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Skeptical medicine
2004-11-10 - 4:17 p.m. So yesterday I go to see the doc, which, incidentally, is actually a Nurse Practioner, the 3rd one the ancient doc who has treated me for the past 22 years (and who also is one of my former emplpoyers) has employed. Of the 3, I like her ok. The 1st one, De@n, seemed to be the most on-the-ball, but he had other aspirations and didn't last; the 2nd was a sanctimonious ass, and I vowed to switch MDs after our last encounter. I thought the new lady was ok; at least if she didn't know something, she was honest enough to admit, "I don't know." But . . . (you knew there was a but coming didn't you?) yesterday she took my vitals, and my bp was 140/88. Not the best reading, but it beats the hell out of the 198/102 it was in the ER with the pain from the ear infection I was dealing with the night before my birthday last month. When I saw hee last month for the ear and got an assortment of Rx's, I discovered at the pharmacy that my L@six and L0press0r were missing, so the pharmacist called the doc for me so he could fill them all. Those are my 2 bp meds that I've been taking every day for at least 10 yrs. So yeasterday, the NP is reviewing my chart and says my bp is a little high, and she wants to see me again to see if she needs to start "treating me." I asked, "Treating me with what? For what?" because I was really confused. I was right in front of her; wasn't that treating me? She said, "With a diuretic. For your hypertension." I said, "You want to switch me from the L@six?" because to be honest, I hate L@six. It works a little too damn well; I always got to pee, but I know it's essential for the hi bp. Turns out she has no idea that I'm already taking the two meds. It becames obvious to both of us at the same time. She had the grace to look embarassed at least. I said that I think I actually needed blood work done for my liver. She flipped through the chart and said I was right, but it had to be fasting and I needed to go the lab at the hospital for it. Then she forgot to write out the orders for it. What concerns me is that I am not Jane Q. Patient. I have worked over a dozen years in the medical field, including a stint in that same office. I know my way around a lab report; I've taken pharmacology courses, and I actually read PDRs for drug interactions and contraindications, etc. I know what a drug half-life is, how drugs are metabolized. But what if I didn't? I would be in trouble, getting treatment I don't need, and not what I do. Then I learn that Medicaid isn't going to pick up the tab for my return visit to my GI doc after my biopsy. The hell they're not! They just don't know it yet, but they sure the fuck are. If I had $75 f'n dollars to pay 'em, that would be one thing, but I do believe that I'm entitled to discuss biopsy results and treatment options with my GI post surgical procedure. Let the letter writing begin. Don't even get me started here. Enough ranting - time to mellow out with Mr. J., the best medicine i've ever had . . . �
still here - 2009-12-18
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