12 People Whose Medical Visits Went Horribly, Horribly Wrong

Going to the doctor is supposed to make you feel better, not worse. But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. From funny mistakes to strange surprises, medical visits can take a very unexpected turn.

In this article, you’ll read real stories from people who went through some truly shocking moments during their checkups, treatments, and hospital stays. Some of these experiences are hard to believe, and a few are even a little scary.

• I went to a gynecologist for a routine checkup. Halfway in, he paused and asked me, “Is your husband a painter?” I blinked, confused.
  But imagine my horror when he showed blue paint on his gloves. He checked my previous test results and mentioned that a substance had been found that matched the chemical makeup of paint.
  I was shocked. My husband does work in house painting, but I still don’t understand how that ended up affecting my test results.

• I went to a podiatrist (foot doctor) about a nail issue. I was lying down on the exam bed as he was looking at my foot. He said, “You have a really flat foot!”
  I looked up from the bed and asked what he said, as I didn’t hear him clearly. He proceeded to lift my foot by the ankle and says, “Your foot, it’s very flat!” And then proceeds to HIGH FIVE my foot to prove it. © babybiancadelrio / Reddit

• I had my period for two weeks when it normally lasted four days. The doctor didn’t take me seriously. I went in two weeks later with the same issue, plus terrible cramps. Nothing.
  On day 47 of my period, they finally said, “Here’s a new pill to fix it.” That’s all it took. Instead, they made me wait an extra month before doing anything. © Barneryr / Reddit

• I went to my old doctor for allergy pills. I had just moved in with my partner, and he had a cat.
  She gave me the prescription but then also asked how old the cat was and, in her words, said, maybe it will “just die soon.” © yslhc / Reddit

• I’m a 43-year-old male. Doctor walked in real fast, head down, went straight to the sink to wash his hands. Said, “I have great news” while washing his hands. “You’re pregnant.”
  Turned around, looked at me and said out loud, “Oh, wrong person.” © lifeless_clown / Reddit

• I was on my way to get an MRI. The hospital worker said, “Follow me,” and got into an elevator. I followed. After two floors, she realized she had picked up the wrong patient —me— and I was about to be taken into a brain surgery prep room.
  She screamed, pressed every button, and got us out fast. My MRI ended up being delayed because they had to double-check every patient ID after that.

• I would constantly complain to my doctor that I couldn’t breathe when I walked and that I would get shortness of breath. I was always tired and fatigued, and I would get dizzy if I walked too long. She always brushed it off and told me to get more sleep or drink more water, even though I was getting plenty of both.
  Finally, I made an appointment to talk to her face-to-face, and she flat-out told me I was lazy and needed to exercise more. I was so embarrassed because I went with my husband, and she made me feel like I was just this lazy couch potato.
  I switched doctors, and my new doctor decided to do blood work—something that other lady should have done in the first place—and found out I was severely anemic to the point of needing blood transfusions. I felt sooo much better after I got my infusions. Some people just shouldn’t be practicing medicine! © NotAsPlanned- / Reddit

• I went to the doctor for knee pain on my left side. After waiting an hour, the nurse called me in and started checking my right leg. I kept telling her it was the other one, but she said, “The chart says right knee.” After five minutes, she realized she had grabbed the wrong chart completely.
  Turns out, there was another guy in the waiting room with the exact same name, and he actually did have a right knee injury. We both laughed about it later... but wow, that could have gone badly.

• I broke my arm falling off my bike. At the hospital, they put a cast on it and told me not to get it wet. A week later, my arm started itching really bad.
  I finally went back, and they cut open the cast... only to find they had wrapped a hospital glove inside it by mistake. It had melted and stuck to my skin. They just said, “Well, that’s new.”

• I started having irregular menstrual cycles and went to my gyn. They wouldn’t listen to me and kept prescribing me things without doing any tests. So I went to my primary doctor to get a referral for some ultrasounds.
  My doctor said, “You’re probably pregnant. I’m not even the doctor you’re supposed to see for these types of things, but I’m going to take you because I have to. You’re probably pregnant.”
  After that, she made me take a pregnancy test that I knew would be negative. When it came back negative, she looked at me and said, “Well, I’ll write you a referral for that ultrasound.” I never went back to her again. © Unknown author / Reddit

• I woke up after a minor surgery and saw a crowd of people around my bed. A woman I didn’t recognize was crying and holding my hand. She thought I was her brother, who was supposed to have surgery the same day.
  It took three nurses to figure out that they had wheeled her into the wrong recovery room. We all joked about it later, but for a second I thought I had lost my memory.

• I had an allergic reaction, and they said they needed to do a skin test. They marked different spots with little pen dots and put drops of stuff on each. Ten minutes later, my arm had a bunch of huge red circles. The nurse looked really scared.
  Turns out they mixed up the allergy test with the food dye test meant for their research rats. I wasn’t allergic to anything — just purple ink.

Despite all the shocking, awkward, and uncomfortable moments life throws our way, there are plenty of positive surprises that help balance it out. In another article, we’re sharing 12 heartwarming stories that prove brave actions could be turned into a Hollywood film.