i am sooooo confused,i think i am in the forum i need to be. here goes, my neurosurgeon sent me for yet another x-ray to see how my fusing is coming along. it has been a week and no return to many requests leaving messages for him to call. needless to say my adult child has made a phone call also requesting the results to no avail. this is not a unreasonable request, is it? i have soooo many decisions i have to make. this is 2-1/2 years later and to have soooo many other contributing crappy problems and factors, i sure as heck do not need this crap on my plate. i do understand that no news is good news. but lets be for REAL!!! he has done both surgeries (ACDF 5/6-6/7 failed to fuse, 2nd posterior fusion with both donated bone. the only difference is i suffer more intense unexplained pain than ever before. it is difficult typing and constantly moving to relieve the PAINS! i do take many meds for different reasons as far as my pain meds i get minimal relief. always doing my homework on what i take. currently 10 mg oxycodone 50- 60 mg in a day they are 10 mg tablets along with 4 doses of 4 mg relaxant. AWAITING HIS CALL. HAVE A PEACEFUL DAY

Hi Eva,

Try calling your primary care physician, who also should have received a copy of the x-ray report. When s/he (or whoever) asks why you're calling them instead of the surgeon, calmly explain the situation, and request a copy of the report be sent to you.

No guarantees, but hopefully worth a try.

Doc

pc dr. already on it you would think that a few of ALL the doctors on my train are on the same planet, they just seem to be "lost in space" till i get them back on board. things get loose and laxadaisey if i don't stay on top of them. still no call. again thank you. sooooooooooofrustrated.

Hi ~ This is SUCH bad medical care --- I've had it happen many times myself, and I see no reason for it. If the doc can't call, then have the nurse call, for Pete's sake! (who is Pete, anyway?) lol

Would it be possible for you to show up at the office and demand that they give you the results? I know you're in pain -- but perhaps if you were right there, they'd be more likely to give you the results, so as not to start a "scene" in the office. LOL If it were me, I'd get madder than a wet hen, and I don't think they'd WANT me standing there demanding information. LOL Best of luck & let us know what you find out -- I hope you're fusing. God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

THEORETICALLY, that's what the PCP is supposed to do - act as coordinator/facilitator (quarterback) of the "team" (the medical part of the team, anyway).

I think everyone here is adult enough to appreciate the difference between theoretical and concrete. PCPs may be the quarterbacks, but we (patients) still have to assume the roll of team captain.

Doc

Attached is a schematic of a chronic pain patient's support network (team).
© 2007 Used with Permission

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I saw a specialist in NYC THREE AND A HALF WEEKS AGO, and am STILL trying to get him to give me the name of the physical therapist he was going to get from someone more local to me. Or, well, anything, from him. Not a word. Have called office, office staff now recognizes my name immediately and knows why I'm calling, but NOTHING. Nada. Zip.

So, I waited a month to get in to the guy, now I'm waiting another month already just to get a name or a referral or SOMETHING I can use to start doing something about this, meanwhile all kinds of other things are on hold waiting for him....

yah. right there with you. fed up doesn't begin to describe it.....

hello,
thank you for all sharing. an update. called office yesterday. called office today. my head going around and to places that a simple call could wipe away, not to mention it is now over a week. i thankful that i could find a place to let loose, blow off some steam. i told the office today at around 11 o'clock a.m., kindly allow the doctor to know about my current state, that both my thumbs along with all the others are useless. i drop so many things. hanging in hanging on moving ahead. it sure is hard letting go of things i have no control over. many thanks

eva