• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Have you taped your consultations?

Folk

Senior Member
Messages
217
I was thinking today. As all of you I've heard the most bizarre non sense stuff over these years going to hundreds of different doctors. "It's all in your head" "FMS is gayness" "In two weeks you'll be just fine"

Tomorrow I'll go for two more and I'll tape it.

We could use it to show the abuse we go through as much as to make this go viral.
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
Yes but I ask permissions and doctor agreed. CFS dr knew about the brain fog. Did not have a problem w it.
 
Messages
10,157
You should say you are recording him. Just say it's because you don't remember things well. If the doctor refuses, that would be a story in itself. Good luck with your appointment. :)
 

melamine

Senior Member
Messages
341
Location
Upstate NY
I bought a small recording device after too many experiences of neglect and abuse by a series of doctors at a time when I was very ill. I wanted evidence to counter the fictional records they were creating and because my family didn't believe me when I described the doctors' behavior - I must be exaggerating, doctors don't behave like that, "you must have done something" to provoke it, the doctor must have had a reason, "maybe you shouldn't tell the doctor what's wrong with you" :aghhh:(!), etc..
I forgot to bring the recorder about as often as I remembered to, and regret missing some doozies. I only made it visible to one, when his nurse (also) started making false statements to me and refusing to cooperate, but would probably have done so during other appointments if I had remembered to bring it or had not needed to keep things under wraps for awhile for pragmatic reasons.
Two doctors would not allow me to have a witness present - nurse or family member. It didn't matter that it's not legal, but neither did it matter to them nor to doctors of a similar disposition, that their behaviors were negligent, cruel, unethical, and libelous. I felt I needed documentable evidence - just in case. Maybe it would be useful in supporting a future claim.
I cannot imagine my recordings in their raw state serving any public value other than comedic entertainment, and even that would require quite a bit of artistic transformation.
 

Folk

Senior Member
Messages
217
I bought a small recording device after too many experiences of neglect and abuse by a series of doctors at a time when I was very ill. I wanted evidence to counter the fictional records they were creating and because my family didn't believe me when I described the doctors' behavior - I must be exaggerating, doctors don't behave like that, "you must have done something" to provoke it, the doctor must have had a reason, "maybe you shouldn't tell the doctor what's wrong with you" :aghhh:(!), etc..
Living it right now...
 
Messages
2,565
Location
US
I think a covert recording is important. I found out one of my former doctors was accused (and found guilty of) molesting multiple other female patients. It's the kind of security where you don't think the recording is that important until one time when it would have been critical.

It is much easier and cheaper to do than it used to be.

I need to start recording because of my lack of memory and to show family members, and for this important reason.
 

Folk

Senior Member
Messages
217
I really feel we gotta make something go viral.

Anything tall would call attention.

We're thousands of people here...
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I brought myself a recorder a while ago to help stop some of the abuse I was getting from professionals and disability services. In my country it isnt at all illegal if one tapes them in ones own home eg home visit (Im dont know the legalities of taping appointments thou outside the home when the other doesnt know they are being taped. I am interested in finding that out thou and if it could be used in evidence in court).

Anyway, Im so glad I did tape the home visit (I hid the recorder in a cupboard next to us and left the door slightly ajar..it turned out very clear) . 6mths later one of the ladies involved in that meeting started lying about things said there.. it was only at this point I went to her "w'll I taped that appointment so I can prove that didnt happen!!"...

she was horrified and abruptly went "that's illegal" in this kind of nasty voice... thing is I had already check on that and being in my own home that appointment, it was legal for me to tape our meeting without the others knowledge and I may even be able to use it as evidence in court.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I also do have a doctor who expects all his patients to tape the appointments. He's annoying as due to that expectation of his, he wouldnt allow me to write not down as he spoke..and as I didnt have anything at that point to tape with, I had to get my friend to tape but my friend couldnt work his stuff so I was left with nothing at all from that appointment and of cause forgot everything dr said. It was a very costly appointment important too (huge medicare gap I had to pay).
 

andre79

Senior Member
Messages
122
If anyone has been insulted and mistreated by doctors, it's me. I have been in around 35 doctors of all specialities in almost 3 years.

These are my favorite quotes from them:

"You are a hypochondriac"
"You have an obssesive compulsive disorder, not an organic illness"
"You are doing this because you are seeking attention"
"You are the kind of patient that we doctors don't like, too complicated with symptoms and you don't trust our judgements"

(well, I don't like doctors that tells patients they have anxiety instead of a life threatening disease, because they are too lazy to investigate, my case by the way)

And my personal favorite: "You want to be sick" really!?

Anyway, i can understand what you guys are trying to do. But since i am seeking help and not revenge, i think it's a good idea to tape the consultation, but letting the doctor know that you are doing it. Knowing this the doctor would restrain from injuring you, but it would be fair for him too. For me, hiding the tape is a dirty move. You don't gain anything from it, after all, what are we playing here? What do we want to do? To catch a doctor and then do to him the same that he does to us, or get effective medical help?

Since we depend so much on them is easy to idealize them but it took me short time to realize that doctors are normal people, with virtues and faults, with mistakes, with lack of patience, with familiar problems, etc etc. Many of them don't even have the call to be doctors. But again, there are many that really want to help patients. The key is to find the latter and ignore the bad ones. In my case, i go to a consult and i quickly realize if the doctor is going to help me, if not, goodbye, sayonara, au revoir, adiós! Forget about him and carry on.
 

Folk

Senior Member
Messages
217
If anyone has been insulted and mistreated by doctors, it's me. I have been in around 35 doctors of all specialities in almost 3 years.

These are my favorite quotes from them:

"You are a hypochondriac"
"You have an obssesive compulsive disorder, not an organic illness"
"You are doing this because you are seeking attention"
"You are the kind of patient that we doctors don't like, too complicated with symptoms and you don't trust our judgements"

(well, I don't like doctors that tells patients they have anxiety instead of a life threatening disease, because they are too lazy to investigate, my case by the way)

And my personal favorite: "You want to be sick" really!?

Anyway, i can understand what you guys are trying to do. But since i am seeking help and not revenge, i think it's a good idea to tape the consultation, but letting the doctor know that you are doing it. Knowing this the doctor would restrain from injuring you, but it would be fair for him too. For me, hiding the tape is a dirty move. You don't gain anything from it, after all, what are we playing here? What do we want to do? To catch a doctor and then do to him the same that he does to us, or get effective medical help?

Since we depend so much on them is easy to idealize them but it took me short time to realize that doctors are normal people, with virtues and faults, with mistakes, with lack of patience, with familiar problems, etc etc. Many of them don't even have the call to be doctors. But again, there are many that really want to help patients. The key is to find the latter and ignore the bad ones. In my case, i go to a consult and i quickly realize if the doctor is going to help me, if not, goodbye, sayonara, au revoir, adiós! Forget about him and carry on.

I feel you, but it's not about revenge, it's about calling attention to our situation. Since probably most places a hidden tape wouldn't even count as a valid proof (for being illegal) the names involved could even be hidden (wouldn't hurt to see them getting screwed too but that's not the main reason). It would be something worth of showing: This is how doctors treat our disease, this is how they're instructed to.