In recent years I have twice attended a dermatologist via a referral by my doctor to have flat brown warts removed from various parts of my torso by the Hystofreeze method. These warts are not only very unsightly but hurt when catching on clothes and when bathing. However, the warts return over a period of time and so need to be treated again.
On visits to two doctors recently I was told that they were no longer aloud to refer these warts to a dermatologist. So I asked the doctors redpectively to do it themselves and was quickly told that 'they weren't paid to do it'.
"Do you mean that I am being refused this treatment completely"? I asked, and they said "well, you know, these things come along as we get older, I wouldn't worry about it, it is considered to be aesthetic/cosmetic not medical". I then posed the question "if I was a teenager with acne on my face, would you refuse to treat it?" This question was not answered.
I let these doctors know that I was unhappy with this situation and felt my age (65) was being used as an excuse for refusing treatment.
Both these doctors finally treated my warts on each of these two visits, not, I might add, as well as the dermatologist had done previously.
I hope my fellow 'Gransneters' feel able to stand up to less than adequate communication skills from their doctors and to question refusals of treatments like this.
It's not that bad!!!
