Wrong diagnosis

My wife had breast cancer 2 years ago. She had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and on tamoxifen for between 5 and 10 years. Luckily she was given the all clear. Over the past few months she has been having pains in her back, hip and head. After various diagnosis from its in your mind to its muscle, 1 Dr sent her for MRI scan. We had phone call from drs 10 days later saying wanted to see her urgently. Dr asked why sent for MRI. Wife said to make sure nothing sinister has come back. He said sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Something sinister has come back in her back. He said it's only small we have caught it early and you have youth on your side. We was devastated. I walked out there a wreck. We told all our loved ones and friends it had returned and as the Dr had said she would have to have a CT scan and full bone scan. Over the past month we have been a wreck breaking down and mixed emotions. My wife even picked her own funeral songs. Her last scan was Tuesday last week and they said you will get results when see oncologist on the 27th of this month. Last Thursday my wife rang me absolutely in tears and shock. The hospital had rang her and said there is nothing there. Nothing anywere in her body. My elation soon turned to anger. My wife rang the hospital back on Friday for clarification as one must be wrong. They said there is nothing in the original report for the Dr to suggest she had cancer again. She has got degenerative changes. Just take multi vitamins and vitamin d and the pains will stop. How could a Dr get it so wrong. She had got another job which she passed bye because she thought would be in and out of hospital. She is currently a carer in a care home. I'm so angry please help us to deal with this. 

  • I'm sorry to hear about what you have gone through. The call that your wife made to you is a call that I have been dreaming of getting from my mum (and I think it's a call many of us would give anything to get from our loved ones, telling us it's all a mistake) but sadly for me and many others it's not to be. It doesn't change everything that you have been put through, but now you can look to the future knowing that you have a future together.

  • Hi there ...

    I can understand how you feel ... but please don't be angry ... nothing is full pruff... no tests are 100 % all the time ... oh my like the last lass .. what we'd all give to get that news ... 

    Take that chance of life you've both been given and take life by the short and curlies ... every day / week / month or years you get are there for you to make amazing memories ... ones all of us prey for ... so turn that anger into a little mirical and run with it ... anger is just as destructive as cancer ... 

    You've got a future ... how amazing is that ...  chrissie....

  • It could be worth considering talking therapy to explore this .. our emotions are complex and sometimes triggers in the here and now also have other connections .. your feelings sound very strong and it sounds a unique experience that would be better talk through .. I wouldn’t recommend throwing too much anger at the over stretched hospital but that doesn’t mean you haven’t been through a lot and wouldn’t benefit from some sort of therapy experience  xx

  • What an awful situation, how can you know who to believe? 

    In your position I’d be very angry too! I’d also want to stop someone else going through the same unnecessary trauma. Forget about the NHS staff being over-stretched this is a never event - something which should officially never happen. Please take the time to write a letter to the NHS Trust involved explaining exactly what you’ve been through and asking them to confirm in writing which of the two diagnoses and prognoses is correct and to explain how you were given two completely different stories by the same hospital. In my former career I used to be one of the people who looked into complaints about my own NHS Trust and systemic or individual issues can be only addressed and fixed if people take the time to complain - otherwise mistakes get repeated and more people suffer the consequences. At the very least, whoever gave you misinformation needs to be made aware of the suffering their neglect caused. 

     

    Best wishes

    Dave

  • I echo what Dave said - we don’t need an incompetent radiographer in our NHS. I would be furious if this happened to me. Please write that letter 

  • Hi Dave

    Thank you for your reply

    It was actually the Dr who miss diagnosed. The report he received had no mention of the cancer so I don't know we're he had assumed my wife had again got it. 

    Kung regards

    Darren