I have been referred to a rheumatologist in Olympia and he seemed alright at first. I told him all the things I was concerned about and the tests I wanted done and he had them done. He told me about rheumatoid nodular arthritis and said I might have it. He ordered the tests and x-rays. I went back yesterday- a month later, and he had no interest in looking at the actual x-rays but instead only reading the report my regular DR wrote up on the x-rays. Then the tests never came to him so instead of having them faxed over right then, he told me to come back in 2 weeks. When I asked him about these little bubbles on my bones and joints I saw on my x-rays that looked to me like rheumatoid nodules he told me they were "probably something else" but still refused to look at the x-rays. The entire time he buried his face in his lap top. When I told him I was having more pain and tried to show him where it was swollen he didn't even look up from his laptop, then simply felt a few of my knuckles that he felt last time but not the newly swollen joints. He marked down that he needed to get my test results and sent me on my way. The whole process took maybe 5 minutes. To me he seems uninterested in my problems, like they're unimportant. I was hoping he could help me and give me info about how to best combat all of this and stop it before I get a lot of joint damage . It came on so quickly that it scared me. I'm worried he's not taking me seriously due to either my age or the fact that it's hasn't progressed to far because it hasn't been too long. Does he seem like a bad doctor? What should I do? The only other RA specialist in Olympia is the other one in his office. Might it be wise to swtich?
Hi Valerie,
To me, this does not sound like a doctor who is on your side, committed to helping you combat RA and regain your health. Though it is true that many good doctors can be lacking in bedside manner, the fact that he isn't actually looking at your xrays (that he ordered) or your tests is alarming, and it doesn't seem like he has prescribed any form of treatment plan to effectively slow down the advancement of the disease. It's very important for RA to be treated aggressively from the get go as doctors now understand that much of the damage caused by RA happens in the first stages of it. In other words, this does not sound like a doctor you want on your team.
The fact that the only other specialist in your area is in the same office does make this more complicated, but trust me, you have to be the biggest advocate for your own health and make sure that your doctors are working for you. If your current rheumatologist isn't, you must find one that will.
Don't be afraid to speak up and assert yourself- they have nothing at risk, but you do!
Good luck and keep at it until you get the care you need,
sara
Hello,
He sounds like the first Rheumy I went and saw, I soon got rid of him and found another one. What your telling me about this doctor seems like he really doesn't care, just like the first one i saw, he spent about 5 minutes with me each time too and basically said to me, hi how are you feeling?, then asked are you having any side affects from the drugs? I would say, I dunno, no ! like how are we supposed to know? then would say " okay, good seeyou in three months and wouldn't even feel or look at my joints? I knew that was a red flag for me, so finally after going to see another Rheumy in Australia, then got back to the states and changed rheumatologists.
I would definitely find another Rheumy, because I don't believe he is treating you right !!!! Do it before your joints get damaged !!!!!
Good luck, let us know
Ange
If you call a plumber to look at a busted pipe in your home and he spent the entire time with his nose buried in a laptop, would you hire him? We often look at doctors as some sort of exalted human being, but the bottom line is that whether you or your insurance are paying for their time, somebody is giving money for services. If any other person we hired to do something for us acted like this, we would go elsewhere. And ordinarily, that's what I would recommend.
It sounds like your first appointment with this doctor went well and to me, that indicates potential for improvement. Given the added wrinkle of the only other rheumatologist in your area being this guy's partner, switching could get complicated, so it might be worth to employ diplomacy and give him another chance. For instance, you could go back once more for the follow-up and come prepared to advocate for yourself. Ask questions and if he seems uninterested, call him on it - all in a very civilized manner, of course, but call him on it. Tell him that your goal is to work as a team with your doctor and in order to work as a team, it's important that your doctor take your concerns seriously and pays attention when you are in his office. If you're uncomfortable doing this by yourself, bring a friend or your spouse who can be moral support while you're laying down the ground rules. My rheumatologist used to make me feel rushed and I would leave her office frustrated every time. Then I went to get a second opinion, she found out and when I decided to stay with her, our relationship changed. Now she listens, we have excellent teamwork and I'm very happy with the care she gives me.
A good doctor will take the time to listen to you, will focus on you and what you're saying and when you leave their office, you should feel that they are invested in helping you. Remember, he is not doing this out of the goodness of his heart - he is being paid for his work and you are in a very real sense his employer. I'm Canadian, so that means I wouldn't rub his nose in it, but keeping it at the back of your mind will make it easier for you to put your foot down. Of course, this is just a suggestion and you have to do what you feel is right - if you feel you don't have time to wait or would feel so uncomfortable challenging him that you wouldn't be able to do it, you should switch. It's your body and although you and your doctor are a team, you are in charge and you make the decisions on what's best for you.
Good luck!
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You would not think of tipping or paying for bad food or services in a quality restaurant....so why should you pay for inadequate services from your physician. I would return to my next visit with a list of my frustrations from the last and be very forthcoming with him. If he is offended, its time to move on.