urgh! venting...(pre-determination)
 

Do you ever feel like you have to wait for others to fit you in to their schedule and that your life is put on hold until they feel like they are ready to work on your case? I am getting so frustrated and I am so tired of waiting!

I had my SCS put in 9/09 but the leads moved a few weeks afterwards and have been waiting for a revision ever since. I gave the new insurance information (policy #, etc. ) to the gal at the drs. office in Dec 09 also and she still has done nothing with it!

I call frequently to check the status...nothing. I check with the insurance company as I have to do something as well so that I don't get penalized and yep, you guessed it, nothing. They have no record of a pre-determination being sent in from the drs office yet.

I call the drs office and leave messages & don't even get a call back. I guess if the drs office would at least return my calls with an excuse of some sort I could understand, but I hear nothing from them.

In the meantime, the RSD has spread, no surprise there, I have had to take more pain meds, and over all I am miserable. I consider myself lucky as my insurance company is pretty decent to work with & it is not workers comp. The hold up just seems to be the gal that can't seem to get down to my chart. urgh!!!!!

**Please don't think that I want her to place me before other patients, that is so not what I mean either**

Same thing happened to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

ams...I ma so sorry to have read your note... as we can see some Dr...... oh boy.. I'll tell ya.. and their help is not much better!!!
Can I relate..why sure!! Once I had my trial SCS unit the nuro surgeon put me on hold from April until .... I left him sopme time after...September..why ?? Cuz # 1... No unit for me so delay delay.. delay!! Thats all I heard ..then.. #2. My PM DR. read my MRI results that the Neuro surgeon requested to be done and were done 4 mos. earlier... I have a herinated disc in my back..nope .. I didn't know that either..why ??? cuz he did not read my scan!!! AND #3....He tryed putting the blame for the disc..twisitng his story and saying...RSD does not spread!!! Wheres my jacket..I am outta here... In the mean time all of this time spent needlessly.. he cost me the chance to ever walk again..... I called my PM and had another referral to another Neurosurgeon...my unit was in my body in less than 2 weeks later..... Can you tell it still gets me fired up 1 + yrs. later....???

I am so sorry again that you too are having bad treatment... Lean on them like there is no tomorrow!!!!:hug:

Sorry to hear about that. I would call the office and insist on speaking with the Dr. and if he is busy i would tell them you need for him to call you back and leave your #. If they ask if they can help- say no i need to speak to him. Dont ask- tell them. When the Dr. returns your call I would let him know your situation. Let him know your ins. co is willing to help but his office is not following thru. Make him aware of his incompitent staff. I know how frustrating it is when you feel helpless. It's like they just don't care. Hold them accountable. I've gotten to the point that i always ask to speak to whoever is in charge. Hope things turn around for you. I hope your pain gets under control. Keep warm. momof4

Ams
We see this everywhere we go now days. Im sorry to hear about grief. I agree with RNcrps2. I;d either want to speak with the Dr on the phone [which doesnt happen often ] or , if you are physically able to ,,go directly to his office and wait in line to see him with out an appointment,,,That option has worked for me,,good luck,,,bobber

Hi, I am a mom of a 16 year old with RSD, and I am a BEAR when it comes to ignorance within a doctors office. No that girl has no idea how much you're hurting right now. If this ever happens and it has, I usually wait until after hours and I call the after hours to have the doctor call me back. I usually say it is an emergency. You have waited toooooooo long for this. Have what you want to say written down and GO FOR IT! If you have someone that can talk for you like a better half, even better. I am so sorry that this is happening to you, and it shouldn't be. Sorry, again what I said earlier, I hate ignorance in doctors offices!
:hug:Sandy

If your doctor does not return your phone calls after a SCS procedure and he knows you need revising then you should change doctors immediately.

I don't have an SCS but had a similar situation and once I did change doctors what a difference. You get a phone call back always the day you call and they are so professional what a difference. It is such a difference I am truly thinking of reporting the previous doctor to the AMA so others don't have to suffer.


Good Luck,
Gabbycakes

I have left amazing doctors before because of the office managers, schedulers or nurses. I would go through the doc - make an appt if you have to and tell him how you feel and what is going on. If he can't or won't get her on the ball then you need to run not walk to another doc! It is so sad that some people just don't care to try to understand what chronic pain is and how it affects people.

It actually maddens me when I hear and see examples of others who don't care about us or our disease... better yet what really kills me are those who are "players" and pretend to care about us, chronic pain ..RSD people we open ourselves right up for others to jump on and become part of our lonely, sad world..but they who think they want to in our picture really only show when they want to..when it is conventient for them..when all along.. we get zero break and our needs don't change!! No guess work here... we need constant support and lots of love..so not our fault!! Although we suffer insurmountable amounts of pain, daily..our perseption has not changed and we know when we are getting kicked to the curb.... heart wrenching living daily as we do then to suffer the heartbreak of knowing we have lost the support we thought we had!!

take care, KS

Well said, KS
 

I am also waiting to see my DR, as my SCS that I had implanted in the summer 2009, has migrated. 2 month wait. I think the doctors, for the most part, are only interested in the paycheck that comes with putting the device in. After that, they are not interested.

Best of luck Vanna

I have read that about the SCS so many times - the docs are in it for the up front fees, and then you are on your own. Its always about the $$. Too many patients have suffered subsequent to the install for me to EVER consider having one of these things implanted (I've been told I'm not a candidate anyway...).

Sandy