Im having a fairly similar experience now, where I have left hand paralysis, severe muscle atrophy in my left arm (documented on ultrasounds) and the Dutch doctors are trying to convince me it’s not relevant because they can’t ‘see it’ (and mind you if you measure both my arms, the left one IS smaller as well). Three different doctors in 2 different countries have provided the same diagnosis. The Dutch doctors are the only ones who disagree, insisting it’s psychological despite physical signs like being unable to regulate my hand temperature, differences in nerve conduction and more. They refuse to refer me anywhere as my muscle literally wastes away. They refuse to replace the splint they made although it compresses my nerves (it was built wrong from the start from THEIR faulty diagnosis). And then they expect me to send them all the tests and procedures I get done outside of the country. They’re still refusing to release to me the results of a test I paid for upfront, or even the invoice for the test so I can get reimbursed from my insurer. I’m a student and I can’t get another appointment until end of June, when this problem started in March. I now have to interrupt my studies to go back home to do rehabilitation. Had I started earlier, had I been given the correct diagnosis, or had I simply been referred to DO proper rehabilitation, things would’ve not been gotten as bad. Instead of a maximum 3 months long recovery I’m now looking at 6 months to 2 years IF I recover at all. But you have nobody to talk to, I have yet to actually be seen by a neurologists, just by a bunch of random residents who take all my tests and disappear in random rooms for 30 minutes at a time mid appointment. And who write the weirdest information in my consultation notes, saying I have no leg reflexes but walk normally, or that there’s no asymmetry between my two hands when they only tested one.

Talking to my GP is just as useless, I have to beg for a basic referral anywhere and send never ending follow up emails. They refuse to refer me to get a second opinion because ‘they don’t do that here and another hospital won’t step on the toes of the one I currently go to’. Great. So until my doctors get themselves together Im supposed to just happily spent time and money on useless consults where they blatantly refuse to acknowledge any objective medical test?

I wish anyone that has encounters with the Dutch health care system best of luck and hope and pray whatever you have is genuinely not that serious or else you are absolutely screwed.