Dr. Emily Elaine Tenbrink, MD

I had 2 appointments with Dr. Tenbrink and my experience with her was one of the worst medical experiences I have ever had. I got an appointment with her for ongoing pelvic pain I'd been experiencing for 2 years prior to our first appointment. The pain was becoming more and more severe to the point that my life was being significantly impacted and I couldn't live like this. I had a family history and all the classic symptoms of endometriosis. During the pelvic exam, I was in pain. She asked if I had been sexually abused as a child. I said no- I was just in physical discomfort. She told me I was wincing in a way people with childhood sexual trauma do and suggested maybe there was something I didn't remember. She said I needed to relax my pelvic muscles and see a pelvic floor therapist. I told her I felt the discomfort was probably related to the debilitating pain I was in and asked what the diagnosis process was like for endometriosis. She suggested birth control. I told her I'd been… on birth control for 3 years and have tried several types, but it wasn't helping. It was getting to the point that I was in so much pain it was hard to do daily tasks and get out of bed. I was missing work and school, frequently in tears, throwing up & passing out from the pain. She insisted I might just have painful periods and I should try a different kind of birth control- maybe an IUD. I was in tears begging for her help, because I knew in my gut something was wrong and I needed someone to take me seriously. At our second appointment, when I brought up endometriosis again, she told me "I'm not going to do diagnostic surgery because it's too invasive, you're too young, and it seems like you WANT to have endometriosis. I need you to try the birth control to prove to me you really want to feel better." That was the last straw. I felt like I was being treated like a hypochondriac, but I knew something was wrong. After that second appointment, I contacted an endometriosis specialist with a leading university hospital, drove 6 hours to get there, and after 15 minutes with the specialist, the Dr. said it would basically be malpractice not to schedule a surgery and see what was causing the pain. The relief I felt was indescribable, and sure enough, when they opened me up I was full of endometriosis. It was everywhere. The surgery was three hours, the specialist cleaned me out, and I have a far higher quality of life not being in constant stabbing pain. Even after undergoing surgery and being sore, I was in tears from how much relief I felt the days following. If I had listened to Dr. Tenbrink's opinion I would've gotten an IUD, continued living with unbearable pain, and continued to be ignored by a doctor who should have listened to me. I'm glad I trusted my gut and sought out a specialist when Dr. Tenbrink wouldn't listen to her patient's very real and correct instincts.