What should i do to find a new internist....


I interviewed MANY new internist by phone because i need a new one to manage my overall health problems. so as i called around, i wanted one that was at least familiar with RSD. So finally i get one on the phone who says he is familiar with it, he is a cardiologist and an internist and he is in practice with his wife who is an internist. Thank God i dont have any heart issues..but i thought this would be a good mix of knowledgeable people. So I have abdominal RSD caused by gallbladder surgery i had 6 years ago. My abdomen is terribly swollen..85lbs of it. so when i see the doctor last week i told him what my pain doctor said...that i should be put in the hospital to see if they can put me on IV diuretics to try to get me some relief.

He says NO. that he didnt think that would help me and that insurance wont pay for it. Besides having all this swelling around the center of me ...i am very overweight. he goes into talking about gastric bypas ect ect...i said not only does my insurance not cover it...but i cant have surgery ever again...it will kill me! I died after the last surgery and they brought me back...im not chancing that ever again.

Then i told him i was fat healthy and happy before i had the gallbladder surgery. no swelling no anything! the RSD has caused all these health problems i have now. well that went over like a lead balloon! he spent alot of time with me...maybe almost an hour...he goes on to tell me he has other patients that have been his clients for 20 years that are in the waiting room waiting for him...so that was that. then i asked him about 2 meds im on and how will he manage them...he said he wont..go see a rheumatologist, where they first started me on them.

the prednisone and imuran had controlled my swelling early on...but now i think they are doing more harm than good. so i am going to slowly wean myself off. i am on 30mgrs of prednisone a day and the imuran i started at 300mgrs a day now im on 150 so i will lower that over the next few weeks.

you all have way better advice and care more about me than the doctors so i look forward to your help!
thank you all
Lori