Today, I had a chest X-ray. I thought everything was okay, that is until the tech gasped slightly and muttered, "Mother of God." I asked him what was wrong, and he kept insisting he had no idea what I was talking about. Now I'm so upset I can't even sleep. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Today, I went to the hospital for a scan. The tech went wide-eyed and stared at his screen in horror before realizing I could see him. He wouldn't tell me what he saw, apparently only my doctor is allowed to do that. So now I have to wait for god knows how long to get my results back. FML
Today, I went to get an ultrasound of my reproductive system done because I was having some abdominal pain. Everything was fine until the tech suddenly gasped and said, "Oh my God! You have two uteruses! Want me to print off a picture so you can show them off to your friends?" FML
Today, I woke up my friend and had him take me to the ER. I had trouble breathing and my chest hurt, so the doctor put me on an EKG and took X-rays. I had strained my chest lifting weights at the gym earlier that day and pulled a muscle, and now thanks to my massive anxiety I have a $700 hospital bill. FML
Today, I told my dad to go to the doctor, as he’s been hacking his lungs up every minute for a month, and I've not had a decent night’s sleep since then. He insists he’s not sick, and my mom yelled at me because she sleeps in the same room and is able to sleep through it. FML
Today, I learned I'm claustrophobic by having a raging oh-god-I'm-gonna-fucking-die panic attack while I was stuck inside an MRI scanner. FML
Today, I woke up with chest pain. It hurt just to breathe, but my parents made me go to school anyway. We're now sitting in the emergency room. FML
Today, my doctor told me to take off my pants so she could do a checkup. When I took them off, she gasped. When I asked what was wrong, she said she was expecting something else. She thought I was a dude. FML
Today, I went to see a doctor because I have been feeling of pressure in my chest. After running numerous tests, I was told I was perfectly healthy and had nothing to worry about. I made it as far as the front door before I collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital. FML
Today, I went to the doctor's because I could feel something solid in my breasts, and I wanted to get it checked, just to be safe. Turns out it was my ribs. Oops. FML
Today, I went to get an MRI for preventive care. The diagnosis was great, but I ended up having complications with the contrast, so now I have terrible muscle pain and have to see more doctors. I have mixed feelings. FML
Feel like sharing it with the other FML users?
Thanks, your FML was submitted, and will appear in the moderation queue soon!
Top comments
DocBastard 40
Actually, he can't say jack shit to him. He's a tech - his job is to take the X-ray, not to interpret it. It would be ethically reprehensible for the tech to tell him anything. It's just as wrong for the tech to say what he did.
DocBastard 40
Wow, the amount of ignorance swirling around here is staggering. You're all wrong. The tech is not supposed to say anything, so no one got trolled. And the amount of radiation from a chest X-ray is 0.1 mSv, or the same radiation you're exposed to just living for 10 days.
Add a comment · Reply to
You must be logged in to be able to post comments!
Comments (274)
Lauren324 18
I hope everything is okay with you! Maybe it was something else he was thinking of or saw that wasn't of your chest, that made him say those terrifying words.
thiscrazything 1
That's right, maybe he just remembered that he left his girlfriends underwear in his bedroom and now his wife will find it. Probably was something totally unrelated to OP.
angelinaanimerg 7
Yeah she can. Because a tech is not aloud to tell information. She isnt certified to diagnose. Just to do the test... But it must of been bad if she noticed
Llamacod 11
Its "allowed" and I've known many a radiology tech who are very in the ball and just because they can't diagnose and talk to you about it doesn't mean they don't know exactly what they are looking at when they do the test.
muFilter 19
Please excuse me for a bit. I'm just gonna go grab a red sharpie and then draw all over my screen to correct this thread.
MedKits 9
My mother was an x ray tech for 30 some odd years. She knows just about as much as a radiologist in reading an x-ray. They can see more than you actually think.
angelinaanimerg 7
Yeah she can. Because a tech is not aloud to tell information. She isnt certified to diagnose. Just to do the test... But it must of been bad if she noticed
SHAMUS_the_WITTY 18
AAAAARG! You ninja'd me!
hilary56 0
If you knew you worry more than you do right now? And maybe he was talking about something else?
jessimica642 8
Maybe it's alien
SHAMUS_the_WITTY 18
To all the people saying OP had a right to know: actually he might not have. In MANY states the nurse isn't allowed to say anything about the X ray to the patient. Legally, only the doctor can. OP, I suggest you speak to the doctor about this and see what is wrong. The nurse was probably protecting his job.
dominic1221 6
OP's from Canada, though. US/State laws don't apply.
PlaySpades 21
Doesn't matter. It's still not within a technician's job description to diagnose a patient.
dominic1221 6
True. Just pointing out not everything happens in the USA, cause he mentioned States. I guess that's a massive shock to some people...
SHAMUS_the_WITTY 18
74, the mobile app doesn't tell location or gender. If I had been on the website I would have noted that the OP isn't from the states... Although from when I lived in canada for a year (military deal) it seemed like many Canadian laws are similar to U.S. laws. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of them.
DespairFaction 11
The mobile app lists the gender and state/country on my phone.
SHAMUS_the_WITTY 18
139- What app are you using? I own a Windows Phone 7, and the FML app on here doesn't list it. My bad for being unclear.
Marteeny23 19
I have the iPhone 4s and it shows gender and location.
Rachel817 1
Sometimes technicians are not allowed to tell you what's wrong, you have to wait until the doctor looks at it. I hope all is well though.
Llamacod 11
Actually, everyone the tech is not allowed
Llamacod 11
Damn auto correct, I meant every time
poohappens26 0
The tech can't tell you , only the doctor can. Though the tech should have kept his mouth shut. Good luck
jlrau81 2
Actually, it is illegal for an x-ray tech disclose anything seen on an x-ray because they aren't trained to give a definitive diagnosis. If the radiologist saw something completely alarming or immediately life threatening, you would have received a call back from the ordering physician before the end of his or her work day.
challan 19
If it was really bad, they would have held you there until the doctor could tell you. The fact that they let you go says that if there is something it's completely treatable. Most likely the tech was looking at his phone or a co-worker and responding to that and doesn't want you to get him/her in trouble.
murdersquirrel 15
This is true.
rooney0710 5
Bones like wolverine