Please make this a mini-series. Bring on other physicians to tell their stories. Could be dentists, surgeons, family medicine, nurses. Any person that went to medical school in anyway. I would like to see you talk to a psychiatrist.
I have honestly always wondered how many dentists have gotten bitten. Also WHAT DO YOU DO? I would instinctively punch them because their teeth are on you. It probably happens a lot with children, but I bet you some crazy adults have bitten dentists before.
It's absolutely disgusting that some random person sitting behind a desk in a medical insurance company has the power to determine whether you live or die.
I feel that the most important question for doctors and individuals currently in school to become doctors should be - why do you want to become a doctor, and why did I choose this specific focus in my medical career? If you don't generally care about people, you cannot be a good doctor.
It's beyond frustrating how much doctors have to wrestle with insurance to get life-saving care to their patients. The fact that you held your ground until you got the tests is amazing, and it's something that needs greater attention.
I am amazed that American doctors care so much about their patients! Our doctors in Canada couldn't care less whether we get life-saving treatment or not.
I'm on blood thinners. I bump my head, and it's straight to the ER for a scan or X-ray. I can't believe Dr. Mike had to push so hard to save that lady. Respect, man.
Aw man, I almost cried about the patient getting denied twice for a scan. My mother had to go through that and got denied three times for a CT; not even her primary care physician fought for her. Thank God, someone working within the insurance company saw the denials and raised hell for her to get approved. You are such a sweet and kind person, Dr. Mike! Many blessings and success to you, good sir.
Had to argue for a second scan of kidneys. Two days before surgery finally approved. Kidney stone in right ureter. 1.6 cm. They go in looking for it. I PASSED IT!
@@jenf6489 Mom made it a couple of extra years after her surgery. Her hospital doctor was like 'why bother' and 'going to die anyway'. Yes, I am serious. They left her untreated for a month and she finally lapsed into a coma. Food was not at all getting into her system as her colon had died. A lovely surgeon who did talk to my step dad decided that 'there is no such thing as typical surgery' and 'at least out or no she can be more comfortable'. He liked hearing 'not typical'. This man had been removing colons and doing intestinal surgeries for decades. The operation was delayed about 48 hours as he had an incoming emergency. Meanwhile she was put on IVs full of nutrients and fluids. He did the surgery, and there was a colostomy bag involved, but she lived another two years, and she PROMPTLY regained pretty much FULL consciousness! The TIAs were what put her in hospital (and my step father not really really wanting to fix problems but...yeah. She got care until she fell anyway. Mostly. Then he'd pull an "oh we can't rock the boat or they will be really mean to her!" OK sorry but his mismanage left me hugely in debt on the house...and saga lol) Anyway, I got Mom back for two whole years. We went to visit her constantly. The last few weeks I could not as I had contracted HELL flu. She finally got two wisdom teeth out that had been a three year nightmare and had her living on antibiotics. Hell flu made me a non-smoker after 37 years. (11 days could barely waddle six feet to the bathroom, 7 more could barely climb stairs, 18 days no smoking, and mom's biggest wish for me was to quit smoking. So I did. I had him tell her so (He argued a bit but finally did). Two days later and after her tooth pulling, she suddenly went into overwhelming pneumonia, a coma, and died. That was early February 2018. I have not touched any form of inhalable since. Zero nicotine. No vaping, etc etc. I can breath! As for the kidney stones, they are just part of my own saga, but yes, it hurt. Other things have hurt MUCH more however. They were gone for awhile but unfortunately have come back, though there is no blockage or pain currently, so ignoring it while I handle other issues. (Diabetic due to a fall and congestive heart failure in my forties, had just lost 130lbs, heavy due to PCOS(Had it BAD, Metformin treats it for 70%, guess which I was? Utter starvation did not make me thinner unless on the pill (Quit at 22 due to a very severe auto accident and a year unable to walk so far of clots.and the 130 came off after decades of self torture, abuse, and loathing oh and starvation, but weight would NOT come off). Anyway still would swim/float 2 hours a day all summer, and had a bad thyroid too since the accident, which my family doctor refused to scan again as he'd done that 'ten years ago' now lose weight! 5% and it is just now finally medicated. I have kept off 100 of those pounds now for 14 years, and recently re-lost the 30 + another 5. I am not thin of course, and it pisses me off like hell that that has to go on the first page about me medically, and it gets the blame. I have existed on as little as 500 calories a day, and that only took off 30 pounds the first six months, hair the second, and a recent doctor in charge (Feet. Had calluses removed by my podiatrist to keep from 'hurting' my foot. He cut it open to bleed and heal. It blew can infection halfway up my leg (Full of screws and plates, why the fall was so bad) and I spent 12days last July in hospital. The other foot about a month and a half ago decided to also crack open where the callus was. Heh. Sorry to kvetch but waiting on leg angiogram number THREE just now. They had to go in twice on accident leg, and now they want to go in on the OTHER leg. Life can be...FUN! I probably should see if anyone wants to do anything about my kidney stone collection too...
This is so crazy. There are medical providers that take weeks, months even to get a prior authorization done. It hurts to know this could be the life or death decision for some patient’s prognosis! Thank you for being an advocate.
That's honestly barbaric that a non-medical professional could deny a medical procedure recommended by an actual medical professional. Why is it their decision anyway? That should be illegal!
Sooo wild, especially since so many illnesses can have wildly different outcomes depending on when they’re detected and they start to be treated. I mean most of them are like that, really.
As a patient, one of these stories is kind of close to my story. My dr always asks at the end of a visit, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” About a year and a half ago I flippantly told her “It’s probably nothing but I’m having this weird symptom.” She said that she’ll order an ultrasound and have my gyno look at it. Long story short, I have a D&C and they find cancer cells in the uterus. They caught the uterine cancer SO early that the cells hadn’t even gotten into the lining yet. Still had to have a radical hysterectomy but hey, no cancer! It still amazes me that from just one off-handed comment I found out that I had cancer. I thanked my dr later on for taking me seriously and ordering the ultrasound.
I don't know about Toby, but mine got caught because I was having bleeding twelve years past menopause. Mine was very early, too, and I also had a radical hysto, seven months ago now. The pathology results were good, so I haven't needed any further treatment. My cardiologist says he's had several patients on blood thinners discover uterine cancers this way; I was just the latest.
My daughter is on blood thinners and understands that if she falls and hits her head or in an accident, she needs medical attention right away. Went one step further and wanted a medical bracelet. I was impressed that she’s taking initiative when it comes to her own health. I love that you go with your gut and fight for your patients ❤
My daughter is on blood thinners and understands that if she falls and hits her head or in an accident, she needs medical attention right away. Went one step further and wanted a medical bracelet. I was impressed that she’s taking initiative when it comes to her own health. I love that you go with your gut and fight for your patients ❤
We need more doctors like mike. Doctors that double check, doctors that actually care, and doctors that insist on doing something that is necessary to make sure someone is safe.
@@syndromia__ismyusername but the names and identifying info isnt being shared. Sharing stories like these helps others learn the correct course of action.
@@syndromia__ismyusername Are you his patient that he talked about you or did you just had a similar story? Have you talked to him and explained you were not okay with that if you are his patient? Because according to your comment you haven't but you are writing your displeasure here rather than taking in to the source. Sharing a story without identifiable markers, will not expose the patient, and patient stories are shared in university settings on the daily basis in front of hundreds of students, without giving on identifiable markers of the patient.
Ok.... can we clone you? Please don't let the system wear you down because we need so many more doctors like you in the world. As a patient whose life has been ruined due to medical negligence that could have been avoided I can attest how high the stakes are. Thank you SO much for being so diligent, knowledgeable, caring and persistent. By setting the expectations you do you force others in your profession to raise their game. Unfortunately people who treat patient outcomes as seriously as you do are viewed as being "excessive" when, in fact, the bar you set should be the minimum required seeing as you are dealing with people's lives.
I'm a nurse that worked in a Neuro ICU in Boston for some time. That first CT scan story was one of those horror story scenarios we always hear about, and it's often young doctors/medical students that really push for that extra safe practice and it SAVES LIVES. Good call there, man. I've seen similar in my practice and we always respect those docs/providers.
A head scan after an accident just seems so obvious and comprehensive, I don't understand why they didn't think of it. That's an easily avoidable malpractice suit (and avoidable patient death) waiting to happen.
I know you likely won’t see this but I’m a nurse that’s worked in oncology and would like to say THANK YOU for doing the work! I also have had to deal with appeals on scans and it’s absolutely maddening to decline workup in the setting of possible cancer. That’s a HUGE problem in the US!
Really? I was withheld treatment for hypothyroidism for THREE YEARS in Canada because the doctor wouldn’t run a $12 thyroid test. I was informed, ‘yes you’re falling asleep while ironing because you’re getting older’. I was 33. My my 10 year old daughter has a knee injury that would’ve been treated routinely in the US. We were told it would scar over before they could get her in for an MRI. There were fewer of these machines in the ENTIRE country than there were in Atlanta Georgia. HOWEVER for the low, low price of $500 CASH the next day. We were in a 57% tax bracket and therefore didn’t have an extra $500 laying around. That was $1800 + in todays money. You clearly don’t know any healthcare providers in other countries. They will tell you the exact same thing
Truthfully Canadas wait times have been terrible forever, Americas wait times have gotta worse since universal healthcare. But that’s also because with uni health care that’s “free,” everyone will go see the doctor for the most minor scrape because it’s free, now your waiting longer for real emergencies.
@@anthonycelestre3529Dude our system actually used to be very well funded and actually pretty darn decent with many wait times compared to the US in many other things. Just like anything else they're pluses and minuses with any system
@@anthonycelestre3529 On the second part, that's not actually always true. Even with free health care, some people refuse to go to the doctor because "it's a waste of time" or other reasons.
@@anthonycelestre3529 Please don't spread misinformation. While it's true that right now, a lot of countries (including Canada and the US) are suffering a shortage of healthcare workers, that particular piece of information hasn't been true for many years.
I was 13 and got really sick. Met a lot of doctors, but they didn't know what illness. 2 months had passed since I started feeling really bad. My mom took me straight to the ER. There I got diagnosed with a type of lymphoma. Now I'm turning 16 and am cured after 2 heavy years of treatment. Really appreciate your work Mike, keep it up 👍😄
Congratulations!! Same happened to me. May 2020 felt sick for 2 mths, ended up at the ER & got diagnosed with AML then Lymphoma. Ive been in remission for 2 yrs since my cell transplant was a success😊
10:04 it baffles me that insurance companies have the power to deny treatment or anything medical related despite not having medical expertise. Its so twisted.
The first one was crazy. How can people from the ER deny scans after a literal car accident. I'm really happy doctor Mike did the right thing Keep it up (:
i have had some not great experiences with ER physicians in the past, almost like if you're not visibly bleeding out they can't be bothered with you. my husband stifled a sneeze and felt EXTREME throat pain to the point he couldn't talk, and when he tried it was very hoarse. he was afraid he had ruptured something but the ER doc did a quick low-res scan, didn't see anything and told him to go home. it was WEEKS before his throat started to feel better, so he definitely damaged something even if it wasn't a full rupture, but he was so worried because rupturing your throat (which can happen if you stifle a sneeze) can kill you in like 24-48 hours. i can't understand why doctors don't just take a patient's concern seriously from the beginning and do whatever scans/tests are necessary to rule out the worst possibilities.
@@dietotaku so what you’re saying is the ER physician was right because your husband was fine and they avoided the radiation exposure to his throat (and thyroid gland, more importantly). It’s almost as if ER physicians have extensive training.
@@js2156 he wasn't "fine," he couldn't talk for 3 weeks, and there's no way they could have seen a rupture on that shitty scan. maybe if someone says "I'm aware of the radiation exposure, SCAN ME ANYWAY because SOMETHING is WRONG," then just do the goddamn scan. fat lot of good that "extensive training" did the lady in Dr Mike's story, she would have DIED OF A BRAIN BLEED if they had listened to that ER doc.
Yeah. Mine is inaccessible and useless. Can't even refill my prescriptions on time. I used to have a wonderful guy, but very sadly he passed away from cancer. I miss that guy, he was the best dude. I asked the gov't to find me another doctor and they denied me, so, I guess I have to hope I stay healthy for a long time on my own.
I'm currently in med school and it's been very hard but seeing videos like this one gets me so excited to be a physician. Helping real people and advocating for them, i'm so happy i picked this.
Thank you for choosing medicine. We need more healthcare providers who are willing to listen, believe, and fight for their patients. I'm happy to know there will be one more amazing person out there to give people the care they need and deserve.
The losing 25 lbs story hits home, my grandpa had lost a lot of weight last summer and his doctor was thrilled. He didn’t do anything to lose the weight. He thought it was just his age. This past month though he passed away from surgery complications due to stomach cancer and a blockage in his intestines. If only his doctor questioned it a bit more. The hospital physician said the cancer was there for years.
My husband was on the jury for an insurance suit. The patient died from cancer because the doctor they loved was no longer covered by insurance. The new physician didn't pay attention to their unexplained weight loss (attributed it to aging) and never checked. When the insurance finally covered the preferred provider again, the original physician immediately checked for cancer when the patient couldn't explain the weight loss. They knew something was wrong, even though they hadn't seen them in more than a year because of the symptoms and through medical history. Had the patient been able to keep the same provider, that Doctor would likely have seen the oncoming cancer and caught it early, instead of late stage.
Yeah losing weight without trying is questionable, in Mikes case 25lbs in month is extreme and even a civil should be able to say something is wrong. Im sorry for your loss, I wonder what kind of idiot doctor was that. Losing weight is much harder with age, while cancer is much more likely to appear with age. His doctor should have ordered tests asap
My grandaunt, who is like a grandmother to me, died about a month after she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer I live in another country and when I went to visit her during the Christmas before, I saw she lost a lot of weight, I immediately thought she was sick and then she was saying something about doing stuff to loose weight, so I just put it aside. Then a few months later (last year) she got the diagnosis and died, we weren't able to go back to see her or go to her funeral. It was especially difficult for my mom, she was requesting an emergency travel document from our country because she sent her passport for a visa months before, she borrowed the ticket money and we traveled 3 hours to the parish with the airport, with her bag packed and ready to drop her off. Our embassy rejected her request. They said they don't give it for those things no matter how we pleaded. They instead instructed us to go to the embassy that had her passport and request it back and tell them they were inconveniencing us. My aunt died two days later.
Mike's insistence in the first case literally saved her life. This is amazing. His intuition is incredible. The second story is so cruel. Real or not, that is not your place as a stranger.
It's not intuition it's just good practice. But most doctors don't want to be bothered and or think patients are attention seeking. Especially in the ER. They just want to get you out of their way.
I’ve watched this episode like four times before, but I just love his way of retelling his experiences. He so clearly has genuine care and dedication for his patients. ❤
On behalf of everyone in the US healthcare system, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing up to the insurance company for your cancer patient. Knowing there are doctors like you out there who will go the extra mile to ensure that their patients get the help they deserve is such a relief.
You think it's bad now wait until we end up with a national Healthcare system and the government gets invoiced in the process like in Canada and the UK
@@danielsmith6782 And exactly how is that any worse? How is the government (which, in the United States, the citizens can theoretically influence) deciding which procedures they'll cover any worse than a private corporate entity beholden to nothing but end-of-quarter profits doing the exact same thing?
@hanazzeshan, A lot of it has to do with his training. He went to an osteopathic medical school and not just a regular medical school. I have found that doctors who graduate from osteopathic medical schools tend to be far more capable of treating the whole patient and have far better bedside manner, than those who completed regular medical school.
You know...They basically the the same education right ? What is the difference then ?? Most people don't speak about what they know or go public with their knowledge...
I have had an osteopathic neurologist who doesn't give a blip. I have migraines on a daily basis and she does nothing about that for more than two years now...@@Blissful-es1kk
Registered pharmacy technician here, and I work in a call center. I love going to bat for patients and doing a 3-way conference call with insurance and calling insurance out on denying coverage for prescriptions while patients listen in. Very much a moment for my patients of "I can't defeat you. But he can (me)." Don't mess with my patients and deny them coverage for medical care, I'll eat you for lunch. Promise.
I work in dental billing and have to fight with insurances daily. I can't imagine the frustration when you have to fight for possible life saving tests and scans. Glad you had a peer to peer and won!
LMAO. When patients ask us how much something will cost - we laugh. We don’t even have the facility to receive a payment. Private clinic there’s no fighting with insurance companies either - coverage is clearly stated. It’s required before selling any type of insurance to a customer. It’s unbelievable how Americans think their healthcare is so great. Pay thousands? Sorry, not covered! 🙄
My mother-in-law made a lot of changes to her diet, exercised more, and started losing weight. The weight kept coming off, kept coming off, until she was down to where she wanted to be and STILL losing weight without even trying. My father-in-law especially started to get a little concerned. Not long later, we found out she had cancer. She's through it now thankfully, and we're praying it never comes back, but now I'll be forever wary of rapid, unexplained weight loss.
Having a doctor willing to advocate for you is one of the most incredible experiences. It's so sad your patient has cancer afterall, but so glad you were able to get them the test they needed so things can be done sooner rather than too late.
Having a doctor willing to advocate for you is one of the most incredible experiences. It's so sad your patient had cancer afterall, but so glad you were able to get them the test they needed so things can be done sooner rather than too late.
I work as support staff at a PCP's office, & let me say: there is nothing I hate more than calling for a prior authorization. The paperwork, faxes & phone calls from that will follow you for weeks only to get denied after providing everything they asked for plus the kitchen sink. It makes me happy whenever a doctor does the peer-to-peer review, because it shows that they're a zealous advocate & they truly care about their patient. Props to you, Dr Mike 👊🏻
I had lymphoma that was missed by my pediatrician after losing weight and swollen lymph nodes I just wish that there were more people to advocate for me like you did for your patient… Good work doc!!
Same. After weight loss, swollen lymph nodes and more than 5x the normal leukocyte count, I first had a biopsy on an unaffected lymph node which is why they ruled out lymphoma. After two months of misery they decided to do a PET-CT and tada: Hodgkin lymphoma.
I was supposed to get scanned for lymphoma after losing weight rapidly, I get swollen lymph nodes every so often maybe every couple months usually when I’m sick. I moved to a new town and my new doctor didn’t seem interested in testing me and I’m afraid now lol, were there any other symptoms you had??
I really appreciate you doing that for your cancer patient. My boyfriend was diagnosed with a stage 3 melanoma and was STILL denied scans (Specifically a PET scan). Insurance companies are such vultures. Luckily we had a doctor who went to bat for us as well.
That's an insult to vultures. At least they wait for the animal to die. Insurance companies actively help make it happen, despite the fact that we're PAYING them.
@@KingoftheJuice18 the gatekeeping is horrendous. My insurance company wanted me to try a different medication than the one I'm currently on, so my doctor had to go to bat for me and appeal the denial. That medication was chosen for a reason, we're not being frivolous!
As someone who has both worked in the medical field and has medical trauma as a patient.... you are amazing! I have argued with doctors and insurance companies for my patients and myself, but to know there are still doctors fighting for patients is such a relief. Please keep doing what you're doing ❤️❤️❤️
That last story made me cry. I lost my mother to cancer in 2020. We did not have to lose her. She complained of chest tightness and was coughing a LOT. She was in her 60s. She smoked cigarettes since she was 13. Our family doctor didn't even CONSIDER that maybe, just MAYBE she should be sent for x-rays. That tests should be done. We could have caught it early if our doctor cared enough. We had been with her since I was very young, probably at least 25 years by the time she was diagnosed. I trusted her... that trust was completely misplaced. We're in Canada, too, so we wouldn't even have to have the argument of insurance covering it. My mom could still be here with us today, if our doctor had just been a little bit thorough. Thank you, so much for advocating for that patient and fighting for them. They have a family that loves them, and will get to spend more years with them because of you. I wish my mom had had someone like you in her corner.
I don’t know if this will help you at all, but lung cancer has a bad habit of not showing any symptoms until it’s already too late. The scan may have caught it when there were fewer metastases and given you more time with her, but it likely wouldn’t have saved her. My aunt who never smoked was taken at 56 from that evil disease. Her chemo, radiation, and tumor ablations bought her some time with her family, but the tumors kept coming back and eventually stopped responding to treatment. I’m terribly sorry for your loss.
Chest tightness and coughing do not scream cancer. As a doctor you can't go to every patient and tell them that they have cancer until you have a reason to think it actually is cancee
HIV is actually fairly rare with only .046% of the world’s population having it. Also medicine for it is amazing and it suppresses the virus to where lab tests can’t even detect it. Don’t let HIV stigma cause fear. It’s a virus. There’s tons of viruses in the world. This one just holds unnecessarily high stigma
@@baph0met Private healthcare is bad. Capitalist companies will abuse the system to increase profits. "Free markets" are always dominated by the ruling class
My mom's lymphoma went undiagnosed for almost a year. None of her doctors could figure it out but this was in 2020 when all hell broke loose so that could be a factor. Pretty cool that you got the patient diagnosed within weeks of onset of symptoms
I was recently diagnosed with Graves' Disease, and your videos have both before the diagnosis and after calmed me down a lot about health and illnesses. Thank you for all the laughs and reassurances, love the patient stories and how thoroughly you treat your patients
Back in 2009 when I was 19, I had two surgeries almost back to back (4th knee surgery and then emergency appendectomy) and went in with one of the doctors for a post op check in his office. I told him I was having a lot of pain and he basically just said “well you’re not getting more pain medicine” and left the room without examining me. I never asked for more pain medicine nor do I have any hx of abusing pain medicine. I went home and a couple hours later, the pain started getting super sharp and going down my arm. I ended up not being able to breathe properly and thought I was dying. (So much so that I wrote all my symptoms down on a piece of paper and a note to my mom because I didn’t think I would be alive by the time help got there) It was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I was rushed to the ER and they immediately rushed me to the ICU because I was having a very severe pulmonary embolism and one of my lungs had partially collapsed. The doctors think that because I was on a BC at the time and had the surgeries so close together and was in bed for a few weeks, the clot developed and moved into my lung. If that first doctor would have just done an exam, he would have probably found the first hints of it. It was a horrific experience and has still left me with severe PTSD to this day.
Sounds like our rural ER Dr. Only went there once after a fall and my dr. told me to go there since she doesn't have xray facilities. I never once asked for pain meds, but he was acting like that's all I was there for. I was mid 40's, slipped square on my tailbone, felt electricity shoot up my spine, and my ribs crunched. Then I rolled over and sat on all 4's for a good 5 minutes scared to death I had broken my back. I slowly inched my way inside all hunched over and laid down for a bit. I know my tail bone was at least bruised, and I know that lasts a long time. I was more concerned about my ribs and I've cracked ribs, it felt the same. And I know there's nothing they can do for either of those, but I was more concerned about a rib puncturing something. Ahole er Dr. totally dismissed my ribs and only took xray of tailbone. My Dr. was not happy at all when I told her about him and his attitude and refusal to do very much. I will say though, my back never felt better after that; was like my own little chiropractor moment. But my ribs and butt....brutal.
I am so sorry that happened to you. I really hope you're getting help for the PTSD if you think you need it. I really get feeling more than "off" after a bad experience.
THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING FOR MORE TESTING. My mother was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 ONLY because her doctor noticed during routine bloodwork that she'd lost weight rapidly and was feeling exhausted, so he ordered additional testing. She's now in remission. She easily could have died had someone blown it off. Insane to think insurance companies are against preventative/early-detective care.
Hello Doctor Mike, UK RN here. I've watch countless of your TH-cam content over time. Your professionalism and demeanor have always seemed appropriate in every circumstance I watched you. Today, on this video, I really felt the urge to let you know I admire who you are and what you bring to the medical table, whether we are talking about the way you represent clinicians in social media platforms, or your apparent approach to care in the clinical settings you work in. Your attention to detail, your profound insight on what holistic care means and encompasses, sets an example of what clinicians around the world should strive to achieve. Even though I don't actually know you, I know you are not perfect. No one is, even if they are an expert in their fields of knowledge. But it transpires that you are trying your hardest to be the best professional you can become! Thank you for your service, and my wish is for you to become that professional you so passionately fight to be, one patient at the time!
It is so heartening to hear about doctors who take the time to research, to not take the first easy answer, who gives the extra attention and fights with the insurance companies. So many doctors, like the ER doctor just go with the first thought or rely on old medical information, or just don’t bother going that extra step for their patients. Thank you, Dr. Mike, for setting an example and a standard.
Honestly, every time I hear "I have a message from your late mom" story, it makes me seethe with rage. Not only this kind of attention-seeking is egotistical, and also quite inappropriate in a work environment; but to pull such a stunt on someone in an already vulnerable emotional state is just vile. I'm glad Mike was able to roll past it without much damage, but that could've re-traumatize another grieving person
As a hodgkin lymphoma survivor I'm so thankful to my family medicine doctor, who in one medical appointment really did EVERYTHING to find out what was happening to me, and after that day I did my biopsy, got my results, started treatment and now after 14 years of remission I see this anecdotes and feel so happy for doctors who truly fight for their patients health ❤, so thank you Doctor Mike 👏🏻
Literally because of this video, you might have saved my life, Dr. Mike. I started losing weight without trying a few months back, and the old me would have been happy and didn't suspect anything. But because I have watched this episode maybe a year before all this, it popped into my head that my weight loss could be a sign for something wrong, and I went to the doctor. It turned out I had had diabetes for a while without knowing, and if I had ignored it and continued drinking Pepsi all day and eating chocolate and snacks like I usually do, my high blood sugar would have done a lot of irreversible damage. So thank you, Dr. Mike, from the bottom of my heart. ❤❤❤
That first story reminded me of a patient I had when I was a physical therapist assistant. I worked in a somewhat rural skilled nursing facility at the time. The patient was a relatively young male, considering that most of my patients were hovering around 80 YO. He had come to us with a traumatic brain injury following a fall from a ladder and needed rehab to address the neurological deficits he presented with after receiving acute care in the local ER. He stayed with us for at least a month and made minimal progress in rehab. He had some mild cognitive effects from the injury but was generally oriented and able to hold a meaningful conversation with people. His insurance finally said that he needed to be discharged from the SNF and go to outpatient rehab because he wasn't making his therapy goals fast enough. This is completely normal in neurological cases like this. It can take up to two years for recovery from brain injuries to show significant progress. But we were unable to convince his insurance and prepared to discharge him to home with outpatient services. He was not often on my schedule, but our rehab team was small so we all talked about each other's patients and regularly collaborated care, so I was familiar with his case. It was discharge day. I went into his room and found him trying to put his jeans on his upper body(arms in legs, looking for a place for head), and he was extremely agitated. I asked him what was going on, as this was unusual for him, and he was unable to form a coherent sentence. He had what we used to call "word salad", where he was talking with a clear voice, but the words or sentences made no sense. He was desperately trying to tell me something but he couldn't. Alarmed, I went to the nursing station and told the nurse on duty what I saw. She rolled her eyes and said," He had a brain injury, of course he's not coherent." I insisted that this was new and he needed to be examined. She accused me of inventing a reason to keep him longer at the facility and wasting her time. I was very young at the time and the nursing staff by and large didn't take me seriously most of the time. This time I refused to shut up. I kept checking on the patient, and checking back with nursing to make sure they were doing something. I got the rest of my team involved, and they started pestering the nurses too. Eventually, my persistence paid off and the patient's doctor upon hearing my description of his new symptoms ordered that he go immediately to the ER. He was found to have a fresh bleed in his brain. If I hadn't pushed so hard for him to be examined he would have been sent home that very afternoon like that. He might have died. It taught me not to doubt my instincts and be a bold advocate for my patients in the future. I'd like to think that I played an important part in saving his life.
Well done, but you should have never have been put in that situation. All it should take for the insurance company to cover it is for the medical team to say it's medically necessary. Who are they to be making medical decisions when they're not medically qualified and have never met the patient?
I know one: my sister is a nurse but currently works at a clinic, and this happened when she was still a student nurse at the hospital she trained at. A doctor left her alone with a patient and she noticed symptoms of a stroke (fairly mild symptoms but still there, I believe the muscles on one side of the patient's face were weaker than the other.) So she tried to find the attending doctor who must have gone to another visit elsewhere because my sister didn't find her. She was still young, and a student at that (around 21) so she was feeling a lot of pressure and didn't know what to do. In the end she called the nursing supervisor. who agreed with her diagnosis. The patient WAS having a stroke and was given immediate medical attention. The nurse supervisor actually told off the doctor for missing the diagnosis, leaving her patient with a student nurse, and being unreachable (my sister could only try calling or asking other staff about the doctor's whereabouts because she was too nervous to leave the patient alone.) It was a scary situation but she did get to save a patient's life😊 initially she started to wonder if she may have been wrong since the doctor made no note of it, but because she had a bad feeling, she followed through and turns out she was right, the doctor was not as attentive as she should have been to the patient.
@@mx.n.3682 I'm glad your sister was there to help that patient, and that the nurse supervisor had her back. We need providers like her out there who are attentive to their patients and do everything they can to get people the care they need.
I wish I'd met more doctors like you in my life. I've been brushed off so much that I don't even bother going anymore when I'm sick or in pain and have just resigned myself to live in misery. I get doctors are busy but I just don't think it's too much to ask them to be as thorough as possible.
Thank you for advocating for your patients. It makes me feel safer as a patient to see doctors going above and beyond to make sure their patients get the care they need!
As an ICU nurse who deals with a variety of doctors every day, many of whom struggle to listen to any advocacy when it comes to their patients, it gives me hope again to see a doctor advocating for their patients so well. Thank you, Dr. Mike!
Dr. Mike has found his calling. Had I a doctor with half the dedication and forethought as this doctor has, my life would have been so much better. I presented to a military hospital while on active duty with very specific symptoms and a history that should have flagged the true reason I was in so much pain. After nearly a year of multiple returns to the hospital for an accurate diagnosis, the former accusation of "malingering" was suddenly reversed as a second veteran's hospital doctor discovered the issue. But the damage was done and life was never the same. If the original base doctors had put the puzzle together, the diagnosis would have been clear and treatment could have prevented the chronic outcome. Back in the day, active duty members could not sue military doctors for malpractice, though no amount of money could ever have compensated me for their oversights. We need more doctors like Dr. Mike.
You were accused of drug seeking and you had no prior addiction? That’s absolutely horrible. I’m almost 8 years clean so I know about getting treated badly or really not treated because I’m an addict. But for someone to not have a history of addiction to get labeled as malingering is bullshit. I’m so incredibly sorry that happened to you. What did they end up finding was wrong with you if I may ask? If you don’t want to share I completely respect that. I wish you could’ve sued them. That’s wrong that you couldn’t get any justice at all. I know you said no amount of money would’ve helped but they should’ve had to pay for what they did to you !!
@@tacticalcupcake5104 Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it. When I repeatedly sought a medical diagnosis for my symptoms, and the doctors found no explanation for my symptoms, they accused me of malingering- as in trying to fake an illness or injury. I never sought medications. I was looking for an explanation and a treatment. The fact is, the medical tests the doctors administered to me were not sensitive enough to determine the cause of my symptoms. As it turned out, the medication the doctors prescribed for an unrelated illness had a side affect that effectually caused the physical injury for which I sought a diagnosis. Had the doctors put two and two together, they would have realized their prescription was the culprit. But, none of them realized the connection, and for that reason believed I was "faking" an injury that their medical tests could not verify at that time. Almost a year later, the injury was so severe, a repeat of the medical tests uncovered the reason for the symptoms I had claimed all along. No prescription has no side effects. And every person has a unique threshhold for every prescription. Apparently, my threshhold was very low. The mistake those doctors made was that they never considered that I could be the 1 person in the 10,000 who would be harmed more than helped by their prescription. To this day, I double and triple check the possible side effects of any meds I am prescribed. More importantly, I do not allow any doctor to tell me "there's nothing wrong with you" when I feel a symptom. I am my own best advocate and I realize that until the symptom can be explained, the proper questions and or tests have not been done.
Sadly, that sounds about right.....I didn't get an accurate diagnosis until after I retired early due to other physical issues....turns out those anthrax boosters we got every 6 months for years not only made me severely ill right after, but sent my fibromyalgia (formerly thought to be RA) into overdrive. I'll never be able to safely work in healthcare again. My immune system can't handle it and due to involuntary muscle spasms not one-hundred-percent controlled by medication, I can't safely do blood draws anymore.
Wow. The first case actually happened to my family. My family and i were in a car accident. We brought our dad to the ER later that day to make sure he was okay and as per the doctor, my dad was fine. But 2 days after, he complained about a severe headache and so we had to rush him to the hospital. As soon as we got there, he went into coma. The doctors said there was a bleeding in his brain and they couldn't do anything anymore because he was taking blood thinner medicine for his heart condition. We were all so upset because we later find out that when my dad was checked after the accident, he had a very high blood pressure but they did not check it again to make sure that he can go home that night and did not inform us! Also they didn't check his head!!! He passed away after 10 days. The whole ordeal was so sudden that i couldn't process what happened. We thought of suing the first hospital but then again, my dad was gone and we just could not take the added stress of a legal battle. I wish we had a doctor that cared more.
Oh my goodness, that’s beyond heartbreaking. I’m really, really sorry that happened. 😥 So many doctors are recklessly incompetent… I hope you’re doing ok ❤ Sending love to you and your family
where is this happened? I mean which country? I am a newly graduated doctor and I haven't met a single doctor in my life who wouldn't question medicines used regularly, and chronic illnesses in any visit, let alone emergency. Also I haven't met a single ED doctor who wouldn't make sure everything, every possible thing is ok before discharging trauma patients.
I am gonna be honest you inspire me to actually take preventative action and take charge of my health. While I am skeptical about the health care system as a whole I still will trust my Primary if they say go do something. They always break it down and give me the reasoning for, what it is, what it should do, what it can do. If more physicians would do this their would be a lot more trust when a doctor does recommend something.
I gotta say, Dr. Mike is a prime example of outstanding bedside manner. His personality and way of communicating with compassion, understanding, and patience is as great as you could ever hope for from a doctor, or person for that matter. There have been some stories through history of people dying from refusing medical treatment they absolutely needed because the doctor got rude or impatient or condescending. Even if the patient is being completely belligerent, it's so important for doctors and nurses to still be able to stay composed and understanding for that exact reason.
THANK YOU!!!! As a mom with two kids that both have neurological issues that aren't epilepsy, I constantly have to fight for my kids to be taken seriously. Thank you for taking an interest and digging deeper. It means so much.
THANK YOU for standing up for the cancer patient! Edit: too many people are getting diagnosed with cancer these days, especially lymphoma… something needs to change
I wish I had more doctors like you. I’m chronically ill and fighting for diagnosis (more than one) as a female patient, and honestly it’s exhausting. One of my doctors is great, but omg the amount that have dismissed me is unbelievable. Especially when it came to period pain so severe I couldn’t even roll over in bed.
Dr. Mike, I wish all doctors were as knowledgeable, compassionate, and teachable as you are. These stories illustrate what an incredible doctor you are! 💗
you teach me so much about medical school and about different types of disorders and diseases. I personally wont go into the industry, but you teach me so much and i am so grateful for your channel. Thanks, Dr. Mike ❤
How does one get a good doctor like you that actually listens and asks questions? I've been to more than 20 doctors in my life and very few have made me felt like they paid attention
It's unfortunately not an individual problem, and won't overall get much better until healthcare gets paid better, actually manageable workload and focus on health instead of numbers or money. You can get lucky and get a good one, but it's a systemic problem that leads to patients coming last, though doctors and nurses aren't in a much better situation where they are often expected to work impossibly fast, creating scenarios where both small and big mistakes slip through!
Keep doing what you're doing, and you'll have a lot of grateful, alive patients. Around 2001 I was having severe abdominal pain. It had been a couple days and I finally decided to go to the ER. After talking to me about my symptoms, but doing no tests of any kind, I was told I was constipated and given a prescription for some kind of laxative. It didn't do anything and actually caused the pain to be worse. After six weeks of excruciating pain and bouncing around from one doctor to another, I was finally diagnosed with a bowel obstruction and had to have a section of colon removed. Happy to say I made it through just fine but I did learn from that to do my own research, advocate for myself and dont take no for an answer when I know something is wrong. Unfortunately for my Grandmother it was too late when she was also diagnosed with constipation and a week later died of a burst colon.
Thank you so much for fighting the ins companies. As a medical coder the amount of hoops a person has to go through to get a diagnostic test done is so horrible. I applaud you so very much for fighting for your patients.
I'm a nurse, so first, congrats on nearly 10 years as a physician! I loved these stories (Except the creepy message story. So sorry you went through that).. You advocate for your patients more than any physician I've ever seen. Your critical thinking and clinical skills are on point, and your instincts and compassion are a true gift. ❤
I actually have tears in my eyes after hearing about the patient who tested positive for HIV. I used to work in the medical testing industry, and much o my thought process was...oh, a faulty test...I know how they're made, it's easy for something to go wrong with them....But I cannot IMAGINE having to tell a patient they tested positive for HIV. I'm so happy it turned out ok.
We’ve recently had two people in my husbands family (who are unrelated to each other) diagnosed with cancer because doctors were thorough. Thank you for sharing these stories and helping us recognize when we need help but also to teach medical professionals things to watch for.
God protect Dr.Mi I have followed him since he was a student and how hard he studied putting those years into his education now he is one kind doctor with a big heart not many like him.
Your first story inspired a question for me: I'm part of the chronic illness community and many of my friends have had the experience of going to the ER when they have a new, very scary symptom, and being turned away without help. Often, the more times they go to the ER, the faster they are turned away. In some of those cases, their health was seriously compromised as a result. In those situations, how does the ER find out that they handled a near miss? Is it enough for a patient to call and report what they experienced after the fact? Who do they talk to? Do they need to go to a different doctor and have them document it? How does accountability happen when there isn't a medical health professional to catch the mistake? I'm also curious if it's ever part of the process to inform the patient that the policies were changed as a result of what they went through. I'd never heard of this happening and so I know a lot of jaded patients who assume nothing is ever done to correct the problems. Would they have a way to know if there had been accountability?
Thank you for being so thorough Dr. Mike. You really did save some lives just by being attentive. I’ve been struggling to get a doctor that really listens to me. This past year I’ve went from 160 to 119lbs and 8 months without a period. Every time I go in I’m told there’s nothing wrong and “You must fall into this % of women that have these problems for no real reason. Maybe your stressed 🤷♂️” as a response. One doctor had the Admin give me my co pay back and said he had no idea and go see someone who is better at women issues 🙃. It’s so stressful and expensive to do this over and over again. There’s nothing quite like leaving a doctors appointment crying because you know something isn’t right but now you feel crazy.
Dr. Mike, thank you so so much for talking about the unexplained weight loss. My dad was extremely overweight his whole life. In 2020, when he went to the Dr, they applauded his weight loss but never asked if it was intentional. In early 2021, he was really tired and had a cough. Because of covid and the state I grew up in and their lock down, they wouldn't see him, afraid he had covid (even though he tested negative). Finally, they told him if he was that worried to go to urgent care. By then, he was in crisis and was told to go straight to the ER when they saw his blood work. He had colon cancer that had spread to his liver and lung. He died after 10 days in the hospital with only staff around him due to covid restrictions. I was in veterinary medicine, and any time there is a significant weight loss, we ALWAYS asked if it was intentional. I told my mom (also overweight her whole life) that if they EVER told her she lost weight and she hadn't meant to, she needed to tell them that. People need to know this! We have to advocate for ourselves, and it breaks my heart that my dad didn't necessarily have to die. Thank you thank you thank you.
Its insane how you just saved multiple lives, like you literally saved them. I have so much respect for those like you. I am in highschool and want to go to medschool, for now I am thinking about Biomedical Science but I've thought about medschool for a long time as well. I am just not sure if I could handle that, basically having the possibility that you could very well be a cause of someone dying. It isn't an easy job, I think we all know. I applaud you
When I was in nursing school, a fellow student had a biomedical science degree and worked at Roswell Cancer Institute. He was taking up nursing because he said he knew exactly what he would be doing at what time of day for the rest of his career. By the way, his name is Blake. True story.
@@HSMfanatic17 ofcourse, but even then I personally couldn't live with myself and the guilt of maybe being the reason someone did. And thats not to say that anyone who works is this field should, it's gonna happen. Its not in their hands, they can only do so much. But it takes a lot of mental strength to not only know that but also accept it and go on. And thats why I applaud those that do.
What ever you choose I’m sure you’ll do great, there’s lots of ways to work in the medical field without directly being involved with patients if that’s where your heart ends up taking you. My sister went to college for biomedical engineering and actually got to work on a special mattress for premature babies to help prevent SIDS before she went to grad school for clinical engineering and now she gets to be in charge of/coordinate equipment installations/replacements at hospitals and deals with hospital staff and other healthcare industry related people and loves it. She discovered that she didn’t like being a lab rat even though she loved the science and engineering that went with it so she found a way to help people using both without having to be in a lab to do it, good luck figuring everything out!
After watching so many of Dr Mike’s videos, it’s easy to forget that he’s saved numerous lives. To save even ONE life in your lifetime is an amazing thing but most people you meet will never have to do that. To do it for a living is just awe-inspiring. Those in the medical community deserve so much credit.
I just want to say thank you Dr. Mike! I've recently had to have a doctor fight for tests for me (all the way to the peer review) so I know how much is involved. All of us out here need more doctors like y'all. Looking into stuff that seems off, paying attention, caring about the patient and fighting for us.
you are incredible you had me in tears in the last story, I can't believe how important a good doctor who cares about their patients is, you're an angel in disguise
You truly are an amazing person and doctor. As a patient I have had so many scans denied or tests denied by insurance and my healthcare provider never advocate for me. Thank u for really caring about your patients and truly caring about your work.
Mike is a great storyteller and doctor. He tells facts no matter what, whether he has to stand against popular media, or correct himself, he never fails
That first story was absolutely insane! I can't imagine why another physician would just write someone off like that. Would love to hear an update on the last patient.
Please make this a mini-series. Bring on other physicians to tell their stories. Could be dentists, surgeons, family medicine, nurses. Any person that went to medical school in anyway. I would like to see you talk to a psychiatrist.
I really would like to watch that... hope it happens soon somehow
He has spoken with Dr. K before -- th-cam.com/video/T_31hFh1XKM/w-d-xo.html
Dr K who is a psychiatrist did an interview with Dr Mike a year ago: th-cam.com/video/T_31hFh1XKM/w-d-xo.html
I have honestly always wondered how many dentists have gotten bitten. Also WHAT DO YOU DO? I would instinctively punch them because their teeth are on you. It probably happens a lot with children, but I bet you some crazy adults have bitten dentists before.
THIS PLEASE!! itd be amazing to see the variations of extreme cases different specialities experience ^^
It's absolutely disgusting that some random person sitting behind a desk in a medical insurance company has the power to determine whether you live or die.
@@Theunicorn2012 Didn't do a good job trying to steal that comment, did you?
That's America for you!
Yeah, world class healthcare you got there… NOT. In countries with universal healthcare that just doesn’t happen. 🙄
Should never be the insurance company job to choose what health care someone receives, should always be up to the doctor.
Business is business🤷🏻♀️
Good doctor is not only a doctor who treats a patient, but also fights and genuinely cares for the patients. HUGE RESPECT TO DR. MIKE
I feel that the most important question for doctors and individuals currently in school to become doctors should be - why do you want to become a doctor, and why did I choose this specific focus in my medical career? If you don't generally care about people, you cannot be a good doctor.
@@Lon.BedStuyforLife I respect your opinion
I love that you can tell how emotionally invested he was in that patient. I saw his eyes water up a little bit when he said they had lymphoma.
Dr.Mike really saved lives most doctors might have not.
@Lonnie NYC some doctors or a lot of doctors do this for not just to help people they do this for the money and that's kinda sad
I wish more doctors would advocate for their patients like you did.
Idk how many patents are being filed by doctors man
People might focus on Dr Mike's looks, but he genuinely is a very good clinician with a real passion for medicine.
@@p-__ BAHAHAA LMAO WHAT THE HECK💀
Ouch. That's kind of a mean thing to say. I think he looks perfectly fine! 😉
@@bradc6831 I never noticed the eye shadow until I was watching one of his videos with my parents and my mom noticed it lol
@@waywardmind how is it mean, they were saying that everyone focuses on one thing, they never said that he doesn't look fine
@@Legendary_Starlight It was a flirtatious joke...
As someone that has lost too many family members to cancer, thank you for standing up for patient #4
Well, thats a terrible way to lose family members.😢
I wonder if the guy is doing fine
One of my uncle’s had cancer but survived
My friend got brain cancer
@@Pedro3ditsso sorry abt that 😢😢😢
It's beyond frustrating how much doctors have to wrestle with insurance to get life-saving care to their patients. The fact that you held your ground until you got the tests is amazing, and it's something that needs greater attention.
Gotta love America and it's shitty healthcare.
Yes!! Honestly, I'm so disgusted by the ludacris tactics of insurance companies.
I am amazed that American doctors care so much about their patients! Our doctors in Canada couldn't care less whether we get life-saving treatment or not.
As a Canadian I can’t agree with that at all. Every do tor I’ve ever seen has been very thorough and concerned for my and my family’s well being.
Honestly what right do insurance companies have to deny doctor's orders as if they've gone to medical school.
I'm on blood thinners. I bump my head, and it's straight to the ER for a scan or X-ray. I can't believe Dr. Mike had to push so hard to save that lady. Respect, man.
And here I am, purposfully banging my own head, for years. Still alive.
Wonder what happened with the doctor who sent them away
Fr, he’s a good doctor even when he was a student
As someone with thrombocytopenia, same.
@anfie2495 what is that
You are such a good doctor!! I love how you genuinely fight for your patients
Dr Mike really interests me to become a doctor :)
Wow this the only comment on your account. But I also agree.
I wouldn't know he's great at his job except he tells us constantly xD
So it's a good thing he does 😂😂😂
👍✌️🖖Value of getting
a Medically up-to-date
Doctor. Huuge Variance!!
Omg hi Jeanine! I never knew that you commented! Cool seeing this!
Aw man, I almost cried about the patient getting denied twice for a scan. My mother had to go through that and got denied three times for a CT; not even her primary care physician fought for her. Thank God, someone working within the insurance company saw the denials and raised hell for her to get approved. You are such a sweet and kind person, Dr. Mike! Many blessings and success to you, good sir.
What happened?
Had to argue for a second scan of kidneys. Two days before surgery finally approved. Kidney stone in right ureter. 1.6 cm. They go in looking for it. I PASSED IT!
Insurance companies are terrible, they take all your money, then when you need their help, they tell you to f*ck off lmao.
@@ekramer2478 holy batman that must of hurt. I’m so sorry. By the way, what happened to your mom? You mentioned cts?
@@jenf6489 Mom made it a couple of extra years after her surgery. Her hospital doctor was like 'why bother' and 'going to die anyway'. Yes, I am serious. They left her untreated for a month and she finally lapsed into a coma. Food was not at all getting into her system as her colon had died. A lovely surgeon who did talk to my step dad decided that 'there is no such thing as typical surgery' and 'at least out or no she can be more comfortable'. He liked hearing 'not typical'. This man had been removing colons and doing intestinal surgeries for decades. The operation was delayed about 48 hours as he had an incoming emergency. Meanwhile she was put on IVs full of nutrients and fluids. He did the surgery, and there was a colostomy bag involved, but she lived another two years, and she PROMPTLY regained pretty much FULL consciousness!
The TIAs were what put her in hospital (and my step father not really really wanting to fix problems but...yeah. She got care until she fell anyway. Mostly. Then he'd pull an "oh we can't rock the boat or they will be really mean to her!" OK sorry but his mismanage left me hugely in debt on the house...and saga lol) Anyway, I got Mom back for two whole years. We went to visit her constantly. The last few weeks I could not as I had contracted HELL flu. She finally got two wisdom teeth out that had been a three year nightmare and had her living on antibiotics. Hell flu made me a non-smoker after 37 years. (11 days could barely waddle six feet to the bathroom, 7 more could barely climb stairs, 18 days no smoking, and mom's biggest wish for me was to quit smoking. So I did. I had him tell her so (He argued a bit but finally did). Two days later and after her tooth pulling, she suddenly went into overwhelming pneumonia, a coma, and died. That was early February 2018.
I have not touched any form of inhalable since. Zero nicotine. No vaping, etc etc. I can breath! As for the kidney stones, they are just part of my own saga, but yes, it hurt. Other things have hurt MUCH more however. They were gone for awhile but unfortunately have come back, though there is no blockage or pain currently, so ignoring it while I handle other issues. (Diabetic due to a fall and congestive heart failure in my forties, had just lost 130lbs, heavy due to PCOS(Had it BAD, Metformin treats it for 70%, guess which I was? Utter starvation did not make me thinner unless on the pill (Quit at 22 due to a very severe auto accident and a year unable to walk so far of clots.and the 130 came off after decades of self torture, abuse, and loathing oh and starvation, but weight would NOT come off). Anyway still would swim/float 2 hours a day all summer, and had a bad thyroid too since the accident, which my family doctor refused to scan again as he'd done that 'ten years ago' now lose weight! 5% and it is just now finally medicated.
I have kept off 100 of those pounds now for 14 years, and recently re-lost the 30 + another 5. I am not thin of course, and it pisses me off like hell that that has to go on the first page about me medically, and it gets the blame. I have existed on as little as 500 calories a day, and that only took off 30 pounds the first six months, hair the second, and a recent doctor in charge (Feet. Had calluses removed by my podiatrist to keep from 'hurting' my foot. He cut it open to bleed and heal. It blew can infection halfway up my leg (Full of screws and plates, why the fall was so bad) and I spent 12days last July in hospital. The other foot about a month and a half ago decided to also crack open where the callus was.
Heh. Sorry to kvetch but waiting on leg angiogram number THREE just now. They had to go in twice on accident leg, and now they want to go in on the OTHER leg. Life can be...FUN! I probably should see if anyone wants to do anything about my kidney stone collection too...
This is so crazy. There are medical providers that take weeks, months even to get a prior authorization done. It hurts to know this could be the life or death decision for some patient’s prognosis! Thank you for being an advocate.
At least in my state insurances have 14 business days to get back to us about approval. So annoying and so long a time.
That's honestly barbaric that a non-medical professional could deny a medical procedure recommended by an actual medical professional. Why is it their decision anyway? That should be illegal!
@@hannahk1306 Behold capitalism in its worst extreme
Sooo wild, especially since so many illnesses can have wildly different outcomes depending on when they’re detected and they start to be treated. I mean most of them are like that, really.
It's not the medical provider that takes that time, it's the insurance company!
I love that you investigated further why the patient had lost weight. It's so important to remember, losing weight isn't always a healthy thing!
As an ed person, I thank you for this comment x
As a patient, one of these stories is kind of close to my story. My dr always asks at the end of a visit, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” About a year and a half ago I flippantly told her “It’s probably nothing but I’m having this weird symptom.” She said that she’ll order an ultrasound and have my gyno look at it. Long story short, I have a D&C and they find cancer cells in the uterus. They caught the uterine cancer SO early that the cells hadn’t even gotten into the lining yet. Still had to have a radical hysterectomy but hey, no cancer! It still amazes me that from just one off-handed comment I found out that I had cancer. I thanked my dr later on for taking me seriously and ordering the ultrasound.
What was the symptom?
Symptom?
I don't know about Toby, but mine got caught because I was having bleeding twelve years past menopause. Mine was very early, too, and I also had a radical hysto, seven months ago now. The pathology results were good, so I haven't needed any further treatment. My cardiologist says he's had several patients on blood thinners discover uterine cancers this way; I was just the latest.
@@jonesnoriKeep in touch with them
What're the symptoms, please?
My daughter is on blood thinners and understands that if she falls and hits her head or in an accident, she needs medical attention right away. Went one step further and wanted a medical bracelet. I was impressed that she’s taking initiative when it comes to her own health.
I love that you go with your gut and fight for your patients ❤
Having a bracelet or dog tag for medical conditions is extremely important so emergency services know how to better respond
It sounds like you did a great job teaching her to be proactive with her health, I'm glad your daughter has an awesome mom like you.
My daughter is on blood thinners and understands that if she falls and hits her head or in an accident, she needs medical attention right away. Went one step further and wanted a medical bracelet. I was impressed that she’s taking initiative when it comes to her own health.
I love that you go with your gut and fight for your patients ❤
We need more doctors like mike. Doctors that double check, doctors that actually care, and doctors that insist on doing something that is necessary to make sure someone is safe.
❤
I would definitely see Dr Mike were he local! Reliable and caring. Good guy!
@@syndromia__ismyusername but the names and identifying info isnt being shared. Sharing stories like these helps others learn the correct course of action.
@@syndromia__ismyusername cry about it karen.
@@syndromia__ismyusername Are you his patient that he talked about you or did you just had a similar story?
Have you talked to him and explained you were not okay with that if you are his patient?
Because according to your comment you haven't but you are writing your displeasure here rather than taking in to the source.
Sharing a story without identifiable markers, will not expose the patient, and patient stories are shared in university settings on the daily basis in front of hundreds of students, without giving on identifiable markers of the patient.
Ok.... can we clone you? Please don't let the system wear you down because we need so many more doctors like you in the world. As a patient whose life has been ruined due to medical negligence that could have been avoided I can attest how high the stakes are. Thank you SO much for being so diligent, knowledgeable, caring and persistent. By setting the expectations you do you force others in your profession to raise their game. Unfortunately people who treat patient outcomes as seriously as you do are viewed as being "excessive" when, in fact, the bar you set should be the minimum required seeing as you are dealing with people's lives.
I'm a nurse that worked in a Neuro ICU in Boston for some time. That first CT scan story was one of those horror story scenarios we always hear about, and it's often young doctors/medical students that really push for that extra safe practice and it SAVES LIVES. Good call there, man. I've seen similar in my practice and we always respect those docs/providers.
A head scan after an accident just seems so obvious and comprehensive, I don't understand why they didn't think of it. That's an easily avoidable malpractice suit (and avoidable patient death) waiting to happen.
It’s what killed Derek on greys
@@LivvyAlexW don’t remind us 😭😭
@@LivvyAlexW we learned so much for free on Grey's, it was immediately my first thought 😂😂😂
@@HSMfanatic17Especially given the Plavix. A head CT would have been ordered, with permission, before pt even left triage in my ED.
I know you likely won’t see this but I’m a nurse that’s worked in oncology and would like to say THANK YOU for doing the work! I also have had to deal with appeals on scans and it’s absolutely maddening to decline workup in the setting of possible cancer. That’s a HUGE problem in the US!
Really? I was withheld treatment for hypothyroidism for THREE YEARS in Canada because the doctor wouldn’t run a $12 thyroid test. I was informed, ‘yes you’re falling asleep while ironing because you’re getting older’. I was 33. My my 10 year old daughter has a knee injury that would’ve been treated routinely in the US. We were told it would scar over before they could get her in for an MRI. There were fewer of these machines in the ENTIRE country than there were in Atlanta Georgia. HOWEVER for the low, low price of $500 CASH the next day. We were in a 57% tax bracket and therefore didn’t have an extra $500 laying around. That was $1800 + in todays money. You clearly don’t know any healthcare providers in other countries. They will tell you the exact same thing
Truthfully Canadas wait times have been terrible forever, Americas wait times have gotta worse since universal healthcare.
But that’s also because with uni health care that’s “free,” everyone will go see the doctor for the most minor scrape because it’s free, now your waiting longer for real emergencies.
@@anthonycelestre3529Dude our system actually used to be very well funded and actually pretty darn decent with many wait times compared to the US in many other things. Just like anything else they're pluses and minuses with any system
@@anthonycelestre3529 On the second part, that's not actually always true. Even with free health care, some people refuse to go to the doctor because "it's a waste of time" or other reasons.
@@anthonycelestre3529 Please don't spread misinformation. While it's true that right now, a lot of countries (including Canada and the US) are suffering a shortage of healthcare workers, that particular piece of information hasn't been true for many years.
I was 13 and got really sick. Met a lot of doctors, but they didn't know what illness. 2 months had passed since I started feeling really bad. My mom took me straight to the ER. There I got diagnosed with a type of lymphoma. Now I'm turning 16 and am cured after 2 heavy years of treatment. Really appreciate your work Mike, keep it up 👍😄
good for you!! i’m so happy you’re doing better and i hope you’re okay after heavy treatment
Congrats! I hope you're doing well. You're clearly very strong. :)
I'm so happy that they got you in!!
Congratulations!! Same happened to me. May 2020 felt sick for 2 mths, ended up at the ER & got diagnosed with AML then Lymphoma. Ive been in remission for 2 yrs since my cell transplant was a success😊
🎉🎉🎉🎉
10:04 it baffles me that insurance companies have the power to deny treatment or anything medical related despite not having medical expertise. Its so twisted.
Doctor Mike is a genius for catching these life threatening diseases early. Also thank you to all the medical professionals who're doing the same 🙏🏻
👍✌️🖖Value of getting
a Medically up-to-date
Doctor. Huuge Variance!!
The first one was crazy. How can people from the ER deny scans after a literal car accident. I'm really happy doctor Mike did the right thing
Keep it up (:
i have had some not great experiences with ER physicians in the past, almost like if you're not visibly bleeding out they can't be bothered with you. my husband stifled a sneeze and felt EXTREME throat pain to the point he couldn't talk, and when he tried it was very hoarse. he was afraid he had ruptured something but the ER doc did a quick low-res scan, didn't see anything and told him to go home. it was WEEKS before his throat started to feel better, so he definitely damaged something even if it wasn't a full rupture, but he was so worried because rupturing your throat (which can happen if you stifle a sneeze) can kill you in like 24-48 hours. i can't understand why doctors don't just take a patient's concern seriously from the beginning and do whatever scans/tests are necessary to rule out the worst possibilities.
@@dietotaku so what you’re saying is the ER physician was right because your husband was fine and they avoided the radiation exposure to his throat (and thyroid gland, more importantly). It’s almost as if ER physicians have extensive training.
@@js2156 he wasn't "fine," he couldn't talk for 3 weeks, and there's no way they could have seen a rupture on that shitty scan. maybe if someone says "I'm aware of the radiation exposure, SCAN ME ANYWAY because SOMETHING is WRONG," then just do the goddamn scan. fat lot of good that "extensive training" did the lady in Dr Mike's story, she would have DIED OF A BRAIN BLEED if they had listened to that ER doc.
@@js2156if the ER doctor would’ve done his job and did the proper scan, her husband wouldn’t have had the problems he did.
If they are already depressed and somehow disappointed that the car crash didn't kill them, then it might be a reason for not taking the scans.
It's nice to see a doctor who cares about his patients
My family doctor is a doctor who cares. Having a doctor you can trust is a great feeling.
Yeah. Mine is inaccessible and useless. Can't even refill my prescriptions on time. I used to have a wonderful guy, but very sadly he passed away from cancer. I miss that guy, he was the best dude. I asked the gov't to find me another doctor and they denied me, so, I guess I have to hope I stay healthy for a long time on my own.
very nice, just about right
I'm currently in med school and it's been very hard but seeing videos like this one gets me so excited to be a physician. Helping real people and advocating for them, i'm so happy i picked this.
Thank you for choosing medicine. We need more healthcare providers who are willing to listen, believe, and fight for their patients. I'm happy to know there will be one more amazing person out there to give people the care they need and deserve.
Thank you. We need more people like you in our society.
The losing 25 lbs story hits home, my grandpa had lost a lot of weight last summer and his doctor was thrilled. He didn’t do anything to lose the weight. He thought it was just his age. This past month though he passed away from surgery complications due to stomach cancer and a blockage in his intestines. If only his doctor questioned it a bit more. The hospital physician said the cancer was there for years.
My husband was on the jury for an insurance suit. The patient died from cancer because the doctor they loved was no longer covered by insurance. The new physician didn't pay attention to their unexplained weight loss (attributed it to aging) and never checked. When the insurance finally covered the preferred provider again, the original physician immediately checked for cancer when the patient couldn't explain the weight loss. They knew something was wrong, even though they hadn't seen them in more than a year because of the symptoms and through medical history. Had the patient been able to keep the same provider, that Doctor would likely have seen the oncoming cancer and caught it early, instead of late stage.
I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my grandfather to cancer as well and it is a relationship that cannot be replicated or replaced. 🤗
Yeah losing weight without trying is questionable, in Mikes case 25lbs in month is extreme and even a civil should be able to say something is wrong. Im sorry for your loss, I wonder what kind of idiot doctor was that. Losing weight is much harder with age, while cancer is much more likely to appear with age. His doctor should have ordered tests asap
My grandaunt, who is like a grandmother to me, died about a month after she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer
I live in another country and when I went to visit her during the Christmas before, I saw she lost a lot of weight, I immediately thought she was sick and then she was saying something about doing stuff to loose weight, so I just put it aside.
Then a few months later (last year) she got the diagnosis and died, we weren't able to go back to see her or go to her funeral.
It was especially difficult for my mom, she was requesting an emergency travel document from our country because she sent her passport for a visa months before, she borrowed the ticket money and we traveled 3 hours to the parish with the airport, with her bag packed and ready to drop her off.
Our embassy rejected her request. They said they don't give it for those things no matter how we pleaded. They instead instructed us to go to the embassy that had her passport and request it back and tell them they were inconveniencing us.
My aunt died two days later.
I'm very sorry for your loss
This hits home for me as well
I’m a burn survivor, and my doctor said that I had a 10% chance to live, but I survived with 60% of my body burnt. Keep up the good work Mike!
Wow. We’re all very glad you’re here! Stay happy and healthy, you’ve already done so much. ❤️
i think you mean 60% of your skin, not body.....you would def not be here if that would be body.
@@Braindizruptor yes! sorry!! my brain shuts off a lot
@@milliemino8424 thank you so much! 🥹
You are a true fighter
Mike's insistence in the first case literally saved her life. This is amazing. His intuition is incredible.
The second story is so cruel. Real or not, that is not your place as a stranger.
It's not intuition it's just good practice. But most doctors don't want to be bothered and or think patients are attention seeking. Especially in the ER. They just want to get you out of their way.
I’ve watched this episode like four times before, but I just love his way of retelling his experiences. He so clearly has genuine care and dedication for his patients. ❤
On behalf of everyone in the US healthcare system, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing up to the insurance company for your cancer patient. Knowing there are doctors like you out there who will go the extra mile to ensure that their patients get the help they deserve is such a relief.
You think it's bad now wait until we end up with a national Healthcare system and the government gets invoiced in the process like in Canada and the UK
@@danielsmith6782 🤡🤡🤡
@@danielsmith6782 And exactly how is that any worse? How is the government (which, in the United States, the citizens can theoretically influence) deciding which procedures they'll cover any worse than a private corporate entity beholden to nothing but end-of-quarter profits doing the exact same thing?
@@jacksongreen4107 unlike in the UK. It's actual doctors that made the decision for the insurance companies versus administrators in the UK.
@@danielsmith6782 And what's your source for this? I assure you there are also actual doctors making healthcare decisions in the UK.
Honestly, I want Dr. Mike to be my doctor now. He takes every detail seriously where other medical professionals have failed.
because you have know every single medical professional on this planet right? this is TH-cam still, we only see a portion, only his side of the story
@hanazzeshan, A lot of it has to do with his training. He went to an osteopathic medical school and not just a regular medical school. I have found that doctors who graduate from osteopathic medical schools tend to be far more capable of treating the whole patient and have far better bedside manner, than those who completed regular medical school.
You know...They basically the the same education right ? What is the difference then ?? Most people don't speak about what they know or go public with their knowledge...
Honestly, I want Dr. Mike to be my doctor now. He takes every detail seriously where other medical professionals have failed.
I have had an osteopathic neurologist who doesn't give a blip. I have migraines on a daily basis and she does nothing about that for more than two years now...@@Blissful-es1kk
Registered pharmacy technician here, and I work in a call center. I love going to bat for patients and doing a 3-way conference call with insurance and calling insurance out on denying coverage for prescriptions while patients listen in. Very much a moment for my patients of "I can't defeat you. But he can (me)." Don't mess with my patients and deny them coverage for medical care, I'll eat you for lunch. Promise.
You are amazing. Thank you.
Thank you for caring so fiercely for your patients
ABSOLUTE BOSS! ❤❤❤
I LOVE people like you. PROTECTORS 💪🏽
U slayyy
I work in dental billing and have to fight with insurances daily. I can't imagine the frustration when you have to fight for possible life saving tests and scans. Glad you had a peer to peer and won!
LMAO. When patients ask us how much something will cost - we laugh. We don’t even have the facility to receive a payment.
Private clinic there’s no fighting with insurance companies either - coverage is clearly stated. It’s required before selling any type of insurance to a customer. It’s unbelievable how Americans think their healthcare is so great. Pay thousands? Sorry, not covered! 🙄
My mother-in-law made a lot of changes to her diet, exercised more, and started losing weight. The weight kept coming off, kept coming off, until she was down to where she wanted to be and STILL losing weight without even trying. My father-in-law especially started to get a little concerned. Not long later, we found out she had cancer. She's through it now thankfully, and we're praying it never comes back, but now I'll be forever wary of rapid, unexplained weight loss.
I had rapid weight loss and turned out to be a severe h. Plyori infection in my stomach
Same thing happened to my Grandma she was so exciting she was finally losing weight and it turned out to be lung cancer 😬
I lost 10lb in a month and my doctor said I was just stressed out. Now I'm getting a biopsy on some random lumps growing in my armpit. :)
@@pissass.8675I'm so sorry. I really, really hope things work out for you.
@@pissass.8675how have you been doing? No lymph cancer, hopefully?
You’re one of those doctors that really truly was MEANT to be a doctor. Your patients are lucky to have you!
This is curated pre-recorded and edited with no way to confirm if it's even real or not. Calm down.
@@donaldcedar7574 your comment makes no sense, please move along.
@@Missionary247 gas lighting bullshit
Having a doctor willing to advocate for you is one of the most incredible experiences. It's so sad your patient has cancer afterall, but so glad you were able to get them the test they needed so things can be done sooner rather than too late.
Having a doctor willing to advocate for you is one of the most incredible experiences. It's so sad your patient had cancer afterall, but so glad you were able to get them the test they needed so things can be done sooner rather than too late.
I work as support staff at a PCP's office, & let me say: there is nothing I hate more than calling for a prior authorization. The paperwork, faxes & phone calls from that will follow you for weeks only to get denied after providing everything they asked for plus the kitchen sink. It makes me happy whenever a doctor does the peer-to-peer review, because it shows that they're a zealous advocate & they truly care about their patient. Props to you, Dr Mike 👊🏻
Wow. Imagine still being a medical student, and saving someone’s LIFE - Props to you, Dr Mike!!
I had lymphoma that was missed by my pediatrician after losing weight and swollen lymph nodes I just wish that there were more people to advocate for me like you did for your patient… Good work doc!!
yikes 😕
Same. After weight loss, swollen lymph nodes and more than 5x the normal leukocyte count, I first had a biopsy on an unaffected lymph node which is why they ruled out lymphoma. After two months of misery they decided to do a PET-CT and tada: Hodgkin lymphoma.
I@@NeoAemaeth I hope you're in remission now
I hope you're in remission now
I was supposed to get scanned for lymphoma after losing weight rapidly, I get swollen lymph nodes every so often maybe every couple months usually when I’m sick. I moved to a new town and my new doctor didn’t seem interested in testing me and I’m afraid now lol, were there any other symptoms you had??
I really appreciate you doing that for your cancer patient. My boyfriend was diagnosed with a stage 3 melanoma and was STILL denied scans (Specifically a PET scan). Insurance companies are such vultures. Luckily we had a doctor who went to bat for us as well.
That's an insult to vultures. At least they wait for the animal to die. Insurance companies actively help make it happen, despite the fact that we're PAYING them.
@@KingoftheJuice18 the gatekeeping is horrendous. My insurance company wanted me to try a different medication than the one I'm currently on, so my doctor had to go to bat for me and appeal the denial. That medication was chosen for a reason, we're not being frivolous!
@@KingoftheJuice18 YES
@@HSMfanatic17 Wait, are you saying that you value your health over their mega-profits? Some people....
When are we going to stop letting insurance companies decide whether or not a patient needs tests, referrals, and treatment??
When we overthrow privatized healthcare. But good luck with that.
Oh you sweet summer child. The VA, US public healthcare, denies life saving surgeries daily and has cause the deaths of numerous military veteran.
As someone who has both worked in the medical field and has medical trauma as a patient.... you are amazing! I have argued with doctors and insurance companies for my patients and myself, but to know there are still doctors fighting for patients is such a relief. Please keep doing what you're doing ❤️❤️❤️
Hey gorgeous how are you doing today?
That last story made me cry. I lost my mother to cancer in 2020. We did not have to lose her. She complained of chest tightness and was coughing a LOT. She was in her 60s. She smoked cigarettes since she was 13. Our family doctor didn't even CONSIDER that maybe, just MAYBE she should be sent for x-rays. That tests should be done. We could have caught it early if our doctor cared enough. We had been with her since I was very young, probably at least 25 years by the time she was diagnosed. I trusted her... that trust was completely misplaced. We're in Canada, too, so we wouldn't even have to have the argument of insurance covering it. My mom could still be here with us today, if our doctor had just been a little bit thorough. Thank you, so much for advocating for that patient and fighting for them. They have a family that loves them, and will get to spend more years with them because of you. I wish my mom had had someone like you in her corner.
I don’t know if this will help you at all, but lung cancer has a bad habit of not showing any symptoms until it’s already too late. The scan may have caught it when there were fewer metastases and given you more time with her, but it likely wouldn’t have saved her.
My aunt who never smoked was taken at 56 from that evil disease. Her chemo, radiation, and tumor ablations bought her some time with her family, but the tumors kept coming back and eventually stopped responding to treatment.
I’m terribly sorry for your loss.
Chest tightness and coughing do not scream cancer. As a doctor you can't go to every patient and tell them that they have cancer until you have a reason to think it actually is cancee
The HIV thing freaked me out. Thank you for explaining how to check if it’s a false positive.
HIV is actually fairly rare with only .046% of the world’s population having it. Also medicine for it is amazing and it suppresses the virus to where lab tests can’t even detect it. Don’t let HIV stigma cause fear. It’s a virus. There’s tons of viruses in the world. This one just holds unnecessarily high stigma
You truly are one of a kind. Not many doctors would do the extra work you had to do. Shows you really love your patients and what you do. Love it ! 💙
I genuinely appreciate how much you care for patients and how much effort you put in. I wish all medical professionals had this outlook 💔
The health care system needs more doctors like you that will fight the insurance companies to give people a fighting chance. Kudos to you Dr. Mike.
Or just let competition in the insurance market. Get rid of this fascist liscense overregulated monopoly.
@@baph0met Private healthcare is bad. Capitalist companies will abuse the system to increase profits. "Free markets" are always dominated by the ruling class
@@baph0met US healthcare is crappy because it's UNDERregulated, not over.
My mom's lymphoma went undiagnosed for almost a year. None of her doctors could figure it out but this was in 2020 when all hell broke loose so that could be a factor. Pretty cool that you got the patient diagnosed within weeks of onset of symptoms
This man makes you love him and his morals. He's blessed with an ability to help others, and his patients are blessed with him.
I was recently diagnosed with Graves' Disease, and your videos have both before the diagnosis and after calmed me down a lot about health and illnesses. Thank you for all the laughs and reassurances, love the patient stories and how thoroughly you treat your patients
Hi, my mum was diagnosed with Graves’ disease a good few years back so I sympathise with you. Wishing you all the best. Greetings from Ireland.
@@rebeccaoleary3318 Hey gorgeous how are you doing today?
@@B13_smith Bruh you're doing that on every female's comment. New account I see, I guess they're making creeper bots now?
Back in 2009 when I was 19, I had two surgeries almost back to back (4th knee surgery and then emergency appendectomy) and went in with one of the doctors for a post op check in his office. I told him I was having a lot of pain and he basically just said “well you’re not getting more pain medicine” and left the room without examining me. I never asked for more pain medicine nor do I have any hx of abusing pain medicine. I went home and a couple hours later, the pain started getting super sharp and going down my arm. I ended up not being able to breathe properly and thought I was dying. (So much so that I wrote all my symptoms down on a piece of paper and a note to my mom because I didn’t think I would be alive by the time help got there) It was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I was rushed to the ER and they immediately rushed me to the ICU because I was having a very severe pulmonary embolism and one of my lungs had partially collapsed. The doctors think that because I was on a BC at the time and had the surgeries so close together and was in bed for a few weeks, the clot developed and moved into my lung. If that first doctor would have just done an exam, he would have probably found the first hints of it. It was a horrific experience and has still left me with severe PTSD to this day.
Hey gorgeous how are you doing today?
Sounds like our rural ER Dr. Only went there once after a fall and my dr. told me to go there since she doesn't have xray facilities. I never once asked for pain meds, but he was acting like that's all I was there for. I was mid 40's, slipped square on my tailbone, felt electricity shoot up my spine, and my ribs crunched. Then I rolled over and sat on all 4's for a good 5 minutes scared to death I had broken my back. I slowly inched my way inside all hunched over and laid down for a bit. I know my tail bone was at least bruised, and I know that lasts a long time. I was more concerned about my ribs and I've cracked ribs, it felt the same. And I know there's nothing they can do for either of those, but I was more concerned about a rib puncturing something. Ahole er Dr. totally dismissed my ribs and only took xray of tailbone. My Dr. was not happy at all when I told her about him and his attitude and refusal to do very much. I will say though, my back never felt better after that; was like my own little chiropractor moment. But my ribs and butt....brutal.
I am so sorry that happened to you. I really hope you're getting help for the PTSD if you think you need it. I really get feeling more than "off" after a bad experience.
@@B13_smith Simp
@@B13_smith tf is wrong with you
THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING FOR MORE TESTING. My mother was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 ONLY because her doctor noticed during routine bloodwork that she'd lost weight rapidly and was feeling exhausted, so he ordered additional testing. She's now in remission. She easily could have died had someone blown it off. Insane to think insurance companies are against preventative/early-detective care.
Hello Doctor Mike, UK RN here. I've watch countless of your TH-cam content over time. Your professionalism and demeanor have always seemed appropriate in every circumstance I watched you. Today, on this video, I really felt the urge to let you know I admire who you are and what you bring to the medical table, whether we are talking about the way you represent clinicians in social media platforms, or your apparent approach to care in the clinical settings you work in. Your attention to detail, your profound insight on what holistic care means and encompasses, sets an example of what clinicians around the world should strive to achieve. Even though I don't actually know you, I know you are not perfect. No one is, even if they are an expert in their fields of knowledge. But it transpires that you are trying your hardest to be the best professional you can become! Thank you for your service, and my wish is for you to become that professional you so passionately fight to be, one patient at the time!
It is so heartening to hear about doctors who take the time to research, to not take the first easy answer, who gives the extra attention and fights with the insurance companies. So many doctors, like the ER doctor just go with the first thought or rely on old medical information, or just don’t bother going that extra step for their patients.
Thank you, Dr. Mike, for setting an example and a standard.
Honestly, every time I hear "I have a message from your late mom" story, it makes me seethe with rage. Not only this kind of attention-seeking is egotistical, and also quite inappropriate in a work environment; but to pull such a stunt on someone in an already vulnerable emotional state is just vile.
I'm glad Mike was able to roll past it without much damage, but that could've re-traumatize another grieving person
Exactly, most of the time those people are just being manipulative.
@@sleepyote im sorry i dont get what that dude was trying to do
What does "from your late mom" mean?
@@xXRealXx "late" means recently died in this context. So "from your mom who recently died."
@@martinj3239 oh I see. Thanks!
As a hodgkin lymphoma survivor I'm so thankful to my family medicine doctor, who in one medical appointment really did EVERYTHING to find out what was happening to me, and after that day I did my biopsy, got my results, started treatment and now after 14 years of remission I see this anecdotes and feel so happy for doctors who truly fight for their patients health ❤, so thank you Doctor Mike 👏🏻
Hey gorgeous how are you doing today?
Congrats Angela! I’m 17 cancer free of Hodgkins!
I’m so happy for you that you had a great outcome! Truly happy. 🙌🏼 😊 I hope his current patient has the same end result as you. 🙏🏼
@@Forestrymaven amazing, congratulations what an achievement 👏🏻
@@sarahrupert5320 thank you so much 🙏🏻
Literally because of this video, you might have saved my life, Dr. Mike. I started losing weight without trying a few months back, and the old me would have been happy and didn't suspect anything. But because I have watched this episode maybe a year before all this, it popped into my head that my weight loss could be a sign for something wrong, and I went to the doctor. It turned out I had had diabetes for a while without knowing, and if I had ignored it and continued drinking Pepsi all day and eating chocolate and snacks like I usually do, my high blood sugar would have done a lot of irreversible damage. So thank you, Dr. Mike, from the bottom of my heart. ❤❤❤
That first story reminded me of a patient I had when I was a physical therapist assistant. I worked in a somewhat rural skilled nursing facility at the time. The patient was a relatively young male, considering that most of my patients were hovering around 80 YO. He had come to us with a traumatic brain injury following a fall from a ladder and needed rehab to address the neurological deficits he presented with after receiving acute care in the local ER. He stayed with us for at least a month and made minimal progress in rehab. He had some mild cognitive effects from the injury but was generally oriented and able to hold a meaningful conversation with people. His insurance finally said that he needed to be discharged from the SNF and go to outpatient rehab because he wasn't making his therapy goals fast enough. This is completely normal in neurological cases like this. It can take up to two years for recovery from brain injuries to show significant progress. But we were unable to convince his insurance and prepared to discharge him to home with outpatient services. He was not often on my schedule, but our rehab team was small so we all talked about each other's patients and regularly collaborated care, so I was familiar with his case. It was discharge day. I went into his room and found him trying to put his jeans on his upper body(arms in legs, looking for a place for head), and he was extremely agitated. I asked him what was going on, as this was unusual for him, and he was unable to form a coherent sentence. He had what we used to call "word salad", where he was talking with a clear voice, but the words or sentences made no sense. He was desperately trying to tell me something but he couldn't. Alarmed, I went to the nursing station and told the nurse on duty what I saw. She rolled her eyes and said," He had a brain injury, of course he's not coherent." I insisted that this was new and he needed to be examined. She accused me of inventing a reason to keep him longer at the facility and wasting her time. I was very young at the time and the nursing staff by and large didn't take me seriously most of the time. This time I refused to shut up. I kept checking on the patient, and checking back with nursing to make sure they were doing something. I got the rest of my team involved, and they started pestering the nurses too. Eventually, my persistence paid off and the patient's doctor upon hearing my description of his new symptoms ordered that he go immediately to the ER. He was found to have a fresh bleed in his brain. If I hadn't pushed so hard for him to be examined he would have been sent home that very afternoon like that. He might have died. It taught me not to doubt my instincts and be a bold advocate for my patients in the future. I'd like to think that I played an important part in saving his life.
Glad to hear he got the help he needed thanks to you. You did a great job, keep up the compassion!!
way to go!!!
Well done, but you should have never have been put in that situation. All it should take for the insurance company to cover it is for the medical team to say it's medically necessary. Who are they to be making medical decisions when they're not medically qualified and have never met the patient?
It’s nice to know about the “near miss” reports for cases like these!
I know one: my sister is a nurse but currently works at a clinic, and this happened when she was still a student nurse at the hospital she trained at. A doctor left her alone with a patient and she noticed symptoms of a stroke (fairly mild symptoms but still there, I believe the muscles on one side of the patient's face were weaker than the other.) So she tried to find the attending doctor who must have gone to another visit elsewhere because my sister didn't find her. She was still young, and a student at that (around 21) so she was feeling a lot of pressure and didn't know what to do. In the end she called the nursing supervisor. who agreed with her diagnosis. The patient WAS having a stroke and was given immediate medical attention. The nurse supervisor actually told off the doctor for missing the diagnosis, leaving her patient with a student nurse, and being unreachable (my sister could only try calling or asking other staff about the doctor's whereabouts because she was too nervous to leave the patient alone.)
It was a scary situation but she did get to save a patient's life😊 initially she started to wonder if she may have been wrong since the doctor made no note of it, but because she had a bad feeling, she followed through and turns out she was right, the doctor was not as attentive as she should have been to the patient.
@@mx.n.3682 I'm glad your sister was there to help that patient, and that the nurse supervisor had her back. We need providers like her out there who are attentive to their patients and do everything they can to get people the care they need.
This is why I trust family medicine doctors the most. They CARE about their patients. Thank you, Dr. Mike.
I wish I'd met more doctors like you in my life. I've been brushed off so much that I don't even bother going anymore when I'm sick or in pain and have just resigned myself to live in misery. I get doctors are busy but I just don't think it's too much to ask them to be as thorough as possible.
Man, I wish all doctors were half as caring as Dr. Mike. I have had so many awful experiences between my own health and family and friends.
Thank you for advocating for your patients. It makes me feel safer as a patient to see doctors going above and beyond to make sure their patients get the care they need!
@10:23 That's the difference between good doctor and awesome doctor,
A doctor who is fighting for their patient's wellness.
💯💯💯
As an ICU nurse who deals with a variety of doctors every day, many of whom struggle to listen to any advocacy when it comes to their patients, it gives me hope again to see a doctor advocating for their patients so well. Thank you, Dr. Mike!
Dr. Mike has found his calling. Had I a doctor with half the dedication and forethought as this doctor has, my life would have been so much better. I presented to a military hospital while on active duty with very specific symptoms and a history that should have flagged the true reason I was in so much pain. After nearly a year of multiple returns to the hospital for an accurate diagnosis, the former accusation of "malingering" was suddenly reversed as a second veteran's hospital doctor discovered the issue. But the damage was done and life was never the same. If the original base doctors had put the puzzle together, the diagnosis would have been clear and treatment could have prevented the chronic outcome. Back in the day, active duty members could not sue military doctors for malpractice, though no amount of money could ever have compensated me for their oversights.
We need more doctors like Dr. Mike.
You were accused of drug seeking and you had no prior addiction? That’s absolutely horrible. I’m almost 8 years clean so I know about getting treated badly or really not treated because I’m an addict. But for someone to not have a history of addiction to get labeled as malingering is bullshit. I’m so incredibly sorry that happened to you. What did they end up finding was wrong with you if I may ask? If you don’t want to share I completely respect that. I wish you could’ve sued them. That’s wrong that you couldn’t get any justice at all. I know you said no amount of money would’ve helped but they should’ve had to pay for what they did to you !!
@@tacticalcupcake5104
Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it.
When I repeatedly sought a medical diagnosis for my symptoms, and the doctors found no explanation for my symptoms, they accused me of malingering- as in trying to fake an illness or injury. I never sought medications. I was looking for an explanation and a treatment. The fact is, the medical tests the doctors administered to me were not sensitive enough to determine the cause of my symptoms. As it turned out, the medication the doctors prescribed for an unrelated illness had a side affect that effectually caused the physical injury for which I sought a diagnosis. Had the doctors put two and two together, they would have realized their prescription was the culprit. But, none of them realized the connection, and for that reason believed I was "faking" an injury that their medical tests could not verify at that time. Almost a year later, the injury was so severe, a repeat of the medical tests uncovered the reason for the symptoms I had claimed all along.
No prescription has no side effects. And every person has a unique threshhold for every prescription. Apparently, my threshhold was very low. The mistake those doctors made was that they never considered that I could be the 1 person in the 10,000 who would be harmed more than helped by their prescription.
To this day, I double and triple check the possible side effects of any meds I am prescribed. More importantly, I do not allow any doctor to tell me "there's nothing wrong with you" when I feel a symptom. I am my own best advocate and I realize that until the symptom can be explained, the proper questions and or tests have not been done.
Sadly, that sounds about right.....I didn't get an accurate diagnosis until after I retired early due to other physical issues....turns out those anthrax boosters we got every 6 months for years not only made me severely ill right after, but sent my fibromyalgia (formerly thought to be RA) into overdrive. I'll never be able to safely work in healthcare again. My immune system can't handle it and due to involuntary muscle spasms not one-hundred-percent controlled by medication, I can't safely do blood draws anymore.
Wow. The first case actually happened to my family. My family and i were in a car accident. We brought our dad to the ER later that day to make sure he was okay and as per the doctor, my dad was fine. But 2 days after, he complained about a severe headache and so we had to rush him to the hospital. As soon as we got there, he went into coma. The doctors said there was a bleeding in his brain and they couldn't do anything anymore because he was taking blood thinner medicine for his heart condition. We were all so upset because we later find out that when my dad was checked after the accident, he had a very high blood pressure but they did not check it again to make sure that he can go home that night and did not inform us! Also they didn't check his head!!! He passed away after 10 days. The whole ordeal was so sudden that i couldn't process what happened. We thought of suing the first hospital but then again, my dad was gone and we just could not take the added stress of a legal battle. I wish we had a doctor that cared more.
That is horrible. This shouldnt be okay at all. So heartbreaking
Oh my goodness, that’s beyond heartbreaking. I’m really, really sorry that happened. 😥 So many doctors are recklessly incompetent… I hope you’re doing ok ❤ Sending love to you and your family
that's f---ked up... I'm so sorry for your loss. the doctors really failed your family 😓😓
where is this happened? I mean which country? I am a newly graduated doctor and I haven't met a single doctor in my life who wouldn't question medicines used regularly, and chronic illnesses in any visit, let alone emergency. Also I haven't met a single ED doctor who wouldn't make sure everything, every possible thing is ok before discharging trauma patients.
You could sue the hospital for gross negligence
I am gonna be honest you inspire me to actually take preventative action and take charge of my health. While I am skeptical about the health care system as a whole I still will trust my Primary if they say go do something. They always break it down and give me the reasoning for, what it is, what it should do, what it can do. If more physicians would do this their would be a lot more trust when a doctor does recommend something.
I gotta say, Dr. Mike is a prime example of outstanding bedside manner. His personality and way of communicating with compassion, understanding, and patience is as great as you could ever hope for from a doctor, or person for that matter. There have been some stories through history of people dying from refusing medical treatment they absolutely needed because the doctor got rude or impatient or condescending. Even if the patient is being completely belligerent, it's so important for doctors and nurses to still be able to stay composed and understanding for that exact reason.
THANK YOU!!!! As a mom with two kids that both have neurological issues that aren't epilepsy, I constantly have to fight for my kids to be taken seriously. Thank you for taking an interest and digging deeper. It means so much.
i have learned more on this channel than i have in all of the biology classes i've taken over the last three years 100%
@@p-__ What was I supposed to do with that information do a fart competition🗿
@Don't Read My Profile Picture is my dog gonna die if I do💀
Highschool science classes are awful tbh
Learned more from this channel, or learned from this channel first?
Yes because he makes medicine interesting.
THANK YOU for standing up for the cancer patient! Edit: too many people are getting diagnosed with cancer these days, especially lymphoma… something needs to change
It's crazy that doctors have to spend so much time and energy on getting the aproval for something they know is needed
20 years I've been in healthcare you are a rare blessing! A doctor that cares. I love it!
I wish I had more doctors like you. I’m chronically ill and fighting for diagnosis (more than one) as a female patient, and honestly it’s exhausting.
One of my doctors is great, but omg the amount that have dismissed me is unbelievable. Especially when it came to period pain so severe I couldn’t even roll over in bed.
Dr. Mike, I wish all doctors were as knowledgeable, compassionate, and teachable as you are. These stories illustrate what an incredible doctor you are! 💗
Hey gorgeous how are you doing today?
you teach me so much about medical school and about different types of disorders and diseases. I personally wont go into the industry, but you teach me so much and i am so grateful for your channel. Thanks, Dr. Mike ❤
mike educates us all
If you're interested in medical stuff, you might like Chubby Emu too.
I have been in the medical field for 23 years , and it's doctors like you that I look up to !
How does one get a good doctor like you that actually listens and asks questions? I've been to more than 20 doctors in my life and very few have made me felt like they paid attention
Why
It's unfortunately not an individual problem, and won't overall get much better until healthcare gets paid better, actually manageable workload and focus on health instead of numbers or money. You can get lucky and get a good one, but it's a systemic problem that leads to patients coming last, though doctors and nurses aren't in a much better situation where they are often expected to work impossibly fast, creating scenarios where both small and big mistakes slip through!
Doctor Mike's attentiveness makes me wish we had more medical professionals like him in the world.
Can we just appreciate how amazing of a doctor Mike is and how he actually cares for his patients we need more doctors like Mike👏❤
Keep doing what you're doing, and you'll have a lot of grateful, alive patients. Around 2001 I was having severe abdominal pain. It had been a couple days and I finally decided to go to the ER. After talking to me about my symptoms, but doing no tests of any kind, I was told I was constipated and given a prescription for some kind of laxative. It didn't do anything and actually caused the pain to be worse. After six weeks of excruciating pain and bouncing around from one doctor to another, I was finally diagnosed with a bowel obstruction and had to have a section of colon removed.
Happy to say I made it through just fine but I did learn from that to do my own research, advocate for myself and dont take no for an answer when I know something is wrong. Unfortunately for my Grandmother it was too late when she was also diagnosed with constipation and a week later died of a burst colon.
Thank you so much for fighting the ins companies. As a medical coder the amount of hoops a person has to go through to get a diagnostic test done is so horrible. I applaud you so very much for fighting for your patients.
I'm a nurse, so first, congrats on nearly 10 years as a physician! I loved these stories (Except the creepy message story. So sorry you went through that).. You advocate for your patients more than any physician I've ever seen. Your critical thinking and clinical skills are on point, and your instincts and compassion are a true gift. ❤
I am glad you pushed for the tests needed and gave a patient a fighting chance.
I actually have tears in my eyes after hearing about the patient who tested positive for HIV. I used to work in the medical testing industry, and much o my thought process was...oh, a faulty test...I know how they're made, it's easy for something to go wrong with them....But I cannot IMAGINE having to tell a patient they tested positive for HIV. I'm so happy it turned out ok.
I’ve been watching your videos since my wife went into medical school so I could learn some medical things as well. Appreciate all that you teach
Aww I hope your wife is doing well!
We’ve recently had two people in my husbands family (who are unrelated to each other) diagnosed with cancer because doctors were thorough. Thank you for sharing these stories and helping us recognize when we need help but also to teach medical professionals things to watch for.
God protect Dr.Mi I have followed him since he was a student and how hard he studied putting those years into his education now he is one kind doctor with a big heart not many like him.
Your first story inspired a question for me: I'm part of the chronic illness community and many of my friends have had the experience of going to the ER when they have a new, very scary symptom, and being turned away without help. Often, the more times they go to the ER, the faster they are turned away. In some of those cases, their health was seriously compromised as a result.
In those situations, how does the ER find out that they handled a near miss? Is it enough for a patient to call and report what they experienced after the fact? Who do they talk to? Do they need to go to a different doctor and have them document it? How does accountability happen when there isn't a medical health professional to catch the mistake?
I'm also curious if it's ever part of the process to inform the patient that the policies were changed as a result of what they went through. I'd never heard of this happening and so I know a lot of jaded patients who assume nothing is ever done to correct the problems. Would they have a way to know if there had been accountability?
I work in healthcare as an administrator. You are absolutely amazing! Such a great example of a provider who cares about his patients :)
Thank you for being so thorough Dr. Mike. You really did save some lives just by being attentive.
I’ve been struggling to get a doctor that really listens to me. This past year I’ve went from 160 to 119lbs and 8 months without a period. Every time I go in I’m told there’s nothing wrong and “You must fall into this % of women that have these problems for no real reason. Maybe your stressed 🤷♂️” as a response. One doctor had the Admin give me my co pay back and said he had no idea and go see someone who is better at women issues 🙃.
It’s so stressful and expensive to do this over and over again. There’s nothing quite like leaving a doctors appointment crying because you know something isn’t right but now you feel crazy.
Dr. Mike, thank you so so much for talking about the unexplained weight loss. My dad was extremely overweight his whole life. In 2020, when he went to the Dr, they applauded his weight loss but never asked if it was intentional. In early 2021, he was really tired and had a cough. Because of covid and the state I grew up in and their lock down, they wouldn't see him, afraid he had covid (even though he tested negative). Finally, they told him if he was that worried to go to urgent care. By then, he was in crisis and was told to go straight to the ER when they saw his blood work. He had colon cancer that had spread to his liver and lung. He died after 10 days in the hospital with only staff around him due to covid restrictions.
I was in veterinary medicine, and any time there is a significant weight loss, we ALWAYS asked if it was intentional. I told my mom (also overweight her whole life) that if they EVER told her she lost weight and she hadn't meant to, she needed to tell them that. People need to know this! We have to advocate for ourselves, and it breaks my heart that my dad didn't necessarily have to die. Thank you thank you thank you.
Its insane how you just saved multiple lives, like you literally saved them. I have so much respect for those like you. I am in highschool and want to go to medschool, for now I am thinking about Biomedical Science but I've thought about medschool for a long time as well. I am just not sure if I could handle that, basically having the possibility that you could very well be a cause of someone dying. It isn't an easy job, I think we all know. I applaud you
When I was in nursing school, a fellow student had a biomedical science degree and worked at Roswell Cancer Institute. He was taking up nursing because he said he knew exactly what he would be doing at what time of day for the rest of his career. By the way, his name is Blake. True story.
You could also be the reason someone *doesn't* die. You never know.
@@HSMfanatic17 ofcourse, but even then I personally couldn't live with myself and the guilt of maybe being the reason someone did. And thats not to say that anyone who works is this field should, it's gonna happen. Its not in their hands, they can only do so much. But it takes a lot of mental strength to not only know that but also accept it and go on. And thats why I applaud those that do.
What ever you choose I’m sure you’ll do great, there’s lots of ways to work in the medical field without directly being involved with patients if that’s where your heart ends up taking you. My sister went to college for biomedical engineering and actually got to work on a special mattress for premature babies to help prevent SIDS before she went to grad school for clinical engineering and now she gets to be in charge of/coordinate equipment installations/replacements at hospitals and deals with hospital staff and other healthcare industry related people and loves it. She discovered that she didn’t like being a lab rat even though she loved the science and engineering that went with it so she found a way to help people using both without having to be in a lab to do it, good luck figuring everything out!
@@starfishgurl1984 thank you so much! I am so happy for your sister for finding something she enjoys. I hope I will too :D
After watching so many of Dr Mike’s videos, it’s easy to forget that he’s saved numerous lives. To save even ONE life in your lifetime is an amazing thing but most people you meet will never have to do that. To do it for a living is just awe-inspiring. Those in the medical community deserve so much credit.
I wish all physicians were like you and cared about their patients and saw them as individuals instead of dollar signs. Bravo sir.
I just want to say thank you Dr. Mike! I've recently had to have a doctor fight for tests for me (all the way to the peer review) so I know how much is involved.
All of us out here need more doctors like y'all. Looking into stuff that seems off, paying attention, caring about the patient and fighting for us.
you are incredible you had me in tears in the last story, I can't believe how important a good doctor who cares about their patients is, you're an angel in disguise
It's refreshing to see doctors like Mike who go the extra mile to ensure their patients' safety and well-being
You truly are an amazing person and doctor. As a patient I have had so many scans denied or tests denied by insurance and my healthcare provider never advocate for me. Thank u for really caring about your patients and truly caring about your work.
Mike is a great storyteller and doctor. He tells facts no matter what, whether he has to stand against popular media, or correct himself, he never fails
That first story was absolutely insane! I can't imagine why another physician would just write someone off like that. Would love to hear an update on the last patient.