Guest guest Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 marilyn I am not sure how it works in America, but I have found that I need to tell my Dr. that I have more knowledge about how I feel than he/she will, and that I trust myself enough not to go to them over what I think is a minor issue, that if I bother making an appointment to get their help, that I expect to be listened to, not patronised and that I am more than happy to look again and find another Doctor if they are not going to treat me as an adult, expecially if in front of my spouse, they give a different attitude and diagnosis than the one they gave me on my own. You are not a stupid woman, you have a problem, you are capable of researching the issue, finding a sensible solution and you expect their help, not hindrance over the issue. I am glad you have taken this step and I hope it works out for you.. I am involved closely in the medical field and you have to remember that they are only people, no matter how high and mighty some of them like to think they are!!! jena sydney > > Well, <gulp> ... > > I've made an appointment with a new general > practitioner to see about the possibility of changing primary care > physicians. > > It's a big step. The current one I've been seeing > for 20 years. We thought enough of him that until > he was covered by our insurance in 2004, we paid out of pocket to see him. > > But since he's been covered by insurance, he > seems to have... lost something. He's focused on > one thing: I should stop stuffing my face, and > lose some weight, and <whatever> will all magickally clear up. > > The fact that I've lost 180 pounds is irrelevant > to him. If I weren't stuffing my face, I'd be a normal weight by now. > > The PCP refuses to acknowledge that there my be > thyroid or adrenal issues because the thyroid > tests say " normal. " It's irrelevant to him that > my father, my sister, my niece, and my nephew are > all on thyroid meds. (No relationship, he said.) > > But hey, the one time when I had a high blood > glucose (due to severe pain from a knee injury), > it was a major issue -- after all, my grandmother > had Type 2 Diabetes, and clearly, now, so did I, > because I just wouldn't stop stuffing my face and > lose weight. Of course, I've been normal on > fasting blood and HbA1C since, but the PCP's been > disgruntled about it any time the subject comes > up -- almost as though he's disappointed that I haven't developed diabetes. > > The PCP missed my complex sleep apnea, even > though, multiple times over the years, I've > spoken about how exhausted I was. (Just lose some > weight, and you won't be so tired.) > > I had my issues with gynecologists, but never > once did the PCP suggest I get a pap smear or a > mammogram. I'll acknowledge that not doing so on > my own hook was probably stupid, but the first > gyn I had is the one who was responsible for my > gut issues, and I wasn't anxious to see another one. > > The PCP missed the cancer, which probably would > have been caught before it became cancer, if I'd > had the tests. I went to see him in October last > year because of horrible gut cramping and > post-menopausal bleeding. He blew it off, telling > me to just keep taking the herbal I said seemed > to help (cranberry extract) and oh, by the way, > if I'd stop stuffing my face, it would all clear up. > > My oncologist insisted on my being cleared by my > primary care physician before the surgery last > year. The PCP was completely astonished at the > diagnosis of cancer, and had no idea how it had > come about. (When the bleeding started in > earnest, I found a good gynecologist on my own > and just called his office for a referral... the > gynecologist referred me to the oncologist.) > > The final straw was over this colonoscopy. The > PCP played fear mongering games, frightening the > h-ll out of me that a change in the blood work > which is almost certainly due to treatment of my > sleep apnea meant my cancer was returning. That > was when I was by myself. But to my husband, he > said that it was just a routine procedure and he > didn't expect to find anything. But Harry > couldn't go with me to " get the results " and the > PCP was back to his fear mongering, telling me > that if there had been anything, it would have > meant major surgery which I couldn't possibly survive at this point. > > So, I've looked up PCPs in the area. I'm sort of > going blind, but I got lucky with the > gynecologist and the oncologist. This one is a > D.O., not an M.D., so I'm hoping SHE may be a > little more open to things like diet and nutrition. > > SO then... how the heck do you interview a doctor > you are considering for your primary care physician? > > > > — Marilyn > New Orleans, Louisiana, USA > Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 > Darn Good SCD Cook > No Human Children > Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 marilyn I am not sure how it works in America, but I have found that I need to tell my Dr. that I have more knowledge about how I feel than he/she will, and that I trust myself enough not to go to them over what I think is a minor issue, that if I bother making an appointment to get their help, that I expect to be listened to, not patronised and that I am more than happy to look again and find another Doctor if they are not going to treat me as an adult, expecially if in front of my spouse, they give a different attitude and diagnosis than the one they gave me on my own. You are not a stupid woman, you have a problem, you are capable of researching the issue, finding a sensible solution and you expect their help, not hindrance over the issue. I am glad you have taken this step and I hope it works out for you.. I am involved closely in the medical field and you have to remember that they are only people, no matter how high and mighty some of them like to think they are!!! jena sydney > > Well, <gulp> ... > > I've made an appointment with a new general > practitioner to see about the possibility of changing primary care > physicians. > > It's a big step. The current one I've been seeing > for 20 years. We thought enough of him that until > he was covered by our insurance in 2004, we paid out of pocket to see him. > > But since he's been covered by insurance, he > seems to have... lost something. He's focused on > one thing: I should stop stuffing my face, and > lose some weight, and <whatever> will all magickally clear up. > > The fact that I've lost 180 pounds is irrelevant > to him. If I weren't stuffing my face, I'd be a normal weight by now. > > The PCP refuses to acknowledge that there my be > thyroid or adrenal issues because the thyroid > tests say " normal. " It's irrelevant to him that > my father, my sister, my niece, and my nephew are > all on thyroid meds. (No relationship, he said.) > > But hey, the one time when I had a high blood > glucose (due to severe pain from a knee injury), > it was a major issue -- after all, my grandmother > had Type 2 Diabetes, and clearly, now, so did I, > because I just wouldn't stop stuffing my face and > lose weight. Of course, I've been normal on > fasting blood and HbA1C since, but the PCP's been > disgruntled about it any time the subject comes > up -- almost as though he's disappointed that I haven't developed diabetes. > > The PCP missed my complex sleep apnea, even > though, multiple times over the years, I've > spoken about how exhausted I was. (Just lose some > weight, and you won't be so tired.) > > I had my issues with gynecologists, but never > once did the PCP suggest I get a pap smear or a > mammogram. I'll acknowledge that not doing so on > my own hook was probably stupid, but the first > gyn I had is the one who was responsible for my > gut issues, and I wasn't anxious to see another one. > > The PCP missed the cancer, which probably would > have been caught before it became cancer, if I'd > had the tests. I went to see him in October last > year because of horrible gut cramping and > post-menopausal bleeding. He blew it off, telling > me to just keep taking the herbal I said seemed > to help (cranberry extract) and oh, by the way, > if I'd stop stuffing my face, it would all clear up. > > My oncologist insisted on my being cleared by my > primary care physician before the surgery last > year. The PCP was completely astonished at the > diagnosis of cancer, and had no idea how it had > come about. (When the bleeding started in > earnest, I found a good gynecologist on my own > and just called his office for a referral... the > gynecologist referred me to the oncologist.) > > The final straw was over this colonoscopy. The > PCP played fear mongering games, frightening the > h-ll out of me that a change in the blood work > which is almost certainly due to treatment of my > sleep apnea meant my cancer was returning. That > was when I was by myself. But to my husband, he > said that it was just a routine procedure and he > didn't expect to find anything. But Harry > couldn't go with me to " get the results " and the > PCP was back to his fear mongering, telling me > that if there had been anything, it would have > meant major surgery which I couldn't possibly survive at this point. > > So, I've looked up PCPs in the area. I'm sort of > going blind, but I got lucky with the > gynecologist and the oncologist. This one is a > D.O., not an M.D., so I'm hoping SHE may be a > little more open to things like diet and nutrition. > > SO then... how the heck do you interview a doctor > you are considering for your primary care physician? > > > > — Marilyn > New Orleans, Louisiana, USA > Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 > Darn Good SCD Cook > No Human Children > Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 marilyn I am not sure how it works in America, but I have found that I need to tell my Dr. that I have more knowledge about how I feel than he/she will, and that I trust myself enough not to go to them over what I think is a minor issue, that if I bother making an appointment to get their help, that I expect to be listened to, not patronised and that I am more than happy to look again and find another Doctor if they are not going to treat me as an adult, expecially if in front of my spouse, they give a different attitude and diagnosis than the one they gave me on my own. You are not a stupid woman, you have a problem, you are capable of researching the issue, finding a sensible solution and you expect their help, not hindrance over the issue. I am glad you have taken this step and I hope it works out for you.. I am involved closely in the medical field and you have to remember that they are only people, no matter how high and mighty some of them like to think they are!!! jena sydney > > Well, <gulp> ... > > I've made an appointment with a new general > practitioner to see about the possibility of changing primary care > physicians. > > It's a big step. The current one I've been seeing > for 20 years. We thought enough of him that until > he was covered by our insurance in 2004, we paid out of pocket to see him. > > But since he's been covered by insurance, he > seems to have... lost something. He's focused on > one thing: I should stop stuffing my face, and > lose some weight, and <whatever> will all magickally clear up. > > The fact that I've lost 180 pounds is irrelevant > to him. If I weren't stuffing my face, I'd be a normal weight by now. > > The PCP refuses to acknowledge that there my be > thyroid or adrenal issues because the thyroid > tests say " normal. " It's irrelevant to him that > my father, my sister, my niece, and my nephew are > all on thyroid meds. (No relationship, he said.) > > But hey, the one time when I had a high blood > glucose (due to severe pain from a knee injury), > it was a major issue -- after all, my grandmother > had Type 2 Diabetes, and clearly, now, so did I, > because I just wouldn't stop stuffing my face and > lose weight. Of course, I've been normal on > fasting blood and HbA1C since, but the PCP's been > disgruntled about it any time the subject comes > up -- almost as though he's disappointed that I haven't developed diabetes. > > The PCP missed my complex sleep apnea, even > though, multiple times over the years, I've > spoken about how exhausted I was. (Just lose some > weight, and you won't be so tired.) > > I had my issues with gynecologists, but never > once did the PCP suggest I get a pap smear or a > mammogram. I'll acknowledge that not doing so on > my own hook was probably stupid, but the first > gyn I had is the one who was responsible for my > gut issues, and I wasn't anxious to see another one. > > The PCP missed the cancer, which probably would > have been caught before it became cancer, if I'd > had the tests. I went to see him in October last > year because of horrible gut cramping and > post-menopausal bleeding. He blew it off, telling > me to just keep taking the herbal I said seemed > to help (cranberry extract) and oh, by the way, > if I'd stop stuffing my face, it would all clear up. > > My oncologist insisted on my being cleared by my > primary care physician before the surgery last > year. The PCP was completely astonished at the > diagnosis of cancer, and had no idea how it had > come about. (When the bleeding started in > earnest, I found a good gynecologist on my own > and just called his office for a referral... the > gynecologist referred me to the oncologist.) > > The final straw was over this colonoscopy. The > PCP played fear mongering games, frightening the > h-ll out of me that a change in the blood work > which is almost certainly due to treatment of my > sleep apnea meant my cancer was returning. That > was when I was by myself. But to my husband, he > said that it was just a routine procedure and he > didn't expect to find anything. But Harry > couldn't go with me to " get the results " and the > PCP was back to his fear mongering, telling me > that if there had been anything, it would have > meant major surgery which I couldn't possibly survive at this point. > > So, I've looked up PCPs in the area. I'm sort of > going blind, but I got lucky with the > gynecologist and the oncologist. This one is a > D.O., not an M.D., so I'm hoping SHE may be a > little more open to things like diet and nutrition. > > SO then... how the heck do you interview a doctor > you are considering for your primary care physician? > > > > — Marilyn > New Orleans, Louisiana, USA > Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 > Darn Good SCD Cook > No Human Children > Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 'SO then... how the heck do you interview a doctor you are considering for your primary care physician?' Dear Marilyn, Hope I can help you with this being a practitioner myself, I get interviewed a lot. It does sound like you are increasingly unhappy with your PCP and it is very stressful to make a change after 20 years-but your comfort level and TRUST are very important. It doesn't sound like you trust your doctor anymore. First, and perhaps obvious, if you like your GYN or your oncologist and you are comfortable with either one, ask them if there is someone they could recommend for PCP. They work with a lot of practitioners and are comfortable with a core of Dr.'s If they have come to know you at all, they may know of a perfect 'match' esp. if you tell them that you are looking for someone open to alternative/conservative treatment. It sounded like your oncologist was impressed with your post surgical results and knew your diet/lifestyle/philosophy. I think a female DO sounds great--I'm a little prejudiced about female doctors--I think that sometimes we listen better, and our bedside manner can be better--stereotypical generalizations, but often true. So you have a recommendation from someone you might trust and you go sit down with the new DO/MD. First, you have to tell them your story--it can be daunting and eyes glaze over, so I write down the important points of my health and the story I want to convey so that I don't forget anything and it makes it concise. I also write down the questions I have so again, I don't forget anything and I don't waste my time or the MD's time. When you sit down to write your questions, do a little soul searching and ask what it is you want out of your PCP. Then ask that person if they can deliver that. You also have the right to ask them how many patients they have that have your particular conditions and what their philosophy of treatment is. It's a good time to discuss diet and nutrition and SCD. At this point, the person should have some things to say and you can evaluate this and also the bedside manner comes across right then, IMO. You will have a good idea whether you are comfortable or not. Trust your gut ( no pun). You are a bright, well informed, well read patient. You're smart enough to know your PCP is no longer for you and it wasn't just luck that you found a good GYN and oncologist--it was some intuitive, subtle clues that you absorbed and used in finding them. It will be the same with finding a new PCP. And if you don't like her/him, you try somebody else. Sometimes it takes a little time to try on a new doctor and a little bit of work to make the relationship happen--and it's not always perfect----I know my PCP is very knowledgeable and a good Doc, but we do part ways on the subject of alternative medicine, acupuncture, diet. But we agree to disagree and he has steered me to a very good GI who is amenable to the SCD and a team approach between us in my therapy. I know that he knows medicine very well and he is thorough--so I take the good with the bad. No one doctor is perfect, but you have to be comfortable. I wish you luck and I have faith you will find someone. Hope this helps a little. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Jena, Thanks for your thoughts... that's pretty much the way I feel about it the situation. As the folks in the CPAPTalk Forum say, " Remember, the doctor has more knowledge about your situation than you do... but it's a safe bet that s/he doesn't spend nearly the time you do thinking about how to live with your situation as you do! " And yes, I know that medical practitioners are only human. There is, after all, a reason it's called " the practice " of medicine! — Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Terry, Thanks for you input -- as you say, you're a practitioner yourself. No, I don't trust the current PCP any longer. I did once. This is the same man who, when I found the supplement which allowed me to get off the codeine for my back pain said, " If it works, it's better than the codeine for you. " Twenty years later, he's patting me on the head and telling me that if a little herbal works for my back pain, it can't be so bad I can't do without it for a few days. (He did give me a script for lidocaine pads, but those are only good for 12 hours a day -- without the supplements, I'm in pain 24/7. ) He's forgotten how many times he had to phone an emergency prescription in because I was throwing up from pain and couldn't keep the pills down, or how much I hated being in codeine-fog. (Imagine combining pre-SCD brain fog with codeine!) Were I a practitioner and a patient came to me and said, " Well, the pain doc you sent me to has diagnosed me with complex sleep apnea, and now that I'm on a Bipap Auto SV, she says to follow up with you, " the first thing I would do is research the complex sleep apnea. The current man wasn't even interested in copies of my sleep tests, of the prescriptions for my equipment, or anything else. (Though he did give me a script for a battery back-up for the machine: I just have to persuade my insurance they want to pay for it.) He ignored it, and went on to my weight, which was when I gave him a written copy of my SCD diet (the same one which is in the library here). He glanced at it, and then said, in surprise, " Why, this is actually a healthy diet. " Grrr. (Oh, and he took my blood pressure after making a number of comments that sent it through the roof.) The whole business with the colonoscopy -- well, having had a serious wake up call with a cancer that could have been diagnosed before it was cancer by a basic pap smear, I wasn't going to put off having that " in your 50s " colonoscopy. I just didn't want to do it during the Christmas and New Years holidays! (Keep in mind that I've talked with this man about my gut issues multiple times, and he never referred me to a GI, never suggested any kind of testing. It was always, " Just lose some weight and it'll all clear up. " ) I did speak with my gynecologist when I saw her for my second set of post-surgery labs. Regrettably, she doesn't do PCP stuff. The only PCP she has worked with directly and recently is not currently doing hospital rounds, so, should I need to be hospitalized for something, this could be a problem. (I told her about the colonoscopy, and she was genuinely puzzled as to why the PCP felt it necessary to frighten me like that. Her comment: " You're a logical woman... you didn't hesitate to do what was needed for the cancer. Why would he think you'd hesitate over something like this? " So far, she's the only medical professional who hasn't assumed that my objections to the procedure stemmed from other health issues, and not an attempt to wriggle out of having it. Of course, she's also the one who, when I told her about the very poor experience with a gynecologist which led to my avoiding them for too many years, observed, " I sometimes think men shouldn't be allowed to be OBGYNs... they don't have the plumbing to appreciate our situations. " I now have an appointment with a female PCP who trained as an osteopath. I'm hoping that with that background, she will be more amenable to a whole-person approach to things. If not, there is a female internist who shares an office with my oncologist that I can try. My oncologist is a wonderful woman. She listened to all my concerns and basically said, " Here is what I need from you for this surgery... how can that be accomplished? " For the clean-out, her statement was simple: " Because we're doing serious abdominal surgery, we need your entire digestive tract as empty as possible. How you accomplish that is irrelevant to me. This is what we recommend, but you're not required to follow it as long as you accomplish what's needed. " She had no problems with writing orders so Harry could bring all my SCD legal foods in for me. I researched clear liquid, thick liquid, and soft food diets and did a list of SCD foods which would work for me, and brought them for her approval. She checked it off, and that's what I prepared. She also said I made her hungry every time she talked to me with all the healthy food I was preparing. (She looked at my diet and said, " This looks like a celiac diet. Have you ever been tested? " To which I said, no, but I'd been gluten free for six years and didn't think the tests would show anything. She said briskly that it probably wouldn't, and there was no point in my eating something that would make me sick for the sake of a test. This is the same doctor who asked if I had sleep apnea the first time she laid eyes on me, and when I said, " Not to my knowledge, " said, " Hmm... " and then almost five months later, I was diagnosed with complex sleep apnea. She's an amazing woman.) However, this doesn't guarantee that an internist with whom she has a business agreement will be the same kind of doctor. My appointment is Tuesday. Now I'm trying to figure out what -- cancer, complex sleep apnea, SCD, supplements -- and in what order, and how much detail on each item. The gastro's eyes glazed over when I had four pages of questions for him.... — Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hi Marilyn, What a great writer you are...I went from shaking my head and tsk, tsking, to nodding my head in agreement to smiling and chuckling. I realize as I write this that you must have already interviewed the the new DO. How'd it go? Don't want to beat a dead horse, but yes, after reading your post, time to fire the patronizing, uninterested PCP. Your oncologist sounds terrific. I agree that her business partner may not be like her, but from experience I can tell you that if they were very divergent in philosophy, the business arrangement wouldn't last too long. Also, you can ask her about her partner in a way that doesn't put her on the spot. ie "Knowing all you do about my conditions and dietary requirements, etc., etc., do you feel that Dr. SO-and-SO and I would be a good match?" That is unless of course you have already decided to hire the new DO you interviewed today. I want to thank you for steering me to Fitday.com ( in another post). I also have some weight to lose ( usually the opposite on this discussion group) and it is wonderful for keeping the food journal and calculating all the nutritionals including calories. What a wonderful tool. Keep us posted on your journey to a new PCP. Terry Re: Hunting a New PCP Terry,Thanks for you input -- as you say, you're a practitioner yourself.No, I don't trust the current PCP any longer. I did once. This is the same man who, when I found the supplement which allowed me to get off the codeine for my back pain said, "If it works, it's better than the codeine for you." Twenty years later, he's patting me on the head and telling me that if a little herbal works for my back pain, it can't be so bad I can't do without it for a few days. (He did give me a script for lidocaine pads, but those are only good for 12 hours a day -- without the supplements, I'm in pain 24/7. ) He's forgotten how many times he had to phone an emergency prescription in because I was throwing up from pain and couldn't keep the pills down, or how much I hated being in codeine-fog. (Imagine combining pre-SCD brain fog with codeine!)Were I a practitioner and a patient came to me and said, "Well, the pain doc you sent me to has diagnosed me with complex sleep apnea, and now that I'm on a Bipap Auto SV, she says to follow up with you," the first thing I would do is research the complex sleep apnea. The current man wasn't even interested in copies of my sleep tests, of the prescriptions for my equipment, or anything else. (Though he did give me a script for a battery back-up for the machine: I just have to persuade my insurance they want to pay for it.)He ignored it, and went on to my weight, which was when I gave him a written copy of my SCD diet (the same one which is in the library here). He glanced at it, and then said, in surprise, "Why, this is actually a healthy diet." Grrr. (Oh, and he took my blood pressure after making a number of comments that sent it through the roof.)The whole business with the colonoscopy -- well, having had a serious wake up call with a cancer that could have been diagnosed before it was cancer by a basic pap smear, I wasn't going to put off having that "in your 50s" colonoscopy. I just didn't want to do it during the Christmas and New Years holidays! (Keep in mind that I've talked with this man about my gut issues multiple times, and he never referred me to a GI, never suggested any kind of testing. It was always, "Just lose some weight and it'll all clear up.") I did speak with my gynecologist when I saw her for my second set of post-surgery labs. Regrettably, she doesn't do PCP stuff. The only PCP she has worked with directly and recently is not currently doing hospital rounds, so, should I need to be hospitalized for something, this could be a problem. (I told her about the colonoscopy, and she was genuinely puzzled as to why the PCP felt it necessary to frighten me like that. Her comment: "You're a logical woman... you didn't hesitate to do what was needed for the cancer. Why would he think you'd hesitate over something like this?" So far, she's the only medical professional who hasn't assumed that my objections to the procedure stemmed from other health issues, and not an attempt to wriggle out of having it. Of course, she's also the one who, when I told her about the very poor experience with a gynecologist which led to my avoiding them for too many years, observed, "I sometimes think men shouldn't be allowed to be OBGYNs... they don't have the plumbing to appreciate our situations."I now have an appointment with a female PCP who trained as an osteopath. I'm hoping that with that background, she will be more amenable to a whole-person approach to things. If not, there is a female internist who shares an office with my oncologist that I can try. My oncologist is a wonderful woman. She listened to all my concerns and basically said, "Here is what I need from you for this surgery... how can that be accomplished?" For the clean-out, her statement was simple: "Because we're doing serious abdominal surgery, we need your entire digestive tract as empty as possible. How you accomplish that is irrelevant to me. This is what we recommend, but you're not required to follow it as long as you accomplish what's needed." She had no problems with writing orders so Harry could bring all my SCD legal foods in for me. I researched clear liquid, thick liquid, and soft food diets and did a list of SCD foods which would work for me, and brought them for her approval. She checked it off, and that's what I prepared. She also said I made her hungry every time she talked to me with all the healthy food I was preparing.(She looked at my diet and said, "This looks like a celiac diet. Have you ever been tested?" To which I said, no, but I'd been gluten free for six years and didn't think the tests would show anything. She said briskly that it probably wouldn't, and there was no point in my eating something that would make me sick for the sake of a test. This is the same doctor who asked if I had sleep apnea the first time she laid eyes on me, and when I said, "Not to my knowledge," said, "Hmm..." and then almost five months later, I was diagnosed with complex sleep apnea. She's an amazing woman.)However, this doesn't guarantee that an internist with whom she has a business agreement will be the same kind of doctor.My appointment is Tuesday. Now I'm trying to figure out what -- cancer, complex sleep apnea, SCD, supplements -- and in what order, and how much detail on each item.The gastro's eyes glazed over when I had four pages of questions for him.... - Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Terry, One thing I've always said is that I can give good advice about SCD is usually because I've typically made all the stupid mistakes which tell me exactly why this or that thing is a ba-ad idea. <rueful grin> Sometimes, it extends to other areas.... I did see the osteopath. The first thing which impressed me was the fact that my appointment was at 11:00a. Her nurse called my name at 11:01 and took me back to a room. (With an 11:00 am appointment with the original PCP, it would have been 2p before I was called.) I don't do weights at anyone's office except my oncologist's, so I declined to be weighed. Nurse was unphased. For the blood pressure, I told her she would need a large cuff. The old PCP informed me that it was a large cuff -- for the obese. This nurse asked me if I knew what size my arm was. I told her. She selected the correct sized cuff from a rack, and took my pressure, noting that it was normal. About five minutes later, the doctor came in, introduced herself, shook my hand, and asked what she could do for me. I explained that I was looking for a new PCP because I was dissatisfied with my current one. I ran through issues: my weight. She asked why I didn't want to be weighed. I told her that I can vary as much as 25 pounds with edema and that I was tired of being castigated for stuffing my face for something I had no control over. She just noted that we would want to keep an eye on the edema since it could also be a symptom of other medical issues which should be addressed. We didn't get into diet and supplements yet, but she took copies of what I'm doing and said she would review them before I see her again. I had a chart I had made of my last four years of blood work, which she took a copy of, commenting that it was very helpful to have four years laid out right next to each other, and that including the lab normals for each year was also a good idea. I mentioned the cancer and the surgery, and gave her copies of the lab work for that. Oh, and the NEGATIVE lab results that I just got this week. I mentioned the complex sleep apnea, and gave her copies of my sleep tests, my equipment prescriptions, and that I track my own data. She said that was interesting... did I have I sleep doctor? I explained how I'd been diagnosed because of pain issues. She asked if I was doing all right, and I told her quite well, thanks to the Forum at CpapTalk.Com. She asked about things like diabetes; I told her about my grandmother (with Type 2) and the one high A1C I had 4 years ago. I also mentioned the change in my hematocrit since starting on my BiPap. She blinked and asked if I had a medical background. I said, no... why? She said, " Well, the majority of people don't toss around their hematocrit and A1C numbers off the top of their head, or talk about oxygen desaturations. " I had to grin and say that I was a researcher... She asked about exercise, and was not displeased by the fact that I do 2-3 hours of water therapy three times a week. (The pain management doctor told me that between the excellent nutrition in SCD and the water therapy, I was doing everything right for handling my pain issues now that we have a handle on the sleep disordered breathing. Which is something people with pain issues that seem to have no explanation might want to look into -- a sleep test. Because my pain issues started about 8 months into SCD: apparently, my body had healed enough that it thought it could relax at night, which for me wasn't a good thing. (Oh, and contrary to most people's belief, you do not have to be overweight to have sleep apnea.) She did a basic exam... every single medico I've seen (with the exception of the PCP who has been giving me so much grief) has wanted to see my 24 " incision. And, everyone of them has commented on how amazingly well it has healed. To which I can only answer... " Good NUTRITION! " She asked to be added to the list of people who got test results, like the mammogram I have scheduled for 6 March, and gave me the paperwork I'd need for my insurance to cover my next visit with the oncologist and the next set of labs, which will be in May. The last time I saw the other doc, I had an 8:30 appointment. At 11a, I still hadn't been seen but a plethora of pharmaceutical representatives had been. I finally got out of my " 8:30 " appointment at 2p. With this doctor, my appointment was for 11:00. I was in and out by 12:15. I liked her. So I may have a new PCP.... and even better, she has Friday hours, so I may be able to get Harry in for a physical, which he hasn't had in ten years because the other PCP has no hours when he can get there to see him without taking significant time off from work. He works Mon-Thurs, 6a - 5p... but he's off Fridays.... — Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 At 05:19 PM 2/11/2009, you wrote: I want to thank you for steering me to Fitday.com ( in another post). I also have some weight to lose ( usually the opposite on this discussion group) and it is wonderful for keeping the food journal and calculating all the nutritionals including calories. What a wonderful tool. I use the Fitday program on my computer -- for $20, it's worth it to have everything right there. And it really IS helpful! Mind you, I could wish I didn't have to enter every recipe by hand, but.... what the heck. It's better than other programs I've seen which can't be customized! — Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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