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My PCP is such a JERK!!!!

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Posted 2/7/2008 1:51 PM (GMT 0)

OK this is a doctor horror story and an update.

Well started with sudden blurred vision had lumbar puncture, 2 blood patches for leaking lumbar puncture, MRI of head with and without contrast, MRA head and neck. Saw Optomoligist-all normal, Then saw Neuro he did EEG to check for optic neurivitis-normal. He feels MS not possible but to ease my mind he has ordered an MRI of spine with and without contrast (I will let you all know how that comes out) Then developed severe abd. pain saw PCP. She asked me if I was a nervious person or an anxious person I told her no just in pain!! DUH. Then she realized my white blood cells were elevated she changed her attitude and gave me flagyl, cipro and diagnosed me with colitis.

OK so after finished meds fever began 99-102 for over 1 week. Then after 1 week of fever began having burning in legs and hips. Felt like burning needles being stabbed into lower body a million times a minute. At the same time my legs looked red and all veins in legs were protruding. Went in to see PCP she ordered labs and called Rheumy and Neuro. Rheumy office said she would have to call my PCP back. Neuro doc said to give me low dose of prednisone for 5 days. I told my PCP that since fever began I have had widespread pain and could not sleep well because of pain. I asked if she could give me something for pain to take at night. Now I would like to state she has never given me pain meds and for some reason none of my doctors want to ever give me pain meds I have been given only 20 pills in the last 6 months. She said she would have to talk to Rheumy first. OK fine so that night once again no sleep so I called her office and asked for something for pain again. She called me back and said "Can you not sleep because you are anxious?" I told her no I can't sleep because of pain and how did she expect me to get well if I had not slept a full night in 9 days? She then said "well all your labs here can back normal and if they come back normal with your Rheumy then I don't think anyone can help you" WHAT???? Are you kidding me? I should have asked her Ok so if those labs come back normal you are saying I am just crazy? But I didn't.

Then yesterday her medical assistant called me and said PCP talked to Rheumy about my labs and that my PCP wants to see me on Monday to discuss my labs. I asked why I have an appt with Rheumy why would I need to see PCP about Rheumy labs? She answered I don't know she just said you have to come in Monday at 11:30 last appt before lunch so she has time to talk to me. WHAT?? Now I am going out of my mind wondering is there something wrong?, Does she want to tell me I am crazy?, Does she want to fire me as a patient because I am to difficult for her?

This is my 4 day of prednisone and I woke up today with widespread upper body pain. everything above my belly button is tender to the touch and I still have fever. Now I can not fake a fever and if I have had a fever now for 11 days there is something wrong with me that is not normal especially since normal temp for me is 95-96 degrees.

Anyway sorry for the long post I just needed to get this off my chest.

Posted 2/7/2008 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Kncb,

 

I know this is incredibly frustrating for you. Im sorry you have a loser for a doctor.  When you say your bellybutton is tender to touch, is it just the skin that is tender, or does it feel painful internally, underneath the bellybutton, or in the bellybutton area?  The reason I ask this is that appendicitis can make your bellybutton area very sore.  It's one of the red flags for appendicitis.  Are you having any right sided pain?  Did you mention the bellybutton pain to your doctor?

 

With that fever, and abdominal pain, elevated whites, I'd go to the ER.  If it's appendicits, you have to get it treated asap.  I'm just being cautious, not trying to freak you out.  I don't think your doctor is taking enough of a concern here.  To diagnose colitis with the snap of a figure is ludicrous.  You need special testing for that. Like a biopsy!!  Don't wait. Okay.  Just go to the ER.

 

Let us know how you're doing,

 

Ginny

Posted 2/7/2008 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Ginny,
The pain is strange it is everywhere from my waist up. Stomach, back, shoulders, arms, head, neck it is strange because it is like a bruise everywhere. Even my bra is hurting my back. It is like when you press on a muscle that has been pulled. Surprisingly my white blood cells are now normal after 2 weeks on flagyl and cipro. Then came the fever 11 days ago. Has anyone ever had this type of pain before?
I agree a snap diagnoses of colitis is crazy due to the fact my brother has chrone's but I did make an appt with a gastro I will see him next week. When my brother first started having abd pain his PCP told him he had a pulled muscle in his abdomin and gave him a muscle relaxer even though he was running 102-104 for a week. How crazy is that? Then after a couple of days he went to the ER and his apendix had burst and his abdomin was full of infection they had to put a drain in and get control on his infection before they could even do the apendectomy.
I am also once again going to change PCP but my appt with him is not until next month so I am stuck with her until I get my talk she wants to have on Monday. Depending on what she has to say I will probably try to see the new PCP sooner if possible. I am willing to wait for this guy because he is supposed to be the best and will listen to his patients and that would be a real change for me if that is the case.
Posted 2/7/2008 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
The pain you have described is exactly how I describe my Fibromyalgia flare ups.  Yup.  You feel like a big bruise all over.  Even the slightest bump into something is excrutiating, right?  OR if you get poked, it hurts like crazy.  I have this pain all the time. It never goes away. My fibromyalgia fluctuates quite a bit with most of the time it being rather annoying, but I can live with it, all the way to not being able to have my blankets covering me at night.  Fibro mimicks lupus and other autoimmune diseases.  MCTD would be one too.  You might have fibro as well.  That is something your rheumy has to diagnose.  No blood tests for it, just symptoms.

 

I'm glad you have an appointment with a GI doc. It's just smart to make sure everything is working as it should!  Good for you.

 

Your poor brother.  Man, that's how people die with appendicitis attacks.  He's very lucky.

 

Good luck with your new pcp.  I hope he's a great listener too!

Posted 2/8/2008 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
kncb, you sure have been through a lot and I agree with you that something is wrong and you need a doc who is going to really listen and figure out what is going on and what is causing your pain. I get so frustrated when docs like your pcp want to blame so many symptoms on anxiety or depression. When I fist got sick I was questioned over and over about depression which got very frustrating after a while. Please don't wait things out if the pain gets worse or if your fever gets too high. You don't want to take any chances. Hang in there and keep us updated on how you are doing and what you find out.
Posted 2/8/2008 4:17 PM (GMT 0)

Dear KNCB,

Welcome to the world of "normal labs, normal tests" oh gee, you must be depressed and menopausal.... do I sound bitter? and I am a nurse and my docs LISTENED TO ME and with a positive ANA and anticardiolipin antibodies, after 6 years I found a rheumy who looked at me, and said lupus and started plaquenil and neurontin, and feldene for the pain, and every 6 months asks me if my pain and symptoms are being managed ok and I could hug him, actually the nurse who bucks me up when I hesitate to say anything because I have lived so sick for so long and I AM TIRED!!(*&#&^#&_!_!_@#&*&*(#(@!! Speak UP! Go to that appt. with the knowledge that you are worth pain medicine, start a diary, list your tests and treatments, I used a calendar format, write down all your questions, demand answers and write them down on your diary that is open in front of you at your appt. and insist on copies of everything, I used a 3 ring binder, and the notes I took about me are echoed in this forum time after time and we are not alone. this is our life, welcome to autoimmune illness..........and even without a diagnosis, you deserve, and pay your doctors for their help. A tenet of nursing and medicine is first do no harm and pain is whatever the pt. says it is! and yes, there are alot of jerk health PROFESSIONALS!! who refuse to SEE THEIR PT because they are too darned comfortable looking at the box of "NORMAL" lab tests. I could scream when I hear about all the lupus and ms pts who live sick, I think I read that the average time to dx is 8 yrs. Hugs, and NO YOU ARE NOT CRAZY and even if you were you deserve to be seen with care! Gee, thats maybe whats missing from HealhCARE!  sue

Posted 2/8/2008 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi KNCB, Sorry you are having to so rough. Its especially hard when you aren't sure if your doctor is "with it". Ginny's advice sounds really good. IF it is fibro pain . . . the prednisone can make it worse. Prednisone can bring on a fibro flare. (sorry) I hope you'll keep us posted. And if you have belly pain . . . go the to the ER!! Blessings!
Posted 2/8/2008 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Sue,
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I am so happy that I am not alone in my extreme frustration. I know most everyone here has had to deal with this and even knowing that I still sometimes feel so alone. My mother has always been a type of person that your have to prove everything you say to her for her to believe you. Unless she saw me vomitimg with her own eyes I always felt she was doubting if I were really sick. So here I am again as an adult feeling like I have to prove to everyone I am sick. Since most of us with autoimmune disease look fine I can see how people would doubt how we feel. I have said to my husband so many times "I wish you could live in my body for 20 minutes so you can understand." I am happy I don't look like I feel but it sure would make life easier. I am planning to follow your advice on Monday when I see the PCP. I think I have finally reached my breaking point. I refuse to allow any other doctor make me feel I am not worthy of quality healthcare. The next doctor that asked me if I am anxious I plan to tell them "I am not anxious I am angry at the attitude I have recieved from medical professionals." I will also tell them I admit I have been diagnosed with depression but I have never been diagnosed with anxiety or ever had a psychiatrist imply any type of anxiety disorder until developing an autoimmune disease. Were you not taught in medical school that depression and anxiety are not the same diagnosis and do not carry the same symptoms. Being determined to find a diagnosis and a doctor that will be caring and understanding does not make me anxious. My only concern is when can I receive treatment so I can feel like my life no longer revolves around my health. I have to much to do with my life to continue to pay doctors to insult me and waste my time!!!!
Kasey
Posted 2/11/2008 9:28 PM (GMT 0)

Hi! Kasey,

Good Luck and be tough! Keep us posted, and know that we wouldn't be here posting if we didn't care! and you are absolutely right, how sick to we have to get to "prove" we are really sick????? I know I was really so sick I wanted to die.... and you are not alone. Let us know how it went,

hugs, sue

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