When the doctor retires

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Tue, March 25, 2008

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Hello friends Big Smile

Wow, I can't believe I have been so behind at posting here. Shame on me! haha

I went in to see my doctor today for my yearly physical. All is fine but she informed me today that she and her husband (also a doctor in the office) are planning to retire in the summer of 2009. I heard rumor of this from my grandmother who is also a patient of my doctor's husband. It was still a little shocking to hear the official word from my doctor's mouth. She is such a sweet and kind lady and has done SO MUCH to help me when nobody knew why I was in so much pain. She figured out my condition right away (Fibromyalgia) and over the last 2 years and taken every step possible to help me manage my pain. I am very comfortable with her and trust her completely. I know she must be looking forward to her retirement but it's very sad to have to see her go. Sad

We have a shortage of doctors in town so when my doctor retires the office will be closing as there are no new doctors to take over the practice. Not only now do I have to find a new doctor but so do my parents, grandmother and a few aunts, uncles, cousins and spouses & children of cousins. What a mess!

My doctor suggested to me that I contact my husband's doctor to see if she will take me. That's all fine and good but I'm just concered about her understanding of Fibromyalgia. Some doctors are wonderful at treating this condition while others are still confused or refuse to believe that it exists. Atleast I have a year to get all these affairs in order. I will see my doctor a few more times before she retires luckily so I hope to have more chances to speak to hear about my options. It was a bit chaotic in the office today, lots of patients needed to be seen for medication refills, etc. after the Easter holidays. My mother is going to ask her arthritis specialist if he works with Fibromyalgia patients and I plan to ask my doctor as well if she knows any good specialists just incase I need a back up plan. I really want to have a female as my general doctor which my husband's doctor is. It's just a personal choice, I feel more comfortable with a female when it gets down to physical exam time, woman's health, etc.

Anyways, I just needed to rant. Other than my doctor problem, things are holding up well here. I'm trucking along as best I can. We're still getting a ton of snow. Yuck! Pinch

It's definitely not making my Fibromyalgia any better, but what can ya do. I'm looking forward to the nice spring weather after all of this over.

Have a lovely day!

Bekah

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daisy

3/25/08 9:49pm

Bummer; Too bad she is retiring. I hope you find a good doctor who understands the condition like she does. It's so hard to change doctors. I know my hubby had a few really

good job offers but he had to turn them down because he didn't want to change doctors

because these companies didn't have our doctors includes in their plan. Mad

Good Luck and perhaps she can also recommend a few more doctors for you to choose

from.

I hope the snow clears up soon and melts with warmer days ahead! Real Cool

Best to you,

Daisy

Mark

3/27/08 11:36am

Hi Bekah,

sorry about the situation that you're facing and I've seen the same identical question being raised by several members of our board. My suggestion (based on my own thoughts) as well as ideas of others with FM is to ask your doctor outright for the names of other doctors who treats FM in a similar manner to your current treatment. Most doctors know which of the other doctors in your town, city, or county agree or disagree with how they treat their patients ... just my 2 cents.

Mark

daisymay

3/28/08 12:22pm

Sorry you have to change Dr.'s. The one you have sounds great. It took me much longer to find out I had Fibromyalgia. If you can tell me anything that has helped you with your illness I would appreciate it. I have been sick about 7 years. I feel like most people do not understand this illness, and many people do not think it is real. I am trying to find out everything I can about what has worked for others with Fibromyalgia. Books, medicine, exercises, etc. that you could recommend would be great. Thanks, Daisymay

Kimberly175

4/14/08 5:12pm

Hello Daisymay! My name is kim and i have wrote different posts in the past about my chronic back pain and etc. I was recently diagnosed with the beganing stages of fibromyaligia as well, and its been very hard for me. Im to young for all this!!! i really have been through hell and back with shots, surgery,nerve stimulators, etc. Its just been a really tough and bumpy road. It feels like the road ahead is never going to be a smooth one for me. Im suffering 24/7. The sad part is i have built up such a tolerance to meds and narcotics especially, that they dont even work for me anymore. I can take about 6-9 30mg oxy's and i wont feel a thing.....thats how bad it is. Mad

I will say i am very lucky b/c my doctor is VERY understanding and i trust him with my care 110%. He started me on Lyrica, which i know doesnt work for everyone and i have read posts on here were people have said alot of negative things about this drug as well as a few good things about it. I think meds are different for everyone and since everybody's bodies are different, meds work differently. I think its worth considering though. It has helped my lower back pain (not all of it but some!) and the fibro. I can do more things than before, i dont know i just like it so far. I wish everyone on this site the best of luck and ill keep you in my prayers that things will get better for you.

Take care,

Kim

daisymay

4/15/08 8:54am

After 7 years I hate to say I kind of gave up. In the beginning I read everything. I tried different Dr.'s and different medicines. I thought I could some how fix myself if I tried hard enough and was determined. I started to think maybe it was all in my head because some Dr.'s, friends and relatives make you feel this way. I KNOW this pain is not all in my head. The medicines I take now are the cheapest because of money issues, with the least side effects for me. None really work but some help ease some of the pain and other symptoms. I hate being in pain and so exhausted. My house is a mess and so are lots of relationships. I try not to feel sorry for myself but you get to the point where you just want a break.....like one day with no pain, and being your old active self. I have got worse over the years. The more I try to do the more I pay for it the next day with pain, but I know it is not healthy to not do anything. I have tried Lunesta and Ambien for sleep but they do not work for me. At first Flexeril would make me go to sleep but now I need 2 and they do not work as well as they used to. I have not tried a chiropracter but have heard they help some people. Medicine is such a hit and miss trial thing because we are all different and the same thing does not work for everyone. At first I thought this was like diabetes or another disease where there is a shot or a medicine that works for everyone. I really did think I was going crazy for awhile, and wondered if crazy people know they are crazy? At the worst times I wished I would not wake up because everyday started with pain. Sometimes I dream about pain. I love my family very much and try to deal with this for them. I try not to complain, or show my pain too much. Everyone here is so helpful and kind and understanding and that really really helps. I feel 20 years older than I am, but I still look my age or younger. :) Try to hang in there and I hope you have more good days than bad. Daisymay

Anonymous

5/17/08 5:51pm

20 years ago I started going to a new physician. We have grown older together and he has seen me go through every trial, tragedy, and celebration of my life. I made my first appointment w/him simply to meet and discuss my medical conditions, explaining that I wanted him to see me while I was well and not have to suddenly become acquainted when I was ill. I presented to him some of my pertinent medical records that validated what I was saying. If I'd had not received respect and believed that 'we' could work together, I would have kept looking. I say 'we' because I am a more than equal member of my health care management team.

It took a couple of years before we fully gained each other's trust as it has also been with my other physicians. Relationships take time and I dread when my doctor retires. One thing that I asked my physician to do was to write a letter validating all of my medical conditions and the perscriptions and reasons for each one. I asked him to sign each page so that it wouldn't look like I had inserted anything in it. It was initially done for international travel where original Rx were required but I've found it to be helpful in introducing me to other specialists as needed. It also eliminates the necessity of having to tell every Rx during an ER visit. I just give them a copy of the ltr. It's not perfect, but it has been helpful.

As health care & insurance reform shift, it is going to become increasingly difficult for patients to retain any traditional doctor-patient relationships. It has already shifted in some areas and hospitals where 'Hospitalists" are replacing the personal physician within the hospital setting. You get the luck of the draw as to who is on duty and I have not yet had a good experience with any of them. I say good luck to us all. It's going to be tough to get good care anywhere. These HealthCentral connections are providing a marvelous service whereby we can each become better advocates for ourselves and others.

When the doctor retires

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