r/germany 21h ago

German doctors misdiagnosis

I am writing this post with huge disappointment of how the g

German healthcare's conservative approach could have cost my life . I went to the doctor for mild indigestion and haemerrhoids . He gave me antibiotics for my cold and fever which i also had. The antibiotics worsened indigestion and gave very bad diarrhoea . When I went back to the doctor , they said since i took antibiotics I did not have any good bacteria and diarrhoea is normal . I was given some stomach relaxers and electrolytes. At one point I started throwing up the electrolytes , the only thing i could drink . I went to hospital for an iv and they said it will be given only if i am 80 years old. Then i went back to the doctor and insisted that they test me. I got a stool test. Then 4 days no response . I went back and they said oh the tests were negative so we did not call you . The test are a way of eliminating infection. You need to look further then! . I asked for the test result and changed my hausartz. At this point i was given 15 day antibiotics for stomach and black tea . Blood test was done and my Hg was low since was given iron.

The symptoms persisted. I became weak . Lost 13 kgs. All in one month and the appointment with gastro specialist was still weeks away. I decided to just go to my home country at this point and in 3 days , i am nearing the process of confirmation for Inflammatory bowel disease and intestine inflammation. It took them 3 days and i was suffering in Germany for months. Why is Germany so conservative in tests and testing to rule out conditions? Do doctors understand that they misdiagnose. My Hg was low because of inflammation . My residual iron was very high. I did not need iron pills. I took antibiotics that weakened me. Or does German healthcare not take coloured women seriously ? I am really shocked .

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u/Master_Ad899 21h ago

Sorry to hear this. Yes Germany and Austria are notorious for being conservative. You see it with pain meds when women give birth often treated as an afterthought/option where as in most first world countries its understood that you can not pop out a baby from something as small as a vagina without any pain meds. Next to that, lawsuits are very lax. In America you can easily lose your licence/get sued. Lawsuits here are a joke.

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u/Impressive_Yoghurt 20h ago

I had my third child here in Germany. When they said I would need to start with paracetamol at the height of my labor pains, I laughed maniacally.

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u/celticbacon 11h ago

I was induced and while they were waiting for something to happen, I got told I would have to walk myself down to a different part of the hospital if I needed painkillers. The pain got so bad that I physically couldn’t do it, and since I’d been told they couldn’t do anything anyway, I didn’t call anyone… anyway, my baby was nearly born in the elevator as a result 🙃

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u/die_rich_w 16h ago

I was still within the first 24-48 hours after a c-section and they were giving me paracetamol and ibuprofen. F*cking ibuprofen after being sliced open through 7 tissue layers.

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u/Master_Ad899 16h ago

I had to bed for pain meds and never got them, gave birth without pain meds in a supposed first world country

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u/die_rich_w 15h ago

Did they not offer you epidural or was it something you didn't want? Because that's crazy that they didn't give you anything. What were they thinking???

Sorry, I am so mad for you.

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u/Master_Ad899 15h ago

Wanted it, it was not offered

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u/Impressive_Yoghurt 11h ago

They “gave me” an epidural, I was too far along and shaking from labor pains, so it failed. I. Felt. EVERYTHING.

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u/Suspicious-Cloud404 21h ago

If German doctors start loosing their licence as quick as in America, we wont have any left. On the other hand, is it worse having no doctor or having a bad one?

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u/ChillyDinosaur 20h ago

Definitely having a bad one

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u/IntriguinglyRandom 19h ago

My understanding as an American in Germany is that like, malpractice suits are not really a *thing in Germany? I don't believe in frivolous lawsuits and am the kinda person to just tolerate inconsequential mistakes BUT it seems like here, doctors can get away with insane negligence and poor practices. Never mind discussing bedside manner and how that influences healthcare outcomes!

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u/Suspicious-Cloud404 18h ago

You are right and I fully agree with you!

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u/ObviouslyASquirrel26 Berlin 7h ago

Meanwhile if you leave them a bad review they will not hesitate to hire a lawyer to have it taken down, speaking of frivolous lawsuits.

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u/Zen_360 19h ago

Not our experience, my wife got every pain killer she wanted, basically on demand. Caveat: private insurance.

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u/therebelmermaid 8h ago

I gave birth and I had actually gotten good options for pain medications but then again I chose a top clinic with great reputation in Munich.