a day ago
"He Wasn't Going To Tell Me That I Had CANCER": People Are Sharing The Most Out-Of-Pocket Things Their Doctors Have Ever Said To Them, And I'm Actually SPEECHLESS
All careers have their bad apples. However, a bad apple in the medical field can often be the worst, as a negative experience with a doctor can impact someone's life for years to come. And unfortunately, some medical professionals simply don't care how they speak to their patients...
That's why when TikTok user @docta_pacman asked, "I'm bored. What's the most unhinged thing a doctor has said to you?" Over 20,000 people of all ages took to the comments to share their experiences with doctors who acted downright RUDE. From not believing patients to hiding cancer diagnoses — here are 21 of their most shocking stories:
If a doctor has ever said anything unhinged to you, feel free to tell us about it using this anonymous form!
1."When I was 12, I was diagnosed with Lupus. It attacked my brain, and I had to relearn how to do everything. I lost my memory and had tremors in my entire body. I also couldn't walk; it was Cerebellar ataxia."
"After a year, the doctors were still stumped, so they asked my mom to leave the room and told me, 'You can quit the act and start acting right.'"
—alexusrenee0731
2."My mother and I are nearly identical. We also go to the same once, while I was getting a pap smear, he said, 'You really do look like your mom.'"
—witchybimbo
3."While my doctor ran my yearly physical, we chatted about my upcoming wedding. He said, 'Well, we may need to take another look at your thyroid and see if you need medication because nobody wants a fat bride!' I was 5'6" and 125 lbs at the time."
—kmphotographyjax
4."In my case, it was what my surgeon DIDN'T say: After surgery, I found out from a different doctor that my appendix was cancerous. When I brought it up to my surgeon at the follow-up, he said, 'Who told you?' He wasn't going to tell me that I had CANCER."
—froehlich11
5."My first neurologist told me to 'Come back when you have a real problem.' I have MS and was completely numb from the waist down."
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6."My doctor said the reason the hypermobility in my ankles was so bad was because I wore a certain brand of tennis shoes, which were 'made for Japanese people,' and I have big American feet, so I need to wear another brand."
—3mily._.626
7."I get ear infections constantly because my ears retain water; it's been happening since I was a kid, and I was supposed to get corrective surgery, but never did."
"Well, recently I've gained a lot of weight, so at my last doctor's appointment, she checked my ears and said that I get ear infections because I 'am so fat my ears are deformed.'"
—fictionalshitpost
8."I had a doctor who took me into his personal office, sat me down in his chair, started rubbing my shoulders, and told me, 'Maybe you just need a real man in your life.'
—mistydarby2
9."When I suddenly started having seizures with no prior history, I went to my doctor. He said that I just wanted to make his day 'more interesting' and that 'as a woman,' I'm overly anxious."
"Then, as I was leaving, he told me to bring my husband the next time."
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10."I had a planned C-section with my youngest child, so I asked the doctor to tie my tubes while he was already in there. He said that doctors aren't able to do that."
"I told him that my mom had it done when I was born, and I knew the technology existed. He asked, 'What if your baby dies?' I told him I wasn't interested in a replacement baby. Then he tried to use COVID to scare me out of it."
—dizzylizzie82
11."When I was 13, my doctor told me that if my periods were so bad, I should just get pregnant."
—fermata1138
12."The first time I saw one doctor, he walked in and told me I needed to get a mole removed on my lip. I asked, 'Is it bad?' He responded with, 'No, it just takes away from your face because it's the first thing people see.'"
—mims_2009
13."I have a hereditary blood disorder from my dad's side, and I sadly passed it to three of my children. In my defense, they didn't study the disease or perform genetic testing for it until 2009, and my youngest was born in 2002, so I didn't know the odds of passing it along."
"Once, when I was in the ER with my son for an issue related to the disorder, the doctor said, 'The funny thing about hereditary issues is that they would die out if the people who had them stopped breeding.'"
—2019nini1
14."My OB told my husband, 'I put an extra stitch in there for ya,' and smiled while I was lying there with him between my legs after just giving birth to my son (who the nurse actually delivered)."
—angelcopeland02
15."A doctor told me, 'If you stayed home and didn't have your kid in daycare, she wouldn't be sick.'"
"The next day, my 14-month-old was rushed by ambulance to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery to correct a missed genetic defect that caused breathing difficulties."
—jbellz
16."My dentist asked me if my 'boyfriend' liked to tug on my nose ring like a ranch hand would do to a cow. I told him, 'No,' that my husband treats me with respect."
"He responded, 'Checks weird girls always get married young and pop out babies left and right, just like a cow.'"
—elenamedwards
17."I was losing weight rapidly and vomiting everything I tried to eat or drink, so I went to the doctor, who asked me, 'Are you sure you're not bulimic? A lot of young women are.' I had a total bowel obstruction due to undiagnosed Crohn's Disease."
—beatlesandlove
18."When I was seven years old, a doctor looked me in the eyes and said, 'Your mom is going to either be dead in a few years or a vegetable.' She had a B12 deficiency, not a terminal illness…
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19."I have a heart defect and have had four heart attacks, with the first being when I was 29. Last week, I went for a routine checkup and the cardiologist said, without even looking up from his chart, that I had three areas of weakness on my heart and the next one would be my last. Then he turned around and walked away."
—janetteschafer
20."I was in the doctor's office, crying because of my diminished quality of life due to my chronic illness, and feeling like I'm a bad mom. He looked at me and said, 'Do you know the daily death rate? You should just feel happy you're alive.'"
—taylortader
21."I'm deaf and vision-impaired. I also don't have a thyroid and deal with a shoulder injury, yet the same doctor has told me three times that a breast reduction would make all of my problems go away."
—ashleykimball21
Which one of these experiences shocked you the most? Has a doctor ever said anything cringey or cruel to you? Tell us in the comments, or if you prefer to answer anonymously, you can use the form below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.