Cindi's crummy Rheumy (rummy?)

[Guest guest]

Cindi,

I'm worried about you. I think your doctor is a total quack. I'm

going to offer a weird idea, if your rheumy doesn't treat pain and

doesn't offer you Enbrel and forces you to visit once a week (!?)

there is something wrong with him.

I think it's time to point out that it would be far better to have an

internist or D.O. who is not a rheumy, but who knows HOW TO TREAT IT,

than to go to an inneffective quack of a rheumy.

I don't see why it's not possible.

Also, I would call the Arthritis Foundation and tell them about this

guy and see if they have any ideas. I realize there must be thousands

of areas where there's no competition, so I guess that's why this guy

thinks he can treat you this way. There must be an answer.

Does anyone know whether you have to have a Rheumy to get an RX for

Enbrel.

What do you take now? My doctor is a chatterbox and he told me that

Metho and Enbrel are considered THE gold standard of the day. Enbrel

is very expensive, but your doctor's got to give you a shot at it (pun

intended).

Do you mean the doctor's office harrasses everyone about paying?

There must be a way to fight them and hurt them not yourself. Again,

in a big city like mine, if that sort of thing happens you go straight

to the media and let them embarrass doctor's into good behavior.

And you go once a week? When I said I go often, I mean every two

months. Something is wrong.

OK, I'm done with my rant.

If I can help you, please write me privately.

Sharon

>

>

> HI SHARON,

> I AM SOO HAPPY THAT YOU WROTE ME. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT

> WHEN I POSTED AND MELISSA ANSWERED ME..... I AM COMPLETELY

> FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF THE SMALL TOWN I LIVE IN, I CAN NOT SHOP

> ARROUND. I AM ALSO 45 AND MY RHEUMATOLOGIST MADE ME STOP DRIVING

> SEVERAL YEARS AGO ALREADY AND IF I WERE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT

> WOULD BE THEIR BURDEN. AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GO SO OFTEN....IT

> WOULD BE HARD...

> THIS RHEUMY IS IT.... I REMEMBER EVEN ON MY LAST VISIT I HAD ASKED

> ABOUT ENBREL, OR HUMIRA ETC... BECAUSE HE SAID AS I QUOTE, " I AM A

> RHEMATOLOGIST, I DO NOT DO PAIN. " THAT WAS WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE

> ENBREL...... HE TOLD ME THAT THESE THINGS WILL NOT WORK FOR ME.

> NOW, HOW DOES HE KNOW THAT ? I SHOULD NEVER HAVE ASKED, I SHOULD

> HAVE KEPT MY BIG MOUTH SHUT AND HE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT UP. I HAVE

> BEEN HIS PATIENT FOR 3 YEARS NOW....TRIED IT ALL.....PLAQUINEL, AND

> ALL THE OTHERS I HAVE LONG FORGOTTEN.....

> I AM COMPLELETY FRUSTRATED AS WHOLE WITH THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND

> THEIR PAYMENT POLICIES AND THE WAY THEY GO AFTER YOU BEFORE YOU ARE

> BARELY HOME FROM A PROCEDURE OR OFFICE VISIT....EVEN OUR FRIEND, WHO

> IS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR BANK, AND THE BANK WHO DOES FINANCING FOR

> THE CLINIC/HOPSITAL HERE, OWED $100.00, AND HE GOT A COLLECTION

> NOTICE AND IF HE COULD NOT PAY WAS TOLD TO GO TO HIS BANK AND GET A

> LOAN !!!!! WE HAD TO, AND THE LOAN OFFICER TOLD MY HUSBAND, SHE

> THOUGHT THE WHOLE TOWN HAD BEEN THROUGH THE DOORS GETTING LOANS FOR

> THEIR DOCTOR BILLS, SINCE THEIR POLICY CHANGED......

> IT JUST HIT US EVERYWHERE, BLIND-SIDED AND NO REAL DOCTOR HELPING.

> GOING TO APPTS WEEKLY AND GETTING NO WHERE.....NO HELP, NO ADVICE.

> ALL THAT MONEY SPENT.....I ACTUALLY CANCELLED EVERY APPT WE HAD AT

> THIS CLINIC/HOSPITAL UNTIL I COOL OFF. OF COURSE, IT IS TO MY OWN

> DETRIMENT. I AM WAY OVERDUE FOR A BLOOD PANEL. AND NO ONE CARES THAT

> I DID THIS IN PROTEST AND TOLD THEM SO....BUT I NEED SOME COOLING

> OFF TIME....THANKS SO MUCH FOR UNDERSTANDING, SHARON....IT REALLY

> MEANT ALOT !

> CINDI