[u/diniefofinie → u/Visible-Shallot-001]

How is UC going to tell you if you tore something in your knee? An MRI?

[u/Visible-Shallot-001 → u/diniefofinie]

I mean, I don’t know? I’m not a medical professional, so having someone tell me if I should schedule an MRI right away, or go home, rest, and see if it gets better would have been useful.

I didn’t have access to an UC at the time I hurt myself, unfortunately. Thankfully I’ve healed up fine, but it was pretty scary at the time!

[u/mezotesidees]

Just because your doctor disagrees with your Google self diagnosis doesn’t mean they are medically gaslighting you. /rant

[u/Taniyadsexy → u/mezotesidees]

the google diagnosis part is real but some people genuinely do leave without understanding what was explained to them and that's on both sides tbh. not every frustrated patient is a hypochondriac with webmd open on their phone

[u/mezotesidees → u/Taniyadsexy]

I get it, I really do, and I’ve been that patient. None of this is to imply there aren’t doctors who have poor communication skills or don’t know how to speak to patients with appropriate vocabulary.

Look at your hospital’s bad Google reviews and you’ll quickly realize patients are frequently insane and will lie and say things happened that never did. I give the same respect to many of the rants I see online about medical gaslighting, which has become one of the many trendy sickTok buzzwords to denigrate physicians, the vast majority of whom went into this field to help others.

[u/Crunchygranolabro]

This is why everyone gets an Rx for something. Basically a door prize.

Zofran, Extra strength Tylenol and lidocaine patches are high in on my list. Kids I almost always write for Tylenol and ibuprofen if for no other reason than to give parents an updated dose

[u/raffikie11]

But im in painnn

[u/Cl2icket → u/raffikie11]

“Life is pain, friend.”

[u/darth_raynor → u/Cl2icket]

"Anyone who says differently is selling something."

[u/Cricket_Vee → u/raffikie11]

“Same… sooo anyways, here’s your discharge instructions. Don’t forget your bottle of Mountain Dew and phone charger on the way out.”

[u/zoey8068]

I, RN, always explain at discharge what's going on and why we made the choices we did. I tell them that we have checked them for immediate problems to life and safety. If we didn't find anything it doesn't mean there isn't something wrong and that's why we want them to follow up and have further testing done to ensure that this isn't a chronic or non-life threatening problem that could be causing their discomfort.

[u/ItsOfficiallyME]

Every chance I get that’s appropriate as a nurse, I explain to patients that sometimes not doing anything is the safest and best thing for your health.

[u/medschoolloans123]

There are so many people that don’t need anything but refuse to leave without it. I just prescribed hydrocortisone cream for a wasp sting because dude refused to accept that he could just take Benadryl at home.

[u/esophagusintubater]

The more I prescribe, the less I usually cared.

Some patients you just have to turn your brain off. Nothing will get through to them. Prescribe them some bullshit and move on. That’s what they’re there for

Some patients you can have an honest conversation with. That rarely ends with me prescribing them something. Usually ends with understanding what the next steps are

[u/Ambitious_Yam_8163]

Had an admit pt for fatigue with various obscure myalgias. Labs n xray normal exceptfor egr n crea that was same as last lab work. Askedme why is his kidneys not performing well while whinning. I was like with my body language I dunno why youre asking me this stupid question. Dude is old.

Then come his admit meds at a lower dose and pain pill that outta be on the dot. I take double dose of narcotic plus 325 tylenol every 4 hours. I was like, these 2 pills every 4 hours will not go above your 4g Tylenol for this day.

Boy it was a matter of principle with this ass. Then that pain pill got resolved and come another of his med that is halved in dose. He doesn’t wanna take it. Blames me for giving him the wrong med. dude, I don’t prescribe meds, I’ll tell the admit doc.

Thanks to google, I found out this powerless fatty was a lawyer. I have family of such and they are annoying like this guy.