Rrae and Mark56 and pooh_ac and kzlrogue! Thank you so much for your caring thoughts and replies! I really appreciate the prayers as well. So, I called the pain doctor to get my appointment and I found out that I cannot have an appt until my stim doctor (the current pain dr) has sent a referral over! And of course no one had done that even though it was supposed to happen a couple months ago so I was quite upset but I did do something productive. I called her office myself and told them that I needed this referral ASAP because I am so bad and cannot walk and school has started but I am in so much I cannot sit still at the computer! She said that she would fax it over today or first thing tomorrow! So, I have learned that I cannot rely on doctors and offices to send over my paperwork I have to check in very often (even if I feel like a bother) in order to make sure my health gets taken care of! This is very important and it also makes me feel more in control even though everything going wrong in my body makes me feel so out of control! I am also going to finally see that female doctor in a few days and get that situation taken care of too. I am tired of feeling helpless and at the mercy of everyone in charge of my healthcare and treatment! At least I am a step closer to getting the new pain doc appt! I will let you all know what happens when I get anymore news! Take care and have a good week! Tara

So sorry to hear that things are dragging on so much. I understand where you are coming from... I've had many doctors over the years (these SCS implants are just the latest in a long line of health problems I have had to deal with since I was a child), and have "fired" many of them. Now I'm at the point where I go in, meet the dr. and assess whether I will take THEM on as one of my dr.'s or if I'm going to move on to find another doctor. I don't suffer fools gladly, anymore.

I have found that you often have to really stay on top of the doctor (that doesn't sound good ...you know what I mean). At the first meeting I try to get chummy with the nurse and get her name and ask her if I may call her if I have any questions about my care, meds., referrals etc. Then I specifically call her and work with her to make sure things get done in a timely manner.

Also I make sure to get copies of everything...bloodwork, surgery notes, office notes, etc. and keep them in my records at home. Many times I've gone in to see a dr. that I've been referred to, and the only thing he/she has in their hand is my referral from my dr. and that's all. So they are thrilled (well, usually thrilled as my chart is so thick) when I have all this past info. to give them.

Sorry to go on so, but you struck a sore nerve here when you mentioned your dr. not sending your referral and you feeling like you have to chase after them to do it. Having copies from other doctors helps relay and confirm what you say your difficulties are, and when they see other doctors mentioning having treated you for that problem it goes a long way in validating your needing help.

I don't know if it's incompetence on the part of doctors or the fact that a lot of doctors and their staff are overloaded with patients and paperwork. I do know that my having copies of my records from all my doctors has made a huge difference when I go in to see a new doctor or even a current doctor. They can get patients confused and it's easy to pull out a copy of past bloodwork, an office note that another doctor may have made, or a past surgery transcription. I do whatever I can to make the office visit as smooth and worthwhile as possible. Again, sorry to ramble on Hopefully one or two things are helpful to you. Please know that you are in my prayers and thoughts.

Fiona said it all! (with the extra benefit of 'staying on top of your Dr' )

Couldn't have said it better myself!
VERY wisdom-filled girl!!

Hi Tara

Im a newbie here in the past week, I too have a SCS implant in the past 3 weeks , so early days for me.

I been reading your posts and boy have you had so much to deal with in your short life. I hope that you get to see your new Pain Dr ASAP. Its soooo frustating when you find out that ,hey my old DR should have sent on a referral and then they didnt!! that makes me soooo mad And you know at times you do have to DO IT YOURSELF and annoy them so much that they will be sick of your calls and requests and they will get the job done

Good luck with your new Dr and I pray that you will have relief very soon too..

Jackie

I am back again (sorry) because I ended up in another argument with another doctor office because they did not have my records. The lady was extremely rude and told me that if I did not have my records in 24 hours (appt was supposed to be tomorrow) I could not have my appointment! I told her that this appt was important and I wanted to even see if I wanted to continue treatment with this new doctor and just at least talk with her about options and stuff. She then told me this was not a meet and greet and that I would not be able to talk to the doctor at all without those records! I have never been treated like this and I even explained to her that I had given my release to everyone else and that they were supposed to fax it over. I then took a breath and said I would call her back. I decided that I was over this whole thing where receptionists and doctors are allowed to treat me bad and I called her office back and basically told her that I did not appreciate being talked to that way and that I was going to find another doctor, this was the first time I have ever had to do anything like this regarding a receptionist or doctor. I was so angry I was shaking! I am so sick of all of my doctors or front desk people not following through on anything because meanwhile I get worse and feel worse. And it makes things worse when the front desk people or doctors treat you like you are bothering them and you should not even be there! ARGHHHHH!!!! I have to call tomorrow to find out if my new pain doctor even got a referral and if not (again) I am going to have to talk to that other office again I wish they would get it together! I mean, I am having a rough time as it is dealing with constant pain, my stim not charging right, hardly sleeping, and still trying to function and do my schoolwork! This whole episode is why I get nervous to see or talk to new doctors in the first place Just thought I would share that I had to get this out. It just gets me that people in healthcare (who are supposed to want to help us) get to treat us like dirt, I treated people better than I get treated (at the doctor) back when I was in sales and working! I guess I just expect to much from them or people that are supposed to help me. Oh well, I guess I have to get used to firing doctors

z

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Mark56

Next time you are up against a rude %^&*# receptionist,......do the intimidation stare......keep calm, then look at her badge and ask her name.
Then say you'd like to see her supervisor.

If all else fails, tell them all where they can stick their 'Meet and Greet' and let them know that your team of NT buttbuzz warriors will be making a grand entrance to show them what a MEET and GREET is really all about when dealing with a crew of people racked with PAIN!!!

I'm sorry you are dealing with this. Sometimes we HAVE to be a bit intimidating to get the right kind of respect.
Go above that receptionist's head. She could use a nice refreshing reminder from her higher ups that she is not performing her duties up to par.

I've even used the words "My Attorney will need documentation as to why...."........alot of times THAT will get them to sit up straight and get the ball rolling. NObody wants to have to deal with answering to a legal issue.!

Just some thoughts

I call it 'tough love'

Yep, those words you have "even used" tend to strike sanity into otherwise insane situations. People have used them referring to me, and I shook my head responding that I don't just go around threatening people. But, it does work. I remember dictating a letter of thanks to our O.B. onetime after the birth of one of our children. It went out on the wrong letterhead. Next time we saw the O.B. he was both dead serious and laughing about the havoc a letter from an "ugh" attorney caused, UNTIL they realized its content. Oops.

I drop the attorney bit from my reality unless absolutely necessary as it tends to frighten.

Mark56 PJ