Back Pain Care

Question by : My dads appendix has lead shot in it, doctors/hospital not helping!?
My dad has been to the hospital 3 times in the past 2 weeks for extreme abdominal pain, severe abdominal distention and lower back pain. The hospital here is far from competent (they almost killed me), and are generally just a bunch of medical school rejects. They’ve run tests, but told him it is fine, it is something to do with his MS (MS doesn’t cause these symptoms) then gave him a prescription for hydromorphone and to just plain not come back for the issue because they “don’t treat chronic pain”. Plus they outright LIED about one test at the hospital, when they came back and told him the urinalyisis came back fine, but my dad couldnt pee and never gave a smaple! His GP ran more tests and still couldn’t “find anything wrong”. Then he went to his neurologist, who examined some images (I think from a CAT scan) taken at the hospital, and found 2 small, round bits of metal (my dad figures lead shot, since he’s a hunter and sometimes it disperses in meat) lodged in his appendix! The neurologist doesn’t deal with stuff like that, and didn’t seem to find it a big deal. My dad is getting worse and worse with the pain and new symptoms are showing up (digestive issues, and a fever). I would imagine lead shot lodged in your appendix when you are having extreme pain and issues in your abdomen to be taken slightly more seriously. Especially since it has to have been there for some time, as my dad has hunted/eaten hunted meat in over a year!

Form everything I can find online, having radiopaque (metal) objects lodged in your appendix is very very rare (something most doctors will probably never see) and requires your appendix to be removed. I saw the same figure over and over on multiple (reputable) medical sites- only 256 cases of this in the past 100 years! My dad is in extreme pain, but because he trusts his doctors completely, he isn’t seeking second opinions, and is ignoring it. If his appendix ruptures, I’m afraid he won’t notice because he’s already in such immense pain in that area. I called MY gp yesterday and explained the situation, and he seemed extremely concerned, and even offered to take my dad as a new patient so he could at least give him a referral to a specialist who can help. But my dad won’t see my doctor because he is a naturopath and he thinks naturopaths aren’t real doctors. But my doctor is at least willing to see him and give him a referral to a specialist, where neither of my dads doctors are. Hell, my dad won’t even see another traditional medicine doctor, because his gp is his friend. What should I do? This is very concerning, and I think my dads health is in danger? But he won’t do anything about this, and it’s like talking to a wall trying to get through to him?

Best answer:

Answer by ridingorracing
another doctor would be my choice, another hospital all together.

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