I didn't predict this hurdle when I had surgery

I can't find a doctor.  I never predicted I wouldn't be able to have competant medical care post DS but here I am.  I've been looking for a doctor and an endocrinologist for a year.

I found one great internist who disappeared and an NP is working at that office.  I found a jerk who wouldn't listen to me discuss my DS and said "my patients lose weight with diet and exercise" (after he told me he graduated first in his class...um egotistical much?

All the doctor's that are being referred to me won't take my insurance and won't take self-pay.

Who knew that you couldn't pay CASH for a doctor?

So here I am wondering how I will get labs done and needing follow-up for my thyroid which was biopsied 2 years ago and needing help with post-menopause symptoms and not having any luck.

Ideas welcome.

~Becky

Go back to the dick 'diet and exercise' doc and change his mind with your example. Do you have any reason to think he would be incompetent as a GP?

He will not listen to me describe the DS.  So how will he know what medications (oil based or extended release for example) I can't take?  How will he know when stomach pain may mean a bowel obstruction and how to look for one?

He prescribed a medication that was contraindicated with another medical problem that I have and that alone was enough to send up huge red flags.

And he's an ass.  I have enough problems without hating my doctor.

But thanks.

~B

I have a hard time believing any doctor who is so arrogant, condescending and rude toward his patients could be a good doctor, no matter how well he did in school. 

Plus, he apparently doesn't understand that not everyone can lose weight through diet and exercise, which should be as simple as A-B-C to someone who graduated at the top of his class. 

He may have been an exemplary medical student, but he's a failure as a doctor.

I have gone through this, and I feel for you.. I couldn't even get a call back from a scheduling nurse at an Endo's office within 100 miles of home.  My surgeon had to intervene. 

Here's what being a Graves' disease patient for nearly 20 years has taught me: Thyroid patients re a pain.  Endo's would rather treat elderly diabetics on Medicare than deal with us.  We tend to have autoimmue issues that effect multiple systems, symptoms that aren't easy to pin down, and have done our homework on our diseases which means we ask questions.

If your surgeon isn't local, I would contact the closest (competent) bariatric surgeon's office for a recommendation.  Another is to travel. I hate to say it, but I was very close to making the 3 1/2 hour drive to Jacksonville to go to the Mayo. 

I was at my new Endocrinologist's office today.  He and the PA's seem ok, they listened, etc. I still haven't found a GP/Internist I can stand.  When I changed jobs, I stopped going to the one I really liked.  My old commute (60 miles each way)  made him geographically desirable at that time, but not now.  I have gone to urgent care for labs just so I wouldn't actually have to go into a coma and the ER to get my thyroid meds. 

Good luck!

I'm not opposed to traveling to see a specialist but traveling to see a family doc/GP/Internist won't really work.  I need someone local with admitting priveleges for starters.

Fortunatley I've not been diagnosed with a thyroid disease but when I had a biopsy done two years ago I was advised to have annual f/u.  I'll be looking in a larger city.

What kind of krazy dog stuff do you do?  I do dog sports: obedience, rally, dock diving, a little toss and fetch disc and currently I am on a Flyball team.  I also do limited foster/rescue. 

~Becky

are yuo near a teaching hospital or atleast a big city with a good hospital?  This is a way to find top doctors.  I have been lucky to have an internist and endo that are local.  My Endo does everything for me - my thyroid, pituitary, adrenals, cholesterol adn all labs.  She does my DEXA scans right in her office as well as my thyroid ultrasounds and biopsies.  She is very well equipted.  She also has a very knowledgeable NUT in her office that is very up on WLS - that is where I went preop and if I need her I can go post op.

My surgeon however is an hour away in NYC at a large teaching hospital and well known hospital.  I am having some troubles with kidney stones and my blood that need specialists since it is more complicated than my local doctors can treat so I am being sent to the same hospital 

Thankfully being near NYC is an advantage but if you have a large city near you, you could probably find the same.

IT would be worth traveling for a good Endo and they can do your labs and thyroid followups but yes, you do need a local PCP

good luck

I understand wanting a local GP.  It's tough.  I am still hunting for one I like.

I'm a hobby breeder/owner/handler. We also do some rescue, but  my breed doesn't have a lot of rescues being relatively rare. We do what we can, and foster/transport for a local mixed-breed rescue, as well.

We started in conformation and are now doing rally, coursing, terrier racing, and above-ground hunts, as well.  The local JRT clubs allow all terriers to participate in their events which are a lot of fun.  We can do earthdog, but my dogs would rather course.   I would like to do agility now that I can (dogs were always more than agile enough, me not so much), but I need to learn how to train for it.  

Because Manchesters are a coursing breed (actually in our standard), we're focusing a good bit as a fancy on the Coursing Ability Test.   The AKC is waiting to see how many people participate before considering us for the regular coursing titles.  Toy Manchesters are  faster than IG's and a Standard's are generally going to be right on the heals of a Whippet. 

 Maybe I just got lucky, but my DS surgeon is an internist. I will be using him for all my checkups and bloodwork. He does surgeries two days a week and office appts the others.   He is also checking my thyroid (I have hypothyroidism).  When I mentioned to my PCP that I was having WL surgery, she wasnt too happy and didnt know anything about the DS. She will be ok for colds and such.  M surgeon is an hour and 15 minutes away, but will be well worth the trip. 

Office staff can make our lives miserable.  I'm sorry you went through that.

I miss my GP from North Carolina.  I didn't appreciate her enough.

I found a doc that I really liked but when I went back they said he was only there one day every two weeks and the rest of the time it was being staffed by an NP.  I was willing to try the NP but after waiting an hour (when there was no one in the waiting room when I arrived) I left.  I don't have much patience.

See you at the new hangout.  Thanks for replying!!!

~Becky