khaarina Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 The primary who diagnosed my POTS finished his residency and moved on, now I have to find a new one. I have so many concerns: Will he/she be overwhelmed by my massive file and book-long list of symptoms? Will he/she know what POTS is or at least be willing to learn? Will he/she get defensive when I try to explain what I know about my condition? Will he/she take one look at me and decide I am a nutcase? As we all know, most doctors don't know about or understand POTS and they don't have the time to read up on it. Why should they waste their time trying to figure out my condition when it would be easier to just assume I am crazy? I would like to say that doctors are better than that, but I know better. Does anyone have any suggestions for making this run smoothly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I ask current docs for recommendations. When they give me a name I ask if they would let their spouse or child see the doctor. I also ask my friends and family that have medical issues who they like. They've usually been through a few before finding a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1234 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I don't even look for a doctor to manage my POTS anymore. I just live with it. I don't see ANY new research in the field of POTS that would offer anything new to try, so I just wait. The only thing that caught my eye in the last couple of years was the research on AAG(autoantibody stuff), but the doctor doing the research only accepts limited patients and I didn't "qualify", whatever that means. I think he was looking for hypotensive patients, and I am hypertensive when standing.So, I just do what I can with diet and other things I can control like slowly building my stamina back up. I don't do well with any of the first-line treatments, such as beta blockers, that they offer, so there is nothing else I am looking to try right now. I am slowly biding my time until they come up with research that seems NEW, instead of doing the same stuff over and over.I do have an internal medicine doctor that understands what is going on with me, but he is more for other things, and how to treat me if I get sick, knowing my POTS history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahA33 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Khaarina,Has your current dr. (resident) left yet? Maybe he could write a letter to your new doctor about your medical history and testing, etc.. or even better, maybe he could recommend someone and give him a call. It must feel really scary right now for you to think of starting from scratch again. I'm sorry.Where are you located? I can re-post a list of doctors by state that specialize in Autonomic Dysfunction if you interested. Good luck to you and everything will work outDid you ever see Finding Nemo... "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.." That's my motto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahA33 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Sorry... just saw that he left already. Im assuming he had an attending or was practicing under an MD.. maybe you could write that doctor a letter explaining your situation and how his resident that just left, sort of left you without many options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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