Hi-
I've had an ongoing sinus infection for about 12 weeks. I finally went in to the doctor and he prescribed an antibiotic a few weeks ago. He said that IF it didn't work I should call and he would make sure I was given something else. This is my Family Doctor- my DH and I both see him, and I've NEVER asked for or received narcotics from him. I only usually see him once or twice a year, 1st for our adoption home study, then later when I broke my ankle, and back when I tripped over the fan and needed 21 stitches in the bottom of my foot.

This was YEARS ago when I was still seeing my CP Doctor in Texas. Because I had seen him for 10 years and had been on same doses of same meds for SO long, my Texas CP doc allowed me to see him every 3 months, often more b/c I flew through Houston for many of my jobs. There were no CP docs here then (or now) and I didn't want to mess around while my CP doc had everything taken care of. On the months I didn't see my CP doc I spoke to him by phone and we had phone appointments to make sure he got all my info. After 10 years there was never any changes, so it worked well.

So a few years back I had to go to my doctor here for a wound check. I had stitches and they'd been pretty badly treated during a trip to Mexico where I swam with dolphins and walked WAY too much. My Fam Doc was gone and in comes one of his partners. She looks at me, shakes her head and says, "I see you get your morphine in Texas." I was in shock b/c I hadn't been treated badly in SO long. I looked her right in the eye, got pretty fiery and said, "My Pain doc is in Texas & I fly through there for work. I don't GET my morphine, I am prescribed pain meds for RSD which I've had for years. I'm NOT here for any meds, just following the doctor's orders."

She was rude through my wound check and got on me for taking my vacation. I believe she even said I "deserved" this to happen as I shouldn't have been swimming. NOT what MY doc had said!

So now years have passed and I have this awful sinus infection. Returning from Bahamas was a nightmare- my ears, especially the right one, ached and felt like they were going to explode. I called my doc's office and said the antibiotics hadn't worked, I was sick as a dog and could he please see me or prescribe the other med he'd mentioned.

Turns out HE was on vacation. So the nurse says, we know you, we knew this might happen, and I'm sure the doc filling in (NOT the lady I'd seen years before) can just call in a new antibiotic or the drops he had mentioned. Don't worry about coming in, we know you've got a 3 year old, etc. I'm paraphrasing but she pretty much said what my doc- Dr.P- had said.

LATE in the day I get a call from a different nurse, this one is very rude, very rushed and huffy. She starts with "I READ YOUR CHART." I wait. She says, "The doctor feels uncomfortable treating you over the phone." She said the word chart as if it was a curse word.

So I explain that I'm only doing what Dr.P had TOLD me to do if this got worse, that I'm not asking for anything but the new antibiotic or ear drops that my doc had mentioned.

"The Dr. won't prescribe anything to you. You can come see him but he's uncomfortable and probably won't treat you with anything. You'll have to wait till Dr. P comes back." She then says that Dr. P isn't due back for 10 days.

"So I'm supposed to sit here and suffer for the next 10 days?" I was in shock! I was SO sick at that point that my DH stayed home with me 2 full days!

The nurse then suggested a walk-in clinic. Now, I don't know other walk-ins but the ones around here take forever. My 3 year old wouldn't sit through it and he'd HAVE to come b/c I was SO dizzy I couldn't drive myself. My DH would have to drive so that means the 3 year old comes to. Forget it.

Somehow I made it through the last 10 days. I am flying again on Monday and knew to call right away to see my doc, who JUST came back. I call today, explain the situation, and am told that he's "booked through next week. But you can see our "other" doctor."

I slowly explain to the nurse that the "other" doc doesn't want to treat me. I finally push enough to get a walk-in appointment at 830am on Thursday. I'll have to bring my son and while I KNOW that I'm lucky to get in, I'm REALLY upset! I mean, why didn't my doc make notes in my chart about the new meds he'd suggested if the Zpack failed?

To make matters worse, the infection has gotten SO bad that I wake at night with severe eye pain. My eye waters so bad it feels like there's a lump of liquid behind it. It burns and stings and the 1st hour or so after waking, I can barely see. Everything is fuzzy.

It made me wonder what I should SAY to Dr.P. He's never treated me badly or differently b/c of the RSD. He did get a bit weird when I was looking for a new pain doc, but I think it was only b/c he was scared I'd ask HIM to do it.

I don't see him often, but this situation was too much. I was so sick, and didn't deserve the treatment I got. And the nurse who had said, "After reading your chart, doc X feels uncomfortable treating you," made me wonder, WTH is in my chart? I've seen Dr. P once a year for annual physicals and a few times for sinuses, the ankle and the stitches. We get along wonderfully and talk during our visits about travel, politics, etc. I've NEVER asked for or received narcotics. I've always been under contract with a pain doc and I just wouldn't DO that.

Should I ASK him why I was treated that way? Should I demand that he put something in my chart to keep the doctors from judging me? Or has HE judged me and just doesn't admit it? I doubt the latter part. He's always been great to me.

But I wasn't treated as I'd been told I would be b/c of something in my chart. What else could it be?

I was on my way to the Bahamas and worried about flying with the infection not only in my sinuses but my ears. I finished the Zpack and left for the trip. I kept my end of the deal.

Maybe I'm upset b/c I've been treated SO well for SO long that it shocks me to hear that "tone" again. But if I'm to keep this doctor, I have to protect myself. This could happen again. I don't EVER want to be treated that way again, especially not by his office.

What would YOU say? I see him Thursday morning and know he'll be very quick b/c his schedule is overbooked. But I can't just say, "Hey, how was your vacation?"

In 12 weeks I've gone through 17 boxes of tissue. I sleep well if I can time it right so the pain meds hit when the eye pain does, but the last 2 nights it was really bad. And the eyes look okay after a few hours. They twitch and are puffy, but it's not like pink eye looks. I mean, yes, when I 1st wake up and one eye is always swollen shut, but after a few hours it is fine.

I'm hurt, angry, and damn it, STILL sick! What can I say to him to protect myself in case this ever happens again? Should I ask to see my chart? In all honesty I bet the fill-in doc never got past the page with my meds on it. Can't prove it, but I'd bet on it!

Sorry for the rant. I love knowing I can come here after all this time and someone will get it. I think, deep down, I was just so hurt and embarrassed! But why should I be embarrassed? I didn't create the RSD or prescribe myself the meds. This has GOT to stop!

Thanks for listening. Sorry it's so long- writers tend to edit themselves but I'm too tired, have 1 eye working and can't even go back to check for typos. It's too much. All from a sinus infection!