Last week I had an ear infection. I called my ENT, whose office said they could squeeze me in on October 14. I pointed out that I would either be dead or recovered by then, but that's the "best they could do." I then went to Urgent Treatment and was seen by a Nurse Practitioner. He, after a 2 minute exam, prescribed an anti-biotic and a steroid. I told him I could not take Prednisone. "It's not prednisone," he says. It will be fine. I fill the scripts, and, sure enough, it's "methlypredisone." I called the NP again, he said it was fine, I took said meds. I got pretty groggy and went to sleep. (In the daytime, odd for me.) After about 2 hours, my Apple Watch began alerting repeatedly. I finally fished for my glasses and discovered my heart rate was, according to the watch (which probably isn't THAT accurate) that my heart rate was at 36 beats per minute. I was not mentally sharp at that point, but I knew enough to get moving and to get my heart rate up. I put a pod in the Kuerig and started walking briskly around the house, which helped. A cup of coffee helped more. An ER visit revealed I had "nothing to worry about, follow up with your doctor." Of course, my doctor will see me at the end of October.

I do believe that, once you hit 60, they don't much give a shit if you live or die.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Fredward,

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:

they could squeeze me in on October 14.

Month or two ago, I had a situation on Sunday evening, when of course my doctor's office was closed. I went to a walk-in treatment center, they handled the immediate need and told me to follow up with my regular doctor.

Monday morning, my wife asked if I was going to call for an appointment. "Nope" said I, "I'm just gonna take my Kindle (loaded with a few books) and go camp out in the waiting room. They'll either have to 'squeeze me in' or call the cops and have me busted for trespass, 'cause I'm not leaving there voluntarily without seeing the doctor."

I only had to wait twenty minutes before the doctor took a look at the situation.

Did the NP even ask you why you cannot take prednisone? Once a patient tells you he cannot take prednisone (a steroid), the immediate question should always be, “Why? What happened to you when you took it?” Some sort of side effects? Or allergic reaction? Or, in the most severe case, an anaphylactic reaction? Just forging ahead and prescribing you a different steroid, methylprednisolone, which is more potent than prednisone, without knowing the reason why you cannot take prednisone, in no bueno.

No, no questions. No medical history at intake, although it was my first (and last) visit. No questions about other meds I was taking, and didn't want to listen when I told him. Best I could do was talk to my pharmacist, who said an interaction "wasn't likely." If I need something stitched I MIGHT go back, more than likely I'll bandage it up and drive 25 miles to an ER I trust. It's almost bad enough to make me want to move to a bigger city. The main reason I was concerned is that I am profoundly hard of hearing and I wanted to avoid further hearing loss.

I posted in the thread “How do you find a real doctor, I mean a good doctor?” about my last go around with an Urgent Care doctor, a real M.D. allegedly.

“Valid point you bring up. I went around with a Urgent Care Physician that initially refused to give me Paxlovid for confirmed Covid within the first twenty four hours. His excuse (contrary to what my Cadiologist believes) was that it was better for me to let it run its course despite my being 65+, X3 bypass patient, high BP, high Cholesterol and asthma.”

I omitted the part during the edit of my response where once he said he wouldn’t prescribe Paxlovid because of the interactions with my maintenance medications and the possibility of “rebound Covid”. I politely asked him if he would call my Cardiologist to check with him and the response was “I don’t talk to other doctors.”

That was the point he left the room and I immediately called my Cardiologist. I don’t know if he called another physician, he definitely didn’t call my Cardiologist despite his name and number being in my file as the PCP.

Result, he finally prescribed it and told me to call my Cardiologist for direction on which medication to withhold for the five day duration. As I walked out my Cardiologist’s nurse called to tell me that she would call in the prescription and instructed me what to stop taking. Filled her in on the result and thanked her for her returned call.

Won’t be back to that Urgent Care.

Medical office screw (endodonics)up yesterday Would not give me medication because they didn’t tell me i needed a driver. Didn’t tell me to stop aspirin for 3 days. Took an xray and found that i have two abscesses instead of 1. rescheduled me in a month. Prescription sedative was not available in my pharmacy and had to go non plan pharmacy out of pocket for 3 pills. Co pay will be over $2000 for the treatment. I had several contacts with the front office prior to the appointment.

I spent considerable time finding a physician. I had to wait a year for an appointment but it was worth it. Same day appointments,call in medications same day,twenty years younger than myself and had ties to the community. He grew up locally as well.
The approach that Vtail suggested either gets you seen or tossed out by security. I have yet to see an MD working at an Urgent Care center.
The other approach is a conceirge practice.

quote:

Originally posted by elmer:
Medical office screw (endodonics)up yesterday Would not give me medication because they didn’t tell me i needed a driver. Didn’t tell me to stop aspirin for 3 days. Took an xray and found that i have two abscesses instead of 1. rescheduled me in a month. Prescription sedative was not available in my pharmacy and had to go non plan pharmacy out of pocket for 3 pills. Co pay will be over $2000 for the treatment. I had several contacts with the front office prior to the appointment.

Your experience reminds me of the last PCP I had. Went in with some sort of a skin irritation. This PCP was recommended by one of my daughters, thirty some miles away. Nice summer day,I decide to ride the motorcycle there.

Get into the room, PA comes in, takes vitals, asks why I’m there. She also said “Nice day for a motorcycle ride.” as my helmet and gloves are in the exam table next to me. Doctor then comes in, she examines me and also remarks about it being a nice day for a ride. So, she prescribes an anti itch, some steroids and also says “You’re going to get a cortisone injection today.”

So she leaves the room and in a few minutes the initial visit PA comes in. I start to roll up my sleeve and she says “No, this has to be in the hip.” So ok, instantly I’m in severe pain. She said “The pain will last for awhile”, my response was “Define awhile!” So she said “Two or three hours.”

So at this point I said “Why didn’t you or the doctor say something before? You both remarked about my helmet. I’ve got 800 pounds of bike in the parking lot and I live thirty some miles away. What am I supposed to do now?”

Well she made a quick two word remark and high tailed it out of the room. Fortunately I had the dumb luck to have it in my right hip, braking wasn’t bad but still bad enough. Never went back to her after that episode.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

The approach that Vtail suggested either gets you seen or tossed out by security.

It's a waiting room. I waited.

There's no "security" in that building. They would have to call a real cop, and my doc would not go for that.

The way it works in this practice: front desk people erect roadblocks. Doc finds out and makes things happen, so all I need to do is sit quietly in the waiting room, reading e-book on my Kindle, doc happens to pass by the desk, notices me there, and Bob's your uncle.

You are lucky must be in a nice neighborhood. The hospital owns the practices and if someone is being slightly difficult they are shown the door. It did not used to be like that forty years ago. You are lucky.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

The hospital owns the practices and if someone is being slightly difficult they are shown the door.

1. This practice is not owned by a hospital.

2. A waiting room is for waiting. That's why it is called a waiting room. Please explain how somebody sitting quietly, reading, in the waiting room is being difficult.

i’m tired of everything taking so long. And being dragged out.

So apparently the methylprednisolone increased my insulin resistance, at least temporarily. My glucose numbers were off the charts (too high to measure.) After a call to my endocrinologist, I tripled my insulin dose and got things relatively normal. Triple dose the next day, and the numbers were better. Today, I was down to half a triple dose, that is, from 100 units to 50 units. (normal dose 37 units.) My numbers were good today, tomorrow I try 37 again and will "add" if the day goes poorly. I have a follow up with the endo in two weeks. We shall see.

I am 75 yrs. old, and went to my family doctor almost 4 weeks ago for severe lower back pain. I have a history of kidney stones { 5 past lithotripsies over the years} along with spinal stenosis after 2 back surgeries. Doctor did a CT scan, then prescribed PT, and told me to contact their Urologist for an appt. That was 3 weeks ago and still waiting for an appointment!!! Anyone who has had kidney stones can attest to the pain involved with them. Then to have to endure PT as well, sheesh ! The health care in this country has gone to the dogs!

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
So apparently the methylprednisolone increased my insulin resistance, at least temporarily. My glucose numbers were off the charts (too high to measure.) After a call to my endocrinologist, I tripled my insulin dose and got things relatively normal. Triple dose the next day, and the numbers were better. Today, I was down to half a triple dose, that is, from 100 units to 50 units. (normal dose 37 units.) My numbers were good today, tomorrow I try 37 again and will "add" if the day goes poorly. I have a follow up with the endo in two weeks. We shall see.

Prednisone/steroids are well known to throw off sugar numbers. Great stuff but it does have it's side issues...

Call the urologist asap. The support staff is not what it used to be. Being extremely nice helps.

I have twice, and told they are extremely busy, and have to wait for their 'review panel " to look at my case . Three weeks ?????

That is crazy. Medical schools do that sort of thing but patients know that upfront. Hmmm it looks like a recipe for disgruntled and disruptive patients.Keep us posted.

Yep, still awaiting a call for an appointment. I guess once you're on Medicare you go to the back of the line ...sad !!

quote:

Originally posted by Roofuss:
Yep, still awaiting a call for an appointment. I guess once you're on Medicare you go to the back of the line ...sad !!

Don't wait, call back and check, squeaky wheel gets the grease and look another provider.