Friday, April 11, 2008

I HATE Doctors

Not all of them, but lately a good majority of them. Not only do they drive me absolutely buggy at work but being a patient sucks!!
I have been procrastinating my yearly physical for a while and getting new scripts for my meds, specifically my pr0zac. This is because I hate going through the ordeal of finding a new doctor. So yesterday I finally broke down because I'm almost out of happy pills and started calling around. I had first stated that I would prefer to see a female but then after they transferred me to another phone I didn't repeat that. So I get an appointment for this morning at 8:40. They ask me to be there at 7:30 to fill out new patient paperwork. They acted like 8am would be really pushing it and much too late. I actually arrived a bit early as I had left early not being sure what traffic would be at that time of the morning. I was there at 7:15. Of course there are no clocks in the waiting rooms or exam rooms because they don't want you to realize how long you've been there. They finally take me back to an exam room at 9am. They check my BP which is fantastic at 110/70. I wait close to 15 minutes for the doctor to come in. In comes in a 65-70 some year old man and asks what I'm there for. I state that I need refills on my medication. Specifically pr0zac. He says well were not going to do that now. I'm going to do a physical first in a way that was both condescending and grating. I should have gotten up and walked out of the room right then and there. So he goes through my history lingering over the fact that I don't know my family medical history since I'm adopted. Then the first thing he asks me is what sort of weight loss programs have I tried before and how did they work. Ok so that's always a huge flag for me if all the doctor can focus on is my weight. Then he asks how long I've been taking Pr0zac and how long I've been taking my BP med. He points out that the BP med can cause depression. I point out that I have been dealing with depression since I was 14 and the depression predates the BP med by a bit. He states again though that this med can cause depression and wonders why I'm on this med. I tell him it's because that is the med the fertility specialist I was seeing in Fresn0 wanted me because it's approved for pregnancy. Oh, are you pregnant now? No if you would look at my chart you would notice that I had a m/c in February. Then he goes on to ask if I've ever been tested for diabetes. Because we all know that us fat folks are usually diabetic. I explain that my doctor at home always runs fasting labs that are fine and I've even tested my blood sugar after eating and it's not in a pre-diabetic range. So he asks me to undress and steps out. Is gone for close to another 10 minutes. Comes back and the first thing he asks as he is examining me is "have you ever considered bariatric surgery" Yes and I've decided that I'm not willing to do it. So he doesn't say much else to me through the exam. I mention my neck has been bothering me lately but of course he does nothing about that. Then he tells me to dress and meet him in his office. Once there he says that he is ordering some labs and once he sees the results then he will give me a new script for Pr0zac. I point out that I'm out of my pr0zac. He asks why I waited so long to make an appointment. I state that it's because I dislike having to find a new doctor. He tells me that was poor planning on my part and at this point I shut up because I'm about to tell him he's a fucking asshole. What difference does it make. It's pr0zac for gods sake, it's not like I'm asking for narcotics or something like that. He tells me to do the labs in the next week (one of which is a A1c which tests blood sugar ranges for diabetics because again I must be lying about being diabetic) and he wants to see me again in 3 months. I have to wait again for another 5 minutes in the waiting room until I have been released to go make an appointment. I specifically tell the girl I will come back in 3 months but not to see the same doctor and I would please like to see someone female. I hope she tells him. Hell I want to tell him. I'm so pissed it's not even funny. I'm tempted to toss the lab slip and wait until May and go home and see my own doctor who doesn't treat my like I'm a second class citizen because I'm fat.

12 comments:

sara said...

What a jerk! Doctors like that should find a new job and not be doctors. They are there to treat patients with respect and to address their concerns. I can't believe he asked you about bariatric surgery, how insensitive! I am fuming right now so I can't even imagine how mad you must be. I'm so sorry you had to deal with this man who shouldn't call himself a doctor. And I hope you're able to get refills on the stuff you need soon.

Hugs

Pepper said...

Ugh. Seeing Dr. Old Asshole was not a fun way to top off the week! I hope he gave you the med script in the end. If not, maybe you can just call your regular doc for a refill? Sometimes they'll do that - give you an extra month, but swear it won't happen again until you have an office visit.

I hate finding new docs, too, which is why I stick with the good ones when I finally find them.

Sorry Dr. Old Asshole was an old asshole. :-)

Cheryl said...

I am sorry that you were treated that way. There are so many ASSHOLE doctors out there.

MrsSpock said...

There's something about old fart docs that keeps them completely out of the loop when it comes to depression. And being anti-fat. People wonder why I drive 45-50 minutes to another city to see my fam prac doc I've had since I was 18. Because I'm not about to subject myself to a random asshole. I hope there's someone better in that practice...

bleu said...

Don't you have to go back home to get your dog? I HATE HATE HATE that you had to deal with that. I am so sorry.

jp said...

How awful!!
I am so sorry you had to go through all that (and still no drugs!!!).
Will your doctor at least call you in a prescription to tide you over?

C said...

Michell, He is an ASS! What a JERK is right. I am impressed by your restraint....I would have said a few words (loudly) and walked out. He sounds TERRIBLE....don't go back to that SOB. Sorry for the language but this guy VIOLATED your rights and made you feel like less of a person simply due to weight! Seems to be Mr. Dr Man has a PROBLEM and can only see weight. He shouldn't even be a Dr. with that CRAPPY attitude problem!!!!
Sorry to make this so wordy but this Post ticked me off. I am so sorry, M. Just remember....HE is the Ass. GROWL!!!!! Hugs sweetie!

Navigating The Rapids said...

I hope you get to see another doctor, there's nothing worse than when they ignore everything and make it all about your weight.

Meghan said...

I hate doctors who don't actually listen, who know what they are going to say to any given patient as soon as they walk in the room.

Sorry you had such a crappy appointment and it took up your whole morning. Have you considered writing a letter to the practice?

SJayneI said...

Good Lord; what a butthead!

Jess said...

I can't stand doctors who think they are god-like. Who does this man think he is? He has no right to treat you this way just because he wears a white coat. Ugh, so sorry you had to go through this. He's a jack.

Smoochie said...

I am a random lurker who reads your blog from a friend of a friend. Anyways, I too am an RN, overweight, TTC, and on Topax & Zoloft. For the love of God why do those a*holes who feel they are above us, better than us, or thinner than us, need to judge us? Because they can write a damn rx does that give them the right to be a God? I hate more than anything trying to refill my scripts from doctors other than my regulars. I totally feel your pain. I am so sorry about your pain and ambarassment, just know you're not alone.