Life continues!

[mel_redcap]

Went to see the gastroenterologist yesterday.

...Okay, anyone who's chronically ill (and especially any woman who is chronically ill) knows how good it feels when you talk to a doctor who gets it. A doctor who listens, and believes you, and actually explains what they're doing and why and what they think about your test results and... generally

Comments

[finnyb]

We are going to likely be firing our eye specialist (husband and I are both legally blind, so see someone who is more than just a typical eye doctor) for much the same reason.  He refuses to listen to any concerns we have, at all, and rushes through everything.  And tends to belittle me about my inability to have eye drops used (as even distilled water burns my eyes and eye drops are torture), too.

I hope you are able to find a rhuematogist who is much much much better than your current one.

[mel_redcap]

Rushes? Bad.
Doesn't listen? Worse.
Belittles you?! OH HELL NO. Punting time!

You have my sympathy and I hope you find a much better eye doctor too!

[finnyb]

Thanks!

May we both have much luck in these endeavours.

[jilltanith]

Since you like the gastro so much, you might want to check and see if they know of a good rheumatologist, and then ask your GP for a ref to that one. I got both of my favorite PCPs (primary care provider) by asking my endocrinologist for recs. So.

Good to see your phosphors!

[ae_mouse]

Just what I was going to suggest! It really helps if your doctors talk to each other (or at least read each others' notes!)

Good Luck! I hope you're feeling better soon.

[fallconsmate]

my former endocrinologist let me go for A YEAR with itching so bad i was tearing my skin open. it took ME telling him that "liver problems can cause severe itching" before he LOOKED at the lab work that was drawn every 6 weeks.

after *that* (i cannot take statins to lower my cholesterol, that's what caused *those* problems) he started pressuring me to get weight loss surgery. hard. as in, "you're going to be dead in 4 months unless you have this surgery RIGHT THIS MINUTE", including him leaving the room and telling me that he had called the liver specialist "who agreed with me". that was three years ago.

he constantly blamed me for the weight...and never told me that most diabetes medications can cause weight gain. three years of being shamed, and my medications were at fault (i had maintained my weight for more than 4 years *before* the diagnosis of diabetes).

fire any doctor who will not give you full disclosure about your illnesses and your medications.

[mel_redcap]

Somehow I think I know why he's your FORMER endo. :P

[fallconsmate]

exactly so. now I have a doctor who is beautiful inside and out, who CARES about her patients and who believes we are working on this *together*. it's a good relationship.

[sunhawk16]

Hey! Good to see you! And glad you found a good doc.... a bad one can be so hard to deal with. I hope you get a good referral and get another good'en to add to the set. :D
Good luck on the tests....

[kraziekatlord]

Or your rheumatologist may be having a case of: "I don't believe this information so I'm going to ignore your complaints and scientific proof that my beliefs are wrong."

Fortunately, I've never been treated by one of those, but I have second hand stories from those who have. Be glad you can fire your rheumatologist. Some people can't.