Re: New RA Group in Austin, TX

[Guest guest]

Sharon, I am glad you had a positive experience with scott and white...we

locals in this area refer to it as sit and wait!!! I was diagnosised back in

2002 by an excellent rheummy who use to practice and Kings Daughters clinic in

Temple. His name was Dr. Fung. He left the clinic as he was a contract

doctor and had his own private practice in Waco. I tried to continue see him

paying out of pocket as he did not take my insurance. I finally had to quit

seeing

him

After a year with no care a new physician replaced him named Dr. Patel. He

was good at first...he however was a horrible listener. He was treating lab

results and xrays and not treating me. I ended up with pneumonitis and was very

sick. My family doc removed me from MTX. He had placed me on MTX as he did

not like Arava...even though I had spent nearly two years on it with no side

effects or problems. After many months of him not listening and me having all

kinds of side effects and issues. Even my family doc had to nail him a few

times for missing to critical things. His contract was a 2 or 3 yr contract

and he left.

I then began seeing the only rheummy in Killeen. He was good...he had a

wonderful nurse practicioner. but due to insurance issues I could not get labs

and he was dropped from my insurance. So again I was without care.

Then my insurance got a contract with and white. I waited months to

see Dr. Abercrombie...she was suppose to be the best in the area. She was cold

as dead fish, did not speak to me and was basically rather rude. She reviewed

the records she recieved. I was having problems walking with my hips. her

response was I think there is nothing wrong with you...she pulled all my

meds...except for Londine XL. Told me to come back in two months to get shots

in

my hips from her Nurse Practitioner. Sent me to lab and Xray...now here is the

good part. she xrayed my hands and feet and knees...but did not xray my hips

that were hurting like heck!!! Even the lab tech questioned the orders. She

did a ton of bloodwork and seem to be stuck on an old Hepitis B titer

profile in my chart that was nearly 10 yrs old from a time when I was hired as

an

employee at scott and white. Now I get to the end of the appnt in dismay and

disgust...I ask her to please fill out my disability papers...she

refuses....then tells me you will have to make an appt with occupational

medicine to have

that done.

I get to the desk to schedule my next appnt...I am given a letter that this

is her last appnt and she is retiring. Now I am pissed....I have been ripped

off...after waiting months to establish care with a new doctor that is not

even going to be there. When I scheduled the appnt I was very clear in the

purpose of the appnt.

I ended up waiting three months...in pain....waiting to see the nurse

practitioner for shots in my hips. I got in she reviews my labwork. says there

is

nothing wrong with you...but again...the hep B panel...she is insistant that I

have heptitis induced joint issues. I explained to her I would have a

titer...I have been vaccined and gotten boosters as I had worked in healthcare

for

over 10 yrs.

So she goes to give me the shots in my hips. Left me horribly bruised and

bloody. I was in more pain that I was when I started out. I was in so much

pain I spent an entire week in bed. the nurse practitioner now tells me she can

no longer see me as i have no rheumalogicial diagnosis. She only sees

patients with a diagnosis. I let her know it was your doctor that removed my

diagnosis. I had seen so many different doctors before that how could ALL those

docs be wrong.

So again I have wasted my money once again. I am told that Dr. in the

only rheummy they have now and it will be months before I can see her as she

is the only one I can see. I have no diagnosis. I am given an appnt for

nearly 6 months away. This was the last straw.

Then I learned that they have been billing wrong..and started demanding

money from me. Their billing is very strange and you better read all your bills

carefully. I had to report them to my insurance and to the Texas board of

insurance. Suddenly after a year the bills disappeared.

So I scheduled an appnt to see a doc an north austin medical center clinic.

I get in the clinic within less than a month. He was good....but again he

filled out my disability paperwork and told my insurance I can work full time

at

any job I want to work at. End result....they terminate my benefits...leaving

me with NO way to pay for anything. So after he has screwed me. I get a

letter that Kings Daughters has a new rheummy...suppose to one of the nations

best.

I go to see the new doc. He was ok...very pompus, really god complex. He

does not do ANY paperwork....not even paperwork for drug assistance. As he says

he does not have time. So the way I see it...a doctor works for me. I am

paying him to take care of me and look out for my best interest. This idiot

refuses to do any paperwork unless its for SSDI or SSI which he has to do or the

federal government will take away their medicare certification.

I also went to him with a bad case of veritigo. I nearly fell off the exam

table. He refused to even look at me for the vertigo. To me to see my family

doc. I had to stagger out the clinic and make my way to the other end of the

clinic to family practice. As I was told by him. He has invested all his time

to be the best in his field...because of that he does not do family practice

or internal medicine issues...even though he was examining me. My family doc

was surprised when I would show up sent by the rheummy for something he

could have wrote a script for when he was finished.

He did this to me twice when I was really sick with other issues and have a

rheummy appnt. I realized quickly this doc was using me to stroke his

ego....make me feel bad....and not look out for what was in my best interest.

My children go to scott and white and have had good experiences. Both have

special medical needs and have been seeing pediatric specialist for over 10

yrs now. My oldest daughter is now in adult medicine. The specialist she sees

at the hemotology/onocology clinic is wonderful!!! The rest of adult medicine

SUCKS!!!!!

My daughter had her gall bladder removed at scott and white. Her incisions

were closed very poorly...I had to re-glue two of them closed. One even got

infected. The treatment by the surgical team was horrible. Her pain management

was horrible. Due to her other health issues she spent a week in the

hospital after her surgery. It was not until she was transferred back to the

hemo/ono floor was she treated decently. He hemotology doc was shocked at the

treatment and right before her surgery had to have a face to face talk with the

surgeon who told me point blank he was " cutting and running " with her....meaning

she would have her surgery and they send her home a few hours later.

Mind you she had to have 2 unit exchange blood transfusion before surgery

and it took 4 days before her bowels work up after surgery....so she had to be

on IV fluids the whole time.

After her surgery the surgeon NEVER did any follow up on her...she never saw

him again. They did not even bother to call to see how she was doing....they

did surgery, got there money and dumped her on her specialist to take care

of her!

So I would be very careful with sit and wait. To be quite honest....most of

the health care I have experienced in Texas period is substandard and at

least 10 yrs behind large hospitals and teaching facilities on the east coast.

Toni

So I have fired ALL the rheummies I have seen...NO one in this area is worth

me wasting my time or money.

_Re: New RA Group in Austin, TX _

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c-)

Posted by: " smorwo@... " _smorwo@... _ (mailto:smorwo@...?Subject=

Re:%20New%20RA%20Group%20in%20Austin,%20TX) _retrieversrock _

(retrieversrock)

Fri Feb 8, 2008 5:46 pm (PST)

Toni,

I agree with you about the limited number of rheummies here (Austin) so you

may wish to consider a referral to & White's main campus in nearby

Temple.

They ( & White in Temple) were the ones who were finally able to

diagnose and treat my husband's polymyositis.

Everyone here was stumped and blamed his condition (undiagnosed

polymyositis)

on everything from age, to heart to osteoarthritis to heaven knows what all

only to watch all

of their misdiagnosis fail while he deteriorated before my very crying eyes.

Thank goodness one night when Bob (my husband) was barely able to walk we

(our son and I) acted strictly out of desperation and took Bob to the ER at

& White's Round Rock facility.

We do not live in that area or even close to that area but since we knew

that

the other options were failing us and worse yet my husband was going

downhill

so rapidly we knew we needed a fresh set of eyes who would not simply look

at

the notes from the others doctors who were so grossly wrong.

(Sorry, this is a very emotional issue for me.)

I am delighted to say that Bob is doing even better than we could have hoped

for and for that I will always be grateful to our son (he was the one that

insisted on & White) and most of all I will always be grateful to the

doctors at and White who truly listened to us and helped us to get to

this

day.

Supportive hugs,

Sharon

Austin, Texas

********

**************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.

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48)

[Guest guest]

Toni,

Your experiences with and White are very similar to those that my

husband had at ADC (Austin Diagnostic Clinic).

I cannot say enough bad things about ADC including but not limited to their

billing department.

Bob (my husband) saw Dr. Fiocco (the new rheumatologist) at the Temple clinic

and he was great but their scheduling department is hit or miss so for

everything other than appointments we are staying with & White's Round

Rock

facility.

Hugs,

Sharon

**************

Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.

(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002\

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48)

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Kind of behind on pasts but just to let you know I live in Round Rock,

Tx. Have been for 11 years and prior lived in Austin almost 10 years.

Don't have RA though.

Debbie L

--- In , " megan_hartman " <megan_hartman@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi there - I'm curious how many on this list are in or around the

> Austin, TX area? A friend and I who were both recently diagnosed with

> RA are going to start a meet up/ support group here. If you live in

the

> area, shoot me an email to get on the list if you are interested in

> joining and/or helping us spread the word.

>

> Thanks!

>

>

[Guest guest]

--- In , " megan_hartman " <megan_hartman@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi there - I'm curious how many on this list are in or around the

> Austin, TX area? A friend and I who were both recently diagnosed with

> RA are going to start a meet up/ support group here. If you live in

the

> area, shoot me an email to get on the list if you are interested in

> joining and/or helping us spread the word.

>

> Thanks!

>

>

Hi my name is and I have severe RA. I have had it about 2

years. I live in Marble Falls, tx. It is about an hour away from

Austin, but I drive the hour to see my rummy, and I would drive an hour

to sit down with other people who have this horrible disease. I am

already on ssdi due to this disease and I have a 3 year old that I love

so much but somedays it is very hard to take care of her. Please let

me know if you are going to start a group. I would love to talk to

others.

Sincerely,

[Guest guest]

Welcome !

I am Debbie and live in Round Rock, Texas. Do know where Marble Falls

is since I have a Texas map on the wall near me. This is a really

great group to belong to. You can learn much by reading all the

information provided.

hugs,

Debbie L

> >

> Hi my name is and I have severe RA. I have had it about 2

> years. I live in Marble Falls, tx. It is about an hour away from

> Austin, but I drive the hour to see my rummy, and I would drive an

hour

> to sit down with other people who have this horrible disease. I am

> already on ssdi due to this disease and I have a 3 year old that I

love

> so much but somedays it is very hard to take care of her. Please

let

> me know if you are going to start a group. I would love to talk to

> others.

> Sincerely,

>