My dr is an idiot

[Tracker II]

Ahh ... so it's NOT just me. I've had very few experiences with doctors/hospitals but the ones I've had have been total nightmares. Nine years ago, I went into the emergency room with severe chest pains after bringing in some firewood. After a full round of tests, the doctor diagnosed me as having a scratched esophagus and sent me home. That night, the chest pains were so bad that I was fighting to breath. This time I went to a different hospital and they diagnosed me as having a heart attack and put in two stents. Haven't had any trouble since and I'm so thankful that I didn't die the night the first hospital sent me home.

My fishing buddy went to the same nightmare emergency room a year later with one side of his face feeling numb as well as his arm. They diagnosed him with carpal tunnel syndrome and sent him home. A couple of days later, his conditioned worsened and his speech was slurred. He went to a different hospital only to find out that he had been having strokes. I say only to find out as he was pretty convinced that that's what he had been having all along.

What bothers me most is the condescending attitude so many doctors have despite their incompetence. The only thing many of them are competent at is bilking the medical system for big money.

 

[Mmc]

fetasigma - any chance you want to move your practice to northern michigan??? we need a good gp up here

 

[keyzygirl]

Well I myself know that there are some awesome Drs and some Buttheads out there,just like with any field.My Nuerologists is a bright,open minded,helpful soul that God must have sent from heaven to help me.Then we have the ..... ENT who thinks allergy pills cure everything from earaches to brain tumors,LOL!I guess it takes a few shots before you can find one that suits your needs and cares to listen.

fetasigma,you sound like one of the good ones.

 

[mmcall12]

I love mine he is the greatest, just have to make him live alittle longer,

 

[fetasigma]

i wish i could move my practice but i am in rural kentucky and they need me here. the best thing you can do is find a good family practice doc that does see his own patients in the hospital. having some one that knows your history when you come into the er is paramount and helps avoid a lot of problems. I still like doing my job, but some days when i have to deal with a flood of patient coming in who want narcotics...some that need them some that dont. i does start to wear you out after a while and a lot of doctors become very jaded.

 

[fetasigma]

and btw er physician used to not be a specialty, it was just the doctors that couldnt keep the doors open in a private practice

 

[keyzygirl]

I totally see the drug thing.I went to an emergency clinic once because my Dr was out of town and the doctor was so disheartened,he was over it.I really felt bad for him.You could tell he had heard it all and just didnt care.It wasnt his fault,they had just beaten him down with BS.Very sad.

 

[Joyce]

i wish i could move my practice but i am in rural kentucky and they need me here. the best thing you can do is find a good family practice doc that does see his own patients in the hospital. having some one that knows your history when you come into the er is paramount and helps avoid a lot of problems. I still like doing my job, but some days when i have to deal with a flood of patient coming in who want narcotics...some that need them some that dont. i does start to wear you out after a while and a lot of doctors become very jaded.

This would be the ideal in a perfect world, but as I'm sure you're painfully aware, it's not always possible in a medically underserved rural area. In my father's case, his PCP is a DO without hospital privileges who depends on another MD to do her hospital admissions and followups. He, in turn, pushes his rounds and actual patient care onto a nurse practitioner, who may be a wonderful person for office visits and routine care, but was clearly over her head in my father's case. My father fell through the cracks in a big way. It didn't help matters that his cardiologist was out of the country on Christmas vacation and also had a "covering physician" who knew nothing about my father's case.

Anyway, it's good to see a doc here with a positive attitude about vaping, and that still likes what they do! Welcome!

 

[fetasigma]

to me if you are a primary care physician who does not have hospital privleges you should close your doors. if you dont have hospital privleges what makes you any diffrent than a nurse practiotioner? you lose contact with your patients and connot serve them when they needs you most.

 

[fetasigma]

but i digress isnt this supposed to be about avping? lol

 

[Rosco]

I left behind at the Hines VA hospital in Chicago when I had to move, the best Endocrinologist I have ever met. He is on board as Chief Endo. at Loyola (his wife is also an Endo. there) and sees VA patients at least 2x week. That man gave me undivided attention(for 5 years) and I never felt rushed and could have whatever time I needed. He actually listened - and cared - and talked WITH each patient. I damn near cried when I had to leave him.
I know there are great MD's out there. But it's like losing your ring in the ocean, you know it's down there, but good luck finding it. That's about how I feel in regards to finding a decent Dr. I know they exist, just not in my world.

fetasigma, I'm glad you understand my posts and can discern that I realize there are decent M.D.'s around. Thank-you.

Now.....................back to men and vaping...

 

[Kanza]

I was going to stay out of this but as an MD (psychiatrist) I felt I had a little something to offer. Basically, it all comes down to what you know and research...sorry to say. MDs are inundated with TMI daily - absolutely flooded with often contradictory studies, articles, journals, etc., etc. Most of us do not have a strong enough foundation in statistics to see the flaws or misinformation in many drug company's data sets. We are almost at the mercy of the drug company's reps for really valuable information on how most drugs actually work and what are its interactions, side effects, etc. It can be as much a mess for us as for the patient!

I applaud Obama for trying to set up a nation-wide health care plan. There's no reason why a country who trains so many of the world's doctors should not extend coverage to its citizens. But, even then, it's every patients responsibility to know as much as possible about their conditions. That sounds harsh but better to be well-informed than at the mercy of someone who could possibly know even less than you.
ConsumerReport has a great issue out "What Doctors Wish Their Patients Knew" and I know they covered medical websites in an earlier edition. Some sites offer what seems to be impartial information all the while steering you to their products. I highly recommend going to the library to find the list they felt gave impartial results.

Oh, and I have the same problems as everyone else finding doctors that I felt comfortable with. One thing we can do, lobby for more medical schools to be accredited and have more work scholarships set up so we can have doctors in rural or inaccessible areas. Wait! That's two things and I haven't finished the list ;p Gads - I am "wordy!"

 

[Rosco]

Get on the couch Kanza.....let's talk

side note....I do side work for a female of your profession, so I'm well versed in this couch stuff.

 

[stretchpants]

I can't wait to see my Dr. and tell her.I tried gum,patches,chantix, wellbutin (almost killed me) I didn't quit because I love to smoke. Been at it since the womb and I really didn't want to quit.
What happened? My daughter was expecting a baby and under no circumstances could I smoke.If I wanted a cig it was outside and...wait for it...I had to wash my face and hands and change my blouse when I came back in.The hand and face washing was O.K. but I don't have that many blouses.I was going to have to do this for the 2 weeks that I was staying with her.
Then..one night I was watching Housewives of Beverly Hills ..yeah I know..anyway this woman hauls out a cig at the dining room table.After everyone gasped like she just had murdered someone. She explained what it was.I went to google search and came up with the Katherine Heigl moment on Letterman. Upon further research I caught an episode of the Dr.'s and they were saying it sounded like a good ides.
What could I lose? I found this forum and bought a smoke stik.The first puff I knew I wasn't ever going to smoke again.I quit the next day totally quit.I haven't smoked since Jan 16th.Don't even want to. I'm so happy with Vaping and the different flavors I could just cry.I now own 4 egos,2 krd,3 901's and my little smoke stik that started it all.My family is so happy.I know my Dr. will be too.She's terrific.I can't wait to school her.If she investigates it I know she will recommend it.We should all demo it for our Dr.'s.Even if they are wary. If you are excited they just might start recommending it as a replacement for smoking.We would at least have medical advocacy on our side.

 

[Rosco]

I'm sure happy and proud of you stretchpants. I can totally understand your elation. Felt it myself after 40+ years of the habit. I quit on vape day 2 and still can hardly believe it at times.

 

[fetasigma]

i am proud of all of you, but i am the same way. i was a 2 pack a day smoker and i quit on day 1. i was amazed and it all started with a volcano wich i hated but it worked. then moved to v4l and cartos, now with v4l cartos and a tekk mod...i recomed it in my practice but it will be a while and need studies before the rest of the medical community latches on to it.

 

[TheorignalET]

What is this "doctor" thing that you speak of? ;-)

 

[Joyce]

But, even then, it's every patients responsibility to know as much as possible about their conditions. That sounds harsh but better to be well-informed than at the mercy of someone who could possibly know even less than you.

Applause! And what a refreshing change from the old days, when doctors seemed to want their patients to remain ignorant.

 

[Kanza]

Never the good ones, Joyce, never the good ones! If any DR makes you feel that way - then leave and leave knowing you are just "that" much smarter for realizing the MD's limitations! Where in WV? My brother is up by MD.

 

[DuncanDisordely]

if you know more than your gp, walk away fast.

I liked the post above (sorry missed the name on this damn phone) from the MD Psychiatrist, especially the bit about filtering through slant etc - but why can't we trust our gps to filter this information? if i myself can cut through reports and statistics and see the whole truth and the slanted facts then why cant someone who has years of medical school on me?

I'd swear if I didnt respect this forum so much, it really gets my goat these idiots sit in their fat chairs with their fat faces behind their fat desks talking fat poo at you while missing the point of what you came in for and making their own fat conclusions then sending you off with a fat script for fat big pharma fat!

Feel free to replace fat with whatever you wish.

Love to all! Happy vaping!

Duncan