HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Disappearing Doctor

Support Forums
>
Rheumatoid Arthritis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/18/2011 2:01 PM (GMT 0)

Hello All,

I was referred to a Rheumatologist in May of 2010. I was told by the doctor I was seeing at the time that I needed to go to a teaching hospital because he felt that I was a complicated case. I found a doctor 1.5 hrs away and she was wonderful. about two weeks ago, I called her office to ask a question and was told that she was no longer with the office. No one could tell me where she went or what happened. All they could say was that I could see another one of their doctors or find a new one. It took me a couple weeks of research to find this one and this couldnt happen at a worse time. I started Humira in early January and she was in the process of tracking how many flares I was having and considering changing to Enbral. There is a Rheumatologist locally that I am thinking of seeing. He is in the same city, so that is a plus. I also have a diagnosis now, so maybe I dont need to continue going to a teaching hospital. Has anything like this happened to anyone else, where their doctor just...disappeared? Any advice on what I should do would be great. My husband seems to think I should see the local doctor so I can "interview" him and see a doctor at the old practice for the same reason. He thinks if we check out a couple of them, we can find one that feel good about and click with.

Posted 5/18/2011 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Your husband has a good idea. I'd try that.
No, I've never had a doctor disappear, but I've had one push me off on to his partner and had a different one try to steal me from his partner.
Posted 5/18/2011 11:36 PM (GMT 0)
I actually had that happen. I got a letter that my doctor had "a dispute" with the University Medical center, and was going somewhere like North Dakota. In a week he had left town. Sounded fishey to me!
Posted 5/19/2011 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you both. I have never had a doctor push me off on a parter or try to take me from a parter. Your case must have been interesting for the one trying to steal you.

I was hoping to get a letter or an explaination. I thought after a week or so the nurses would know something, but they still dont know where she is, what happened or how to get in touch with her. I know some companies wont release some information, but I really dont think they know what happened either.

I am going to meet with a couple doctors and see if I can find one I like.

Wish me luck.

Posted 5/19/2011 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
Sometimes they leave because they got a better job
else where, I've had that happen, but I did get a letter
in the mail saying he'd got a head position at another
hospital, so that might have happened and he might
not have been allowed to tell his old patients, as to not take them
away...Try what your husbands idea and I hope that works out
for you...well wishes and keep us posted...
Posted 5/19/2011 11:59 AM (GMT 0)
I have had that happen with GPs-I called to make an appointment and she just wasn't there anymore-I liked her too.

I also had a doc steal me from a collegue. I went to a major university hospital to their Rhuematolgy clinic and half way through my appointment the head of rhuematology walked in dismissed the doctor who was my attending for the day and took over himself. I really like the head of the department.
They thought I was interesting diagnostically and had all the interns from a bunch of different departments come do a differential.
Posted 5/19/2011 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
I think the part that bothered me the most is the fact that she diagnosed me, seemed to understand my condition, and I really liked her. She was real, calm and always knew what to do to encourage me to not give up. Its so tempting to want to throw your hands up sometimes and just say, "Im done. Im tired of appointments and being sick and being in pain and trying something for two more weeks that isnt working." She would always talk sense into me and tell me straight up that giving up isnt going to make it go away. This is happening to me whether I like it or not. Being tired of it all is normal and this is what normal is going to be for me from here on, but it isnt going to go away or get better by getting tired of fighting against myself and giving up.

I have to give her credit for her bedside manner. Ill probably never see her again, but she was a great doctor.
Posted 5/19/2011 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
The doctor who tried to push me off on his other partner turned out to be his brother! They had different names (from India) and his brother was just starting out so he tried to throw me to him. His brother was not a good doctor in my opinion and I left.

The doctor who tried to steal me away from his partner had done my laser vision correction and wanted to take over my glaucoma treatments. I had already been with his partner for three years so I turned him down when he offered. I should of stuck with him, but I felt loyal to the first doctor.
Posted 5/20/2011 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
I know this is stearing away from the original topic, but were you happy with laser surgery?

I have the money sitting in my Health Savings Account, but I just havent called for a consult yet. I think Im affraid of getting my hopes up and then getting denied. More than anything, Im affraid of something going wrong.

 

Posted 5/20/2011 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
I'm very happy with mine. It's expensive, but well worth it.
The first 24 hr you will be almost blind from the surgery. Then for four days your vision adjusts gradually to what it needs to be. You have to go through a series of medications as it heals. My eyes were very bloodshot for about three weeks.

There is some discomfort as the cornea is sliced because they have to push down on the eye. They put a lot of numbing solution on it, but you still feel some minor pain.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply