morgan617 Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 went to rheumy two months ago. not very thorough exam although his report to my pcp sounded like he spent 10 days with me. said he really doesn't go by labs. told my doc he's sure i've got collagen vascular disease along with everything else and drew more blood. went to see him monday and blood work showed chronic inflammation, but no specific point. so he said let's start you on pain meds. i said no, let's figure out what's going on. he said fibro, so i said well i just deal with fibro. he came over and just started reefing my legs around. ouch i told him my back and hips were killing me and he's just jerking them all over. i finally yelled at him to stop because he was hurting me. and so he got up and walked out of the room saying, well get some xrays and give me a call in 3 or 4 months! what a jerk. he could have said, let's see what the xrays show, and they may be normal but he is ASSUMING they are without seeing anything. i was so mad, all i could do was cry. that's about all i do anyway. but because my labs weren't fatal. he just blew me off, and because i am not just going to get zoned on pain meds and not care what's wrong. it just sucked. then yesterday i went to the cardiologist. he doesn't see pts now, we see a pa and he decides if the dr should see us. he said he was going to be very frank, that i was way beyond his scope. which was refreshing, so he went to get my doctor and he had left! is that caring and concern or what. he is the only electrophysiologist so i was just left hanging and the pa was upset too. but he did set me up for an echo to see how my heart function is. my bp was 160/110. he said you can't have that and not get heart damage at some point. it never really flucuates too much. it is always high like that. so two pretty much bummer visits in two days. and to top it off the rheumy thought it was funny i am losing weight. am still losing. more slowly, but still dropping. waiting to hear on xrays and will see what echo shows, but am just totally fried on docs and their pissy attitudes. anyone read in readers digest about the crummy doctor syndrome. interesting. as a nurse, i totally believe it. and had a personal experience which proves it. sorry to vent so much, but just a bummer two days. thanks for listening. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 Oh Morgan, do I ever hear what you're saying! I had gotten so fried on doctor visits at one point I completely gave up. I went a year without seeing anyone at all...and then my spouse tricked me into going to an appointment. I thought we were going to the mall, and when we drove past our exit, I said something, and was told "no, we're not going to the mall...we're going to the doctor." That was my first visit to an allergist (well, in the long run, thank GOODNESS I went--I have major allergy issues).I still go through major mental stress anytime I have to schedule an appointment. I hate going to the doctor...and before all the horrible experiences, I really was pretty neutral about it. My spouse is in medicine and like you, it certainly didn't make us immune to doctors who honestly don't give a flying rat's a&& about patients--maybe they really did at some point but have gotten so beyond burned out. Frustrating to be the patient recieving their "care."Oh my. I realize I'm venting too. Back to you...try to keep plugging along to find a doc that still cares deeply about patients. They are out there. Keep looking. There are still a few rare gems out there, but you'll have to sort through lots of junk in the process. Try not to let them get you feeling down.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 I completely sympathize. I keep yammering that I need a new doctor but actually I hate the idea of even going to one and having to go through the whole ordeal of explaining everything all over again yada yada yada. I'm to the point at least for the next few months of just hunkering down and learning to live with myself the way I am and getting on with my life as it is. I'm sure I'll be back in to see Dr. Grubb at some point if they get the schedule problem worked out but honestly I'm not up to trying any new meds right now...I've been hanging out for months trying not to push myself too hard and waiting for answers and suggestions of what to try and help to try it but now financially I just can't sit back any longer...I have to push...I have to work more and don't have time for medication reactions even if the risk means a med will help. My step-son is coming for the summer and that for some reason is added pressure to me in a way to keep my head above board and work for financial reasons too...once the summer is over then maybe I'll be able to give a new med a whirl. I guess I just feel like right now is not the time to experiment and/or investigate any further if that makes sense...I just can't afford to. Hang in there morgan617, at least the docs have investigated some things and are on to some dxs that will eventually lead to helping hopefully. Really it is good news even though they have bad attitudes (that rheumy one anyway especially). I hate that attitude of take this or else you're punished...worse still, if you don't take it you are noncompliant and if you take it down the road you get called addict or something...hard situation when it comes to meds. I think you did good to stand your ground. It makes total sense to me to want to understand things instead of just treating everything symptomatically...it's my huge gripe with the way medicine is practiced today and sometimes the "cure" is worse than the original problem. Heads up though! Not trying to bum you out more! It will work out...it will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metoo Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 I know exactly how you feel! After years of being told by my then PCP that I was depressed and each visit ending with him handing me a script for anti depressants and not taking me seriously I quit going to the Dr for almost 5 years.I was just so fed up.I found a new,wonderful Dr who believed me but didn't know what was going on so he started sending me to all the specalist he could think of.First was rheumy...sounds identical to what you went thru...pushed around on all my sore spots unmercifully,said Fibro and walked out.The to Neuro who said MS,then no its not...then maybe....gave me a script for Methadone along with a few others.I didn't realize what he had gave me.I came home and no one in my town would fill the methadone.At this point I still did not know what its main use was so I couldn't understand why all the pharmacist wouldn't fill it and were acting so strangely toward me.When I typed it in on a search engine I got so upset.No wonder all of the phar acted like I was crazy,it is mainly used for cocaine addicts.I did find one article about how wonderful it is for pain but the side effects were crazy.Basically it stays in your liver for 7 weeks after you stop taking it and is highly addictive.The article stated most people who stop taking it have to be hospitalized to get over the withdrawl.So on my next visit I tok it back to him and told him I didn't feel that this was right for me.He got mad because I didn't have it filled and told me that he thought my problems were all mental!My husband told him if that was what he thought then have me commited to a psych ward ,basically called him a quack.My husband is a big man...6'4 340 lbs all muscle ..dr started sweating..you could actually see it and stuttered...it was so funny.I am so lucky to have him as a advocate for me.Anyway...I think Dr's get a God complex.They are afraid to admit that they do not know the answer and if you have the nerve to question them you fall from grace and must be punished immedately.I am sorry you are having so many problems and I hope you find some relief soon.Melanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnA Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 I can empathize with you. Drs appointments just stress me out, both before and after the visit. It is worse than going to a job interview. Iam sorry you are going through such a hard time.I feel fortunate wiht my PCP. I really like her. The problem is that they made her take more patients after her caseload was full. She always schedules me to come in every few months. I used to be able to see her for emergencies that day, if I called her in the morning. THis is no longer possible and I have to see one of her associates, which I find to be awful. She always insists I be seen but I am not going to them anymore. It is a total waste of time. I am a very patient person, but I no longer have patience for Drs who are insensitive or don't know anything about my illnesses. Take care dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted May 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 thanks for your input. i really love my pcp and that's probably the only thing that keeps me going. he doesn't understand dysautonomia, but at least he believes me. as horrible as this sounds, it is a comfort to know i am not the only person to get treated this way. i wouldn't wish it on anyone, but at least it's not just me. thanks so much for your support. i am just going to stick with my primary and not waste my time with anyone else. the office left a message that my back and hip xrays were "basically" ok. i don't even care enough to find out what that means. pretty sad. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnA Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Morgan...My PCP once told me "Even though testing comes back normal, does not mean something does not exist" Fortunately I am now having some tests come back abnormal proving the AIYH theory wrong.If you are interested in knowing or talking more about Mito feel free to e-mail me @ Manich@netzero.netDawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wibbleway Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Boy can I identify too! I go for my scheduled visits just to hear "We can't do anything." What is frustrating is that when you really need a doctor to listen because they are frustrated with not being able to help us, they just fluff us off. I have Pnuemonia right now and I went back to my GP yesterday because I was still hurting. With POTS, sickness takes so much longer to go away. Well he came in and looked at me and said, "What are doing here so soon. Are you fixating on the Pneumonia." What kind of question was that for $120.00 per three minutes. Needless to say we are going to look for another GP but now I have to go through explaining all my problems again to a new doctor. I begin to feel that since they really can't help me with POTS, I just won't go to anymore doctors concerning that. Oh well, sorry to blow off steam but yesterday was horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Oh My God (as Janice on Friends would say!) - Wibbleway and others - the more I hear about the experiences people have had with doctors (along with my own experiences) the sicker I get! It is absolutely disgusting that doctors are treating patients this way..."are you fixating" uughhh sickening. Yea you should have said "fixating" on my need to find a new doctor!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnA Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Can't Drs be more sensitive and give us a little validation for what we are going through. I don't think Drs realize how harmful their comments are to us. Some just don't care. They just want to get payed .Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted May 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 i wrote a letter to the rheumy and asked him why he went into a practice that deals with chronic illness when he so obviously doesn't want to deal with it. i asked him what was up with people like him. his office took the x rays and haven't even bothered to call with the results. ggrrrrr anyway, i told him maybe it was time for him to become a pathologist, so he won't have to deal with people who want to know what's wrong, and not how to just get high and not care what's wrong. so there, the big jerk... morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnA Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 I bet that felt good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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