Carmel Surgical Specialists.. phone nurse

Before I complain on here, I am just curious if anyone else who goes there has experienced the samething.  I think her name is Marta.. the nurse that returns the phone calls for the nurses line.  I just want to know if anyone else thinks she is rude some times?

I will go into detail later.  Hopefully I will calm down before I call and leave a message for Dr. Gupta personally.  Any way I will be back later to post what was said!

She has always been really nice with me.  I dealt with her a lot with my ulcer and she had me start back on my Carafate and told me to be sure to call back in 2 weeks and let her know how I was doing.  She said she was worried about me.  Maybe she was just having a bad day. 

I also have dealt with Marta.  She is very assertive and to the point which some people perceive as rude.  She is a wonderful Nurse.  She has helped me tremendously, however when she chastises you,  you know that you have been chastised.  I believe that she had Gastric bypass surgery several years ago so she does know what we are going through.   It could be that she is having a bad day or could be that you took it the wrong way.  Anyway,  hope all is worked out. 

Ok well this will be long.. but here it is...

Let me start by saying this isn’t the first time I have felt she was being rude.  The first time goes back to when I got my first fill in July.  When I called 2 weeks  after my first one to get in to get another one, she told me that I couldn’t get one until I come back in 2 more weeks.  When I told her that Dr. Gupta said I could call and get back in if I was hungry, she still wouldn’t schedule it and told me to “snack on some lettuce”  NO I am not kidding.  Word for word, snack on some lettuce.  So I waited and when I saw Dr. Gupta 2 weeks later I told her what she said to me, she apologized and said another patient that same day told her that Marta also wouldn’t schedule her for an early fill, and that she would talk to her about it, because waiting weeks defeats the purpose of having the lap-band.

 

The next time was after my 3^rd fill.  At that appointment, it took Dr. Gupta 3 times to get my port.  She found it, got my fill went home.  Was too tight and had to meet Dr. Gupta over the weekend to get an unfill.  Had the same problem, she couldn’t find my port after 8 sticks and had to end up going to radiology to get it under fluoroscopy.  2 weeks later I wanted another fill which Dr. Gupta said would happen.  When I called to schedule it, I left a message about getting a fill and explained in my message that I was too tight, had an unfill, and was ready for another fill.    I even mentioned that I met Dr. Gupta in the ER and ended up in radiology because she couldn’t find my port.  When she called me back to schedule it, I went through the whole situation again and asked her if I should just get it done in radiology since it has been difficult.  She said she will just schedule it for in the office and ask Dr. Gupta if she would rather move it to radiology and would call me IF she DID want to see me in radiology just in case.  Well she didn’t call and when I showed up in the office, Dr. Gupta says “Oh, I wish we would have just scheduled it for radiology”  I explained to Dr. Gupta that Marta said she was going to ask her where she would prefer to do it at.  She said… Marta never asked her but lets try any way.  5 stick later, she got it so I didn’t have to go.  Dr. Gupta said we would try next time in the office too and go from there.  Fine..

 

SOO I had my appointment yesterday.  Tried to give me a fill and 4 sticks later.. nothing.  She wants to do it in radiology every time from now on to “not waste time”  Sounds good to me.  I didn’t have my calendar with me so they scheduled it for Tuesday.  They only scheduled me for that, not my next month appointment.  When I get home and look at my calendar I can’t, my son has an appointment that day.  So I called and left a message that it needed to be rescheduled.   She called me back and the only time she can get me in is next Wednesday.  Fine.. I will wait a week.  I ask marta if we could go ahead and schedule for the next one too because Dr. Gupta wants to do it in radiology all the time now.  First she says “they didn’t do that yesterday”  I said no, heather wasn’t there and they seemed kind of confused with the whole radiology thing and I didn’t think about it.  She says “You would be confused to if you worked up there”  I say “I am sure”   She looks at the calendar and gives me a day, I can’t do that day, my son has an appointment.  She picks another one and I said ok.  She says she just scheduled the OFFICE visit, not for a fill because you won’t need a fill every time.  I said I know that but I would rather go ahead and schedule and cancel if need be because I drive 30 minutes to get there and if I know I need a fill but can’t it that day I would have to come back.  She fires back and says “well we have people that drive 3 hours from here, you are a WORK in when you have to go to radiology, you take what you can get”  EXCUSE ME?  So I say back to her, I know people drive further HOWEVER I have two children with special needs myself, and only have limited days and times I can get in there.  I can’t find someone to stay with my kids on short notice so I can hang out at the hospital for hours waiting to be worked in to get a fill.  So then she says she can schedule me in radiology one day and the office the next day.  I tell her, no it needs to be the same day if I have to see her in the office AND a fill.  She says to me again that you are a work in.  I finally told her I thought she was being very rude, and to forget it, I would talk with Dr. Gupta about it next week when I see her in radiology.   She says “how am I being rude, I am only trying to help you”  I say, telling me how the front desk people have it so hard, and about other people having to drive 3 hours to get there, isn’t rude?  We all have our own problems, I have two kids with special needs that have had 11 surgeries,  but I am sure you don’t throw that in other people’s faces when something doesn’t work out.  She apologizes and what do you know, makes an appointment for an office visit and fill in radiology on the same day.

I was so mad I really just wanted to call and leave a message for Dr. Gupta to call me back.  If it was just a bad day, she seems to have those every time I call.  I should not have to wait 2 weeks to get in for a fill just because it has to be done in radiology, that isn’t MY fault!  Make time or make room in the schedule for it, don’t just tell me you  are SOL and drive here 2 times in a week.  Even if I am close, I don’t care, I don’t have time for that.  It just irritates me that she made it seem like it was MY fault, and that I am JUST a work in, like MY FILL isn’t as important as everyone else’s appointment there. 

 

I will be saying something to Dr. Gupta again about the way she was talking to me.  I should not be treated that way for something that is out of my control and then not want to call to get another fill because I have to deal with her and her bad attitude towards me.  I did nothing to her, I don’t even know her.  And Dr. Gupta said she has a few others that she only fills in radiology, wonder how they are doing with scheduling it.  I love Dr. Gupta, but sometimes your staff can really bring down your clients!  I would hate to not be as successful as I could be just because I feel uneasy calling and talking to her.  And I will NOT wait 4 to 6 weeks for my next appointment to get a fill if I need one.  I shouldn’t have to, and Dr. Gupta says the samething.  I am just irritated and needed to vent!

Understandable that you are verrrrry frustrated and ticked.  I would be to.  I think you are right to talk to Dr. Gupta.  I don't think she will be happy to know that you feel "intimidated" to call to schedule a fill.  Sorry you had such a hard time with the phone call and having your fills.  Hope everything works out. 

Well she called and left me a message that she spoke with Dr. Gupta and apologizxed again that Dr. Gupta also said my appointment and fill in radiology SHOULD be on the same day and will only take a 30 minute appointment.  She apologized for the confusion and said I would just need to get weighed in the office and then go register for radiology and she would meet me down there.

So now I feel better, BUT it is still irritating.

And to top it off... bad news from my son's doctor today too.  Life is grand

Hope your day is better today.  I looked at your profile and your sons are adorable.  Hope everything works out.  Have a great weekend.

Wow...after going there for ~4.5 years, I'm not sure which one is Marta....? I always email Katie instead ([email protected]). There's been more than once that I'd leave a message for Dr. Gupta's nurse on the voicemail and NEVER get a call back. One time, back in January, the visiting nurse wanted me to contact them and get into see Dr. Gupta because he didn't like the way my wound was looking when he did the wound-vac changes. That was pretty important..and I stated that in me voicemail...and still, no call back! Katie on the other hand, does always email me back. Sometimes, it may take a few days, but I do always hear back from her. 

I've never had a problem dealing with Heather on the phone. Is Heather the one at the front desk? Who-ever she is, she can be rude in person.

What's the girls name that calls you out of the waiting room? She's always very sweet to me too.

Sherri

Marta is only the phone nurse I think.  I don't think she sees patients, only returns calls but I could be wrong!  I haven't ever had a problem getting a call back from her, she is just rude every time!  I don't know if put in my last update that now my fill isn't until next Friday.  So a whole week stuck at the same weight.. which will now be 2 weeks since I was supposed to get a fill!  It is so frustrating some times!

Thanks for the comment on my boys.  They have been thru a lot in their little lives.  11 surgeries total.  My oldest is now getting a hearing aid, and has to go in for a kidney ultrasound, heart echo, and got his thyroid tested.  He also has vitiligo and will be started on human growth hormone to help him grow.... daily injections for him!  :(  Not going to be fun!