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Who is the nicest/most considerate groin doctor you’ve consulted?
I’ve been watching Emergency NYC on Netflix for the past few days and its been really humbling to see how every single doctor/nurse/everyone in those hospitals seem to be so passionate about helping others and genuinely concerned for their well-being. There seems to be a very strong common understanding that they are helping other human beings at their weakest moment and they really cherish the responsibility it comes with even at their own physical and mental expense.
My experience with Dr. Brown and the way he mutilated me has left me so incredibly hurt (both physically and mentally) and so resentful towards doctors in this space and quite frankly medicine in general. I actively tell family members to avoid the doctor and I’ve been waking up several times a night for 3 years now with the feeling that someone is coming to hurt me. Most of my consultations with doctors in the groin space have felt like talking to a questionable used car salesman with the unshakeable feeling that they not only did not care one bit but that they were annoyed of even being at work and that they were trying to take advantage of me in some way – like it was an elective surgery for me and an opportunity for them to make money instead of helping a fellow human being.
So I was wondering for those of you who consulted multiple physicians/surgeons in this space, which one left you feeling like they were genuinely concerned for your well-being and passionate about being a caregiver? What did they do that others didn’t to make you feel this way?
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7 Replies
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PeterC, I understand you had a crippling experience by an apparently botched surgery by your surgeon. Seems to me that any patient would be engulfed in rage by being tragically transformed in body and spirit as you have numerously described at HT. Such patients would normally seek restitution as the tragedy must be very costly to deal with, so the logical recourse is legal. However you stated publicly you didn’t want to do that. How else have you dealt with the repercussions? Not getting restitution (I presume) must make matters worse physically and mentally. I believe you were encouraged to seek counseling. Have you done that?
Seems to me you’re regressing by this latest thread–using a Hollywood portrayal of medical doctors as a template upon which HT members judge hernia surgeons. Hollywood portrayal. It’s fiction, unreal. Shall doctors affix those fictional faces on themselves? Do those Hollywood actors truly possess compassion for others? Is it possible that your surgeon truly felt compassion but unfortunately messed up (a plausible scenario I presented to you elsewhere)? Either way how do you judge whether a surgeon is truly compassionate?
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Hernia is a high-volume, low compensation field, and this explains the situation that you’re describing at least partially.
I did talk to a couple of hernia surgeons in Germany (Conze and Lorenz) who I felt had a better mindset. I think Conze has some experience with sports hernias, and he does some revisional hernia surgeries. He seems to be very aware of the need to be careful with the tissues and nerves, and avoid excessive harm.
I understand the need to deal with someone who is nice and compassionate, and my experience has been that these qualities are indeed rare among US surgeons these days. However, competence, experience, and meticulous attention to detail are more important. There are a few surgeons in the US with those qualities, including those who did mesh removal on some people on this forum.
There are success stories, but that doesn’t mean that your case will be successful with the same surgeon, or that the surgeon won’t make a mistake in your case for whatever random reason.
Even Dr. Brown had mostly good reviews, but then it looks like he botched your surgery. How could you have known? I didn’t feel comfortable with him when I met with him shortly before his retirement, but he might have been better when you had your consultation. It’s very frustrating because the whole thing is such a crapshoot. That’s the reason I always advise people to avoid surgery unless truly necessary.
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If I remember correctly, you already talked to most of the relevant surgeons. I think one or two others were mentioned here on a previous thread. Not sure if you talked to them. There are very few groin specialists out there, unfortunately.
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This question has an interesting side.
When consulting for a knee problem I had exactly the same experience you are describing, until I found a doctor who was once a professional footballer. He being a sports doctor discussed my problem with focus on my angle ie going back to martial arts. I believe he was in as a former professional to help others continue doing what they love, without any other bs intentions. He cared because he had been there himself… find someone who is or was an active sportsman -
Thanks for the input Watchful. I can see the Hernia field in general being as you said high-volume and low compensation like you said. I just wonder at what point the person forgets they are still dealing with another human being and not an object you know. Where does the disconnect happen between their intentions when deciding to put themselves through med school with the intention of helping people and now where a lot of them don’t even consider patients as human beings.
Good to know about your experience with German doctors. I considered consulting in Germany a while back but I’m honestly embarrassed/scared of consulting these days because of the reaction every doctor has when they see my before/after Dr. Brown and what he did. There’s not much left to salvage or undo so I guess I’m avoiding the disappointment. I’ve also heard really bad things about Muschaweck despite her widely-accepted method. I hear Dr. Koch also knows what he’s talking about over there.
And you’re right I couldn’t have known with Dr. Brown. He was advertising working with athletes for 30 years, he was strongly against Mesh, he promised he would only do the strict minimum and that he would not cause any damage that would prevent another doctor from operating on me safely should I get injured again or prevent me from returning back to sports. 3 years later I still struggle with walking nevermind doing any kind of physical activity or sport.
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I’m not looking for recommendations I’ve personally given up and just watch each day go by knowing that there’s nothing left to do for me. I’m just curious to know if anyone has had a good interaction with a doctor in the groin space where they felt like the doctor was passionate about what they do and truly cared about their well-being and if they want to share it. I have talked to a few doctors in the space but it seems there are more not only in America but also Germany that don’t advertise themselves at all and are just trying to be the best doctors they can be. I had someone in a support group tell me they had surgery with a doctor in Minnesota I believe that also operated on an Olympic athlete and that he had no issues no complications and returned to sport. I just can’t seem to remember the name. I’m sure there are others as well
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This would definitely be an ideal scenario and why I originally felt somewhat safe with Dr. Brown. He advertised himself as a previous San Jose Sharks Team Physician and as someone who worked with every major sports association. I figured he would be passionate in helping athletes knowing the amount of work and years of sacrifice it takes to be at an elite level but it still didn’t stop him from running through my groin like a lawn mower. It’s absurd how much healthy tissue he cut into almost as if he enjoyed the destruction.
The netflix show just made me really emotional and has me questioning why this space lacks compassionate doctors. I don’t want to resent doctors. I know how much work goes into becoming a doctor. I can’t imagine putting yourself through med school and residency and training to then lack any empathy and actively deceive people for money. I remember telling Dr. Brown I would have given him double his fee if he would’ve just refrained from hurting me. He didn’t have to hurt me for money. There are so many easier career paths to make money without physically hurting people for life.
I’m curious to know if anyone has had an experience with a doctor in the groin space who was passionate and really made them feel like they cared about their well-being selflessly.
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