Brwneyedchica Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 I spent most of my day today in the ER where they pumped me full of IV fluid and anti- nausea meds and sent me back home. They paged my specialist (Dr. Chelimsky) while I was in the hospital and they said he will see you on your follow up appt at the end of June. So I get home tonight and there is a message on my answering machine that states that the appt is cancelled and the office isn't resheduling for several weeks, so my appt won't be for several months. I was hoping that i'd be able to speak with Dr. C while I was in the ER. So now i've missed a week and a half of work, I have no sick time left and I don't know how to get in touch with the dr. in order to talk to him about it changing my meds and filling out my FMLA papers. My PCP is no help at all, he's a new grad and you can tell by the way that he talks to me and the things that he suggests ( such as do you make yourself throw up, do you think that you're fat) that he doesn't know anything at all about POTS. I contacted Dr. C by email and that worked before, but he hasn't responded this time. I could just cry.... I'm not sure what to do....any suggestions??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 Be Persistant!Call Dr. C's office and talk to a nurse, make sure you nail her down about calling you back. Call the emergency department back and tell them you got home and they have cancelled your follow up appointment, ask them to send your chart notes and see if they will intervene to help schedule an appointment for you (I've done that for people that call back to our emergency department.) OR demand that they give you another cardiology POTS specialist referral. The emergency department has to give you a follow up referral.IMPORTANT - Find a decent primary! This one definitely isn't cutting it.Get the FMLA paperwork started. When you talk to the nurse at Dr. C's office, tell her that you must have it filled out and either drop it off or have it faxed to them. Ask her when you can pick it up.steph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith14 Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 Hi, first of all let me say I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I have to agree with...steph, be persistant. Now you know that these doctors have appoint left open for emergency purposes for just this type of problem that comes about. I would find a Doctor with little more experience about your condition. I know that when they sent me to my first Cardiologist...he told me first thing I don't think I'm the one for you, let me set you up an appointment with someone in this field...then apologised to me because he couldn't help me...I told him I appreciated his honesty. So moral of the story their out there so hang in there and good luck to you.Southern Blessings, Rita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethansmom Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 I agree with both above posts! Be very, very assertive in finding a new doc who will take time to understand what you are dealing with. And I would be insistent about talking to Dr. C as well- don't be afraid to tell them what you are going through- that you need to talk to someone NOW. You don't have to be miserable all the time because our medical staff doesn't have it together. Feel better soon sweetie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brwneyedchica Posted June 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 You guys are all so sweet I wish I had found this website a LONG time ago. Now for some good news. I went to another PCP in the same medical group who I actually used to see. He called Dr. C while I was sitting in his office and tried to get in touch with him. Apparently Dr. C is having some sort of personal problems and cancelled all of his patient appts for the next 2 1/2 weeks and won't be rescheduling for awhile. MY PCP was upset that Dr.C hadn't taken the time to even try and give a verbal order to change my meds while I was in the ER. He scheduled me an appt with a local cardiologist for this coming tuesday. I've never gone that route and seen a cardiologist, but I just need a dr. that will be accessible to me when i'm sick, not months from that time. So my PCP and cardiologist are going to work together to try and find a combination of meds that work for me. My PCP went as far as giving me his home telephone number and telling me to call him if I have any problems over the weekend and he will meet me in the ER. He's a good doctor, I wish there were more like him out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Wow, B, sounds like you hit the jackpot with that one! Sounds a great deal like my neurologist, who gave me his private pager and home numbers. nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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