PCOS Messages for January, 2002: Re: How do you get your doctor to listen?

Re: How do you get your doctor to listen?

From: Corina (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 3 Jan 2002 02:09:23 -0600 (CST)

Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
Next message: Del: "Abdominal Pain as a symptom of PCOS?"
Previous message: Angela: "Re: Hair loss"
In reply to: Carrie: "How do you get your doctor to listen?"

Hi Carrie

I also am with Kaiser and have had many unpleasant experiences. Basically, I find that what you have to do to get what you want is be a total pain in the butt to them. "Noisy wheel gets the grease" and all that stuff. I would not even bother with trying to convince your doctor; that's not really your job. They are rewarded for limiting the expenses of the HMO and you will just likely get more pushback. It's the system, so you have to go higher. I would call Member Services straight away. Each reported complaint gets a person assigned who must follow a set process to resolution. It is more likely that they will get done what you need. I actually had a lot of trouble getting to see the right doctor with Kaiser too. But you have to just keep on being an advocate for yourself.

I also found, that even though PCOS/IR can be a precursor to diabetes, the regular endos knew nothing at all about PCOS. At least at my Kasier, they really only treated diabetes patients. The reproductive endocronologist knew much more because they are always dealing with infertility caused by PCOS. Try them. And remember, you do NOT have to be trying to get pregnant to see an RE within the Kasier system (although again, they might try to tell you that you do!) Just keep badgering them and telling them that by refusing to let you see the right doctor for your condition they are effectively refusing you medical treatment to which you are entitled and for which you are paying, and you may even have to threaten reporting them to your State's health insurance commission. It's not pleasant to be such a nag, but it's the only way I have found to avoid being swallowed by the immense and inflexible Kaiser beauracracy.

Initially, I presented to an actual gynaecologist with no periods for over 5 years and a testosterone reading in the high 100s, and even she refused the referral. I had to make the complaint and within the first 5 minutes the RE agreed I have PCOS. I have many times wanted to put together a binder for that first doctor so that she can be educated and things are easier for other patients, but have decided it's futile. They don't know, they don't care, they don't want to know. They want to give you that pap smear and get you out of there.

The basic test for IR is the fasting insuling test. Again, Kaiser's limits for normal are somewhat generous compared to the research I have done. What is normal for Kaiser is not actually the ideal and you may be IR even if your result does come without their limits of normal. Every lab has different limits. Just keep searching the Net and you will come across lots of medical research and related articles which give you the guidelines. Unfortunately, you might find that you are the one who knows most. And I guarantee that while you are with Kasier, you will be the one managing your own care entirely. In the end the only thing I can use them for is to run the lab tests to chart my progress and for getting the prescriptions that I want for Met etc. They don't know anything more than I do and they are ceratinly not on the cutting edge in treatment or research.

Good luck!! You DO have the right to be healthy!

At Thu, 3 Jan 2002, Carrie wrote: >
>Thank you all so much for the warm welcome and helpful advice on getting
>through the medical system. I have some more questions. I am with
>Kaiser medical system, an evil HMO from my experience. The last time I
>went and saw my doctor (about 4 months ago now), I asked for a referral
>to a dietician and an endocrinologist. She said they don't cover
>dieticians but that I could pay them like $10/week to join this
>weight-watchers equivalent internal program thing (no thanks). She
>referred me to the "obesity clinic" which turned out to be the surgical
>gastric-bypass people (no thanks, and they didn't understand why I had
>been referred because they didn't want me!). My doctor basically
>refused to give me a referral to an endocrinologist. She asked me why I
>wanted to see one ... I told her because that is the type of doctor I
>have worked with in the past that seemed to have the most experience
>with PCOS, and that I felt like most of my problems relate back to
>thyroid/insulin/hormone issues that I thought endocrinology would be
>able to help more with. Her response was that she wasn't going to refer
>me because she didn't think they could help and that it would be a waste
>of their time and of mine.
>
>SOOoooo ... I have another appointment to see my doctor. This time, I
>want to go in informed, with printouts if I have to to teach her about
>PCOS. I want to have some solid reasons for why I demand to see an
>endocrinologist and maybe even why I should be put on Metformin.
>
>Can you recommend any sources for factual information about PCOS that
>would be a source that a doctor would respect? Particularly, some
>information on why I need to deal with an endocrinologist and the types
>of medications that are used to treat PCOS and why. I just want to make
>sure the bases are covered and that this is factual/credible in the eyes
>of someone in the medical profession.
>
>I would love to go in there and tell my doctor that the other ladies on
>this board with my disease have done this .. but she'll blow me off. I
>want to go in there, not only informed, but with information I can share
>with her. She gets me so angry and frustrated I just cry in her office
>and am useless.
>
>Ooh, and one other question. What types of tests are done to determine
>if someone is insulin resistant? I have done the fasting glucose type
>tests and they all come back "normal" according to Dr. Wonderful.
>
>Thank you so much! Knowing that others have gone through this and that
>it isn't all in my head really gives me the strength to fight for my
>right to be healthy. Thanks again!!! -- Carrie

Next message: Del: "Abdominal Pain as a symptom of PCOS?"
Previous message: Angela: "Re: Hair loss"
In reply to: Carrie: "How do you get your doctor to listen?"

Women's Insurance Checklist from Auto Insurance Quote

use when must restrict search to only the pcos forum...
Enter search keywords:
	Returns per screen: Require all keywords: