Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
I've been going to the same RA doc for five years. He's a nice guy, seems to want to help me, listens to my concerns when I'm there, and pretty much goes along with what I want to do in my treatment. But last week, when I sent him an email about my bad reactions to the new Rx he gave me (Aliva), the only thing I got back was a one sentence line from his assistance that said "Dr. agrees that you should discontinue the Rx." That was it! My thought is that this guy is way too busy to actually read what I wrote. I mentioned that I had been having chest pains, had been to a cardiologist in the past week, had been having shortness of breath, and a cough for a year that nobody seems to be able to figure out. I felt kind of mad when I saw the short reply, which didn't even include a single follow-up suggestion. It wasn't even from him, and there was no concern about what else might be going on with me.
I just wonder if this is the norm. Do the rest of you send emails to your doc? If so, does he/she answer them or have their assistant answer them? How would you feel about the lack of any follow-up suggestions and/or concern about other health concerns if this happened to you? I could use some outside perspective on this.
I just wonder if this is the norm. Do the rest of you send emails to your doc? If so, does he/she answer them or have their assistant answer them? How would you feel about the lack of any follow-up suggestions and/or concern about other health concerns if this happened to you? I could use some outside perspective on this.
If over all you've had a good relationship with this doc then wait & see.
It could be a number of things. Miscommunication with staff, emergency came up, short staffed, just over all bad day, etc......
Sometimes things pop up.
Now if this was occurring on regular bases it would be different.
I was in a exam room at my PCPs & over heard him on a call with his fathers doctor. His father was really sick & he was obviously very concerned.
We should expect the best of care but in reality they have their bad days & disruptions just like everyone else.
It's all part of being human.
If your ever in doubt of the quality of care set up an appointment with a second doctor & interview him or her before changing for good.
Good doctors are hard to find. I always say a great doctor is worth their weight in gold & the price of gold is up there.
Good luck, Sammy
The chest pain problems are probably beyond the scope of what can be handled through email. If that's the case, you should have been told that, and given an appointment or referral on how to deal with it.
Personally, I wouldn't fire him over just this. I would bring it to his attention, though. If you have other problems with this office this could be a last straw sort of thing, but that doesn't sound like the case.
When I called with a concern her staff member said it wasn't a side effect ( it was a known side effect) and I could always just stop using it (and she sounded about 12 years old). Anyway I called back and let the office know I needed a call back from the Dr. even if it was a little later and did not want an Medical Assistant calling back.
Dr. did call and we got to the bottom of it and resolved quickly.