yogini Posted March 25, 2016 Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 I just left my PCP's office in tears. I have been going to this dr for about 20 years. He wasn't there today and so I saw a new dr in the practice. They usually tell me which doctor I am going to see when I make the appointment and I always tell them I prefer to see my PCP only. This time they didn't tell me this - and they also cancelled my appointment which was scheduled for earlier in the week and made it for today - by leaving a voicemail - not even asking me if I was available at the time of the new appointment. This new dr was very rude. I didn't like her abrupt and condescending tone from the moment I walked in. I needed a prescription for a beta blocker and she refused to give it to me, saying that there is no record of POTS or my taking betas in my chart. I do understand that she might be uncomfortable giving me medication without anything in my record. On the other hand my seated pulse in her office was 92. Not dangerously high, but not low. I wasn't asking for painkillers, but beta blockers. She said she would give me the meds if I could get my cardio to send over records. But the cardio is closed on Fridays. (I switched insurances and my insurance no longer works with that cardio, which is part of the problem.) If they hadn't rescheduled I would have had more time to get records from my cardio. I need the beta blocker because I am going on a trip this weekend and will be going to theme parks. I wanted to have it with me in case my POTS started acting up. My symptoms are generally manageable but I do have incidents every now and then. Now I won't have the betas as a backstop and won't be able to enjoy the trip. I will be sitting on the bench for the fun stuff. My POTS diagnosis is 10+ old and a cardiologist is the one who prescribed betas for me - for the most part. Still my GP is the one that referred me to the cardio. Also he asks me about POTS every single time I see him - whether it's for a flu shot or a sprained wrist. I am actually certain that he has written prescriptions for ateonolol for me in the past. I also fill out a sheet listing my meds for each visit and I listed beta blockers for YEARS. I find it outrageous and unacceptable that there is no record of any of this in my chart??? (She took about 2 minutes to look through my chart so she may have missed it. But it should be all over my chart as it is my only medical probe) Should I complain to the main PCP? Find a new doctor (tho not easy to do)? I am going to try calling the cardio tomorrow to see if I can get my records and may also send my very old TTT records to the PCP's office. On the other hand, this woman is very difficult. I wonder whether it is worth the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose11 Posted March 25, 2016 Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 Call whichever doctor prescribed your beta blocker in the past and see if they could call it in for you tomorrow. I would leave a message for your PCP and just tell them it is personal and ask that doctor for the beta blocker if you feel that is the best doctor to prescribe it for you. How frustrating that you have been going for 20 years to this office to be treated this way. You definitely should share with your PCP about your experience. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 Thanks. The PCP is supposedly overseas and can't be reached. The problem is that my cardio doesn't take my insurance anymore. I haven't seen him and he would probably require an appointment and checkup to prescribe the meds. I understand why doctors don't want to prescribe medicine without testing. I need an appointment with my PCP to figure it out - but that is what I thought I was doing today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahA33 Posted March 25, 2016 Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 hi-- sorry you are feeling upset. I would ask the secretaries to not schedule with this particular Dr. Anymore and continue with your regular pcp. I'd express my thoughts to your physician when they get back. why can't she call your pharmacy? They will surely have a record of all your medications. Can you go through the secretary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 Unf I need a new prescription, so a dr needs to write it. I think the only way to manage this before I leave is if I can connect with my cardio tomorrow and maybe I will have luck doing that. If I stay with this dr.'s office (which I probably will), I will insist on only meeting with my PCP. The receptionist always told me in the past when the appointment was another doctor - this time they didn't. Going forward I will make sure to ask. The frustrating thing is that they aren't doing their jobs. I think it's an insurance related thing. The service at this office was better years ago. Today I had two medical assistants asking me a bunch of irrelevant check the box questions - like I am I down and depressed - at the beginning of the appointment. (I am sure that this is required for medical malpractice) Then they didn't help me with the thing that I needed. They made me down and depressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahA33 Posted March 25, 2016 Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 sorry I was recommending that the pcp call the pharmacy-- that way she could verify the atenolol until the cardio opened back up Monday. regarding the questions, I have the medical assistants ask me those at my primary's too. its a really unsettling and terrible feeling to have an "off" appointment. Not every doctor is for every patient, that's for sure and you just know it will never work. that sounds like a good plan to me with regard to your pcp in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2016 I don't think the PCP or the dr.'s office will go out of their way to do anything for me. I think if she had spent a few minutes reading through my charts - or had even an office assistant do it in the morning, she would find some discussion of POTS and meds. The local pharmacy I used (that had records of all my meds) closed. I used CVS until Dec when they stopped taking my insurance. I stopped by CVS on my way home from the drs office and they have no record of my beta blocker. My new pharmacy has no record either, but that makes sense. Insurance is a big reason for some of my issues - between the pharmacists and the drs it is annoying. If I had a week or two I could sort it out. But if my PCP's office had the correct records I wouldn't have to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.