So I had my physical appt with my new Internal Medicine specialist today. It was a real hands-on approach and thorough. This part I liked.
His personality needs work. He seemed pleasant enough and wasn't overtly sarcastic, but his comments, manners, and choice of words leave much to be desired.
Do understand that I was on my most excellent behavior today. I wasn't a Wilhemina Milqetoast, but I was very polite and self-assured. I was actually calm, which is unusual for a doctor visit for me.
In no particular order: This one is first and last, he didn't have an A1C done on my blood taken 2 weeks back. This is an average of blood sugar levels over a period of a few months. More on this later.
He just had to point out the large cuff is called a thigh cuff. I decided that I was going to get along.
I think it started with my father's death. At the time it was called sarcoma. It was the 70s, and they didn't know what they now know. He kept calling it sarcoidosis. I finally responded that at the time it was called sarcoma and that's all I could tell him.
So when he asked about mom's heart problems, I phrased it very carefully. He was not interested in the fact that she died from Lupus.
He asked about my heart problems, my supposed coronary artery disease, and whether my arteries were clean. I told him the doc said the arteries looked good and didn't have any accumulations to worry over. His reply was that clean was different than good blood flow.
He had obviously read the reports, because he knew about the EP study that was done. However, he acted like I have CAD, which led to a discussion to the of various coronary specialists I saw and their diagnoses. We talked about the EP study trying to trigger sudden death, aka ventricular tachycardia, and his response was there is no such thing as sudden death, etc. I conceded the point after a while. He did not care that I was only repeating what I heard.
To shorten this (lots more arguments in the middle over silly stuff), he kept saying I was morbidly obese and asked if my brothers were. But it sounded like "beast." I called him on this and let it ride after he questioned me on my understanding of the term, but I realize now exactly what he was saying.
So at the end of the appt and we are reviewing bloodwork, which for the most part was good, I noticed the A1C wasn't in the results. He said he didn't know one needed to be done. I so completely missed that. He had read my file and knew about the A-Fib, but not the diabetes? Really?
He wanted me to try certain weight loss medications or surgeries. No more invasive stuff for me. At this point he kept interrupting me to ask why I hadn't lost any weight. He really wasn't interested in any thing that might interfere such as chemo, arthritis, etc. I told him that I need to exercise more, but I didn't know why I wasn't losing. He wasn't buying that and continued to interrupt me with the same question: "Why haven't you lost any weight?"
Finally,I had had enough. "That's it. We're done. I have never found negativity and rudeness to be productive." I gathered my stuff. WE finished up, and I got my prescription refills. Before leaving I talked to his nurse. I told her I was mad and didn't he know any better than to be negative to someone.
At least I know I am good to go. I see the rheumatologist next month and hopefully I'll get a report on my immune system.
Thanks for listening. I think I need to write more of this down. If he sends an email asking for an evaluation, I think I'll give him one.
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