Ugh. The attempt to find an ob-gyn here did not go well. Not terrible, but I won't be going back to her.

Strike one is that she won't prescribe birth control pills if I'm not actually using them for birth control. Which is of course her right, and I understand her reasoning, but I also have my reasons. So.

Strike two was that I told her my last exam was very painful and that my doctor in Houston had made a couple of suggestions, and she basically just ignored me, with the result that it was again painful. I am generally kind of stoic, if only because I don't want to be embarrassed in front of strangers, but it's actually starting to traumatize me a little.

And the thing that is not her fault, but that irritates me, is that my possible UTI is not a UTI, because I was mistaken about where the blood was coming from. So it could be nothing, or it could be something, and I have to go get an ultrasound next week to see what's going on.

Is there someone else in that practice you could see? I NEVER understand doctors that don't LISTEN to their patients. Ummm, why are you in this business in the first place?

With my company being sold (My company doesn't like carrots?), we have already been trying to dig up information on their benefits, costs for insurance and such. If what my co-workers and I have found is right, I should be able to stay with my doctor without paying much more than I'm paying now. Their insurance is structured differently, so I haven't done a full line by line comparison but that was a HUGE sigh of relief because I adore my doctor.

I've told the story before, but I'll tell it again. When I first moved here, I randomly picked her name from the list of options. When I made the new patient appointment, they asked if I also needed a well woman exam. Sure, why not. Well, I get there and she started going over my medical history and I started crying. I don't even remember anymore. She said she was going to reschedule the well woman exam part and we spent that time just talking and coming up with a plan to help me deal with all the stress of moving, changing jobs, getting divorced, dealing with my mom's declining health, leaving my daughter to go off to college, and then trying to establish myself in a new place. First time I've ever had a doc actually take that kind of time with me and I've been with her since. I've referred a bunch of folks to her - I should have a ton of toasters.

Dana that is totally uncool and you should maybe write a letter explaining why you won't be going to their practice anymore.

I also had a doctor appointment today. Am hoping for some bitches knowledge. I've been on Wellbutrin for a few years, but six or so miontbs ago realized it wasn't working so well anymore. A few friends even said I didn't seem like myself, seemed down, etc. so finally in may I made an appointment and told the doc. Rather than switch meds, she added a low dose of Zoloft. I came back a month later and said it had helped some but not enough. She upped the dose. I came back today (about 3 weeks later because she's going on vacation for two weeks) and said it was maybe working better now (I've felt better the past few days but not yet sure if that's coincidence) but I wasn't liking some of the side effects. She said basically "well, you need to go see a psychiatrist, and I can try to refer you to one of ours but your insurance may not pay for it and then you'd have to get an appointment elsewhere and that might take a while". Um, thanks?! We left it at she'd refer me to the internal people who should call and let me know, and I'll keep taking the same dose and see if it is really working and how the side effects go. Anyone have some pharmacology or personal experience they want to suggest?

Dana that is totally uncool and you should maybe write a letter explaining why you won't be going to their practice anymore.

Yes, and review on the doctor sites and with the insurance company. I am so sorry you had to deal with that. Doctors are selling a service and the patient is the customer. Going to the doctor is stressful enough without the doctor being an insensitive clod.

I can't dump the doctor entirely until the tests and stuff are done, but yeah, I need to find someone else.

And I forgot that my insurance company's website has reviews. That's a good idea.

I always read the review sites when I get a new doctor as a customer so I know what I am getting into. You find out quite a lot!

Speaking of doctors, my therapist shamed me into calling the doctor about my stomach pain. She thinks that stabby pain that hasn't gone away over the last 6 weeks probably isn't going to go away with just Pepcid. (She also has a 20-year history of GERD, so she has more than a passing familiarity with gastrointestinal issues.)

So I called, and they can see me at the end of the day today. Maybe an ulcer? Guess I'll find out.

I blame it on Trump. Except I don't think there is a quick fix for that, so I hope the doctor has a faster plan of fixing.

meara, I've found some primary care docs won't prescribe ADs or other mental health drugs beyond a certain point. Point being, if your "cocktail" gets more complicated, she might want you to see a psychiatrist to prescribe it, presumably because they know more about those specific drugs.

Dana, your doctor sounds awful. What on earth is the harm in listening to a patient and working with them to make them more comfortable?

Steph, stomach pain ~ma. Or stomach pain solution, which would be better!

meara, I've found some primary care docs won't prescribe ADs or other mental health drugs beyond a certain point. Point being, if your "cocktail" gets more complicated, she might want you to see a psychiatrist to prescribe it, presumably because they know more about those specific drugs.

Yep. I'm on a delicate balance of meds (pain management, sleep issues, crazybrain, anxiety), and my PCP handed all of that over to my psych.