ptsd Major Problems With Primary Care Doc

[Draggin']

The title says it all....sort of

I have had issues with my primary care doc from the start, but we were told she was one of the best and most requested so I tried to stick in there.

I cannot get her ot take me seriously, she insists I have no reason to be in pain, she ignores following up on my medical conditions. I am rated at over 50%.

After our last appointment where she once again told me "you're only 30 years old, and I'll see you in 4 months" when I mentioned some medical problems and pain...I decided to switch doctors-finally. Unfortunately that change did not go through! Currently I have a hiatal hernia that I just found out about. I was under the impression that it was just refulx...she had told me it was reflux and she gave me some Prilosec. Otherwise she is doing nothing about it, no further exploration, etc.-even after I've complained about problems related to this. I have begun to be very sick from this and tried to contact my new primary care doctor to find out what to do. I found out then that they had not switched my doctor and I was still with the same one. I was so stressed, in pain and livid that I just gave up.

I've had also asked this problem PCP for some help with my pain. The medication she's had me on for over a year is not helping and has not been helping. My pain is proven and is service connected. I'm not after pills, I'm after solutions. I just want a manageable life, I am so angry and depressed from the pain I am in! Add this to my PTSD and life becomes unbearable for myself and family around me. I was sent for an MRI for back pain that had a diagnosis of "abnormal" but the doctor stated there was no seen reason for my pain.

After some urging from my wife, I'm getting back to getting some sort of appointment set up. I am trying to be very proactive about my health. My disabilities have taken a lot from me and I want to avoid having complications from some things that are manageable when caught at the onset. Why is this so hard for this doctor to help me-to acknowledge me?

I also need to have some things looked at as proof on my NOD.

Any ideas on speeding things up, other than a trip to the VAMC's ER in Dallas? I'm hoping they got my doctors switched and they'll put me in next available appointment wise.

My back hurts so bad right now that I feel nauseated. I am miserable. If it's not my back it's my stomach. How do I get the care I need?

Thanks

Draggin'

[Notorious Kelly]

Draggin,

Sorry to hear of your suffering.

Keep raising hell until you get what you need. I gave up on getting pain relief after over 2 years of working thru the catalog in Portland.

I may try again now that I'm in Arizona.

Talk to patient advocate and, if there's not a satisfactory response, go higher til the IG if it's necessary.

[Vync]

Draggin,

You can switch PCP docs. I was originally in the clinic where they let the residents experiment on you (no joke). I complained bigtime and got assigned a staff physician.

Don't rely on your staff physician for things which should be handled by specialists:

Your stomach problems should be handled by the GI docs. Your back problems should be handled by ortho or a neurologist.

For what it's worth, if you have good private health insurance, you might consider a private ortho/neuro doc. I just am not comfortable with the thought of a VA resident poking around in my spine...

Don't give up!

[john999]

I think the VA wants to get out of the pain care business. They now have a prejudice against treating chronic pain with anything besides these anti-seizure meds like neurontin or Topomax. These drugs work for certain types of pain only. If you have PN they work sometimes, otherwise they don't work.

[Pete53]

Go to your Patient Advocate and request another PCP. If you are in Dallas VAMC its pretty easy to do. Most of the Docs at VAMC do not have much time to spend with an individual patient.

[allan]

Draggin,

there must be something showing up on your diagnostic tests that indicate chronic pain.

Xrays, MRI's, tests for fibromyalgia, muscle tests, something. If not, not even private Dr's will give you anything for pain. You must have diagnoses of painful conditions or hound them until they find out what is causing it.

I've had chronic pain since my twenties after a car accident. Somethings just stay with you and progressively get worse with time. Arthritis caused by toxins, accidents etc. DDD, DJD showed up in my xrays in my late twenties.

Keep requesting to see specialists. I've recieved good care and thorough examinations at VA ortho clinics. But for neuro workups often was seen by neuro students at the VA. Every now and than I would get a glance over by a Neurologist, but the inexperienced students is who I generally saw. If you have a neuromuscular disorder where the symptoms are not always showing it makes it very difficult.

If your not satisfied with your VA Dr, you can keep changing them until you are.

Diagnostic tests are very expensive, so if you don't have excellant private insurance coverage, I would push the VA to keep doing the tests until something shows up.

Edited September 14, 2010 by allan