Hey guys!! I'm sorry its taken so long to get back to you all. :o I've spent the holidays with my family and/or at work, so I've been staying at mom and Jerry's house a lot lately.
Here's the link to the drama I'm about to update you on:
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=95213
Well, I had my appointment on Tuesday, the 27th.
I went in for my appointment, Penny (meanie office mngr) took me to the room and was not all sugary sweet, just acting "professional". The young girl up front was just as immature in person, despite my sunny smile and attitude. Oh well, their loss. Being nice and happy is indeed a choice and I made mine a long while ago to be pleasant. Anyway, while I was waiting in the waiting room, the patient before me tells Penny, "I hope doctor xxx is going to be nice to me this time. Is he in a good mood, I hope?" Penny laughed and said "Dr. xxx is sick today, but in a good mood." Patient replies, "Well good, because I don't like coming here when he's acting mean."
Yea, I took note of that right away. Isn't that an odd conversation??
It was my turn and Penny brought me back. I was nice as usual. Asked about her Christmas, her kids, ect. She gave me "yes or no" answers and left after taking my bloodpressure and pulse.
Dr. xxx came in and I could tell he was either sick or not in a good mood. He sat down, I asked how he was feeling. He told me he was fine. He opened my chart and asked how I was. I told him that the pain had gotten worse - for about a month now - and I wasn't sure why, because I hadn't changed anything, other than the new medication he gave me last visit. (Cymbalta - for depression, but treats nerve pain) He ignored that, and asked, "What kind of pain do you have? Where is it?" (<-----um....that is the NUMBER ONE question that makes my blood BOIL!!! READ MY CHART!! I'VE SEEN YOU THREE TIMES ALREADY!!!)
I tell him, its epigastric. He looks at my charts, asks what meds I'm taking. He is writing on a prescrition pad. He then tells me he's recently lost his PA (physician's assistant) and that he's referring some of his patients because he doesn't have enough time. Guess why he's telling me that?
Yep, he referred me to my choice of three other docs in the area. Tells me the federal government tracks all narcotic use and provides doctors with a list if they so desire. He tells me that my medication use had doubled in 7 months - based on this report. I tell him, yea, I know. So has the pain. That's why I've been seeing you. That's why I want to proceed with the nerve block and then the procedure where we do that permanently.
He tells me, well, you should think about that. There's no garauntee that it'll work. I've been over this each appointment with him. I'm willing to try anything (within reason) to heal me, to stop this pain...or at least help me. He doesn't really answer me. I so want to ask him, "Did you really lose your PA? Or are you doing this because of what happened a week ago?" But I didn't want him to think I was accusing him of lying, and therefore contributing to what I'm sure the office mgr and the recpt told him already.
He writes me a script for approx a months worth of my pain meds...all three types. I tell him I don't feel I'm benefitting from the patch or the Cymbalta and I want off both. How do I do that? He ignores the patch question, but tells me he'll give me smaller dose samples of the Cymbalta so I can wean off it. Tells me that its for depression "Most people with chronic pain feel depressed, but it also works for nerve pain". I respond, "yes, nerve pain associated with diabetes - something I don't have. Nor do I suffer from depression. I don't want to take anything I don't need to."
He seems either very short tempered with me, or just not feeling well. I'm pretty positive its the first one. I ask him, "Looking at that report, do YOU feel I'm taking too much medication?" He responds, "Well, you're on the patch - which you should be recieving som relief from considering you've only been on it a short time - which is a fairly high dose (see * at end of this update for more on the patch), you're on a lot of norco, and you're on the dilauded. SO, yes, you ARE taking too much. :eek: (THEN WHY THE HECK IS HE REFILLING MY MEDS??? WHY DID HE ADD DILAUDED [HYDROMORPHONE] AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT?? WHY DIDN'T HE TELL ME!?!?!? I DON'T READ MINDS...GREAT SERVICE YOU IDIOT DOCTOR!!! ISN'T THAT HIS JOB?????? :mad: Not only am I pissed off HE didn't tell me that, if I'm taking too many meds, that means I'm hurting my body and I refuse to do that, ever. I have way too many goals, dreams...I'd NEVER in a million, trillion years purposely hurt my body. That really, really, really makes me mad he not only didn't confide that in me, but prescribed more and more powerful drugs!!! I swear I'm in the twilight zone....I've missed something??)
As soon as he says, "YES!", Penny walks in and tells us my mom's in the waiting room, does dr. xxx want her to come in. I say "yes", he says, (I kind you not) "NO! We're done here. I HAVE to get to the hospital!" I cannot convey the meanness in his voice when he said that. I can't, but it haunts me...he was so mean. He stalked out, leaving me no room to respond, ask questions, tell him what's been going on, etc.
Can you believe it? I left. Mom and I went outside and she stood there, mouth opened wide, floored at what happened. She finally realized how I've been feeling...like I've missed something...like I'm trapped in some twilight zone. He was with me for LESS than 5 minutes!!! I had to pay my co-pay and listen to that crap and deal with his hateful words...for that. Why did they keep my appointment? He couldn't have done that over the phone?? Ugh.
My mom took me to my internist's office to make an emergency ASAP appointment with him. At this point, he's the only doctor I trust and we both respect his advice. I'm terrorfied to be labeled a "drug seeker" and at this point, he's my only hope. :(
My internist was booked, but my other doc wasn't. We made an appointment for yesturday at 4:30. Mom and I went, told her the whole horrid story. You should have seen her face. She was shocked and physically flinched when I told her his last words to me.
She ran some bloodwork on me (I think I'm getting RA, brought on by my crohn's) and told me to get an appointment with my internist ASAP. We ran the three names by her and she gave us her opinion. The one I went with was highly recommended by her. (I have an appointment next Thursday at 3:20 p.m.) I told her I want OFF all these narcotics. They and my pain are taking my life away - what is left of it after the crohn's has ravaged it. :( She told me her mom is on the same stuff I'm on and she tried accupuncture...and it really works well for her. She suggested thinking about that. So, I will try it. I so want off these meds.
I asked if there was any other type of meds that were non-narcotic that would help me. She said there were, but they'd mess with my crohns. YAY for double-edged swords!! :rolleyes:
So, I had my bloodwork done today at work and have an appointment with my internist on Jan 16 and 9:45 a.m. (wait, or is it Jan 18?? Whatever day is Wednesday).
The doc I'm being referred to is very good in helping people get OFF meds, but also deals with pain mgmt. The good part is that he's regular doc (internist and FP) and my insurance will cover all his services...yay! :)
OK, I think that's it.
The pain has gotten worse...but I think the crohn's is finally in remission. I think...I hope. :)
I'll update as soon as I know more...especially after my other appointments.
FYI, I'm going to send that jerk doctor a certified letter...and I'm turning him in to where ReddHead suggested. AMA?? I cannot believe him and his staff.
Anyway, I should prob. end this now. Thanks everyone SO much for you constant concern, prayers and love. You're all amazing!!!
Love,
Kelly :)
*Patches...dosages ar 25, 50, 75, 100 micrograms per hour. You change the patch every 3 days. They say that if you're on other opiods, you're supposed to use at least the 75 patch...I'm on the 50. Its just idiotic that I know more that his doc. I've told him that I don't find it helping me...only makes me feel all horrid if I try to stop using them. I've had several discussions with vet techs who use them on animal patients and ALL of them don't feel they work, AT ALL.
Who knows...maybe my new pain doc will know more about them. We'll see.
