Posted by Renee N on July 4, 2000, at 2:06:50
I have considered leaving my pdoc for another before, but kept procrastinating (ADHD). I took the TOVA test with a psychologist in his office at his suggestion back in March. It was $200 out of the pocket. I forgot my next appointment with the pdoc. He said before I took the test that he wanted to see me every 3 weeks for a while. When I missed my appopntment and went in to apologize and reschedule, he said he would tell the receptionist to get me in very soon, probably within the week. She never called. I finally called her and she said he never told her anything. She wrote stuff down, but again didn't call me. I finally called her back and she couldn't get me in until June 29. That day finally came. When I got home from work, my daughter told me that the pdoc's office had called and wanted me to call them back. When I called, someone(not the usual receptionist) told me that the doctor's contract with my behavior health plan was "Pending". She said if I kept my appointment that day it would be self-pay, but if I rescheduled, they would probably have things settled by then. She said it was the behavioral health plan's fault, not the pdoc's. I told her I was irritated that they only told me on the day of the appointment. I asked when they found out about it. She said the insurance lady had left early because she was sick, and she didn't know when they were informed. I asked how much it would be as a self-pay. She had to find out. She came back and said that I was scheduled for longer than usual (I usually have 15 minute med checks which more often than not are cut short by the antsy pdoc getting up and heading me toward the door). If I came in as scheduled it would cost $80, but if I waited until 5:45 he could see me for a shorter time and would "only" charge me $60. My usual copay is $25. I said I was unhappy with the situation and would be changing pdocs. Then I told her that I might run out of my prescriptions before I could get in to see someone else, and I asked if that would be a problem. She said it probably would, because he would want to see me first. Never mind that that never stopped him before. (Never mind that both ADDerall(a stimulant) and Effexor XR can pose withdrawal problems!!!) I was so angry.
Five minutes after we hung up, she called. I didn't answer and listened to her message on my answering machine. She repeated that it wasn't their fault. She said they were just informed that day...yeah, right. She said they talked to some other patients with the same plan, and they talked to their "caseworkers" at the behavioral health plan and they arranged it so they could go there and have it covered. She even went so far as to suggest that if I called and asked to be able to continue to see my pdoc, that it would help them out. Like I want to do that!
I called the behavioral health plan. It took the guy some time to find the current and correct info, with much prompting from me. He said that in February they told my pdoc that they wanted to do a review. His office never responded, so their contract was cancelled at the end of March! Some how I don't quite believe that the pdoc's office was just informed of this on June 29th, the day of my appointment!!!
I am going to go off my meds. If I have problems, I'll call someone else. I had already gotten a referral from my primary physician. Too bad I never followed through. I am angry at myself for not acting on my gut feelings when my pdoc didn't get back to me when I was concerned about my blood pressure,rushed me out of his office after 7 minutes, didn't meet me back at his office to give me a prescription as promised on New Year's Eve( his receptionist told me to go there, and they were closed, but he was there.), etc. Damn!
I went from 225 to 150mg. Effexor XR 4 days ago. I thought this would be okay, because I once went from 300 to 225 with no problem. Well today I felt like I was going to faint and/or vomit. I was sweating bullets. I took another 37.5 mg. and felt better. I will go down more gradually. I had planned on going very, very slow at the end 37.5 mg and down only taking a few more "grains" out each day and going to every other day.
My meds have never really helped with my ADHD symptoms. The AD helped me be less upset about the ADHD. I figure I will just learn to accept the ADHD and do what I can behaviorally. I don't think the meds are worth what they might be doing to my heart and liver if they don't even help me remember my pdoc appointments!
Thanks for being here and letting me vent. I am not a happy camper!!! Love you guys, Renee N
poster:Renee N
thread:39285
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000630/msgs/39285.html