[Sue_Conard]

#1068365

I feel that way EVERY TIME I go to see my Endo dr. He "argues" with me about having my thyroid REMOVED…that’s a BIG DECISION for me and he needs to understand, but somehow I feel like a punished kid when I leave there too….you’re right, WHO’S THE CUSTOMER here??
Please let us know your numbers tomorrow night…hang in there!!

[Marpo]

#1068366

I felt like I was a little kid asking can I do something. When I got a new doctor I decided to go in with confidence. I told myself that I was paying these people and they needed my business and a good review from me. If I was to go have my hair done and wanted blond and they made it brown would I just take it…..NO, NO and NO. If I am not satisfied with the service I will tell them so. We or our insurance pay good money for what ever service the nurse, doctor or lab give us. I found out that I get more respect from them when I respect myself and demand to be treated as a good customer. We are a good customer as we seem to live at their office.

Most of these people will give you more respect when you tell them you expect it. Like any other business that gives you bad service ….you have to let them know You are not happy with their service.

Saying all that ….Why is it that no matter how old we are, going to the doctor or a school makes us feel like a naughty kid……

[lakeview]

#1068367

Oh wow,,, is this familiar…. often this happens with me… I feel like a little kid at the doctor’s office. But I am starting to put my foot down… Also I bring a friend or my spouse as often as I can – I feel the drs. treat me better (especially the men) when someone else is in the room. I feel quite proud of myself since the last time I was in I told my eye dr. that he could expect me to ask lots of questions because that is MY field of expertise- asking questions- then when he said I will see you in 3 months, I said firmly no – you will see me in a month… finally taken aback he said okay 6 weeks – I guess I will have 66 patients to see then instead of 65! And I said great.

I feel that being an woman and an older woman and one with TED – an eyeball looking at the floor- I am being marginalized……. and this disease is bad enough without that happening too!!
Could be worse, 100 years ago, they would have just put us Graves disease sufferers in the insane asylum… this is where we ended up going back then.
Do you believe it!
Have a great day!
Lakeview

[mamabear]

#1068368

Hello to all who posted! I am sorry you have felt that way about your GP or your Endo at one time or another. I personally will not ever stay at a practice that ever speaks to me or indicates that they are inconvenienced by "DOING THEIR JOB!" I hate to say this in this manner especially because I wanted to be a nurse when I was young and don’t want to step on anyones toes at all who is in the medical field. But it’s always the bad ones or lazy ones that make the good ones look bad. It is their job to draw blood, write up paperwork and send your blood in tubes out to a lab. There is no way in hell that I would ever except hearing from anyone (nurse or dr. or even a receptionist)… "who keeps ordering these?" I would simply say "it is I who is doing it on the request of my Endo, is there a problem? I can pay my bill if you are wondering, so please don’t be so rude as to say something like that again" ……….. yes I can be hmmmm what’s the word? ahhh yes it’s "forward!"

Do not feel like you are putting someone out or inconveniencing them because you are there. If you weren’t sick you wouldn’t be there, if you felt fine you wouldn’t be there and to be honest if everyone felt ok they wouldn’t have a job. People in the medical proffetion should love their job, it is not an easy job at all and it takes guts, determination and compassion to do it. Being a dr., receptionist, nurse, lab tech any of those and more are all doing a job that they should love and if they don’t then should stop because it makes people like us suffer.

I have surrounded myself with good people as dr’s. Sometimes I don’t agree but I am always leaving there knowing I trust them and what they said is good. The ones I find not to be good i don’t go to anymore. I am lucky to have two GP’s that work together and have known them almost 9 years.

Sometimes we feel like little kids… smile and realize that we aren’t and then rethink about your feelings with staying with this dr’s office. If you are uncomforatable going in there tell your dr. and tell him why.

[smnm96]

#1068369

Hi,
I can empathize completely!! I am a physician and my daughter was diagnosed with Graves in Oct at 8 years old. She is on Tapazole so twice she has gotten fevers and I made it a point to check her wbc’s (which were low and neede to be followed closely)! I also noticed that her thyroid was getting larger and she had several firm lymph nodes in her posterior cervical area of her neck. As a physician, I know all the possibilities. Her endo (who is a first year fellow) told me if her thyroid kept getting larger to have an u/s. I did and they found 2 tiny nodules and bilaterally enlarged lymph nodes. At this point I ordered lab work at my lab to r/o bad things that enlarged lymph nodes can be associated with. Well, her phosphporous, ldh, esr and cbc were all abnormal. I waited 6 weeks and did follow up labs to see if these abnormalities resolved. Most did but her blood sugar was 57! This was after she just ate a bagel with cream cheese,fruit cup and big jug of chocolate milk. I called the endo fellow several times and took her 3 days to get back to me. She said she was concerned about the possibility of type I dm. She made a visit with me in 4 weeks. Being a physician I ordered several autoimmine panels to rule out type I DM. Well, when my husband and I got to the appointment I brought all the lab work. She left the room and got the attending MD, who then proceeded to lecture me about why all this lab work was being done! Mind you I am a physician who had an 8 y.o with many abnormal labs! They took me by surprise and I did not know how to respond. She is supposed to have f/u in oct. This is the best hospital in the area for Graves. Now my daughter is emotionally out of control, but I am afraid to do any more labs!!! I do not feel comfortable going back!
Nicole

[ewmb]

#1018996

Made a decision to go to the GP this morning to get labs done as I think something has changed. It’s only been three weeks since the last time and although they are very friendly there and I wouldn’t change offices I felt very defensive having to explain. "Who keeps ordering all these labs?" said the nurse. I said that my endo should have sent a report to the GP. It was there on the computer. I said it was up to me to come when I thought something had changed as there is no real way to know if the RAI has done something than to see by labs if it has done something. I felt suddenly very awkward and then thought Hey this is my body and I shouldn’t feel so timid about asking for the labs. That said I don’t want to wear out my welcome so I will call the endo if things still aren’t moving at all on my numbers.

I feel so irritated. I did say that I was getting the bills so I knew they were processing the insurance claims. Why does it feel like you aren’t the customer at the doctor sometimes but the small school child who is in trouble!

Just had to get that off my chest. Hope that my levels will have moved some. It’s been four months since the RAI. I’ll post tomorrow night after I pick up the numbers.

ewmb

[julies]

#1068370

OH MY GOD

I cannot believe the treatment all of you have had; I went through some of this myself, with my first endo. I am also a little upset with my primary care, because I had symptoms of GD for over three years. Loss of hair not being able to sleep, dry skin, anxiety. I was received treatment for each of these issues, but not until I went in for a sick call for a bloody nose did another doctor notice the lump in my throat. I was pretty upset. The first endo I had was nice enough, but never in the office. I had all kinds of problems with the two thyroid medications, low white count, and rash/hives. I was a mess. When I called their office, the endo on call, was rude, she wanted me to have the surgery. I just said No, I just found out I had this disease in May. It is only July. Give me some time to work through this. The endo on call said, well when you decide to have the surgery call our office there is nothing more we can do. I almost lost it at that point. I called my primary, and went to a new endo; she is a little further away, but worth every mile. She explained the disease to me, and helped me process my sadness and anger. I keep thinking that if only they would have done a test a few years ago, I would somehow be not as sick. WHY DIDN’T MY DOCTOR TEST ME! I am an advocate for the homeless, so I should know better that maybe I should asked more questions. I am the consumer. I pay for their services. I have learned my lesson. I am more vocal now than every. I ask a million questions, as you all know, I post many on this site.
You know these doctors act that they know everything, but we all know our body’s so if anyone is unsure, please do not be afraid to ask why, and demand respect. If you don’t get it, go somewhere else.

Take care,.

Julie

[Marpo]

#1068371

There are many good doctors, nurses and lab people out there. It just seems like we find the ones that do not want to listen, do not think we will understand, do not want to explain, do not seem to spend enough time talking to us or just think we are complainers. I truly believe that many of the ones that have treated us badly may treat us better if we speak out. There will always be the ones that will not get it. I can just see some of you nodding yes. There needs to be a wake up call for all of us. Patients and those in the medical field. We as patients don’t question as much as we should and some of us don’t speak up when we are not comfortable or satisfied with the service we get. Maybe we are conditioned that way.

On the other hand maybe the people in the medical field are just use to doing their job a certain way and do not expect to be questioned about it. Maybe they believe they are doing us a favor and helping us. But, as we all know it is not a favor and we pay to be helped. It is their job to do a good job and our job to make sure we have the best care. Simple as that. I use to blame the doctor, but I have grown up some (if not up then out at least). We are adults and responsible for getting the best care we can. There are many reasons to find a new doctor. The doctor may be great but you and he just do not get along. Then move on. What ever the reason. You will not get better if there is conflict between you and the medical people.

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