Have to find new PCP - Page 4

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@Shelbelle wrote:
Prednisone has a terribly negative effect on your bone density.

@Shelbelle. @LilacTree. You say you fear taking a biologic but have your read about all the side effects of Prednisone? They can be horrendous and very damaging. I'd find a good rheumatologist, discuss the pros and cons of various methods of treatment and take his advice.

My vet wouldn't even let me keep a dog on Prednisone long term due to potential damage.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

software · ‎06-08-2016

@LilacTree wrote:
@software

I would never take legal action. I have never sued anyone. I was only saying there are laws regarding protocol that doctors have to take because they can’t leave a long term patient stranded. I have no intention of suing her, none at all. Only saying the law is on my side. I truly think I will find a doctor before I run out of the med, but if I can’t I’m sure I will be entitled to another scrip from her and would advise her of that, although I’m sure she knows it.

I don’t know what happened so suddenly, but anything I think would be conjecture. I am interested only in continuing treatment, not getting back at a doctor for any reason. If my words inferred I would take legal action, then I wrote it wrong because I never would. I hope I have made that clear now.

If I gave you the idea you should sue, I apologize, I never suggested that at all.

Only that you could "negotiate" with her about her unreasonable timeline.

software · ‎06-08-2016

@Kachina624 wrote:
@Shelbelle wrote:
Prednisone has a terribly negative effect on your bone density.
@Shelbelle. @LilacTree. You say you fear taking a biologic but have your read about all the side effects of Prednisone? They can be horrendous and very damaging. I'd find a good rheumatologist, discuss the pros and cons of various methods of treatment and take his advice.

My vet wouldn't even let me keep a dog on Prednisone long term due to potential damage.

For some people with certain autoimmune diagnoses, steroids are a miracle drug when nothing else works. I'm one of them, I understand. 8mg a day is a very low dose and worth the potential side effects. She's 81. She's already experienced the side effects and decided for herself it's better than the side effects of other drugs offered.

If she was much younger, I would agree with you.

FrostyBabe1 · ‎05-09-2016

My best friend’s mom has also battled RA for many, many years. She too refused to consider a biologic med because of the possible side effects, particularly the risk of lymphoma as she is a breast cancer survivor. My friend and I finally convinced her to ask her oncologist about it. His response was “Yes, there are potential adverse effects. Potential. They MIGHT happen. MIGHT. Do you want to live in pain because of a MIGHT happen?”. The oncologist talked to her rheumatologist and she’s been on a biologic for the last five years. Pain free and no adverse effects. She’s 82 years old.

~The more someone needs to brag about how wonderful, special, successful, wealthy or important they are, the greater the likelihood that it isn't true. ~

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

@twentysixteen wrote:
@pigletsmom wrote:
@LilacTree I wouldn't worry about legally how long she has to keep you as a patient. She said she would treat you for everything else.

If you do decide to change doctors I'd make sure you talk to them ahead of time about what you're looking for. It's likely that they wont want to continue with the prednisone too. Especially if they are in the same groupl.

I think you really need to see a specialist. I know you've never wanted to take the biologics but maybe it's time to try. Not everyone gets side effects and predinsone has it's own side effects. I think your doctor has been trying to please you all these years against her better judgement.

Am I remembering correctly that she tried to cut you way back years ago or something?

It looks like you're right @pigletsmom.

"Can a doctor refuse to prescribe a med . . .
. . . that he/she has prescribed for you many times before, simply because you have asked for a very small increase in dosage due to increasing pain? I have been taking this med (prednisone) for RA for over ten years.
This is not a government-controlled "drug.""

https://community.qvc.com/t5/Community-Chat/Can-a-doctor-refuse-to-prescribe-a-med/m-p/2393136/highl...

I'm confused. Is the Doctor the same one now as the one in the thread from 2015?

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@NickNack wrote:
@LilacTree I'm sure you know this, but you can't just quit prednisone. You have to taper off of it gradually, even if you've only been taking it for a couple of weeks. I hope she told you how to do that. You could be in a lot of trouble if you just quit cold turkey.

That's why the Pcp wrote the script for 30 more days and I'm also sure that the pcp referred her to a specialist and that OP has not followed up on that referral because she, for some odd reason, just wants a Pcp. She doesn't want to see a specialist.

GraceLady · ‎01-03-2013

@LilacTree wrote:
Spoiler

Yes, I have been very stubborn about “taking a cocktail of drugs,” I admit that. I am not going to be anyone’s guinea pig, ever.

May I ask if you've ever been to a rheumatologist? I have been to about eight of them and I can tell you a lot about them, both good and bad. But I can also guess you would not believe me.

Anyway, I repeat all I am interested in is getting the meds I need and know I can live with, as I have been for the last sixteen years. If I am wrong I suppose I will suffer the consequences.

I assume this was directed at me since I was the one that said you were stubborn. Your comment, "I am not going to be anyone’s guinea pig, ever.", tells me that you are not up-to-date on current treatments or the lingo. Why in the world you think you would think you would be a guinea pig? You won't be experimented on. A drug cocktail is two or three drugs being used together to get the best result. Prednisone is usually part of a drug cocktail.

You asked if I had ever been to a rheumatologist. Yes, of course. I am not just talking. I also have an immunologist. I am seen at Stanford. I took prednisone, low dose, for several years. In the process of being diagnosed, I was given 10 day doses of prednisone twice. It is like a magic pill. I understand the desire to keep taking it. After my diagnosis, it became part of my cocktail. I decided on my own that I wanted to wean off. Long term prednisone use is not good for the body, and even though it was not my primary drug, it was causing me harm as well. My doc and I talked and came up with a plan for me to wean off. It took almost two years to wean off 10 mg., and I pushed it. If I had not been on other meds, I would not have been able to do it as quickly as I did.

You are about the age my mom is, and you are taking the news from your doctor like my mom would. She is very stubborn and would not like the change in her meds either. She would also have as many excuses as you have come up with for not wanting to try the newer, safer meds. Do you have any children or grandchildren that can go with you to the doctor? My mom hears what she wants to hear at the doctor, and we have found that we need to be there to get the straight scoop. I am not saying that you are doing that, but you may just need fresh eyes and ears at your appointments. Aging is tough, and being in pain makes it all the worse. I hope you can understand you have people here that care about what is best for you and are encouraging you in that direction.

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

I am posting right now not to answer questions (which I will eventually) but just to let you know that I have an appt Monday the 18th with a PCP practice run only by women doctors, nurse practitioners, and female nurses. They treat female patients only and include gynecologics and obstetrics. Sounds interesting, and is close by.

There’s another PCP practice I’m considering, but some of their reviews were not so hot and they’re much bigger which is not always good.

I do think I will be settled with a new practice within the 30 days. They are all in the same conglomerate, so they are able to bring up my chart online immediately.

I will keep you informed. I have settled down and am not so upset anymore. Whew!

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

Drythe · ‎07-09-2011

@LilacTree

I am sorry that you are dealing with this on top of your other issues.

We don’t know one another, so let me say that I am a health care professional, and have had severeRA since age 17.

You are correct, a physician can not ‘abandon’ a patient. But it sounds as though your doc offered to continue to care for you, but not continue to prescribe prednisone. She does have the right to use her clinical judgement to prescribe, or not prescribe a specific medication.

Many years ago, as my RA worsened, my PCP suggested that I see a Rheumatologist/ immunologist- best decision I ever made.

I TOTALLY agree with your decision not to take biologicals. I was in the study group for Humira, a real life Guinea Pig - I volunteered, and had an awful reaction, it triggered a bout of shingles which cut through one of my eyes. There are MANY people who have benefited from these drugs, but as we know there are risks.

However, there are many drugs between prednisone and biologicals. Perhaps with an annual bone density screen and calcium supplementation a Rheumatologist might even be willing to continue your current regime.

I hope you will be open to interviewing a Rheumatologist to learn what he or she might offer you. It could be very beneficial to you; it changed my life.

Best Wishes to you and your family.

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras