OT rant about my rheumy doc visit

I am so ticked!  Today was my first appt with the rheumatologist.  It was supposed to be at 2:30 well there were other ladies in there waiting before me, well an hour goes by and we are still in the waiting room.  Another half hour goes by when lady #2 got up and asked how much longer it was going to be so they told her that were going to get her in and they did within 5 minutes.  Well lady #1 was there since 2pm so she got up and wanted to know what the deal was because lady #2 came in after me.  They had thought lady #2 was lady #1 so they sent her back first and obviously they had the wrong chart.  So while they were trying to figure that little mess out, they called me in and lady #1 had a look of disbelief on her face like this was total you know what. 

So I get back in the room (mind you this was already almost 2 hours past my appt time) and I waited some more.  So then the doc calls me to his office, we go over what's been bothering me.  He doesn't really say anything, just asks a bunch of questions.  Tells me to go back in my room and I had to change into a gown.  I had to wait again...about 15 minutes this time.  He goes in, bends me around into a pretzel wanting to know if this hurts or that hurts.  I tell him no so then he tells me to get dressed and go into his office again.  I go in there and he looks and me and says, "Well you have Ulcerative Colitis.  You are going to have pain in your joints (duh - I know this).  Go have your blood drawn and call me in 2 weeks."  He didn't offer any sort of explanation to what he was after (even after I asked), nor did he comment on the various odd things that are bothering me such as the muscle weakness, tingling in my feet, the rashes, the SI joint pain etc.  Maybe he is waiting until he gets the results of the blood test, I dunno but this doc has to work on his bedside manner.  I tell you one thing, that if that blood test shows up anything, anything at all, I will not be going back to that office again.  I was there for over 3 hours and seen the doc a whole 10 minutes.  I was NOT happy after I left, in fact I was ticked!  Even the nurse said to another nurse - why are we having a new patient at 4pm (they close at 5pm)??? I looked at her and said "Hey, I was here at 2:15."

Sorry for the vent.  I've been waiting for this appt for 4 weeks and when I get there it seemed like they didn't know what the heck they were doing for a doctor that a bit closed mouth and arrogant to boot.  I HATE doctors like that grrr

Ah, what a shame! I have to hand it to you, you're way more patient than I. At 45 minutes I'm at the window asking, and at an hour I'm up there telling them I'm leaving, that my time is important also. They always get me in when I do that. Then when they put me in the room and close the door (out of sight, out of mind) I wait five minutes and open the door. After another ten to 15, I stand in the door.

My husband went through this with his cardiologist. They even had permanent signs posted in the office apologizing for running late! He complained to everyone he saw during the visit - clerks, nurses and the doctor. The last time he went for a follow-up, he was in and out in less than an hour.

You're paying the guy, so you should let your feelings be known.

Aww, I am sorry. I wish you could go to my Arthritis guy. He is awesome! He always is very on top of everything. And he's always poking me everywhere and pulling on everything and asking if it hurts or insisting it will hurt (it oddly always does cause he says it's all connected). And he looks like John Stamos! LOL Man, you know you're pretty unhealthy when the best looking guy around is your Arthritis doctor! Pathetic! I have to wait 2 or more hours each time, though. I find that a lot in the specialist fields. If he is still lousy after the blood test, I'd look elsewhere. Sorry, I was hoping he'd be able to help you some today.

Ohhhhh I WANT your rheumy doc PC! LOL This doctor reminded me a bit of my own father (maybe that's why he annoyed me so much - long story but I don't get along real well with my daddy). Plus he sort of stunk like unwashed hair - not my idea of the most pleasant smell considering that I gave up my hairstyling schooling because the smell of unwashed hair nauseates me....yeah I'm weird like that! lol Ah well........I guess I will just wait and see what the blood results say before I decide on anything.

Usually the specialists that I go too, I'm in and out of the office within a hour and a half. But over 3 hours is a bit much.

Sorry Red. I go to Kaiser and they give their MDs only 15 minutes per visit and I'm always waiting around b/c I've made it my point to pick MDs who take their time, so they always fall behind. Just in case your wondering, always ask a RN who'd they go to for their care, I've gotten my best MDs this way. Once, I was at the OBGYN for my annual, was taken in immediately, got fully undressed, pulled the thin sheet they give you around my body and waited. Started to feel tired and layed down, woke up two hours later, totally not making this up. It freaked me out that I was just laying there naked and all, so I got dressed and just when I was walking out of the exam room, my MD was coming toward me and she was annoyed that I wasn't undressed waiting for her in the room! I asked the RN on my way out who she would go to and now have a great OBGYN, only 10 minutes late max.

P.S. Can fibro be DX by a blood exam? I've had fibro-like sx's for a couple of years now and have been wonderin if I should really look into it. Have mentioned to MD, but he thinks maybe related to UC????

Yes, very rude :( But what was even ruder was that when me and the other ladies where in the waiting room, I could hear the receptionist answering phone calls for this doctor, they would call his office and then forward the calls to him. Obviously he had time to take phone calls but not spend time with his patients??!!

Lucy, I'm not 100% sure I have fibro - it was sort of a back handed guess the docs gave to me a couple years ago. And no, fibro doesn't show up in bloodwork. It's based on your history and symptoms, trigger points etc.

Q, I will see what the EMG reveals next week before I suggest another doc to my primary. I have an HMO and many of my docs are within the same network so it's tough finding one outside the box. Trust me, I'm gonna look though!

Omgosh, your poor mother! I don't blame her one bit for not going back. I had a similiar experience like that years ago. I was forgotten and a couple hours went by (I waited because the doc had patients double booked), so I went out to see what the deal was and the nurse admonished me for not coming out sooner because THEY forgot.......huh - that was my fault??? No, I didn't go back to them either.

I'm sure we all have our horror stories when it comes to docs. I just feels so awful when you find a doctor and you have your hopes on this doctor helping you only to have it turn around on ya. It feels sort like a slap in the face. I usually don't cry when that happens but I was so angry yesterday that I had tears in my eyes.

Thanks Debbie. Yes, I'm going to ask to be seen elsewhere if I can. I have another week to wait until I'm "allowed" to call for my results. So, right now I'm playing it by ear.

Oh I have no intention of going back to that doctor - I'm just waiting on my test results and see if I can find another doctor within my network to take it from there.