Just Venting About Horrible Care At Vamc

[purple]

i know i'm not, by far, the only one who receives horrible care at their VAMC....but i just need to vent. so be forewarned.

i was in a pretty bad car accident on the 19th (not my fault) and was taken to a real ER to be checked out. they did all the normal stuff plus a couple of CT scans and gave me some meds and sent me on my way with orders to f/u with my regular doc. LMAO!!!

so today i saw a prime care doc (mine is gone for 3 weeks). what a waste of 2 hours out of my life that i will never get back. wow. i told her my pain level was a 7 (yes, it hurts still like hell in my neck and head and i have bad dizziness), she asked where it hurt, then told me i probably have whiplash (oh, no shit sherlock), gave me more muscle relaxers after i told her that the ones i have aren't working (she gave me more of the same) (flexeril)....said to give it 3 months and see how i feel and if it isn't any better come back and then maybe they will refer me for PT. omfg.

tomorrow i'm calling a civilian doc and or pain clinic. since the insurance will be paying for this, i'm going to get it treated the real way. i'm only 44 and really don't want neck and head problems the rest of my life and i don't think almost constant dizziness is normal.

ok.....thanks for allowing me to vent.

[purple]

My regular pcp is pretty worthless as well, so I doubt he would be of any help anyway. The reason I went to this VA appt anyway was just to see if they would do anything and/or see what they would (not) do.

I'm already checking out a local pain clinic. Also the doc that I used to see as a regular doc is still in practice in the local area in case they want a referral from a family-type doc.

Part of my point also going to the VA was to show how useless they are (adding to my papers on how useless the VA really is). They had their chance...a fair chance. This won't be the first time I've had to see a civilian doc because the VA doesn't know what they are doing.

[Ricky]

This is why I thougth the VA medical card thing was a good ideal. At least you could go see a real doc on the outside if'n you did not have insurance. However, we complained and the ideal went away.

[yelloownumber5]

VARO for us is Columiba, SC and they seem to be pretty good even though I'm new with this and this is my only experience. I don't understand why I had to do a NOD and submitted the same evidence but highlighted things and made a coversheet and like 3 out of 5 items were approved. I understand some are overworked but then be fair and tell us what will make it easier....I know when I was denied I was like okay maybe this isn't my right........but after reading and getting upset I was like isn't time to stop yet. I wonder how many of these people actually have military service and on good terms, just meaning didn't leave the military because they were passed over for promotion........didn't get the fitrep they think they deserve........so now it's like military screwed me now I will pay the service member back!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I say that because we live next to a married couple who are a Sheriff and Police and it seems that they have an attitude because I'm retired military........hard to explain but it all make sense with the past.......I don't see why someone would be that hateful but these are. We just seen Lakeview Terrace and they are scaled down versions of Samuel Jackson........we've had to get the video recorder out, record telephone conversations with the local police, use email to ensure it's in writing and seek a lawyer's assistance. What a crazy world we live in.

For our VAMC. I've had bad experience with the "urgent care" /ER version and with C&Ps of them lying....the later is easy to take care of with that digital recorder. Charelston VAMC "oh you have barretts esphogus........."do not take these two meds together without food".............sitting in urgent care, "here are your two meds", can I have something to eat............."what"

I did enroll into the pain clinic never received an appointment card and went to check on it.......was booted for missed appt. "IRIS" inquiry said I was re-enrolled for Oct......I hope my appt isn't 1 Oct because again no call, no letter...........NADA. They wonder why my blood pressure is so high.......Federal/Civil service employees have no accountability.........at least our Officals we get to vote out if we don't like them.

I know, now everyone will say "charlesotn VAMC is the best...........We've never had a problem with them, they've been so helpful", "I'd choose them over a civilian hospital"

Granted they are better than they were in the late 90's........and I've had great experience with getting Xrays, blood work and stuff like that but the doctors........My VA PCP is great too bad they are doing the VA/DOD merger..........

Edited October 1, 2008 by yelloownumber5

[purple]

ricky,

yea...i thought the card was a great idea also....i don't understand the opposition to it. i was all for it from the beginning...and this is just another example why.

yellow,

i understand....i'm not sure either where the VA digs these so-called "docs" up from; but to call the vast majority of them docs is a stretch indeed.

[yoggie2]

Purple, I'm glad your ok or doing better but you are right and don't be fooled, the VA sucks ass. When your broke and have no wheres else to turn the VA is the only care you can receive this is what you'll find or what I have seen in my opinion. There is 1 or 2 Good doctors sprinkled in here and there but as a whole its like this.

1. VA health clinics are run by 100 year old washed up doctors or Doctors that only show up on certain days. Like going to a free health clinic loaded with every walk of life.

2. VA Hospital are transplanted next to Collages so most of those treated at the Hospital are treated by interns that have to run to a doctor over seeing them to ask permission for test or opinions and same with RN's almost like there one in the same.

Not to mention you are treated as a welfare case at times which is also degrading to make you feel like a whiner, and it takes an Act of congress to get test weeks or possibly months away that are critical at times.

Where if you go to a real Hospital things are clicking, test are ordered test are done things are fixed or replaced not drawn out. Now is there a difference, Night and Day......Rich

Edited October 1, 2008 by yoggie2

[rentalguy1]

sorry some of you have crappy care at your VAMC. I get very good care (95% of the time) at my VAMC, and it is a teaching hospital with a medical school right on the grounds.