MISDIAGNOSIS? ATTN GI DOCS-What should I do?

[J 1995]

Hello,
I am a pre-medical student who will be applying to medical school next year. Without going into too much detail I feel fairly confident in my ability to get in. I would love to do HPSP it has been a dream to join the military for me since I was little...

**Background. I am a very healthy collegiate athlete and firefighter. I used to have an inhaler for running when I was little but haven't used it in years. Since then I have done firefighting (which you cannot have asthma to do) and run 5Ks for the past 4 years no issues**

My question to you is about Military medicine. When I was 18, I became sick for about a week (fever, run down) and went to a walk in clinic where a doc (who barely took my medical history) prescribed me with a very intensive antibiotic. Long story short it messed up my GI tract and I ended up very sick. I was on antibiotics for weeks because this (*****) thought he should keep prescribing antibiotics for me to fix it.... (I didn't know any better). I was on them for a loooooong time.

I went away to school a month later and went to a GI who said you have Crohn's disease just based on my history. Then I had a colonoscopy where he said I had UC.... Then he said Crohn's only affects the inner most lining of the colon while Ulcerative colitis can occur in all the layers of the bowel walls, as well as other incorrect information. (At that point I had done my research and knew he was wrong). Then in the following visits, every time I went the guy would get more wrong (he'd also say I had Crohn's, then UC, then Crohn's then "you don't have a diagnosis" then who knows what) He put me on steroids, antibiotics, and Asacol all of which made me feel worse and very sick.

I eventually went back home to my GP who reviewed my record and medications and he was furious. He thought the guy completely misdiagnosed me, that this was all due to being on antibiotics for too long, and immediately took me off of all of my medications. I almost immediately felt better. (Note: I was sick a month only) This was 5 years ago and I have had NO SYMPTOMS and NO MEDICATIONS in those 5 years. I also recently went to a GI to get a check up and evaluation and he too thought I was misdiagnosed.

I had written off joining the military due to the diagnoses, but now I don't know what to do. Can I get a waiver? Have you ever heard of someone being successful with this situation?

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[Perrotfish]

Hello,
I am a pre-medical student who will be applying to medical school next year. Without going into too much detail I feel fairly confident in my ability to get in. I would love to do HPSP it has been a dream to join the military for me since I was little...

**Background. I am a very healthy collegiate athlete and firefighter. I used to have an inhaler for running when I was little but haven't used it in years. Since then I have done firefighting (which you cannot have asthma to do) and run 5Ks for the past 4 years no issues**

My question to you is about Military medicine. When I was 18, I became sick for about a week (fever, run down) and went to a walk in clinic where a doc (who barely took my medical history) prescribed me with a very intensive antibiotic. Long story short it messed up my GI tract and I ended up very sick. I was on antibiotics for weeks because this (*****) thought he should keep prescribing antibiotics for me to fix it.... (I didn't know any better). I was on them for a loooooong time.

I went away to school a month later and went to a GI who said you have Crohn's disease just based on my history. Then I had a colonoscopy where he said I had UC.... Then he said Crohn's only affects the inner most lining of the colon while Ulcerative colitis can occur in all the layers of the bowel walls, as well as other incorrect information. (At that point I had done my research and knew he was wrong). Then in the following visits, every time I went the guy would get more wrong (he'd also say I had Crohn's, then UC, then Crohn's then "you don't have a diagnosis" then who knows what) He put me on steroids, antibiotics, and Asacol all of which made me feel worse and very sick.

I eventually went back home to my GP who reviewed my record and medications and he was furious. He thought the guy completely misdiagnosed me, that this was all due to being on antibiotics for too long, and immediately took me off of all of my medications. I almost immediately felt better. This was 5 years ago and I have had NO SYMPTOMS and NO MEDICATIONS in those 5 years. I also recently went to a GI to get a check up and evaluation and he too thought I was misdiagnosed.

Is it possible that I was misdiagnosed? I had written off joining the military due to the diagnoses, but now I don't know what to do. Can I get a waiver? Have you ever heard of someone being successful with this situation?

1) SDN is not for medical advice and we cannot comment on the odds that you were misdiagnosed. Consult your physician.

2). Crohn's disease is usually not waiverable. You can talk to a recruiter but odds are you will need to get this off of your record to join

 

[J 1995]

1) SDN is not for medical advice and we cannot comment on the odds that you were misdiagnosed. Consult your physician.

2). Crohn's disease is usually not waiverable. You can talk to a recruiter but odds are you will need to get this off of your record to join

I have secured 2 physicians who have stated that I was misdiagnosed. How would one go about deleting it from their record, I've never heard of such a thing. And what would a waiver constitute if I never had the original "diagnosis"?

 

[Shikima]

I have secured 2 physicians who have stated that I was misdiagnosed. How would one go about deleting it from their record, I've never heard of such a thing. And what would a waiver constitute if I never had the original "diagnosis"?

Go talk to them and then your recruiter.

 

[Gastrapathy]

So, I couldn't get myself to wade through all the details but I will tell you that no one will care what your primary thought. This will come down to 2 things, the colonoscopy reports and any path reports from the biopsies. If they show "chronic colitis" or "chronic ileitis", you aren't likely to be waivered.

 

[IlDestriero]

As noted above, when there is a disagreement, they'll likely look at the path reports themselves and make their own conclusion. Do you have a F/u colonoscopy that was normal off meds?


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Il Destriero

 

[colbgw02]

OP, it's been awhile since I've had to deal with this, but you'll likely have to go through a rebuttal process - rather than a waiver, which basically asserts that there is an error in your medical record. The issue in my record was relatively straightforward and significantly less complicated than what you've described, so all it took was a letter from a provider saying that a medication was prescribed in error and was never used. If you're convinced you don't have IBD, then you'll probably need to go to a new gastroenterologist and have him/her review everything, and a repeat colonoscopy may even be in the cards. That person's conclusion, along with everything else, will then be reviewed.

 

[J 1995]

I do have a colonoscopy that was normal off meds from a few years ago. My current GI is also very adamant about helping me and what he sees as, and I quote, "gross negligence" by my previous care provider(s).

Thank you for all of the information from the commenters. I will look into the rebuttal process, I appreciate the input and have now begun research in that regard. Any more input however would still be greatly appreciated.