CHI St. Luke’s Health review: ER Visit with Dr. William Stubb

To whom this may concern,

The purpose of this email is initiate a formal complaint about services received by Dr. William Stubb. On 9/19/23 I visited the ER (West Holcombe location) with severe itching that started on the right side of my back and extended to the beginning of my right armpit. The itching was accompanied by slightly red raised bumps that formed an inconsistent line to the beginning of my right armpit. I told Dr. Stubb the area on my back started 2 days prior to other areas that extended beyond that site. I informed him that I suspected that I had shingles. I explained my history of shingles x 2 episodes. Dr. Stubbs immediately expressed doubt about my presumption of Shingles before examining the site. He never asked me to remove my shirt and change it to a gown to examine the area thoroughly. He stood at the door, asked me to raise my shirt and I had to back up towards him. He poked the area with his index finger and said that’s not shingles because you don’t have pain and it’s not on a dermatome. That was humiliating.

At that point, I realized I had to advocate for myself. I said again, I have a history of shingles and I explained how it presented both times. One time the lesion presented before pain and the other time sever pain presented before lesions. Both times, reactivation occurred in this same area. He told me shingles does not reactivate…I was experiencing Phantom Pain.

What? The second episode happened 6 or 7 years later, so how is that Phantom Pain and I thought the proper term was Post-Herpetic Neuralgia. I never had a problem with Post-Herpetic Neuralgia. Then he became very argumentative and agitated. He told me it’s non-blanching, red and appears to be an allergic reaction. I told him I did not contact or eat anything that I know would have cause this type of reaction, nothing changed. I begged to differ because it was unilateral and on a dermatome. He continued to be argumentative and told me I don’t listen (multiple times). I was exhausted because he spent a lot of time misdiagnosing, preaching, and arguing. I finally said…I don’t agree with your diagnosis but are you going to treat me. I told him that I was going with the diagnosis that he settled on, but if I have Shingles, I will be following-up with a complaint. At that point, he told me he will prescribe treatment for both conditions, Shingles and Allergic Reaction. The treatment plan consisted of:

• Prednisone 50 mg daily,

• Valacyclovir 1 tab TID,

• Pepcid 40 mg daily,

• Benadryl 25 mg (forgot frequency)

I told him I would rather not be prescribed Benadryl because I experienced very strange, scary cognitive symptoms in the past (brain fog and amnesia), I was instructed by an MD to avoid taking that drug. Dr Stubb said it works with Pepcid to control itching systemically and he mentioned something about “door open and door closed” referring to binding/blocking H2 receptors (I was too tired and stressed for a chemistry class). I ask him not to prescribed Benadryl and he wrote a script anyway. I did not take that drug.

However, I received nothing for anticipated pain. Shingles is painfully debilitating. I told him the last time the pain was so bad I though I was having a heart attack. At that point I was just tired of having to constantly advocate for myself. The nurse returned to the room administered Prednisone 40 mg and Pepcid 40 mg. The nurses back faced me until he turned around to administer the meds. He did not offer and explanation until I asked what he was giving me. I wanted to ensure I was not getting Benadryl.

I took the treatment and moved on, hoping I would not experience that same level of pain as last time. Well today, I’m in hell. The area from my back to shoulders (on a dermatome) feels like I have a tight sleeve and the pain is currently 6/10. I have nothing at my disposal to manage this type of pain. I’m disgusted because he never examined the area completely, he rushed to judgment and argued. Now, I’m paying the price for it.

I really hope Dr. Stubbs consider further training. I fear if he continues down this path it will lead to a patient’s demise. As for myself, I will not return to that ER if he is there. I do not trust his judgement. I will continue to provide history that is pertinent to my health complaint and I plan to always be a part of my treatment planning decisions as long as I am cognitively intact.

Good doctors listen and assess thoroughly, they don’t have time to argue and try to prove they know anything. I look forward to the day when St. Lukes returns to the great organization it once was.