docs who have made mistakes.

[mopinko]

wondering if others have experience with docs that have made mistakes, but you stuck with them. this whole thing with arms and discs and all that- there was a back and forth whether my problem was a nerve thing, or a soft tissue thing. i think that one followed the other, and for most of the time, it was both. nonetheless, it has been almost 3 months, i still hurt like hell, and i have a whole new road to go down.
it is my experience that once a doc makes a mistake, they spend more time keeping their asses covered than treating you. and i think that is gonna go double for a pain doc. you have to trust them, but they also have to trust you. here is my biggest worry, tho. this is my 4th rheumie. if i switch, i am pretty sure i will be labeled a head case and/or drug seeker, and have a hard time getting decent care again.

so, anyone got a story for me?

[Warpy]

1. The best thing to do is keep your cool

and explain calmly why you fired other docs, because they couldn't agree on a diagnosis, because they didn't take the amount of pain you're in seriously, and because you're just having a hard time finding a doc who will treat you like a human being with a legitimate problem and take care of the pain until a proper treatment can be decided upon.

I chose to hang in with a doc who didn't take my pain seriously. He does now, but it took me months of sucking it up to get him there. He was a competent and caring rheumatologist who just didn't think anything hurt unless it was bright red and swollen. I have since educated him on fibro. Oh boy, have I educated him! The funny part is that I have places that are bright red and swollen that don't hurt as much as the fibro does. I walked around on a broken ankle that didn't hurt as much as the fibro does. I think that's what finally convinced him.

It might take awhile to find a doc and the ones with the worst bedside manner are generally neurologists. They do see the most drug seekers, but they have to realize that patients in legitimate pain often exhibit classic drug seeking behavior. I even saw it in post op cardiac patients after they'd endured a day of Nurse Tylenol.

Good luck on finding a good doc and do remember to keep your cool. It can save your having to fire another one.

[mopinko]

2. cool is not my strong suit.

i have thought a lot about this, and i think that the hardest part.for me, is that once i sit up on that table, i am not myself. no one, and i mean no one, that i pay this much money would get away with this crap, except a doctor. i am just not who i am in that little room, and it is causing me a lot of distress. maybe that i something that he can hear. then i will let him explain what the hell happened. then i will give him some whatfor, calmly, if i still think it is warranted.
i just hated HAVING to get along with someone who is supposed to be working for me. i know they don't see it that way, but....
thanks for everything, warpy. i do not know where i would be without you.

[Radio_Lady]

3. mopinko, I've left several doctors because they didn't take me seriously.

We had the same GP in Massachusetts for 27 years. He would converse with me as if I were a colleague -- discussing treatments and drugs. Got used to a really personal relationship and I like to chime in with my ideas. I worked for one of the big drug companies for 10 years. Also did medical malpractice and worker's compensation investigations for a couple of large New England insurance companies. I know more than a little something about medicine. I am a challenging patient and usually ask a lot of questions. Some doctors like that and some don't.

My present doctor is OK, but very laid back. He's young, but available by email to discuss things with me. That's a good thing. However, two years ago, he and his nurse (unnamed) made a dreadful mistake by accidentally doubling one of my medications. Since I had a new HMO, new pharmacy, new doctor and new bottles and colors of pills, I didn't get it, but my blood work went off the charts. The error was not caught for 11 months. I could have died, but luckily, I'm pretty healthy.

The doctor apologized to me and I was compensated for the error by this large HMO. I was asked if I wanted to change primary care doctors and I said "no" -- we just continued along (I had already dumped out on two other doctors; one was older and competent, but cutting back his hours -- the second guy was a complete boob and I was happy that he moved to another location).

The biggest difficulty is that my present doctor is much younger than me and sort of the silent type. I guess that goes with the territory when a person gets up in years. He gets along very well with my husband, who has no significant health problems at age 74 and doesn't worry about the ones he has. It's just a different personality type, I guess.

[mopinko]

5. the silent type- i hate that.

i think this is my main trouble with this rheumie. tight lipped. i really have no idea what he is thinking. i want to nail him down, and make him talk. i have never had such a cypher. and i guess i put up with it because i am just plain tired.

[ThomCat]

4. I have told my GP several times

"I'm not going back to that doctor." I explained why I was not comfortable with that doctor and my GP has been wonderful about it, and referred me to someone else. She's awesome. And I find that if I am referred I don't have the same problems as if I just call around looking for a new doctor.

I hope you can get this resolved one way or the other. A good Rheumatoligist is very hard to find. :hug:

[mopinko]

6. i'm sure there is a good one in the network somewhere.

my current pcp is sick. what nerve! i had to just pick one for a pre-op. we will see how i like her. but i know that my regular pcp would be receptive to another referral. she has asked my in the past how i like him. so, if i ask about switching i think it will be a useful conversation.
doctors. arghhhhh. thanks for the :hug:

[sandnsea]

7. My sister's doctor missed her cancer

I think it took 4 months, at least, for him to order an MRI. He was bouncing into the exam room, reading her chart, when it referred to the cancer. He started crying. He has been her doctor for years, she still trusts him.

I recently switched doctors. My other PA was just a lousy diagnostician and I knew I needed somebody better. I'm much happier with my current doctor, but she does seem not to know my ailments and I have to remind her which medications she has prescribed. Maybe that's just the way it is these days.

I think you have to trust your instincts.