Oak Street Health just switched me to provider #5

[Siwsan]

This time the only male on staff and I think he's brand new, there. That's fine but this situation is getting old.

I wonder if that last provider really did dislike me as much as I felt she did. And it was instant, from the first time I saw her. As soon as she would walk in to the room, the temperature seemed to drop. No chit chat. No attempt to make me feel comfortable. She's the one who told me if I'm in therapy I should 'be over' my anxiety/depression issues and that if she ever had to give me CPR, well, old bones are very brittle. And you would think if my BP is elevated every time I go in there, they'd change or supplement my medication. The fact is' much lower when I take it at home SHOULD have been their biggest clue that my anxiety is a major factor. She didn't accept that.

This one is going to have to LISTEN to me, something that hasn't happened since my first APN retired. If I feel the same lack of empathy, I'm walking out.

Fortunately I have new anxiety medication that might just work. I found out the stuff they had me on is really only for short term use, like in an ER.

[pat_k]

1. I hope your new provider is a much, much, better.

I go to a clinic with residents so my provider changes with regularity. I'm on a combination of three medications for ADD and depression -- have been for more than 15 years. My last provider constantly tried to reduce dosages and talked to me like I was a drug addict. The capper was when he started ordering urine tests before every refill of lisdexamfetamine (requires a doctor visit every three months). When I asked to change providers, they said I needed to tell them why (a learning experience, and all). I did not feel comfortable providing feedback that would clearly not be anonymous. I stuck it out til he moved on and sent an anonymous letter.

Some in the medical field need to learn a lot more about dealing with patients of all kinds.

[Siwsan]

2. I got back in 2 months for a medication check

To see if what she prescribed is helping. It's too early to tell because it takes a couple of weeks for one of the medications t really fully help.

And, of course, I had an anxiety attack as soon as I hung up the phone. I just have a list of horrible experiences with doctors. One lied to me, telling me I need to be admitted to the hospital for tests because they thought I had a fungus infection in my lung. Then I saw my intake papers. They thought I had cancer. I didn't. My mom was in on the lie. One groped me and he was in a specialty where there was NO need for that. One injured me during a pelvic exam. Oh, and one told me I was ugly. Not sure why except that he was an absolute asshole.

My dad was misdiagnosed with MS when he was 68. Huh?? It was actually a brain tumor and he died years before he would have if they weren't incompetent or apathetic doctors.

My aunt was lied to about why she had surgery. It was for a confirmed cancer but they never told her that. Her boss was a VERY influential guy and he talked to doctor into not telling her. Another doctor put her on HRT, she developed uterine cancer, and died.

Don't even get me started on Navy doctors. They had me on a medication that caused me to lose my appetite AND about 25 pounds. I was having blood drawn about every 2 weeks to check my potassium levels and one poor corpsman blew out the veins in both of my arms. I was down to about 110 when I left the Navy. This was one of the main reasons I didn't re-enlist.

However, I LOVE my therapist and the PA who is monitoring my medications.

[XanaDUer2]

4. OMG

How horrible I'm so sorry!!!

I had a bizarre exp in the 80s with a female GP everyone recommended. She was doing a vaginal procedure on me, and splashed a bunch of rubbing alcohol on my exposed genitals. It was horrible. She came across as the nicest dr. I almost hit the ceiling. I nvr went back, I was so upset. I sometimes wonder if there's a higher incidence of personality disorders among drs. I'll nvr forget what she did.

[pat_k]

5. Nightmare after nightmare!!

It should be a violation of law to intentionally lie to a patient. I don't know why it is not. It's apparently only illegal if the lie causes harm to the patient, masks the doctor’s mistakes, covers up medical errors, or disguises fraud.

I never gave this much thought. It is so wrong.

[Siwsan]

7. I remember after I saw my paperwork, I was put on valium

I THOUGHT they said it was a vitamin. It was a powerful dose and I floated though those days in the hospital. The food tasted good to me. Enough said.

After many, many, MANY more x-rays, what ever was on the original x-ray was gone. I found out later that it was as big as a walnut! No one can explain what it was or what happened. Mom decided her prayers to St. Anthony made it disappear. OK.

I never fully trusted doctors, again. OR my mother because she was in on the lie. They just didn't ever considered that I'd see my intake papers and read those words 'suspected carcinoma'.

[XanaDUer2]

3. You should be over anxiety?

If only its that easy. Wtf? Id walk out if my shrink told me that

[Siwsan]

6. Both my therapist and the PA overseeing my medication were shocked

It was like every thing I said, she responded with a flippant remark There was zero personal interaction. When I left the appointment, I'd go straight home and crawl in to bed.

My original APN was wonderful. She'd ask me how things were going, how are the kidcats, how were my gardens doing. I'd actually start to relax and when she'd recheck my BP, it would be headed down. She got it. I was crushed when she supposedly retired. I googled her and she's practicing in another city that's too far to drive for a doctor's appointment.