MD vs DO

[reaton]

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Had sharp pain in right side of lower back. Went to PCP who is an MD. Sent to hospital to be tested for kideny stones. No stones. MD says might be muscular/skeletal related. Gives me narcotic pain pills. Months later, same pain. PCP sends me to hosptial again for MRI. Again, no kidney problems. Several months later same pain. PCP sends me to a specialist who is a DO.

Nurse at DO's office takes a very extensive history. DO comes in does a very complete exam. Send me to hospital for MRI on lower back (not kidneys). Outcome - ruptured disk.

VERY!!! impressed with DO!!! Wonder why MD couldn't find something to simple. MD's game plan; give me pills. DO's, find out what was wrong with me.

From the title probably not what you thought this was going to be about, right?

 

[Bacchus]

These are the posts I live for. Not.

The MD, lets call him a physician shall we, suspected kidney problems and thus went down that diagnostic path. The other physician felt differently. There are good doctors, bad doctors, and OK doctors. MD/DO does not determine that.

 

[fisko82]

From the title probably not what you thought this was going to be about, right?

Actually, this type of post is pretty much what I expected.

MD's game plan; give me pills. DO's, find out what was wrong with me.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

This is more like a "specialist vs. PCP" thread. You went to someone who probably sees sprained ankles and strep throat all day, and he can't figure it out. He orders an MRI to take a look at your kidneys. Still nothing. So he assumes "non-specific pain", and gives you some pain meds. Then he sends you to a guy who is better-equipped to diagnose such issues (what kind of specialist? Neurologist?), and he figures it out.

I doubt it had to do with where he went to med school, and it doesn't necessarily mean that your PCP is any worse at what he does either.

 

[DrMidlife]

...VERY!!! impressed with DO!!! Wonder why MD couldn't find something to simple. MD's game plan; give me pills. DO's, find out what was wrong with me....

Not sure why everybody's harshing on you for sharing this.

 

[reaton]

Hummm, not sure either. Just gave facts. Didn't put anyone down. Will continue to see the MD. Like him very much.

People on this site never fail to amaze me.

 

[Instatewaiter]

perhaps you should be more pissed at the first radiologist that read the first MRI

 

[JaggerPlate]

Cool story, and I'm glad you had a good experience with a DO. I think it's more just different opinions of different doctors, but always good to hear about DOs nailing it👍

 

[Instatewaiter]

Again probably not the second doctor he went to that made the correct diagnosis but rather the second radiologist that caught it.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

It could have been any number of things, but it wasn't as simple as MD vs. DO. The only place where it is that simple is on this website.

 

[Instatewaiter]

It could have been any number of things, but it wasn't as simple as MD vs. DO. The only place where it is that simple is on this website.

Really I thought the only place where the MD/DO issue is complex is on this website.. haha

 

[VALSALVA]

The DO didn't nail anything. What's the big deal about ordering a $3000.00 test that was the next logical step in the diagnostic process - assuming the DO wasn't good enough to come up with a diagnosis based on physical exam by itself. When any patient continues to have pain and continues to pursue a definitive diagnosis, expect your practitioner(s) to order more expensive time consuming tests.
Surely the OP was having other symptoms if "ruptured disk" was the final diagnosis. I'm assuming your kidney stone workup included a urinalysis and a stone protocol non-contrast CT? Sounds perfectly reasonable to me given your flank pain (as opposed to say...midline pain, positive straight leg raise, radiating pain, bowel and/or bladder incontinence or other hallmarks of disk rupture) Fortunately, that test in itself could have revealed the disk rupture, but the radiologist probably wasn't looking for that and CT isn't nearly as sensitive as MRI for that sort of stuff. Anyhoo...

This isn't a DO vs. MD issue. It's a "pin the tail on the diagnosis" issue using modern medical techniques.

I'm a DO by the way.

 

[VALSALVA]

It could have been any number of things, but it wasn't as simple as MD vs. DO. The only place where it is that simple is on this website.

What he said...

 

[XerxesMD]

MD's game plan; give me pills. DO's, find out what was wrong with me.

It is best not to generalize. Looking at one MD or one DO is not a good way to draw conclusions about the competence of MDs or DOs in general.

 

[JaggerPlate]

This site is absolutely exhausting.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I want to see a thread like this, and then open it to find a link to a story where an MD and a DO got into a knife fight or something.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I want to see a thread like this, and then open it to find a link to a story where an MD and a DO got into a knife fight or something.

How about a political knife fight?

 

[VALSALVA]

I want to see a thread like this, and then open it to find a link to a story where an MD and a DO got into a knife fight or something.

Sort of like this!

 

[VALSALVA]

This site is absolutely exhausting.

Wow! How profound.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Wow! How profound.

Thank you, I do what I can.