Sorry for a bit of a repeat post (I posted about this not long ago) but it’s something that has been bothering me a bit.
TLDR: I broke my wrist a year ago in a cycling accident and was a little too quick to accept metal plate removal – when the majority of what I read online seems to say it is unnecessary unless it’s causing an issue. I’m questioning the doctor’s motives (the guy is hard to read tbh) and am considering cancelling the surgery later next month (and feel a bit stupid for being so quick to accept it).
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Just to save myself time, I’ll copy the post I have just posted on the brokenbones subreddit (gives a background of the situation).
*I broke my radius in a cycling accident here in Japan about a year ago. Last year my doctor mentioned that the metal plate removal is something that “isn’t always done depending on the country, but is done in Japan as a precaution.”*
*I met with him a couple of weeks ago to talk about a potential metal plate removal. Well, it wasn’t really presented as an “if” but more of a “when do you want it taken out” and I (stupidly) accepted the proposition without really thinking twice and am scheduled to get surgery in late March.*
*The thing is, I don’t really seem to see a lot of support on metal plate removal online unless there is an irritation/issue, and I for the most part don’t even notice that it’s there (I’ll occasionally get a slight discomfort if I do a strong twist motion, but overall I can do kettlebell workouts with no issue at all). The surgery would involve a few days in a hospital and a lot of antibiotics – which is inconvenient, but at least would help prevent an infection.*
*I’m wondering if I should cancel the surgery (I’m fully covered btw) or go through with it? In hindsight, I feel kind of pissed that it wasn’t presented as an option (with the potential dangers being given to me straight up ….. though he will explain this a few days before the surgery).*
*Kind of stressing about this – maybe unnecessarily – and am somewhat questioning the doctor’s motives (though can’t really say whether or not it benefits him or not – to be honest he’s a tough guy to get a read on).*
*Thanks in advance.*
17 comments
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You can get a second opinion.
I do. But I just don’t think many of them are very good.
I do, and I end up changing doctors (dentists were the hardest, but I’ve finally settled) to hear different opinions.
With this said, I still value their opinions over the Internet.
In conclusion, if you are suspicious, get a second (or third) professional (doctors!) opinion.
A relative of mine has had hers in the leg for ï¼’ï¼— years, no infection thus far. Her leg was twisted upside down.
I was told it would be at most an overnight for my wrist plate removal. It was only an overnight to put the damn thing in.
Yes they are taking precautions against another crash where the screws can cause fractures that are different from natural bone. If you can afford it, just take it out and let the bone heal up to 100%
If it’s done often in Japan. Then the doctor just following what he used to. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do to your body. Maybe consider consulting a doctor in your country as a second opinion.
As for your question, I do generally trust doctors but like you I’d research the subject and get informed. If in doubt I’d get a second opinion.
I’ve always had good treatment from the doctors at the neighborhood naika. Their diagnoses have always been accurate and their treatments effective. My husband is also a dentist and he’s always very busy because he has a good reputation. If you don’t trust the current doctor’s recommendation then follow the standard advice and get a second opinion.
I always suggest getting a second opinion for anything major – regardless of your country. I had bad advice from a well regarded surgeon in the states that could have been life altering if I had just gone with him.
That said, in regards to your original question, I had a major illness 6 years ago that resulted in me being on life support with no lung function. The doctor here did a non-traditional treatment that worked, kept me in an isolated room in ICU for over 2 months, purchased a very expensive new HEPA filter for my room to ensure I had clean air, moved me to another 1 person room for another month after I stabilized, and the doctors have continued to provide full after care for me for the past 6 years.
I am confident that I would have died if the same thing happened to me in the States and, even if they were able to get me stabilized initially, I would have been booted out of the hospital long before I was ready and I would have succumbed to secondary infection/relapse.
I can’t say enough for the level of care the doctors gave me both before and after my illness to get me back, as close as possible, to my original way of life.
My doc tells me the metal plate I got 3 weeks ago will be with me for life unless it causes problems.
Can’t be generalized. Different doctors have done different things. Go see multiple doctors if you need.
In neither clinic nor hospital, no I don’t think they have ever taken my feelings into consideration. I’m glad they’re everywhere just in case, but I’ve stopped going to them because they likely won’t be able to help me out unless I have something physically protruding from my body.
I usually go out of my way to find a foreign doctor, and pay whatever it costs.
There’s way too much follow-the-rules here, with secondary regard to what’s in the best interest of the patient. They seem to think being an automaton is a virtue, for some peculiar reason.
One of my pet peeves was the blanket blood testing for all admissions in hospital. I asked “what does this have to do with my case?”, and they just said “it’s routine”. Sure enough, they seemed to be funneling every single soul through their blood draw room.
The foreign doctor I had said exactly the same, that some of the stuff they did there was outright fucking stupid, but they did it because they don’t ask questions. But he’d bend and avoid all the BS he could, because he was making decisions based on patient wellbeing first and rules second (plus I guess he had the fallback option of being able to return home if they fucked him over).
Medicine is definitely practiced differently here i had a UTI for like a month and a half and the doctor while he tried his best I don’t feel like he would listen to me or my concerns.
Not as far as I can throw them. Too many bad experiences.
For most part I’ve had very good doctors and specialists who’ve listened to me and helped me, and I’ve also had a couple of doctors who seemed to have no idea. The worst case was when I had gastro and the doctor game me flu medicine.
I’ve had good ones, but I’ve also had many try to push fake medicine like homeopathy and kampo. People who believe they crap shouldn’t be allowed to call themselves doctors.