Friday, July 16, 2010

My Stoopid Poo Poo Head Doctor

Went to my regular doctor on Monday for the phlebitis and she offers me Loritab for the pain. I turned it down because I already had some and because the problem was in my elbow. If I didn't straighten my arm, then it didn't hurt and that seemed like the easiest way to manage the pain.

On Wednesday the nurse called to see how I was healing and I told her I wasn't sure if the problem was improving or if it was just changing. I told her it was moving down my arm and still hurt and still red and swollen. She recommended that I schedule the ultrasound to rule out a more serious problem.

On Thursday morning, I went in for the ultrasound and they found that I DO have a blood clot, but it is NOT in the deep vein (dangerous) it's in the superficial vein (not dangerous). They said keep taking my antibiotics and call them if it gets worse or starts moving toward my heart.

Now that the problem is less in my elbow and closer to my wrist, it does hurt all the time. It makes sense to me -- those veins are smaller. So, even if I'm not moving, the arm is hurting. This is just like my doctor had told me on Monday that this could be quite painful.

Since I only had 2 Loritab left from my miscarriage and we're heading into a weekend, I called the doctor and left her a message asking if I could get that Loritab prescription after all.

Her response was: No.

She says that I should be much better by now and I shouldn't be having pain by now and that if I still had pain I needed to come back into the doctor and be seen again rather than get pain medication. She was already seeing her last patient for the day and told me to go to the urgent care.

I did explain all the stuff that didn't make sense:

1. I was just in the office YESTERDAY to have the ultrasound and everyone knew that I was still in pain at that time. What new were they going to discover more than what they discovered with the ultrasound???

2. I had already been told YESTERDAY that this would take longer to clear up than they had previously thought because of the blood clot. Did they originally think that it would take less than 24 hours to clear up and now they are all astonished that it's slightly MORE than 24 hours and I still have symptoms?

3. I have pain. They don't have a way to remove the clot or stop the phlebitis other than taking the antibiotics and waiting. What am I supposed to do with the pain? (there are signs all over the urgent care stating that they do not prescribe or administer pain killers.)

We went over to the Urgent Care and saw a very nice and normal doctor there. You know, the kind who actually treats his patients. He said that arm looks like it's getting better to him, it will just take time (which is what I was told the day before and what I thought also). He prescribed me Loritab. No big deal.

[I was relieved that he was so kind because I thought I was gonna cry and embarrass myself if I was sent home in pain after I feel I've been a really good sport about all of my recent medical trials.]

I soooooo need a new doctor. The time I tried to find a new one I went to one guy who was recommended to me and found out that they don't take my exact insurance plan. I went to another doctor who cut into my foot and dug glass out of it in her office and then she sent me home with NO pain killers at all for that. I was in SOOOOO much pain when the shots wore off. I couldn't believe she didn't anticipate that I would be in that much pain and need something more than tylenol.

I'm not having good luck finding normal doctors to see for my every day needs. Meanwhile, my specialty doctors, like the ones at Urgent Care, my OB and everyone at the hospital can all clearly see that I am not inventing reasons to get drugs and are willing to ask me if I need something for pain and trust that I am responsible with it.

In the hospital I mentioned I had a headache and the doctor asked me if morphine was ok. I told him, "Well, yes, but I really don't need something that aggressive for my headache. I can just take tylenol if you have it." So, why are hospital doctors ok offering me morphine for a headache and tylenol with codeine for any minor cramping and my regular doctor who I've been seeing for a few years who has NEVER prescribed me pain medication treats me like an addict?

I need a new doctor. Pobre de mi.

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I painted my nails and put fun stuff on them to cheer me up:

2 comments:

  1. you definitely need a new dr!! I would recomend one but I don't know any- good luck! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, come on...just admit it....you are a junkie.\"/ NEW DR!!!!

    ReplyDelete