Are you afraid of your doctor?

I personally really liked my surgeon, I felt bad moving away and now that he's no longer a bariatrics doctor it makes me kinda sad. He was always truthful, straight to the point. He never sugar coated anything, if he didn't like something he would tell you. In my eyes he wasnt being mean, he was just making sure he said and did everything possible to see his patients succeed.

I didn't like my surgeon and actually argued with him twice. I was right both times. I did trust him tho. It worked out.

Now I am having issues with my pcp. He just seems to kinda phone it in, so to speak. I've had issues in the last month to six weeks of unexplained falling and blacked out twice, once with no memory of it at all. He only ordered a cbc. I'm on warfarin, i had black stools, a sign of bleeding somewhere. He didn't seem to care, just went over my medication list. I ended up in the e.r. with a week long hospital stay. still havent found the bleeding but it has stopped now. i have been scoped and poked and tested for everything. My iron was so low I got an infusion, same with potassium and got two units of blood while i was there. I've had a year with my pcp explaining that when I stand up i feel weak and often get dizziness. he said to sit up on the side of the bed for a few minutes before I get up. That was it. No testing, nothing.

Normally he's been a great pcp. If I had a question he'd look it up for me. If I felt I needed a test he's ask me why and listen to me. If I felt I was allergic to something then he's research and see what he could find out for me.

I have a blood clot in my leg from october. i've been on warfarin/coumadin the whole time. he keeps asking me how long should i be on it, when should i get off it, he used to run a coumadin clinic. Yet he's asking me?

Then to top it off when I was getting my inr done at his office the lab kept saying it was too low. he kept raising my dosage of warfarin. when i went to the e.r. it was 4.9. It should be around 2.4. No idea if his lab of choice is screwed up or what, but I feel like i'm swirling around the drain.

He is the only dr. in my town that takes my insurance. So i'm stuck with him. Makes me glad I do research and am a decent advocate for myself, most of the time anyway. Been dealing with a lot of depression lately so it's difficult to get motivated to do anything sometimes.

Wow, sorry i went off on this long rant about my dr. please forgive me. it did help to get some of this off my chest tho, so i'll leave it in.

I'm going to pull up my big girl panties and see him. I have an appointment in 45 minutes. Not looking forward to it but it needs to be done. Thanks for listening,

So it sounds like your PCP used to be great and now is not doing so well?  I wonder if something is going on with him.  Ideally his personal life shouldn't be affecting his ability to do his job, of course, but we all know what it's like trying to focus on work if we have something serious going on at home.  Of course, there is also the possibility of drugs or alcohol, or some sort of medical problem that's impairing his ability to do his job.

But since things were good with him in the past, I wonder if you could (very nicely) talk to him about it.  Just say something like you've always appreciated how he listened to you in the past and looked up info for you and everything, and that you've noticed lately he seems less invested in your care, or something like that.

You said he is the only dr. in your town who takes your insurance...well how far is it to the next town? He sounds really bad and it might be wrth a longer drive to see someone else. Can they do an ultrasond or other scan to check out if the clot is still in your leg? Maybe you could wean off thr coumadin if its not there anymore.

Next town isn't far but I have transportation issues. When I was in the hospital recently they did an ultrasound and found I still have the clot left. So three more months of warfarin/coumadin. It makes me nauseus but better than throwing a clot and dying.

I think i'll take Kelly's advice and talk to him next week. He's been my pcp for years and one of the few i've had in my life that actually listened to what I had to say and didn't talk to me like I was an idiot.

Thanks for the advice everyone, Sorry Kelly didn't mean to hijack your post. Thank you for your suggestion tho, it's good advice and i'll give it a shot.

Nope. Not afraid, intimidated or anything else. In fact, I am way harder on myself than my doctor is on me. He's very pleased with what I've accomplished, pleased that I've maintained such a huge loss for three years, pleased that I stay active in support group and the bariatric community.

I think his only criticism is with my vitamin compliance which is well deserved.

each time I hear the term afraid or fear, I immediately think of:
FEAR - false evidence appearing real

My doctor is a straight shooter and I dont think he is for everyone. He does not intimidate or scare me, but I can see others being intimidated. On my first visit I was told if I listen and do what he says...this will work. He said he doesnt do surgery on just anyone that walks in his office because this surgery is just a tool. He said if I am going to leave the ice cream out on the counter and let it get soft just to scarf it down...then I am wasting everyone's time. I think that was the first time I really realized how much work it would be to do this right. He doesnt beat around the bush, yet I feel like he has a great manner and he cares.

I was not anxious to go to my last appointment because I knew I wasnt eating enough calories, and he was going to hold me accountable. Which he did, quite quickly. He let me know that if I dont eat, I can die or shut down my organs. He cant help me live a great life like that. Speaking from someone who used to eat when no one was looking...being held accountable for my choices has been an adjustment. But a very positive one.

My RNY surgeon is a very strong personality... she often has very strong opinions on how things should be done (both in terms of patient care and in terms of how the office is run, apparently... she has had a lot of staff turnover lately) and I can see how some people would be intimidated by her.  I am not,  but I think a lot of people might be if there is any disagreement or questioning of her advice.

Lora

 Can't possibly be afraid of my doctor.....after all he is MY employee...I am the one paying him.  Learned this a long time ago.