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Joselita · 06-05-2007, 09:54 AM

Michael,
I am so sorry to read all that you have been, and continue to go through. I wish that docs would put greater importance on the oath that they take to become doctors; "First, do no harm", because I think that some of them forget it. Either that, or they just disregard it when they see $$ or something.

Now..on to your question about any docs there in Phoenix that you might be able to try to see while you are there. I know that there are a couple of folks on the board that are from Phoenix, and I hope that they will check in soon to see your question. I also know that if you can do a search on here, there has been posts about an RSD Support Group in Phoenix that does some amazing stuff. Maybe you can get in touch with them, and see if they can help or have any suggestions for you? (From what I understand, it is a pretty large group....maybe there would be some sort of listing in the yellow pages or something? If I can, I will try to go and look up the past posts about that group. My computer is acting flukey these days though, and isn't letting me click on some links......don't have a clue as to why, or what makes some links work and others not. Maybe Jo will see this, and do one of her wonderful searches for you too? Crossing fingers that someone will pop on that is of more help then I am being at the moment. LOL)

I do have some suggestions for you, as to whenever you go to docs. This "losing" of your medical records is inexcusable. If you have ANY proof of that you went and saw the doc that day.....(insurance stuff, the appointment card....a receipt or cancelled check from when you paid your co pay there in the office....a prescription or any other thing that shows you were there, and that there SHOULD be records for that day) you might dig it up and keep a hold of them, to show the judge as proof you were there. It won't help to show what the doc told you during the visit, but it will help to show that something "fishy" is going on, and that there SHOULD be medical records for that day.

Also...from now on (or at least for a while, until you finally find a PM doc that you can trust and is good), you might consider taping your visits. You can get a small tape recorder, similar to the ones that the doc's themselves use for their "notes" for the transcriber to type out. There are even voice activated ones, that will turn on and record when there is a voice talking. I had one (it is old...and isn't working now) that had a little microphone that you could clip outside of your pocket (or in my case, my purse), to help it pick up the conversation better. If there is some question about the laws for recording a conversation in your state (in mine, only one party has to be aware that the conversation is being taped for it to be legal...or at least that is how it was back when I was using my tape recorder. Good for me, since I was a "party" in the conversations, huh? LOL) then just look it up. It isn't hard to find. And, you can always just let the doc know that you are taping the visit.....it is helpful to do for other reasons, like helping you to remember what he said, and the names of whatever meds or illnesses he might mention, so that you can have it on hand to find info out about....and for any directions that he might give you during the visit (like how many times a week he wants you to do PT, or to take a med....or whatever else). If the doc won't let you have someone back there with you to help you remember these things, or if you just don't have anyone....then a tape recording of the visit is not an unreasonable request.

Then, there is always the option of taking notes....but with upper body RSD, that is another reason that a tape recorder would be a good idea, and not an unreasonable request.

There were other things that I started doing, like requesting copies of medical records shortly after my visit (which might not work well...some docs don't like this...but I needed mine for my SSD case, as the SSD folks are notorious for running behind in their info) when I had to deal with some butt head docs. Some of those (like the one I mentioned just now) might not be very good ideas now....and may not have been even back then (I have had RSD for about 10 years now). But, if I think of anything else...I will mention it.

I hope that things start to go better for you, and that someone can help you with finding a better doc. I am sorry that you are having to go through all of this, but am glad that you decided to post here with us.

Take Care,
Jose