Just wanted to check in

[Guest guest]

Hi All ...

Haven't posted much. Was coming out of my depression after seeing Dr. Natale

and learning how bad the damage to my heart is from the previous SVT

ablation, yet feeling good he thinks I can have an a-fib ablation. I've been

working

through my health care system to try to get it approved (doing all the

positive, moving-forward actions I could), and it doesn't look good. The

barracuda

doctor (who I filed a complaint against) not only won't treat me (not that I'd

let her lance a boil on my butt at this point), but she also refuses to write

the consultation for an outside second opinion stating that I am NOT a

candidate for an ablation as I have not exhausted all medication options. She

already knows I can't take any of the medications. In fact, Dr. Natale told me

not

to let any doctor give me any rhythm control drugs, any beta blockers, or any

calcium channel blockers, even in an ER or urgent care setting, as the damage

to my heart is a conduction problem and very severe and it could kill me. The

only med I can take is the digoxin I am taking. I'd call that exhausting all

the medication avenues. My guess is she is punishing me for daring to file a

complaint against her. She refuses to treat me, and she is now blocking me

getting outside treatment. And I found out yesterday that she does a-fib

ablations, so there is no way the healthcare plan is going to pay for me to have

Dr. Natale do it in 2005 (which was Dr. Natale's plan) when they have someone

in-house who does them (even if she is unprofessional and a horrible person).

To say I am depressed would be to make that word very small. I am

functioning at work, but that's about it. I feel like I've become a cardiac

cripple ...

I come home and go to bed as I'm so tired from the a-fib. I'm afraid to move

because moving makes the rate go higher if I'm in a-fib, and it might make it

start if I'm not. It all just sucks, and my last hope just frittered out the

window. I have documented all my phone calls with the health care plan, the

patient advocate who was helping me until the barracuda doctor stopped her in

her tracks with the refusal to write the referral (that's all the advocate can

do now). I do plan to file a complaint against this doctor with the AMA and

the State Department of Managed Care and anyone else I can think of, though I

realize it's more to make me feel less powerless than thinking it will

accomplish anything. I just don't see how a doctor can refuse to treat someone,

then

block their ability to seek outside treatment (she is the only EP in my

health plan, so my options there don't exist).

Basically I'm done. I have no hope left for any quality of life or any

effective treatment for my worsening a-fib. I've tried living with this

disorder

for years now. I've tried to continue my life and be positive and all that.

Now I feel like I'm just waiting to stroke out or die. Not a nice way to live.

Sorry this post is so negative (this is why I don't usually post when I

don't have something more helpful to say). I have a follow-up appointment about

the digoxin with my regular doctor today (a woman Ivery much like). I was told

yesterday that the barracuda doctor and my regular doctor " had a long talk

about you " ... not about my case or my file mind you, about ME as if I'm some

naughty child who dared question the grown-ups. I'm curious to see if my

regular doctor's attitude toward me has changed at all when I see her today as

we've

had a very good relationship in the year I've had her. It's all just a mess,

and I'm on empty and have no fight left in me. Thanks to all of you for all

your support and love. I'm going to go back to lurking and not posting. I

just feel so alone that I needed someone to know how I feel, and I know you all

understand. I'm sorry for being so selfish as a positive, helpful post would

be better for the group. Thanks for listening.

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

Toni,

Don't let that b*stard get you down or stress you out too much. I am

so sorry this has happened to you. You should absolutely file a

complaint against this doctor, including documentation as below.

I would do two things. You need your regular doctor on your side. I

would take Dr. Natale's report, if you have something in writing,

when you visit your regular doctor, and talk to her in a

straightforward manner. Especially emphasize that he said it was

dangerous for you to take medication as the creep is requiring.

If you don't have anything in writing, Dr. Natale's office may have

sent it to the doctor from hell. However, you can call Dr. Natale's

office and ask them to send a copy to your regular doctor. If they

can't do that (they might not, since it sounds like she isn't the

referring doc), you yourself are legally entitled to a copy, so ask

them to send you one. Explain calmly that the referring doctor is

unprofessionally recommending a course of action that Dr. Natale said

would be very dangerous for you, and you need your regular doctor's

help.

It is usual for such a report to go into detail about medication,

etc. so it should have all the ammunition you need.

Your regular doctor may already know the doctor from hell is a

baddy. The latter has probably caused problems for other patients.

You might also ask Dr. Natale if he would call your regular doc.

Then I would also go ahead with complaints and appeals up the food

chain, including writing to the head of the managed care plan and

esp. and any state agency that oversees them. Keep a copy of all

correspondence and a record of all phone calls.

This may well take awhile, but health care plans don't like legal

messes, so eventually you will win. You just have to refuse to take

no for an answer.

In a much simpler situation, I fought Pacificare over physical

therapy which they continually denied, and finally wore them down. I

continued to write letters all the way up the food chain even after

they twice sent me " final " denials.

If you explain the situation to Dr. Natale, he might let you stay in

his schedule for the ablation. If things aren't resolved in time for

that as scheduled, it would be easy for his office to find a

replacement patient from out i the queue and move you into that

slightly delayed spot, etc.

Again, I am so sorry. I hope your regular doctor, who souds like a

real sweetie, will be able to help you with this. I am confident

that she will come to your aid.

[Guest guest]

Toni,

Don't let that b*stard get you down or stress you out too much. I am

so sorry this has happened to you. You should absolutely file a

complaint against this doctor, including documentation as below.

I would do two things. You need your regular doctor on your side. I

would take Dr. Natale's report, if you have something in writing,

when you visit your regular doctor, and talk to her in a

straightforward manner. Especially emphasize that he said it was

dangerous for you to take medication as the creep is requiring.

If you don't have anything in writing, Dr. Natale's office may have

sent it to the doctor from hell. However, you can call Dr. Natale's

office and ask them to send a copy to your regular doctor. If they

can't do that (they might not, since it sounds like she isn't the

referring doc), you yourself are legally entitled to a copy, so ask

them to send you one. Explain calmly that the referring doctor is

unprofessionally recommending a course of action that Dr. Natale said

would be very dangerous for you, and you need your regular doctor's

help.

It is usual for such a report to go into detail about medication,

etc. so it should have all the ammunition you need.

Your regular doctor may already know the doctor from hell is a

baddy. The latter has probably caused problems for other patients.

You might also ask Dr. Natale if he would call your regular doc.

Then I would also go ahead with complaints and appeals up the food

chain, including writing to the head of the managed care plan and

esp. and any state agency that oversees them. Keep a copy of all

correspondence and a record of all phone calls.

This may well take awhile, but health care plans don't like legal

messes, so eventually you will win. You just have to refuse to take

no for an answer.

In a much simpler situation, I fought Pacificare over physical

therapy which they continually denied, and finally wore them down. I

continued to write letters all the way up the food chain even after

they twice sent me " final " denials.

If you explain the situation to Dr. Natale, he might let you stay in

his schedule for the ablation. If things aren't resolved in time for

that as scheduled, it would be easy for his office to find a

replacement patient from out i the queue and move you into that

slightly delayed spot, etc.

Again, I am so sorry. I hope your regular doctor, who souds like a

real sweetie, will be able to help you with this. I am confident

that she will come to your aid.

[Guest guest]

Toni,

Don't let that b*stard get you down or stress you out too much. I am

so sorry this has happened to you. You should absolutely file a

complaint against this doctor, including documentation as below.

I would do two things. You need your regular doctor on your side. I

would take Dr. Natale's report, if you have something in writing,

when you visit your regular doctor, and talk to her in a

straightforward manner. Especially emphasize that he said it was

dangerous for you to take medication as the creep is requiring.

If you don't have anything in writing, Dr. Natale's office may have

sent it to the doctor from hell. However, you can call Dr. Natale's

office and ask them to send a copy to your regular doctor. If they

can't do that (they might not, since it sounds like she isn't the

referring doc), you yourself are legally entitled to a copy, so ask

them to send you one. Explain calmly that the referring doctor is

unprofessionally recommending a course of action that Dr. Natale said

would be very dangerous for you, and you need your regular doctor's

help.

It is usual for such a report to go into detail about medication,

etc. so it should have all the ammunition you need.

Your regular doctor may already know the doctor from hell is a

baddy. The latter has probably caused problems for other patients.

You might also ask Dr. Natale if he would call your regular doc.

Then I would also go ahead with complaints and appeals up the food

chain, including writing to the head of the managed care plan and

esp. and any state agency that oversees them. Keep a copy of all

correspondence and a record of all phone calls.

This may well take awhile, but health care plans don't like legal

messes, so eventually you will win. You just have to refuse to take

no for an answer.

In a much simpler situation, I fought Pacificare over physical

therapy which they continually denied, and finally wore them down. I

continued to write letters all the way up the food chain even after

they twice sent me " final " denials.

If you explain the situation to Dr. Natale, he might let you stay in

his schedule for the ablation. If things aren't resolved in time for

that as scheduled, it would be easy for his office to find a

replacement patient from out i the queue and move you into that

slightly delayed spot, etc.

Again, I am so sorry. I hope your regular doctor, who souds like a

real sweetie, will be able to help you with this. I am confident

that she will come to your aid.

[Guest guest]

TO: Toni

You say

-........ I can't take the meds, even more so now that I know how bad the

damage is. I'm moving toward chronic. An ablation is my only hope for any

quality of life.

I haven't been on the board much recently and don't know your story (what I

just read sounds horrible), but I have been chronic for over 15 months, and my

quality of life is excellent. So " chronic " is not necessarily a sentence to

disaster. Atenolol, digoxin and coumadin. Keep the rate down (atenolol), boost

the strength of the beat a little (digoxin), and prevent strokes (coumadin). I

figure the beta-blocker and the diminished output keep me at about 85% of my

pre-AF energy level, but I have no worries about AF episodes, and live a very

active life in NYC, including climbing lots of subway stairs (I'm 64).

You may have " damage " from the very meds I discuss, I just don't know your

history, but if not, perhaps a word from someone who is chronic, and I know I'm

not alone, would boost your spirits a bit.

All my best. Kathleen

[Guest guest]

TO: Toni

You say

-........ I can't take the meds, even more so now that I know how bad the

damage is. I'm moving toward chronic. An ablation is my only hope for any

quality of life.

I haven't been on the board much recently and don't know your story (what I

just read sounds horrible), but I have been chronic for over 15 months, and my

quality of life is excellent. So " chronic " is not necessarily a sentence to

disaster. Atenolol, digoxin and coumadin. Keep the rate down (atenolol), boost

the strength of the beat a little (digoxin), and prevent strokes (coumadin). I

figure the beta-blocker and the diminished output keep me at about 85% of my

pre-AF energy level, but I have no worries about AF episodes, and live a very

active life in NYC, including climbing lots of subway stairs (I'm 64).

You may have " damage " from the very meds I discuss, I just don't know your

history, but if not, perhaps a word from someone who is chronic, and I know I'm

not alone, would boost your spirits a bit.

All my best. Kathleen

[Guest guest]

TO: Toni

You say

-........ I can't take the meds, even more so now that I know how bad the

damage is. I'm moving toward chronic. An ablation is my only hope for any

quality of life.

I haven't been on the board much recently and don't know your story (what I

just read sounds horrible), but I have been chronic for over 15 months, and my

quality of life is excellent. So " chronic " is not necessarily a sentence to

disaster. Atenolol, digoxin and coumadin. Keep the rate down (atenolol), boost

the strength of the beat a little (digoxin), and prevent strokes (coumadin). I

figure the beta-blocker and the diminished output keep me at about 85% of my

pre-AF energy level, but I have no worries about AF episodes, and live a very

active life in NYC, including climbing lots of subway stairs (I'm 64).

You may have " damage " from the very meds I discuss, I just don't know your

history, but if not, perhaps a word from someone who is chronic, and I know I'm

not alone, would boost your spirits a bit.

All my best. Kathleen