My New Primary Care Is A Dimwit

[futurehope]

I'm very tired right now from spending 1 1/2 hours talking to a dimwit, errrr, I mean Internal Medicine Doctor. I had to explain to him half my tests because he probably had never seen them before. I carry all my testing with me. Then he spent time trying to show me how much he knew....yeah, right. He wanted to write one of my diagnosis as postural hypotension. I said, "no" that's not what I have. I let him write dyautonomia, which explains it better.

He spent too much time trying to prove that I have a diagnosis of depression or mood disorder. (I think I was developing this disorder as I listened to his ignorance - lol)

I lost my patience and said.....

"You can write down what you want (mistake), but I have had an infection in my tooth for 4 months, I'm hypothyroid, and I'm on a strong antibiotic for the second time which is taking its toll on me." "If you call my exhaustion "depression" or "mood disorder" I believe you're being inaccurate." You know what? Dealing with the likes of him can bring on a mood disorder.

Then he asked me if I had a gun in the house? I said, "What?!" Is that a question they ask if they think you or someone in the house is depressed? I said, "Nobody ever asked me that before."

Anyhow, I wasn't expecting much. I just wanted someone close by to be able to treat the flu or a sore throat and prescribe medications I'm on.

I'm beginning to realize how difficult it is to describe the many malfunctioning body systems I have. It's tiring to go over all this stuff.

My favorite doctors are the researchers who are interested in their particular specialties, who can relate to my illnesses, but can also look me in the eye and say, "I don't know".

It's the jerks, like I had today, who try to prove how much they do know, and then, inadvertantly, make themselves look foolish in the process. How arrogant, and insecure! Obviously, I have no respect for the dimwit I saw today. Real people, who admit they don't understand instead of trying to puff themselves up, are more to my liking.

I know all you people on this forum can relate. It just wears me out dealing with the stupidity. Thanks for letting me rant. It feels good to talk to people who "get it".

Have a blessed day, y'all!

[firewatcher]

Next time tell your MD:

You can put down transient mood disorder, I get really P-Oed just sitting here listening to you...

Why no, I don't have a gun in my house, I carry it in my purse....(watch his eyes bug out then! ) would you like to see my permit??????

Please print that out, so I can add it to my many mis-diagnosises binder.

[Heiferly]

"Please print that out, so I can add it to my many mis-diagnosises binder."

May I quote that? That's my favorite thing I've heard in eons! It might even make a soothing mantra on some days. :-D

[firewatcher]

I hate it when a doctor who has NO degree in either psychiatry or psychology tries to diagnose personality/mood disorders. Look him up and see if he has a degree in either. If he doesn't, the next time you have to see him for a cold, ask him to take a look at your car's engine...since it's making a knocking noise and he is so brilliant an expert in things he knows nothing about!

That was snarky, wasn't it

You could ask if he prefers the fragrance or myrrh to burning lamb...

I'd get a new doctor: one who can actually say the phrase "I don't know," you'll be better off!

[janiedelite]

I'm beginning to realize how difficult it is to describe the many malfunctioning body systems I have. It's tiring to go over all this stuff.

My favorite doctors are the researchers who are interested in their particular specialties, who can relate to my illnesses, but can also look me in the eye and say, "I don't know".

So true! As you read my post today about my Dr's visit today, you know that I can relate to having to explain all the nuances of how our disease affects different areas of our lives.

I had one of the many "duds" I saw during my diagnosis journey tell me and my hubby that I had anxiety and needed therapy. I told him that I was already in therapy, and the therapist believed I was coping pretty well with my REAL physical problems! Then he read in my chart that I take 1/2 a vicodin a few nights a week to help me sleep through my neuropathy pain and was concerned I was addicted so I asked him what else I can take for my nerve pain and he wanted me to meditate and do deep breathing exercises... at that time, hubby and I looked at each other and just started nodding to everything he said. We left and just rolled our eyes... another one bites the dust!

I hope you find a PCP who is willing to learn about your disease and not just try to fit you into a category that massages their ego. Keep searching!

[futurehope]

I hate it when a doctor who has NO degree in either psychiatry or psychology tries to diagnose personality/mood disorders. Look him up and see if he has a degree in either. If he doesn't, the next time you have to see him for a cold, ask him to take a look at your car's engine...since it's making a knocking noise and he is so brilliant an expert in things he knows nothing about!

That was snarky, wasn't it

You could ask if he prefers the fragrance or myrrh to burning lamb...

I'd get a new doctor: one who can actually say the phrase "I don't know," you'll be better off!

You are downright funny! Thanks for the laughs. Yeah, I really like the ones who admit they don't know. They are the "real" thing.

You're right, I'd feel much better if my doctor was real, but I need a break from MD's right now, and I figure I'll just use him for the flu, or sore throats and for my scripts. Other than that, he can go back to treating his high blood pressure, high cholesterol patients, and I'll go back to my docs that understand.

The "psych" questioning really got "under my skin." Can you tell? That's why it gives me pleasure to call him names. Not nice. I know. He's just trying to look important and feel important. I hope he had a fun time dealing with me. I'll admit, I'm not shy. I speak up. And some doctors are not used to patients having opinions and expressing them. It scares their socks off!

You know, I believe he had a personality disorder! I'll call it "excessive pride" covering for "insecurity". There. That felt good.

Take care, you all. I knew you'd understand.

[EarthMother]

I would be very careful about seeing this "doctor" again. Clearly he has a ego complex issue and in my experience these are the ones that can make life miserable if not down right dangerous for you in their misdiagnosis. We've heard stories on the boards about patients who's Doctors put down labels like epilepsy and they subsequently had their driver's license revoked. Having a red flag on your chart about mood disorder can risk you not getting the treatment you need, even if it is just antibiotics you require.

I don't mean to sound paranoid (though I'm sure your internist would diagnose me as paranoid schizophrenic) but you may want to consider filing a complaint to his medical group. Who knows what he has written down and where that information gets spammed around town.

I hope you can find a new doctor who can help you through the tuneups and general care needs.

[bjt22]

Geez. Sounds like they all watch too much Dr. Phil.

Somewhere down the line, the word went out that being chronically ill can be, well, depressing. Since then, I'm sure there's scads are seemingly well meaning medical people out there who have read a newspaper articl on the topic and become convinced they can explain away all they don't understand by assuming the chronically ill person is just "depressed" or "anxious".

I'm not touchy-feely. If I want someone asking about my mood, I'll call my mother or a friend. Guess maybe I'm politically incorrect on this one, but you know, I just don't care for anyone making assumptions about my life when they know or understand little about it. See, I read those same newspaper articles, and if I really thought that my problem was stemming from something other than the physical causes that are documented, I would say so.

[Sophia3]

I'm with EarthMother. Get a new doc. This guy needs to be fired immediately.

If somebody would've asked me if I had a gun in the house I would've said "Yes, I have a few, but hope to be able to get rid of them when I graduate from ANGER MANAGEMENT classes."

[Guest tearose]

I see tons of red flags!!!

Please get a new doctor or be prepared to be treated poorly over time.

You do have choices, don't stay with a doctor who doesn't hear you and truly understand.

[fire_lupine06]

I feel for ya...my old doc was an idiot too...tried to say all of this was cause i lost weight...yeah right .

[vemee]

I agree with Earthmother leave this guy and don't ever tell anyone you were there if you have to give a list of physicians you have seen. He wasn't even listening to you and the gun questions means he was thinking you were a danger to yourself and possibly others. I don't know what you can do to change what he puts down on your record, if there is something I would like to know because there are a lot of "just anxiety or depression" diagnosis I would like to change.

I am in the process of changing doctors because my former doctor felt I was taking control of my care and going off in another direction. He was not treating me for pots in fact no one was treating me for it, so I tried to go to the outpatient clinic at Vanderbilt but he was against it for some reason. I went to a counselor for help in dealing with a chronic disease who talked to my doctor and then told me everything he said. I thought she was unprofessional by revealing what the doctor's opinion of me was but at least I found out how he feels. He would not have been happy I've started going to a pots specialist. He also told the counselor I spend too much time on the internet researching things I can't possibly understand. So I am too stupid to participate in my own health care. The counselor agreed with the doctor so they are both fired.