Good morning everyone. You know I think I am at my wits end with doctors. Yesterday I had an appointment with my pdoc. I had Joe drive me because it is too far for me to drive myself. I get to the office and am greeted by the nurse practitioner who said that the doc already left. But if you miss an appt there is a charge...It gets better. I had never seen this nurse before and she was looking at my chart and my meds. She said "I don't see any med for osteoporosis--- didn't you want to take it?" I looked at her and said WHAT. She said it was in my mri -the part about demineralization. She asked if anyone has done a bone density exam. I said my md gives me the type that you stick your finger in. She said no there is a bone density xray. She also asked if I was on any meds for arthritis. Again I stood there with my mouth open. She suggested that I see a rheumatologist. Why didn't my doc tell me this, why don't they listen to us. why why why do we have to beg for someone to talk to to explain what is going on in your body. I don't know what to do. Look for a new md ? A would really appreciate some advice.
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MY OPINION, I WOULD FIND ANOTHER DOC. OR AT LEAST GO TO A RHEUMATOLOGIST. BE SURE TO TAKE ALL TEST RESULTS WITH YOU SO HE/SHE KNOWS WHAT THE FINDINGS ARE ON YOUR TESTS. THEY RE BEST FOR TREATING ARTHRITIS OF ANY KIND. AND ANYTHING TO DO WITH OSTEO. I AM SURE A RHEUMATOLOGIST WOULD DO A REAL BONE DENSITY TEST. I DO KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN THOUGH. I HAVE CURVATURE OF THE SPINE (HUNCH BACK SYNDROM JUST STARTING), CHRONIC OSTEO IN NECK AND SPINE, RUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN ROTOCUFFS OF BOTH SHOULDERS AND SO ON. I AM YET TO BE TREATED FOR ANY OF THEM. AL THE DOCS TREAT ME FOR IS MY PAIN, HYPERTENSION, GASTRITIS AND ACID REFLUX AND MUSCLE SPASMS. YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD TREAT THE OTHERES CONSIDERING IT CAN CAUSE BONES TO BECOME BRITTLE AND MAYBE THE CAUSE OF ALOT OF THE PAIN. WHO KNOWS WHAT DOCS THINK NOW A DAYS. I HOPE YOU FIND THE HELP YOU NEED. HUGS....JULIE
i fired three rheumys bfor i found my current dr. you need a spoecialist if you have arthritis... my dr is great about sharing new info on meds, also at seeing me during a flare, not just w/an appt. also, he is willing to try different pain control along w/meds. i love him! and you deserve to feel that way...so \"interview \" your dr\'s. ask if they\'ll see you during a severe flare, even w/out an appt. ask how they feel about unconventional methods of treatment, even if you don\'t want those, you know where they stand. he needs to give you time for questions and to talk to him, not him talking to you alone. also, it was my dr who put me on this site...hes cool.he told me his goal for me was to be pain free, not just better than bfor, and even if it doesn\'t happen at least he\'s working on it! good luck sweetie...i hope you can put your frustration to rest...love janey
I would ask the nurse practitioner if she would take over my care and if she goes to another doc, you want to know... I think you would have to see that same doc occasionally while she works there but if you are comfy with her it would save you the hassle of looking for another doc. But a rheumy isn\'t a bad idea along with your primary. Mine is the doc that invented Celebrex but now that he has been doing research, he doesn\'t seem to have much time for his patients. I\'m thinking of asking my primary to send me elsewhere. I know he will I just have to ask.
I love ya!!! Have a great weekend!!
I love Nurse practitioners, when my kids were small and the doc wasn\'t available for a few days I would take them to one. She was always so good to the kids. She had a heart and really liked taking care of people. I think most specialists and MD\'s and DO\'s we have now are just in it for the money. It\'s just a good paying job for them. This new Cardio. I just went to left me sitting in the cold exam room with a little stupid gown on and went on a 45 minute lunch break. My appt. time was 2:30. I thought this was insane that he would leave a patient waiting like that. He had strike one before I ever met him. He came in the room and said,\"Sorry I am running behind but I have had a busy schedule today and had to get something to eat.\" I said don\'t you have time scheduled for a lunch break? He said Yes but I was talking to my accountant and didn\'t have time to eat. You all know about them flimsy gowns they hardly cover anything up. I was freezing by the time he got there. I did let him know how rude it was to leave me waiting and freezing. Do you really think he gave a crap? In my personal opinion important information was being kept from you. You pay these quacks big bucks for finding out what\'s wrong with you. What reason could he have for not telling you the results? It is your right to know all findings. If you like this MD then look him in the eye and ask him why you were not told this important info. Let him know you will not stand for this anymore. If you don\'t like him move on until you find one you can trust with your life. Bear in mind that I just had a bad experience with the Cardio. so my opinion may be a bit one sided! I\'m not to happy with the medical profession at the moment.....Hugs to you, Cathy
geez, this is awful. When was he going to tell you, when you were all crippled up? I would find another one, or confront the one you have , and ask why he didn\'t tell you anything. A bone density test takes about 5 minutes, and its pretty much normal routine around here after a certain age. I love my rheumy, his also decided to be my primry so thats easy for me. He came in as the #3 top doc in St Louis , so I think I am in fairly good hands. Its a given that if you have any of the \"arthurs\" an anti-inflamatory drug would make a world of differnce to you. What an ass. Let us know what you ar egoing to do hugs sandy
I think you\'ve been getting some great advice. I always remind myself that the doctor works for me, not the other way around. You are entitled to good care, a listening ear and the right meds. If you want to stick with this doctor, then let him know what you expect and ask if he is willing to go by your guide lines. If you don\'t want to continue seeing him find someone else, and have your records transfered. If you live in a large community you might be able to get some references online. Good luck and let us know what happens. You are so special, and deserve only the best....Hugs, Deb
(((((((((((Jasmine)))))))))))
I am so very sorry for this mess with the doctors office you are going through. I would be both mad and worried about just who is monitoring my healthcare!
IMHO~ I would ask for an appt with the doc. Come prepared with all your questions and concerns and hopefully a riend or family member if that is possible. Then confront the doc about this incident and try to determine who is correct. Ask for a copy of your chart. (I am sure they\'ll charge you for it~what else is new!) But, then depending on the outcome of the vsist you could then go for a 2nd opinion or switch docs all together.
It is a shame that we have to advocate for oursleves these days. That is what the docs are supposed to b e doing!! Thank goodness for the nurse paractioner catching the mix up. And if you want the tests, then insist upon it!
Good luck my friend. Please let us all know how it works out.
I am really not overly concerned about the pain doc not being there for my appt. As it was I wouldnt have found out about my osteo if I had seen him. I was there on time and yes it was rude, but there are so few pain management docs around I am not that pissed off with him. It is my med doc that has me pissed off. I don\'t feel that he is monitoring my care.. just reading what is on the computer and not delving any deeper... after all what can he find in 15 minutes- the time he alloted to me. I am just fed up. I am thinking about replacing him. Thanks all for your help.
Heck, I just hang on to the nurse. At least she takes time to explain things to you. Ask her to handle the doctor.
OMG....I can totally relate. I requested my records from an orthopedic hospital and as I was reading through them I found diagnoses that I was never told about. I had a Dx of myofascial pain syndrome in 2004 and wasn\'t told until Dec of 2006. I have a birth defect. I have an extra rib on each side. It doesn\'t hurt anything, but I\'m thinking do they just pick and chose what they tell you????
I\'m just really happy for you that there\'s a good nurse practioner there. Loads of time they know just as much as docs and even more often THEY ACTUALLY CARE. So I\'m glad you got some good help and information, even if it did totally piss you off not to have gotten the proper care sooner. I\'m perpetually disgusted with docs these days, so no comments there! You\'re in my thoughts. Love.