Doctor-Visits: We Manage Them as Much as They Us!

[Guest guest]

Dear Alice,

What you have pointed out is so true. We must, as patients, finesse much

of our visits so that they bear fruit, both for us and for the

physicians. I don't think that they realize how much we must work at

this.

I think an analogy to friendship is appropriate. We all (I hope) have a

variety of friends, both those we have known since childhood, and those

whom we may have only known for a few months. We enjoy communicating

with each of them, but our level of communication is quite different

with each. With some, there are many laughs, and with others the topics

may tend to be more serious in nature.

There has to be a very basic rapport with a physician, or the visits

will waste both time and money. And give is agita!

Especially when one has moved, a whole new set of doctors must be

" tackled " : very hard work. During the 30 years now that I have been

seeing my endocrinologist in NYC, I had been living in three different

states. I realized early on how briliant he is, so I stopped the painful

doctor-shopping. It was he who first dx'd me with mito in 1998, after he

watched a plethora of symptoms develop over the years. I stayed totally

honest with him, and he tried very hard not to categorize me as a

hypochondriac, I am sure.

At present, I know I have never been in better hands with my four-doctor

" team. "

However, I had to " kiss alot of frogs " to get to this place. Also, they

are all of or near the normal retirement age, and they are all 90 miles

from where I live.

So, I just keep pluggin' on, hoping for the best.

Good luck to everyone who is looking for a good mito doc.

Sincerely,

S.

PA