Confirmation of the "bruised ego" theory with some US docs

[steve55]

Thought Id make a seperate post on this particular issue so it wont get buried in my original post "disc tilted all over the place". Its sort of its own kind of topic that I spine members can discuss now that it has its own subject title that can be easily located on the board.

In speaking with a few heavy hitter docs recently, one of them directly addressed my question as to why some docs, such as my Dr Peloza, and the docs of Texas Back Institute treat you like trash or flat out refuse to see you if you go overseas for surgury and want a follow up visit or a 2nd opinion. He is someone whose name we would all immediatley recognize but I dont want to disclose his name in case his peers might come across this post and recuse him for his comments. Anyways, this surgeon freely remarked to me that many US surgeons have an attitude/ego issue with patients who go overseas for surgury. According to him, its not a legal concern or a fear of a bad outcome in fixing someone else's "mess" that they fear. This doctors exact words were as follows:

"Many US doctors have a "I told you so" attitude when patients go overseas and return with problems or simply want a follow up doctor". He went on to explain that they do indeed have underlying resentment, or shall we say,... "bruised egos" that we went overseas for surgury instead of going with a local US doc.

So, it does seem that the pettiness of Jealously and resentment comes into play even with the most reputable and talented heavy hitters in this industry. Isnt that something? Though I do believe the TX back Institute refuses to see you even if you went with a local US doctor. But for those who are simply upset that we went overseas, .....the fact that we are not all independently wealthy and have to sell our retirement or get home equity loans just to barely afford a overseas surgury let alone pay TWICE the cost if going through a local US doc who probably isnt even allowed to perform a 3 or 4 level in the first place, doesnt seem to matter to them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY ORIGINAL POST ON THIS SUBJECT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO READ MY EXPERIENCE:

For those of you who did not see my original post as to my experience with Dr Peloza and TX back institute, I copied and pasted it here below so you will have a better idea as to my exact experience:

"WOW! Dr Peloza apparently wanted nothing to do with me. He woudlnt even answer my questions. All he said was "So, what can I do for you today". He would only confirm that C6/7 is subsiding and that C 4/5 looks to be ok despite what appears to be a tilt in the lower plate. Then, before I could even ask him if he would be interested in performing the revision, he blurted out that he had no interest in doing my revision surgury. He was so cold and uninterested up to this point, I thought to myself, "Dare I ask him why"?...... Naaaaa. I already knew based on his demeanor that it would get me nowhere. I then told him I was considering Dr B and a few other docs, and I asked what he suggested I do. He said I should just go back to Dr B and that was all he would say. No adding on to explain why, no expounding further, no nothing, just silence. So, I asked him if he was reccomending that based on the idea that Id have the best chance at turning out better or if he was saying that based on an ethics idea that you should always stick/stay loyal with the original surgeon. Both times he refused to answer me. He just kept repeating his answer and went silent. My next question I asked was if he knew a surgeon locally here in Dallas that he might reccommend if I didnt want to travel back to germany for this. He said he didnt know of anyone and again, went silent. I mean, he didnt want to talk at all, nunca, zilcho! I soon saw I wasnt going to get anything out of him and that this was all a waste of time. Oh, I did ask him if Dr B had called him as Mark mentioned was supposed to happen before my visit, and he said he had not talked to Dr B. Maybe Dr B did call and left a message that went unreturned (it wouldnt surprise me), either way, not a big deal in the scheme of things. Man, this was my doctor dating back to 2004, I had a plasma decompression surgury with him , several epidurals and discograms etc. I mean, Im ok if he doesnt wantto do the surgury, but at least talk to me, tell me something, give me some geniune answers, explain why. But instead he wants to avoid me like the plague, basically behaved towards me like "dont let the door hit ya in the ass on your way out". And I just wasted $230. It was only 2 weeks ago that I had Dr Ziglar at TBI tell his receptionist "Oh, I remember that guy" , as if to say "that sob who chose a German doc over us". Cant they understand that not everyone is independently wealthy and can afford 2 x the price for a surgury? I can understand if there are legal concerns or if they are afraid that they will be sued if the revision goes wrong, heck, they can at least act human and explain that if that is the reason. But thats not what I sense from these docs. I sense alot of resentment in these guys. I mean, there must really be some bruised egos out there. Its sad, really sad to see. And to think I waited an extra week in this horrible pain thinking he would be interested in doing the surgury. Man, was I ever wrong. "

[Katie]

Bruised egos are not limited to the US, unfortunately. I have come across this up here as well, as have some other friends.

Why do they think they are gods? What gives them the right to put us down and ruin our lives at times? Because that's what happens when they refuse to put our well being ahead of their egos.

It seems like the good ones are the exception rather than the rule. What a sad commentary that is for the profession.

[mmglobal]

Steve, I've had clients who have gotten their local doctors to support them in very generous and compassionate ways after going overseas for surgery. I've also heard of doctors saying crass things like, "you've made your bed, now lie in it." It's a shame that we sometimes have to cull through more than just a few doctors before we find one willing to help. It is best if you can have a local doc on board before going overseas, but it's not a showstopper... we always can get appropriate care, even if it's not always easy.

It sure sucks to need revision, but I'm glad that you do have many good options. Keep us posted... all the best,

Mark