:'(I got home tonight from work and got bad news. My 1st. rheumy appt. that was scheduled for the 29th of this month has been canceled and rescheduled for Aug. 20th with a new dr. that I have never even heard of. This new dr isn't even with their group. I don't know what to think. My hubby tried calling, but it was already after hours. I even tried calling the Mayo clinic for an appointment (it's 6 hrs away vs the 2 hrs away that the other appt is at.) Wow...this was a blow that I didn't need. I feel like I've been hanging on because I knew I had this appt. soon and hopfully more answers. I've been a pretty good flare for awhile now and I thought- ok this will be ok because they will see what I'm dealing with.
I wonder if I can get a list of the blood work that the rheumy would do and have my PCP take care of it for me? At least maybe some of that would be done and I could have some things sorted. Dang nab it.
So heres to another month of waiting.
Leslie
Oh Leslie,
I can certainly understand your frustration with this.....I would still call and ask why they not only changed your appt. but also your doctor....do you think they could have made a mistake? I think it definitely deserves some follow up.
Let us know if you get some more information on the reasoning behind this....I'm sorry that you got this upsetting news.....when you wait so long for an appt. and then get told to wait another month....it is very frustrating to say the least!
Hugs to you....
leslie, I am of the opinion that you need to keep the appointment with the new doc. Sometimes things happen that lead us to another option that might work out better than we think.
From experience I can tell you that I have had some appt with docs who I was told were really good and when I got in there I would find myself thinking "just what in the heck were they good at". Seems that everyone has their own opinion as to what is good.
I can also tell you that driving 6 hours does not promise you an appointment with a doctor that will solve your problems. I had a doc tell me one time that most of the docs are trained at the same med schools and hospitals across the USA/world so the chances of getting a good doctor is pretty much spread out over the country. Some small towns have some awesomely good family doctors or specialists that large institutions would love to recruit. However, not every good/talented/genious of a doctor wants to live/practice in a metropolitan area. Some like to wear cowboy boots with their slacks!!
I lived in a town years ago (at a time when all the docs I was exposed to wore suits and ties) that really took me aback. When I went to the doctor the first time all the docs were wearing tennis shoes, cowboy boots, high top climbing boots and wore flannel checked vests, etc. with the casual cotton polyester slacks and occasional blue jean.I soon found out they drove 4-wheel drive jeeps too. This was not in a country area.But they had some really great doctors.
This is my humble opinion. It might be that you will get more relief from this new doc at the changed appointment even though it makes you feel out of control. The bottom line is that it really is a crapshoot and we have to just hope and pray for the best. If we keep on keeping on we get the help we are needing. Good luck Irish ;D
Thank you so much for your words and your wisdom. After sleeping on it, I know I need to keep the new appointment. I had the 1st appointment scheduled since Feb (took that long just to get in) So to get it push off another month, that was just upsetting on top of not feeling good. I did call about this new dr that I will be seeing. He is new out of college and just finished his residency. I will look at this with a positive light- they now know more so he hopefully has more insight to autoimmune issues and seronegative ones at that. They did tell me if I have my PCP call and talk to the original rheumy I was scheduled with, that they could discuss what blood work/ labs I would be undergoing and I could get that done now and not have to wait for my Aug. appointment to start the entire process. My husband was ready to chew a** this morning about the reschedule. I understand that people (even drs) need a day off. I never did get an explanation as to why I was schedule with a new dr. I have a feeling its because I'm new and the other dr already has a large patient load. The receptionist sounded a bit shaky this morning when I called- I have a feeling others that were rescheduled were not as nice.? :-\ Do unto others...... Very important.
Irish- I had to laugh at your comment about the cowboy boots and slacks- My boys' dr dresses that way! We're in South Dakota so we see anything from drs in suits (in the larger areas) to a polo shirt and jeans (in the farming/ ranching areas- where we live)
So thanks again. I'll keep you posted.
Leslie
I'm so sorry to hear about the reschedule - those sort of things seem to happen way too often. I've had a number of those and I live in an urban area, and still had no luck! Have you tried the teaching/university hospitals? Could your PCP put a call in for a bit of an urgent appointment with the rheumatology practice you're working with? Sometimes a doc can push the schedule more than us "mere" patients :).
Good luck!
Ami
It's so frustrating isn't it, Ami? My PCP tried to get the 1st appt. moved up but couldn't get any better than what I already had. As far as teaching hospitals- I won't go to the rheumatologist in the one. The hospital I am going to teaches as well. Otherwise it's driving a fair distance. I didn't hear back from my PCP yet, but I know he will help me with the labs and blood work. He will try to get me in sooner too. Luckily I have at least 1 good internist and my opthamologist is wonderful. I'm so thankful for this site as well. It has been way helpful with all of you guys.
Thanks again,
Leslie
The doctors are really not lining up to be mean to us. When they have to schedule appointments 4 and 6 months out they will find out later that they have an educational meeting that is required or something else comes up. Sometimes I have had docs have to leave because of parents being ill or a death in the family. They have to push on through all these emotional family issues and then have a happy face when they open the door to take care of our problems.
It really can be hard on both patient and doctor. Many of you are too young to remember years ago when there might have only been 1 or 2 doctors in a small town and they were on call 24/7 and 365 days a year. Sometimes they were lucky enough to find a doc who would come in and cover for them for a week so they could take a vacation. God help the doctor if his OB's went into labor while he was gone cause all the women wanted "their " doctor.
I worked OB nights back in the 60's and I think a lot of those docs went to their graves early from all the stress and lack of sleep. They also had some wives with substance abuse because they had trouble coping with being the only parent much of their lives cause hubby was out working. Lots of divorces also.
Even in this century the docs have to pay a big price to get where they want to go. Some of them are 40 before they have all their specialty training done. That means they have about 25 years to pay off the student loans and save for retirement. Don't get me wrong, they are not perfect, but I find myself forgetting that doctors are human(some of themlol) and will think only of what I want. Life is tough!!! :o :oIrish ;D
That's a shame, Leslie. IS there a shortage of rheumatologists? I could not beleive I had to wait 7 weeks to see one. If mine postpones my first appt. I thik I will go nuts! I called several in my area, trying to get an appointment sooner, but it was a no go. Seriously, I wonder if there is a shortage. Hmmm.
When I called the Mayo Clinic Hospital (largest in the states) I was told that its an area of high demand. Crazy huh? Why now? We are rural and we do have to travel, but it does seem extreme to have to wait as long as I have. I'm hoping to hear back from my PCP today as to when I can do the labs/ blood work. I'm just so ready to find "THE " specialist that I need to say ok this is what it is and this is how we will beat it. I don't like feeling that I have become detached and not able to participate in my life and my boys' lives. I try hard too and I really pay for it when I over do it. I don't want my kids remembering their childhood as their mommy being sick. :'( I put on a brave face as long as I can and it's at home where I break down. I know you all understand that.
Phew this is a rough ride. In this was the rodeo world we definitely have been on for the full 8 seconds and trampled by the bull. Or maybe I got stuck as being the clown in the barrel?!?!
Hugs to you all,
Leslie
These autoimmune issues are really a bugger to diagnose. However, it would be a lot easier on us if the docs would listen to what we say. The big problem is that so many of the things we complain about sound like the common everyday ailments only we have so many of them that the docs think that we obsess about our health. Yeah, we obscess, we don't feel good!!!
I hope that you are able to find a rheumy that will take care of you. To tell you the truth, I was finally diagnosed in 2003 with the sjogrens by a rheumy but she missed all the other stuff I had wrong with me. Told me that I took up too much of her time with all my complaints. I did not bother her anymore. ::)
I finally got referred to an immunologist who deals with autoimmune and immune problems and he really knows his stuff. Have you got any immunologists out there??? There is a shortage of them also. Some of these docs spend so much time in school. They go through the regular stuff and then have to do their internal medicine specialty before they can do the rheumy or immunology, etc.
Hang in there cause your kids will make it through this whole ordeal. They are stronger than we ever give the credit for. My kids are grown and the stuff I worried about they tell me was not one of their top prioritys or concerns. I did all that darn guilt and worry for nothing!! Keep us posted. Irish ;D