topic Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good in Wellness

Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Vivian — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 12:47:49 GMT

I posted here several times about my bout with intestinal MRSA. I'm OK now, still not 100% but back to my regular routine. Looking back, I realize that from start to finish, I saw or spoke to many physicians. The differences in their care and treatment were rather surprising. It was, in part, a function of their personalities but it was more than that. I learned whom I could count on and who was of little help.

My family doctor was very casual about my diagnosis. She made MRSA sound like the sniffles. It was bizarre. Her husband talked to me as if he were delivering a boring lecture on watching paint dry. Since the worst of my illness occurred over the holidays, I was also in touch with a doctor on call who couldn't have been kinder. He went out of his way to explain my condition, he found a pharmacy open on Christmas where he prescribed additional meds to speed my recovery.

Then there was the ER doctor, a kind man whose help I needed when my gastroenterologist, whom I was required to see ASAP, passed the word to me through his nurse that he could do nothing for me and had no appointments open. The ER doctor called him and I was seen within days. Because of an incidental finding, I also needed to speak to my dermatologist, my ENT, and a doctor I see at Yale University once a year. They could not have been more helpful and kind. They all got back to me so quickly I was amazed.

I'd love to get rid of the gastro practice but they're the only ones for 60 miles and, when you have digestive issues, traveling far away is sometimes impossible so I am stuck. Still, my ordeal taught me a lot about the range of care that doctors provide. Medicine is a science but it's also an art and some doctors just don't have the talent.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

butterfly123 — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 13:02:12 GMT

@Vivian Florimond wrote:
I posted here several times about my bout with intestinal MRSA. I'm OK now, still not 100% but back to my regular routine. Looking back, I realize that from start to finish, I saw or spoke to many physicians. The differences in their care and treatment were rather surprising. It was, in part, a function of their personalities but it was more than that. I learned whom I could count on and who was of little help.

My family doctor was very casual about my diagnosis. She made MRSA sound like the sniffles. It was bizarre. Her husband talked to me as if he were delivering a boring lecture on watching paint dry. Since the worst of my illness occurred over the holidays, I was also in touch with a doctor on call who couldn't have been kinder. He went out of his way to explain my condition, he found a pharmacy open on Christmas where he prescribed additional meds to speed my recovery.

Then there was the ER doctor, a kind man whose help I needed when my gastroenterologist, whom I was required to see ASAP, passed the word to me through his nurse that he could do nothing for me and had no appointments open. The ER doctor called him and I was seen within days. Because of an incidental finding, I also needed to speak to my dermatologist, my ENT, and a doctor I see at Yale University once a year. They could not have been more helpful and kind. They all got back to me so quickly I was amazed.

I'd love to get rid of the gastro practice but they're the only ones for 60 miles and, when you have digestive issues, traveling far away is sometimes impossible so I am stuck. Still, my ordeal taught me a lot about the range of care that doctors provide. Medicine is a science but it's also an art and some doctors just don't have the talent.

@Vivian

I hope you are on the mend and I agree with you! Be well!

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

gmkb — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 13:42:04 GMT

Vivian, you have discovered the bitter truth. No matter which profession we are talking about, there are the caring and not so caring.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Goodie2shoes — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 14:07:57 GMT

Sorry you've had to deal with so much and I wish for you a complete recovery. God Bless

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Serenity-Now — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 16:23:13 GMT

@Vivian, I am a nurse & I couldn't agree more with what you so eloquently stated in your post. It is important to share experiences like yours, so people realize that doctors are *not* gods & some are better than others. Mistakes happen for all types of reasons, in all types of fields. I think our society is harshest on the people who are supposed to care for us when we are most vulnerable (the medical field, law enforcement, military, heads of church or state), judging each & every person in that field with the same sweeping judgement brush, which is crazy. We are all individuals coming from many different experiences that color or discolor our actions, and just being in a certain profession does Not make us infallible or saints!

Thank you for sharing. I'm very glad you are feeling better, finally. I had a similar experience with MRSA, having contracted it from a contagious patient before it was known. The infection control nurse was freaking out about it, while a doctor was blase & acted like it didn't matter at all. I was told at one time that if you have ever had MRSA & mention it when in the ER or when hospitalized, they usually put you in a single-patient room. This was years ago, not sure if they still follow this as a protocol, but you might want to keep it in mind. If you ask, you'll probably get many different answers, so I suggest you info-gather on your own from sources you trust.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 16:34:10 GMT

Generally speaking, I want my doctors to be extremely COMPETENT, and personality is truly secondary. That is not to say that I will excuse incomplete or faulty care.

I think it's important, whenever possible, to look up ratings on your physician(s).

My rheumatologist is always listed in the annual Who's Who of Top Doctors in Los Angeles. She is a godsend.

In your case, just move on. Selecting doctors, like any profession, can be a process of trial and error. It is what it is.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Q4u — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 17:24:32 GMT

My doctor is very sharp and caring BUT recently advised me to change my Diabetes medicine to the new class that just came out. I did some extensive research on it and (short story) found a study from UCLA's Medical School from 2013 that pointed to everyone having taken it for a year developed tumors (benign that can turn cancerous and do). That this info was found out through animal studies and kept from the public! There is a lawsuit pending. I'm disappointed that my doctor apparently didn't do her own research regarding this new drug... and probably just took the word of the drug rep ....

OR (and I hate to think it but I do) she has money invested in it.

I'm actively searching for another doctor.....

I agraee, look up doctor's ratings (mine was extremely high)... and always... always research your meds....

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Snoopp — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 17:37:18 GMT

I hope people using reviews and ratings for doctors will remember to write their own reviews too.

Glad you are feeling better.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

LilacTree — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 17:40:24 GMT

@Vivian Florimond wrote:
I posted here several times about my bout with intestinal MRSA. I'm OK now, still not 100% but back to my regular routine. Looking back, I realize that from start to finish, I saw or spoke to many physicians. The differences in their care and treatment were rather surprising. It was, in part, a function of their personalities but it was more than that. I learned whom I could count on and who was of little help.

My family doctor was very casual about my diagnosis. She made MRSA sound like the sniffles. It was bizarre. Her husband talked to me as if he were delivering a boring lecture on watching paint dry. Since the worst of my illness occurred over the holidays, I was also in touch with a doctor on call who couldn't have been kinder. He went out of his way to explain my condition, he found a pharmacy open on Christmas where he prescribed additional meds to speed my recovery.

Then there was the ER doctor, a kind man whose help I needed when my gastroenterologist, whom I was required to see ASAP, passed the word to me through his nurse that he could do nothing for me and had no appointments open. The ER doctor called him and I was seen within days. Because of an incidental finding, I also needed to speak to my dermatologist, my ENT, and a doctor I see at Yale University once a year. They could not have been more helpful and kind. They all got back to me so quickly I was amazed.

I'd love to get rid of the gastro practice but they're the only ones for 60 miles and, when you have digestive issues, traveling far away is sometimes impossible so I am stuck. Still, my ordeal taught me a lot about the range of care that doctors provide. Medicine is a science but it's also an art and some doctors just don't have the talent.

I couldn't agree with you more, Vivien. I won't go into my many, many experiences with all of the docs I've seen, both general practitioners and specialists. All I can say is some were uncaring and upsetting and some were supportive.

However, I will relate my last visit with my GP. It was a "catch up" visit, not for anything specific. But we started talking about all of my ailments and how nothing seems to work. For some reason I became quite emotional, like a dam broke or something. I have never, ever been one to cry in a doctor's office, but I will never forget what this doctor did.

I had looked directly into her face and said I would rather have cancer because at least sometimes that can be treated/cured. She put her hands on my shoulders and said, "I will never desert you. I will always be here for you and have your back. I will do everything in my power to help you, I promise you that. I will not let you down."

I put my face in my hands and lost it, she kept rubbing my shoulders the whole time. My daughter came across the room, the two of them handing me tissues, and when I looked up, my daughter had tears streaming down her face too. It was a moment I have never experienced in a doctor's office and I will never forget it.

I would have thought my daughter, being chronically ill herself, would have gotten embarrassed at my breakdown and left the office. But that did not happen. Few words were spoken after that by any of us. What had happened didn't require them.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

scotnovel — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 17:54:08 GMT

I have a little different take on the post. Friends of mine swear by their doctor. Great personality, excellent physician, takes time to explain everything to them, even will call them at home under certain circumstances. On their glowing recommendation I went to that doctor and found the complete opposite. My friends have a number of health issues, and I do not, so perhaps that is why when I went back for the follow up to my physical to get blood & other results, I got what I considered to be a brush off. I did not expect a lot of her time, but she was clearly impatient even just answering the few questions that I had about preventive pneumonia vaccine and a couple of others.

LIke everything else in life, some of us will swear by a provider and others of us will think that same person is completely different. If a physician doesn't meet my needs, I seek someone who is a better fit no matter what others think.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

151949 — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 18:19:14 GMT

I am certainly not saying there are not good, better and best doctors out there, and even poor ones. I know - i had to follow their orders and when they were not appropriate I was the one who had to call our intensivist to correct them.

However, it is also my experience that what various patients want and/or expect from a doctor is often very inappropriate and many patients say some doctor is a bad doctor because they won't give what is asked for, even though it is inappropriate.Some people want their doctor to discuss everything but their health - wrong - some want to know all about the doctor's personal life - also wrong - some want to come in with a list of demands for Rx and / or treatments and get really Po'ed when they don't get them. Some have already self diagnosed and are Po'ed when the doctor tells them they are wrong. Some people think the doctor doesn't do a through enough exam and others absolutely do not want to be touched. It is a very difficult profession and it's almost impossible to please everyone.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Reba055 — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 20:53:57 GMT

This reminds me of going to a new doc who wanted to prescribe a med similar in class to one I had taken and had a bad reaction to. When I asked what I should do if I had a reaction, call him, he said, "no, go to the ER". So basically he insisted I try something but couldn't be bothered if I had an issue with it. Next!

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Vivian — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 21:24:23 GMT

I so appreciate all the replies. We've all had our experiences, good and bad, with physicians. I think the reason I put out my original post is that I'm one of those people who researches doctors and checks out the validity and reliability of advice. However, when you're in an emergency situation, it's a whole other matter. So, when I turned to some of those doctors whom I had chosen over the years, I felt they cared. Yet another was so casual and blasé, I wondered if she read my test results or even cared. Another, whom I saw rarely but needed desperately, was a great disappointment. Live and learn.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Seannie — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 02:02:23 GMT

It is very hard, I think, to ever recover when you have a careless surgeon. My

surgeon for my lumpectomy for breast cancer failed to read the pathology

before my re-excision ( or second surgery) and I had to have a third surgery

on the same area a third time after I'd healed. Could not begin cancer

treatments until the bad part was removed. Two years later I have loads

of pain and scar tissue and white coat syndrome (and distrust). The surgeon

was very casual about the whole thing (said everyone makes mistakes), but

when the surgeon doesn't do their job, the patient suffers all the consequences

and the surgeon suffers none. They don't even get reprimanded.

This, to me, is a travesty. The worst part is knowing that I, myself, chose this

surgeon over all the others in town and now it looks like I'll be dealing with

lifelong pain due to my decision.

Seannie

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 16:34:53 GMT

@Q4u wrote:
My doctor is very sharp and caring BUT recently advised me to change my Diabetes medicine to the new class that just came out. I did some extensive research on it and (short story) found a study from UCLA's Medical School from 2013 that pointed to everyone having taken it for a year developed tumors (benign that can turn cancerous and do). That this info was found out through animal studies and kept from the public! There is a lawsuit pending. I'm disappointed that my doctor apparently didn't do her own research regarding this new drug... and probably just took the word of the drug rep ....
OR (and I hate to think it but I do) she has money invested in it.

I'm actively searching for another doctor.....

I agraee, look up doctor's ratings (mine was extremely high)... and always... always research your meds....

I think it's important that MDs stay on top of new drugs and new developments, but I have a policy that hasn't failed me yet...

I tell all my doctors that I won't take a medication that hasn't been on the market for at least 5 years ... no exceptions!

My thoughts are:

1) it has to be tried and tested by the public and see if any problems with the drug arise. How many times have we seen a drug notification on TV that says "if you took this drug and your arm fell off, call this number ...". You know what I mean, lol. IMO, five years is enough time to bring to light any problems....

and ..

2) It has a cheaper generic now being available.

Yes, I don't get to try the "next best thing", but I prefer "proven and reliable" each and every time.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

ginirn — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 16:56:35 GMT

I am a reitred nurse so I understand. Out of a class of 100 Dr.s 10% are outstanding, 70% ok and the rest really bad. The non medical patients often can't tell the good from the bad basing their opinions on strange criteria. My Dad thought his Dr. was great because he brought him a newspaper while Dad was in the hospital. If the Dr. had been half way decent he wouldn't have been admitted. Many people just go by personality but believe me some of the best Drs I have known would win no prizes for personality. Some really good one are so intent of their patients they forget the nicities, yell at the nurses etc. The smoozers can get away with alot of poor medicine.

When I was much younger I moved alot due to my husband's job. Alway sought out a nurse I respected to choose a Dr., dentist, etc. They know the behind the scenes info that is important.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

NAES1 — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 18:47:40 GMT

@ginirn "....great post! I agree with you on doctors versus personalities. I thought that out of a class of one hundred doctors 70% was > Yes, just okay, if that! I do believe that there are physicians who should _never_ have chosen to be defined as a health care provider. I am observing more and more SLOPPY medicine every day.

AND! Yes,

the average patient who is under an one and only doctor is absolutely clueless ...'what good medical care is'.

I believe I can say, without any doubts, there are more bad/non-caring people in the medical field, today, than ever before.

Research each one, and never be limited in asking a trusted physician for her/his referral(s) when needed".

NAES

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Q4u — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 23:18:37 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Q4u wrote:
My doctor is very sharp and caring BUT recently advised me to change my Diabetes medicine to the new class that just came out. I did some extensive research on it and (short story) found a study from UCLA's Medical School from 2013 that pointed to everyone having taken it for a year developed tumors (benign that can turn cancerous and do). That this info was found out through animal studies and kept from the public! There is a lawsuit pending. I'm disappointed that my doctor apparently didn't do her own research regarding this new drug... and probably just took the word of the drug rep ....
OR (and I hate to think it but I do) she has money invested in it.

I'm actively searching for another doctor.....

I agraee, look up doctor's ratings (mine was extremely high)... and always... always research your meds....

I think it's important that MDs stay on top of new drugs and new developments, but I have a policy that hasn't failed me yet...

I tell all my doctors that I won't take a medication that hasn't been on the market for at least 5 years ... no exceptions!

My thoughts are:

1) it has to be tried and tested by the public and see if any problems with the drug arise. How many times have we seen a drug notification on TV that says "if you took this drug and your arm fell off, call this number ...". You know what I mean, lol. IMO, five years is enough time to bring to light any problems....

and ..

2) It has a cheaper generic now being available.

Yes, I don't get to try the "next best thing", but I prefer "proven and reliable" each and every time.

You're plan to NOT take any drug newer than 5 years is exceptionally good, but I'll go one step further. I'd take it 10 to 15 years and the reasoning is that five years isn't enough time to see what the new drug has done to the public yet..... five years and there may be trouble brewing but not yet enough stats to point to a clear correlation between the drug and serious problems.

I predict that there will be a dirth of cancer = new class of Diabetes drug within the next ten years.

In my case Metformin was developed back in the 1950's and Glipiside in 1983.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Black Cat Back — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 05:31:59 GMT

I'm very skeptical of doctors. Both my parents were diagnosed with 4th stage cancers when they had signs and symptoms that were overlooked.

My uncle went to the Mayo Clinic religiously every year and had every test done. He had cancer and no one found it until he fell at a concert and a CT showed a tumor in the back of his neck. He died within 4 months.

I worked around doctors for years. Some are good, some just like to be recognized as doctors and are a-holes. Some are so darn arrogant.

I could never understand how a doctor who I know and who had a daughter with severe anorexia didn't get her help with all his connections. He didn't even get her into a care facility and she was emaciated. She died last year. How does a doctor not see his own child wasting away. I had anorexia and my parents had no clue about what it was.... yet I got help and survived.

I don't trust many doctors and feel they are arrogant and take chances with people's lives. My mother was bleeding from her stomach and her doctor just gave her pills for anemia. She died of stomach cancer.

If you have a good doctor, and I did many years ago, count yourself blessed. Unfortunately, mine died of a heart attack. I rarely go to doctors unless I have to.

Re: Reflections on good doctors and not so good

Seannie — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 18:09:07 GMT

Hot Street, I totally agree. Your post made me so sad for the pain to your family

which was caused by people not doing their jobs as they should have.

You, dear, have suffered huge losses and I am sending you a tender hug.

Seannie