My current medical disaster 

tHE mAD dENTIST

      I saw Dr Gama in October and asked about my pulses and he “proved” I now have an extremely weak pulse in my right arm, He also sent me to the practice phlebotomist for some blood tests.

You can’t have no pulse in your left arm as it would fall off were the exact words of the phlebotomist in C**** S****** when I suggested she took blood from my RIGHT arm due to the reduced blood flow and no pulse in my left arm.

      She had called me into her room, holding the door open with gloved hands. I asked if she could change her gloves and she refused saying that “she changed gloves in between each patient as her hands got hot and sticky otherwise.” But no evidence of doing so. I think I saw a sharps disposal box  but did not see a waste bin with a yellow clinical waste bag, for her gloves. A small waste bin also was empty apart from some paper, as far as I could see. I had arrived early and she saw at least 4 patients before me but I saw no evidence of any disposal of gloves and the glove box was not immediately visible. She took some blood.

That night the local hospital have rung to say that I have high potassium levels and not to worry but to organise a fresh sample of blood. BUT to stop the Ramipril I had been taking as this CAN CAUSE high potassium levels. I have been taking this tablet since the start of this "treatment".

Interestingly the paralysis and cramps in my little finger have instantly disappeared indicating that these symptoms were a side effect of that medication.
The effects of elevated potassium levels are related to the health of your heart. When potassium stays in your blood because your kidneys aren’t filtering it out, one experiences weakness and possibly paralysis accompanied by an irregular heartbeat. This condition, hyperkalemia, can be detected with an electrocardiogram after you exhibit symptoms. I had one taken recently a day after similar symptoms.

       I went to see another GP, Dr R Lewis, to arrange another blood sample to be taken. As well as organising this test, in hospital, he said I should accept that what has been done has been done and to move on as nothing will ever be resolved, referring to the loss of my dental career. He also said that the sample had "clotted" (Haemostatic) and this was the reason that the test showed high potassium. Totally different to the telephone call from the Out of Hours Doctor. How does the Lab test a blood clot? I had the second test and the potassium levels were now within the normal range. I also saw at that appointment the words "MENTAL PATIENT" on the computer screen next to my name.

I saw Dr Gama for the results and he now wanted to put me on a 12 hour blood pressure monitor, when that becomes available, as my BP was 160/80.

AFTER he reinforced that I will “always be a dentist” and “listened” to my angry response as I tried to explain EXACTLY why I am angry.

AFTER I told him I see no need to continue my life, which he seemed to ignore. AFTER I told him that reducing stress reduces Blood Pressure and that the reduction of MY STRESS is within HIS CONTROL. It is obvious to me why my blood pressure would be up.

He put me on Amlodipine tablets as a replacement for the Ramipril and I immediately fell into an intense and frightening depression I have not experienced before,  I also have eczema on the “top” of my foot and I have  “lumps” on my right arm that when touched “burn”. That is the only way I can describe it. I stopped the tablets and in 2-3 days returned to "normal"

He arranged the B.P. monitor