[tbunny1]

I really should not let other people live rent free in my head, but this new doctor I saw today has me seeing red!

Went to the new dermatologist today to investigate some changes to the rash I have pretty permanatly on my chest. I wasn't thrilled the moment I walked in, as their directions did not include all the detours from construction at the hospital. Felt like I had to walk a mile from the parking garage to the office.

After waiting over an hour, I was finally put back in an exam room. The doctor came in some 10 minutes later(or maybe less - at that point every minute was eternity), and she began to take my history and note the chart.

After about 4 minutes, the nurse knocked on and opened the door, and the doctor states "oh, there is somebody else ahead of you in the other room", and left the examination! :hissy:

After the initial shock wore off, my first thought was to just storm out of the office. I took a deep breath, and decided for once I was going to stand up to these rude physicians, and let them know what I think of their behavoir.

She returned to the exam room some 15 minutes later, without explanation, and sat down. I stood up, and told her "that was unbelievably rude of you to leave the room like that, after keeping me waiting over an hour! I am so mad at you I could just spit nails!" :screamin: ect, ect, ect.

I didn't yell, I didn't cry (something I tend to do when I am angry), and I didn't back down. She continued to try to justify her behavoir, and never once apologized. I let her know that my time was just as valuable as hers, and she obviously did not value me as a patient.

And I walked out ...............:angry: :grrr:

I have for the first time learned to stand up to a doctor, and have had enough self esteem to do so without losing emotional control. I tell you, at first it felt like when I was trying to get diagnosed, and it seemed all the doctors were against me, and I always left the appointments so crushed. But I learned to say no, and thought well enough of myself to demand respect.

Of course now I am obsessing about it - I should have said this, I could have said that, those crazy conversations I always replay in my head.

I didn't know who to talk to about it, but I bet someone here will know what I mean when I say I had a major breakthrough and a victory in my battle with lupus today. Take that, you inconsiderate doctors! :dancing:

 

[Maia]

Good for you! I have had doctor's leave my exam room in the middle of the exam as well. Usually because they have been paged and it's apparently some sort of emergency. I've chosen to let it slide.... but your story reminds me of another story...

My dad had a scheduled 8:15 am appt one day, walked in and it was obvious there was a scheduling problem of some sort at check in but they left him waiting for 1.5 hours. He went up and told them at most he would wait another 30 minutes as he had other things to do that morning and when the time passed by he went up and told them he was leaving and to be sure not to bill his insurance for this 2 hour wait at the office.

PS They have gotten him in within 15 minutes for every appointment since then in the last few years!

 

[Katharine]

Yep WELL DONE you!!

It is eay to replay things after but I'd say that you did a really god job of it first off. The most difficult thing is to remain calm.

I realise I'm really lucky with my rheumy who, when she is very occasionally late, always apologises.

Katharine

 

[LolaLola]

Well Done, There will be no way to hold you back now you have successfully done this once.
Excellent.
x Lola

 

[Raglet]

well done ! Surely the correct thing to do would have been to finish with you, and then the doctor would apologise to the other patient if she has seen patients out of order.

Or maybe the other patient has kicking up in the other room demanding to be seen. Heck, maybe there was something in the water at that office and they were all going at it.

well done, you go girl

raglet

 

[granny weatherwax]

Well Done you I am so impressed. I had felt like doing this a few times but usually fell apart because I was so tired. Maybe next time I will take a leaf out of your book and give them what for.

Take care of your self

Claire

 

[neongirl]

Bravo!:thumbs: If more people would do what you have I bet Drs. would begin to treat their patients differently . I wouldn't second guess a thing, sounds like you managed the situation perfectly.

 

[Jirel]

Wow! I've never had a doctor do that. My Rheumy appologizes if the nurse pulls her out of the room a few mins to sign something; but her appts usually last for a minimum of 15 mins each so I understand if something comes up, afterall, sometimes I'm the one that needs a perscription authorized.

Congradulations on standing up to her and then walking out. That was fantastic! Can you 'fire' her and find a different doctor?

 

[anna from nottingham]

Hi tbunny

sorry to hear that you found your experience so difficult

I'm not sure what your system of healthcare is like in the NHS (I'm assuming you probably have to pay private insurance)

here in the UK, i see a rheumatology team at an NHS hospital (where treatment is free at the point of use)- waiting over an hour to see one of the team is the norm- and I don't mind as I feel that the team are working as hard as they can and the reason the waiting time is long is in order for the team to be able to make the most efficient use of their time available (i.e. it enables them to go from one patient to another as quickly as possible without delays for those people who have not turned up for their appointments etc.) i do not believe that anyones time is more valuable than anyone elses, however, i would rather see patients waiting for appointments than doctors waiting for patients, which i think would be a waste of resources

however, the team i see always apologise for the delay etc. and it is unfortunate that your doctor did not have the sense or manners to apologise for the delay as this can make all the difference

take care annaxxx

 

[sadieone]

all i can say is :dancing::dancing::dancing::dancing::dancing: YOU GO GIRL:dancing::dancing::dancing::dancing::dancing:

 

[red dragon]

rude docs

I understand wot you mean sum docs can be sooo rude.the last time I went to see my doc at the hosp we drove for an hour and half for a ten min appt, 8 I repeat 8 lots of blood taken and the doc moaned about my weight(I gained 4lbs) not surprising as ive been to weak to go out much ,not a lot of help there ,wish i had your guption to speek up but i was to knackerd. keep up the good work, you speak for most of us. xx:lol:

 

[karen.w.]

Good for you tracy!!! :highfive: :thumbs: :more: :more:

I'm sure some doctors think it's part of their job to be so ill mannered & arrogant!!! manners cost nothing!

love karen x

p.s can you give us some lessons :hehe:

 

[florie]

Hearing what you did made me feel so great. Because she treated you with no regards or respect. Proud of you. Last time i got that treatment i broke down. I don't like doctors who act like were just another number. If they cant give respect then they dont respect back. Find another doctor.
Great job!

 

[red dragon]

:wink2::lol:dlad that you were able to stand op to your doc. mine was not to bad when i saw him, not very open with info but polite and he listened,or at least seemed to.i know docs are busy but that is no excuse for rude behaviour,if we did that in our jobs we'd be sacked.

 

[elle-co]

:hehe::hehe:WELL DONE:hehe::hehe:

I would have loved to have seen the doc's face!!!

 

[pollianna]

It can be very difficult with n invisible illness like ours. I saw a derm who rifled through my hair for a moment or two and pronounced alopecia "probably female pattern baldness" She was lovely even if disinterented but it struck me that she had not looked at my notes at all. I was about to be dismissed for the umpteenth time but I stopped her and explained my history. She readily agreed that she was probably wrong. Had she been rude I may have reacted differently but alas I became so resiged to being dismissed, I may also have left with my tail firmly betweeen my legs. Good for you for standing up for yourself....

I now tend to see things also from the doctors point of view I have to say tho. I woke at 6am to get to London only to sit there for 2 hrs whilst Dr D'Cruz saw everyone before me and other doctors saw people who came after me. A woman commented that she was disguisted I had waited 2 hrs. I did smile, as I had waited over 8 years in reality. I felt kind of sorry for the poor doc running in and out trying to be all things to all of us. My main concern was that we all got the time we needed. This illness forces us to grow in the hardest ways eah? Hope the next derm is more polite

 

[Douglas]

Well done!

 

[peonyprincess]

Tracy,

There are so many things one could say, but to put it quite simply...........






BRAVO

Nancy

 

[tbunny1]

:scratch: Where in the world did this get dredged up from last year? I had forgotten about that evil woman, but ah, it comes back to me now.

I waited an hour and 1/2 yesterday at the neuro-opthomologist just to get taken back to the exam room. The entire visit took over four hours. A stream of medical students were brought into the exam room and I was turned into the bug under the microscope.:hissy::screamin:

:smirk:I didn't do a thing - just sat there like a lump, didn't utter a word.

:goodvibes: Thanks to whomever got this back in motion. I needed to remember that I can talk back to these doctors, and demand that I be treated like an adult at the very least. Just because I don't work doesn't mean my time is not valuable.

Well, I'm hitting 50/50 here for standing up for myself. You win some, and you lose some. Let's see if I can repeat that previous scenario.