Need advice on rude office staff.
I'm confused and don't know what to do, so have done nothing but file a complaint so far.
Back story:
I've been on b12 injections for about 3 months now, giving myself the injection once a week (dosage isn't relavent for this conversation :P ). I was on the injections because I was unable to FIND a sublingual b12 in my town. Well, I ran out of needles the week before Thanksgiving and called my surgeons office to get them to send over another Rx. The nurse (Sonja), said I would have to call the pharmacy and have them fax a refill request with any changes (because I wanted the SubQ ones NOT the IM). Anywhoo, the pharmacy I used for the IM needles is too far for me to drive every month gas-wise as my normal pharmacy doesn't keep them in stock. So the "too far away" pharmacy tells me I need to call my surgeons office back and have them WRITE another Rx for the right needles and fax it to my local pharmacy. Okay, I'm doing alright so far...call back my surgeons office and here's where I get frustrated.
The RN starts telling me there's no way I can give a b12 shot subcutaneously. It HAS to be done IM or it will not absorb. Bull. I had the right needles (diabetic ones) and was using those (I'm not an idiot, I've taken medical classes, gotten my associates and know how to convert plus I double checked with my primary). So she then tells me "how were you doing that with those needles, they dont even have the right dosage printed on them, you would have to convert it and I highly doubt you could do that". THEN after telling her how I did it..she scolds me for doing so without asking them first...tells me that she "can't" talk to the doctor about this because I have no recent bloodwork. Told her I had it done by my primary and she said "well if your pcp did it then it's totally insignificant because he wouldn't know what test to run." I was SO upset at this point and told her my doctor is not an idiot and knows to run the methylomonic acid and NOT a ''normal'' b12. -_-
SO much more was said on her end..I was scolded for being upset...she questioned my pcp's intelligence as well as mine, I never did get my shot/needles so I'm on a sublingual that I FINALLY found. She also showed way too much concern about where I live in reference to different pharmacies... wanted to know WHY I couldn't drive to the other pharmacy and pick up the needles there (which is none of her business why I have or don't have gas money) ...
This rude RN had me in tears, never got my Rx and my primary didn't want to take it over just yet. Should I talk to my primary and see if he will take this over? I'm almost 16 months out ..I dont NEED to see my surgeon any longer. The only thing they handle is my b12 Rx... Furthermore..is there anything I can do about this rude "bleepity bleep" of an RN? I'm not after money but MY GOODNESS she has put me through some crap in the past year. Not sure what to do?
Back story:
I've been on b12 injections for about 3 months now, giving myself the injection once a week (dosage isn't relavent for this conversation :P ). I was on the injections because I was unable to FIND a sublingual b12 in my town. Well, I ran out of needles the week before Thanksgiving and called my surgeons office to get them to send over another Rx. The nurse (Sonja), said I would have to call the pharmacy and have them fax a refill request with any changes (because I wanted the SubQ ones NOT the IM). Anywhoo, the pharmacy I used for the IM needles is too far for me to drive every month gas-wise as my normal pharmacy doesn't keep them in stock. So the "too far away" pharmacy tells me I need to call my surgeons office back and have them WRITE another Rx for the right needles and fax it to my local pharmacy. Okay, I'm doing alright so far...call back my surgeons office and here's where I get frustrated.
The RN starts telling me there's no way I can give a b12 shot subcutaneously. It HAS to be done IM or it will not absorb. Bull. I had the right needles (diabetic ones) and was using those (I'm not an idiot, I've taken medical classes, gotten my associates and know how to convert plus I double checked with my primary). So she then tells me "how were you doing that with those needles, they dont even have the right dosage printed on them, you would have to convert it and I highly doubt you could do that". THEN after telling her how I did it..she scolds me for doing so without asking them first...tells me that she "can't" talk to the doctor about this because I have no recent bloodwork. Told her I had it done by my primary and she said "well if your pcp did it then it's totally insignificant because he wouldn't know what test to run." I was SO upset at this point and told her my doctor is not an idiot and knows to run the methylomonic acid and NOT a ''normal'' b12. -_-
SO much more was said on her end..I was scolded for being upset...she questioned my pcp's intelligence as well as mine, I never did get my shot/needles so I'm on a sublingual that I FINALLY found. She also showed way too much concern about where I live in reference to different pharmacies... wanted to know WHY I couldn't drive to the other pharmacy and pick up the needles there (which is none of her business why I have or don't have gas money) ...
This rude RN had me in tears, never got my Rx and my primary didn't want to take it over just yet. Should I talk to my primary and see if he will take this over? I'm almost 16 months out ..I dont NEED to see my surgeon any longer. The only thing they handle is my b12 Rx... Furthermore..is there anything I can do about this rude "bleepity bleep" of an RN? I'm not after money but MY GOODNESS she has put me through some crap in the past year. Not sure what to do?
RNY - August 13, 2010
LBL - October 29, 2012
a total of 271 lbs lost!!
I had to go straight to the office manager when I had troubles with a ridiculously ill-informed member of my surgeon's staff. Had she not been able to resolve the issue, I would have gone straight to my surgeon.
It's a sure bet that if she is treating you this way she is doing it to others. If nothing else, the office manager and surgeon will want to stop it before it drives patients away.
Even though you don't need to see your surgeon at this time, I would not completely abandon his office just in case you need him in the future. It can be very difficult to get another surgeon to assume your care if you ever need it.
It's a sure bet that if she is treating you this way she is doing it to others. If nothing else, the office manager and surgeon will want to stop it before it drives patients away.
Even though you don't need to see your surgeon at this time, I would not completely abandon his office just in case you need him in the future. It can be very difficult to get another surgeon to assume your care if you ever need it.
Your PCP can order your labs, as long as he will. My PCP orders mine every six months. And can also order your B12 injections - again, that's who orders mine.
I would let your surgeon know what happened, though. He is probably not aware of how rude and unhelpful his nurse is being to patients.
I would let your surgeon know what happened, though. He is probably not aware of how rude and unhelpful his nurse is being to patients.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I got mine @ CVS
HW-298 SW-251 Loss/Month post RNY(1)-23.5,(2)-23.3,(3)-9.9,(4)-10.6,(5)-8.9,(6)-7.7,(7)-4.2,(8)-7.5,(9)-1.7,(10)-10.8*first goal reached*,(11)-6,(12)-1.3,(13)-0.3,(14)+2.9-*changed scales that weigh 2lbs heavier*,(15)-0.3(16)-4.7(17),+5.8(18)-1.5,(19)+4.4,(20)-+4,(21)-1.2,(22)+3.5,(23)
It sounds like your nurse Sonja just likes being a hardass. Customer service and care are obviously not her thing. Good luck getting it all straightened out!
I'm glad you were able to find the sublingual B12. I take the Bariatric Advantage B12, but I have seen the sublingual at Walgreens, Longs (local CVS), Costco, Safeway and my little local Times market. I like the flavor of the BA version....I'm not sure I would be able to stand the flavor of these other versions.
There is a woman in my support group who just swallows her B12 and her labs have shown her B12 too high, so she now takes a lower dose, takes it less often.....something like that. There is someone else in my group who takes an even bigger dose daily. Everyone is different.
Good luck with your surgeon's staff. There has to be someone else there you can reach out to, someone with a little bit more skill in dealing with the patients.
Sara in Maui
I'm glad you were able to find the sublingual B12. I take the Bariatric Advantage B12, but I have seen the sublingual at Walgreens, Longs (local CVS), Costco, Safeway and my little local Times market. I like the flavor of the BA version....I'm not sure I would be able to stand the flavor of these other versions.
There is a woman in my support group who just swallows her B12 and her labs have shown her B12 too high, so she now takes a lower dose, takes it less often.....something like that. There is someone else in my group who takes an even bigger dose daily. Everyone is different.
Good luck with your surgeon's staff. There has to be someone else there you can reach out to, someone with a little bit more skill in dealing with the patients.
Sara in Maui
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