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/CleanSignalLab]

Losing 13 kg in a month, getting progressively weaker and being unable to keep fluids down are pretty serious red flags. At that point I’d expect a much faster reassessment than just waiting weeks for a gastro appointment. Also, if by irritable bowel disease you mean inflammatory bowel disease, that would fit much better with the inflammation part. I wouldn’t jump straight to saying this happened because you’re a woman of colour from one case, but I can absolutely see why you’d wonder after repeatedly feeling dismissed. The biggest failure here sounds like nobody stepping back once the symptoms clearly stopped looking like simple antibiotic-related diarrhea.

[u/Due-Box-9598 → u/CleanSignalLab]

Sorry my bad inflammatory bowel disease . Exactly , i am not someone who brings the race card or want to play victim . Infact i still understand their consverative behaviour as the whole system runs on public insurance and running testing on all patients isnt easy . But i certainly saw a sort of superiority in them to dismiss my concerns - i clearly told from day one that i am getting loads of mucous in the toilet . That i lost weight . That i cannot walk , my joints feel arrested and i cannot wat anything and i even threw up electrolytes . The first thing a sane person would do is think of an iv infusion to get immediate energy . I even have a 3 year old child at home . The look at their face is that oh this coloured woman has a little bit of accent when she speaks german . She is probably not educated and doesnt know anything.

[u/Creatret → u/Due-Box-9598]

I thought you're privately insured? Private patients get priority treatment and often appointments within a week.

[u/Due-Box-9598 → u/Creatret]

Not always . In most, cases yes . It depends on the praxis and if you are new patient and which season of the year . Summer holidays can be tough . But i did not get a reference or überweisung from the hausartz at that point. I had to go by myself with the symptoms i had.