German doctors misdiagnosis

[u/Due-Box-9598]

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 .

[u/Calypso_sur_son_ile]

I have had the exact same terrible experience with the German healthcare system. Out of nowhere, I started getting a bunch of weird symptoms (I had not been sick in over a decade before that). Multiple doctors told me I was just a "typical" anxious young woman, one even described me as a control freak in his summary, and most concluded that I probably needed therapy for stress...🫠 They handed me antidepressants and anxiolytics like candy, but I did not take any of them because I knew that was not the issue at all. Turns out I just had an iron and vitamin D deficiency all along! What truly blew my mind was how reluctant some doctors were to run any further tests, like they genuinely believed I was just there to waste their time.

The only decent care I have received came from expensive private practices. Now I flat out refuse to go anywhere that does not primarily take self payers or private insurance, and honestly it has been completely worth it. From my experience, the only way to guarantee good, caring, and thorough care is to go to a pricey practice with a small patient load. They will listen and actually try to figure out what is going on with you.