Surgeon failed to properly inform patient

July 11, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: In mid-September 2009, I had a lung lobectomy and was in the hospital for about 2-1/2 weeks. There were complications, including atrial fibrillation and a delay in the lung sealing, which caused the drain tubes to remain in for most of my stay.

I was told that I would be in the hospital between five and seven days and back at work within three months. As yet, I have not been able to return to work.

Prior to the surgery, the only thing that was brought to my attention was that sometimes things “go wrong,” and when I was discharged from the hospital, I was given minimal instructions. For some naive reason, I thought that if I woke up from the anesthesia that things had “gone right.”
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When a toothache isn’t a toothache

February 2, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My son is 56 years old. Two years ago, he had a tooth pulled that resulted in a dry socket. After five weeks of pain, he went to a different dentist, who pulled more of his teeth. My son was told that this would stop the pain. When it didn’t, he was given pain medication. After nearly two years, he was advised to go to a neurologist because the pain was affecting his entire face and jaw and occasionally his ears.
The neurologist told him that he should go see some professor at the University of Pennsylvania. This person has now been treating my son for three months. His medication has been increased to the maximum dose, but he is still in pain, and he now has a diagnosis of odontalgia.
You have helped so many other people that I hope you can help my son, too. [Read more...]

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Lithotripsy may help prevent kidney-stone agony

January 31, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I was recently diagnosed with kidney stones. The pain was one of the worst I have ever experienced. I was treated with pain medication, hydrated with a saline solution and given a CT scan. One of the stones passed that morning and I was sent home. The follow up doctor visit revealed that I have three more stones in my kidney that I was told would eventually make their way down my urinary tract which will also be painful. I am now somewhat paranoid waiting for the new pain that will come at anytime. I have a visit scheduled in 6 weeks but in the meantime I was told to drink eight to 10 glasses of water to keep the acid content in my kidneys diluted and basically just wait. I do some traveling and the thought of this pain hitting me again while flying or in another state is agonizing.
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