My whine for the day

EZLiving66

I am the kiss of death for doctors!! Every time I find a doctor I like, they leave. About two months ago my oncologist/gynecologist sent me a letter that he and his PA are no longer seeing patients who are not in active treatment after his other PA died. Today I received a letter from my beloved Dr. Roth that as of the end of this month, she is not seeing any patients. Before her I went through a string of doctors who either right before I was about to have my first appointment, left town, decided to change directions, etc. Or, I saw them once like Dr. Minka and it was a fiasco (she told me "you get old" when I told her I thought something was wrong. Turns out I had cancer, but she wouldn't listen).

 

Before them, Dr. Ai decided to take a year off for her kids and then when she came back, became a hospitalist. Before her, Dr. Finesilver retired. This is NOT good, people!!

 

Now I have to decide if I just give up on Green Bay doctors and find a Rhinelander (northern Wisconsin) one and a Florida one. I was going to have all my cancer stuff transferred to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa but keep Dr. Roth as my primary care doctor. She was the ONLY person who would listen to me all the while I went through chemo. I truly think she saved my life! I am so upset about this and usually not much bothers me anymore. I always felt like when I went to see her I was safe. I know that sounds silly but that's how I felt. I wish I would never have opened my mail!

 

Luckily my bff's husband is head of emergency surgery at one of our local hospitals and I'm going to ask him to talk to my bff's doctor to see if she'll take me even though she's not taking on any new patients. They went to high school together so he knows her personally.

 

On another subject, I saw my eye doctor and my dry-eye problem is getting worse. One of the side effects of the Taxotere is dry eyes. If your doctor tells you this before chemo, your eye doctor can do a little operation to put tubes into your eyes to save the tear ducts - my oncologist never gave me that option. Normally tears stay on your eye for 15 seconds; mine stay for four. We're going to try OTC drops and hot compresses three times a day. If that doesn't work then I'll have to use Restasis. My eye doctors said it's expensive and it is not a cure.

 

Well ladies, that's my whine for the day! The weather here in northern Wisconsin has been just beautiful. It's supposed to be another 70 degree day so although we pulled both our boats out of the water, I'm going to do some fishing off the dock and enjoy the weather. My husband had cataract surgery and had the implants to correct his nearsightedness. He went back on Tuesday and he needs additional surgery and the pressure on his eyes went from 12 (normal) to 26 in one eye and 27 in the other which is way above normal. Dang, getting old isn't for sissies - LOL!!!

 

Love,

Eldri

MAbound

Got one of those letters, too

I got one of those letters from my insurance company right in the middle of chemo that I was going to have to get a new gyn-oncologist because the group he was with couldn't come to terms for a new contract with them. Nothing up to that point (the diagnosis, the surgery, the treatment) had made me cry, but that did. I feel so safe with this oncologist; he's amazing so I really get just how this really hits below the belt for you. To have it happen repeatedly is just too much.

There's really nothing that I can suggest as a solution for you as I think we are all vulnerable to losing our doctors, especially in the less metropolitan towns where they aren't thick on the ground to start with. Tampa's a much bigger metropolitan area, so hopefully you'll be able to find someone great there. It suck's but you gotta keep doing what you have to do, I guess. I'm so sorry.

CheeseQueen57

Healthcare Sucks for Doctors Too

Keep in mind that our current healthcare system sucks for doctors too. My PCP and friend just got notified that the hospital system they are with is terminating their contract do they have to go with another hospital system or establish again their office on their own. They’re 62 and looking at their options. One option is just shut down the practice and call it a day and do some freelance work, which would be a shame for our town ( and me!). But there’s no end in sight for those jokers in Washington to do something meaningful to improve the situation. 

Navigate the best you can, dear Eldri. A good PCP is priceless. 

Soup52

What a familiar and agoniIng

What a familiar and agoniIng problem ! I am likewise  nervous bout my oncologist as well as my insurance .blue cross decided not to contract with the hospitali use and have allmy docs in that group. Apparently they are trying to negotiate.ugg!! Also, my oncologist is going to have a different office, but I’ve been told he will still be my doc. Let’s hope my stupidHMOagrees!

janaes

I cant enen imagine all those

I cant enen imagine all those doctor changes.  It is too much.  I was talking to my radiation doctor back in June at my appointment and he mentioned to me that my medical onocogist is retiering.  I couldnt believe and didnt want to.  He wasnt my doctor 23 yesrs ago, but he was a doctor in the same office as my doctor at the time.   It was a little shocking to here that he wouldnt be their at my next follow up appointment.  I hope my cancer never comes back, but if it does.  I wont have a doctor i trust.  I wont meet the knew doctor because all follow up appointments are done by the doctors assistant.  Left me a little alone.

Lou Ann M

since I got on this

since I got on this rollercoaster, 5 years ago I have lost 2 of my favorite doctors.  My Gyno/oncologist/surgeon left his practice to take over as Chief Medical Officer of his hospital.  I think I was the last ptient he saW.  I now see one of gyno/oncologisn’t that he hired Every six month. I lost my radiation oncologist at Christmas to spend more time with his kids.  If my oncologist leaves, 8 am moving with him.

Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

Kaleena

Most annoying!

Eldri,

it is so annoying!   I have been through several doctors myself and also have received "one of those letters".   Its not fun thats for sure.    I hope you find one that you like.

My best to you,

 

Kathy

pinky104

EZLiving66

I had a family doctor once who had wanted to be an organist, but his parents wanted him to be a physician.  Once his kids got out of school, he deided to stop being a physician and move away because he felt like he was missing diagnoses.  He was.  He missed diagnosing my cancer.  He had trouble finding my cervix when he was doing my pap smear the last year he was in practice.  I wonder if it was because of all the cancer that was pushing things out of place in my belly. His nurse called me and told me that the pathology report did show cells sampled were from the cervix.

I've had to use Restasis for a number of years now.  I wonder if chemo caused my dry eyes.  I had Carboplatin and Taxol, not Taxotere.  I use Restasis and still have dry eyes. My eye doctor told me to add Systane Balance to my eyes when the Restasis alone doesn't do the trick.  The Restasis is definitely really expensive.  At my last refill, the cost of a package of it before insurance was $536.31. I'm in the donut hole now, so I hate to think what my next refill will cost. 

EZLiving66

pinky104 said:

EZLiving66

I had a family doctor once who had wanted to be an organist, but his parents wanted him to be a physician.  Once his kids got out of school, he deided to stop being a physician and move away because he felt like he was missing diagnoses.  He was.  He missed diagnosing my cancer.  He had trouble finding my cervix when he was doing my pap smear the last year he was in practice.  I wonder if it was because of all the cancer that was pushing things out of place in my belly. His nurse called me and told me that the pathology report did show cells sampled were from the cervix.

I've had to use Restasis for a number of years now.  I wonder if chemo caused my dry eyes.  I had Carboplatin and Taxol, not Taxotere.  I use Restasis and still have dry eyes. My eye doctor told me to add Systane Balance to my eyes when the Restasis alone doesn't do the trick.  The Restasis is definitely really expensive.  At my last refill, the cost of a package of it before insurance was $536.31. I'm in the donut hole now, so I hate to think what my next refill will cost. 

Pinky, did your eye doctor

Pinky, did your eye doctor suggest adding fish oil? My GP already had me taking one fish oil capsule. Now my eye doctor wants me to add another two a day. 

Double Whammy

Healthcare

Don;t even get me started about our healthcare system!  I'm so sorry you have lost physicians, Eldi.  As long as we stay well, it's not so important, but doggone it, when we get sick, we don't want to have to deal with all of the beauracracy!  Hope you find a solution.  I have found in my aging condition, that these "youngsters" have what I feel is an entirely different goal than Marcus Welby did.  They change jobs frequently and with all of the various contracts in our 'system' and lack of reimbursement in spite of high premiums, well, I don't even know what to say.  I'm planning to stay away from them all!!!  And really?  When was the last time you all actually had a physician touch you?  I'm not talking about the pelvic exams, but my pcp just looks at my vitals, lab work,  listens to my heart and lungs and sends me on my way.  My visits to my breast oncologist are only a social visit.  I'm happy about having nothing currently concerning, but geez!!  It just isn't how it used to be.

Suzanne