Re: Re: doctors.....yuck.........Sandie

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandie, I Hoped to have heard you're appt Went Well! From my own personal experience I have heard worse things been told to me by dr's'/nurses. It can go both ways some dr's have good and bad side manners towards patients and the same things goes for nurses. Some of them don't realize that first and for most we're human beings just like them and second of all we are patients....being a bit indiferent because of our disease doesn't make us less human.

I've also learned not to deal with nurses at the doctors offices....because sometimes they mess up and scare you to death, putting more stress, when it's really unneccessary! So I just deal with the dr directly.

I can understand your frustration at the moment because I've been in similar situations, it took them a year to diagnose me with Raynaud's Disease....give the new lung a chance to see what he comes up within the next 3 months and then you can decide if he's worth keeping or not etc....From your post understand he was really nice and is checking for genetic disease (emphysema)....

In my opinion dr's shouldn't assume....that patients have been told something which in reality they haven't been told in the first place.

Irene Raynaud's Disease 09/07 PF 03/07 Canada

---- Original Message ----

To: Breathe-Support

Sent: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 8:45 am

Subject: Re: doctors.....yuck.........

Zena nope I am afraid I have been through the gammit and until

something of more significance shows up have to do the waiting game,

so thats what we must do. He did say rare as it can be he does get

one patient a year that ends up having heart disease but your pretty

young for htat. Why do they say that to us? Gee it just makes me

sick isnt medicine supposed to be a science? A thrill something to

dig into?

Sandie

> >

> > Well it was what i figured the appt was to be. I dont know I just

> > cant get my hopes up to much with these doctors. I suspect

whatever

> > I have will sit and drive me miserable for awhile before they are

> > able to see what it is and do something about. He was a nice

> > doctor. Did an exam and said he wanted to check two things, one a

> > blood test for emphasyma he said he does it on all his patients

but

> > secondly he said your tests show you have the beginning of

emphasyma -

> > he said did they tell you that, I said no they didnt. So he said I

> > really quit smoking at the best time possible for me and to not

> > start. he said this blood test will tell him if I have a genetic

it

> > gene for emphasyma if I do he said we want to know this now and

not

> > in 20 years. He also ordered the exercise stress test. He said

lets

> > see what you can do, lets see if its your heart or lungs or if its

> > neither and rule some of this out for you so then you know.

> >

> > He said unfortunatly with people who have auto-immune issues he

has

> > seen it take a few years up to five years before anything of

> > signifigance shows up before they know what it is to treat.

> >

> > So I will go to that test, and see the GI doc at the end of the

month

> > and then I will just see my regular GP until something major

> > happens. And just document things there really isnt anything I can

> > do about it. My GP called last night my other tests were fine,

and I

> > told her about the lung appt she said yep this thing is going to

be

> > just like the RA and hide until its beyond miserable and then we

will

> > find it.

> >

> > So still no diagnosis and I still have to suffer. He did tell me

to

> > do some 40-80 minutes of cardio workout a day he said 9 out of 10

> > people are out of shape. I just looked at him. I think I know if I

> > was out of shape I hardly think I am that out of shape. But

whatever

> > I will do my best.

> >

> > Thanks for listening!

> >

> > Sandie

> >

>

Meet the new AOL.ca. Free radio, music, videos, news & entertainment – with a Canadian perspective.

[Guest guest]

Joyce...Rich has a Dr. like yours and has saved my husbands life more than once. Every year Rich sends Dr. a card and writes how he appreciates him. Brings Dr. to tears every year...he says it is so nice to hear a thank you in such a sad world of medicine.

I'm glad you have a great doc too.

Mama-Sher, ild 3-06, OR.Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: doctors.....yuck.........Sandie

I just want to state that no one, not anyone...has a doc like mine. I appreciate this man more than I can say. He has called me 3 times in a week and seen me once. He has been determined since day 1 that I was going to beat the odds. Even when I feel beaten, he is searching out ways to treat where there is no treatment. He is a loving friend after all these years. God has been so good to me.

Believe me, I could write volumes about inadequate health professionals. But this guy deserves a medal.

Hugs, Joyce D.PULMONARY FIBROSIS/LUPUS 1997 BRONCHIECTASIS 2004 INDIANA 2 COR. 12:10 ....when I am weak, then I am strong.> > > > > >> > > > > > Well it was what i figured the appt was to be. I dont know > I > > > just> > > > > > cant get my hopes up to much with these doctors. I suspect > > > > whatever> > > > > > I have will sit and drive me miserable for awhile before > they > > > are> > > > > > able to see what it is and do something about. He was a nice> > > > > > doctor. Did an exam and said he wanted to check two things, > > one > > > a> > > > > > blood test for emphasyma he said he does it on all his > > patients > > > > but> > > > > > secondly he said your tests show you have the beginning of > > > > emphasyma -> > > > > > he said did they tell you that, I said no they didnt. So he > > > said I> > > > > > really quit smoking at the best time possible for me and to > > not> > > > > > start. he said this blood test will tell him if I have a > > > genetic > > > > it> > > > > > gene for emphasyma if I do he said we want to know this now > > and > > > > not> > > > > > in 20 years. He also ordered the exercise stress test. He > > said > > > > lets> > > > > > see what you can do, lets see if its your heart or lungs or > > if > > > its> > > > > > neither and rule some of this out for you so then you know.> > > > > >> > > > > > He said unfortunatly with people who have auto-immune > issues > > he > > > > has> > > > > > seen it take a few years up to five years before anything of> > > > > > signifigance shows up before they know what it is to treat.> > > > > >> > > > > > So I will go to that test, and see the GI doc at the end of > > the > > > > month> > > > > > and then I will just see my regular GP until something major> > > > > > happens. And just document things there really isnt > anything > > I > > > can> > > > > > do about it. My GP called last night my other tests were > > fine, > > > > and I> > > > > > told her about the lung appt she said yep this thing is > going > > > to > > > > be> > > > > > just like the RA and hide until its beyond miserable and > then > > > we > > > > will> > > > > > find it.> > > > > >> > > > > > So still no diagnosis and I still have to suffer. He did > tell > > > me > > > > to> > > > > > do some 40-80 minutes of cardio workout a day he said 9 out > > of > > > 10> > > > > > people are out of shape. I just looked at him. I think I > know > > > if I> > > > > > was out of shape I hardly think I am that out of shape. But > > > > whatever> > > > > > I will do my best.> > > > > >> > > > > > Thanks for listening!> > > > > >> > > > > > Sandie> > > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________> > > __> > > > Meet the new AOL.ca. Free radio, music, videos, news & > > > entertainment â€" with a Canadian perspective.> > > >> > >> >>

[Guest guest]

... I'm curious...have to 'tried' to get more access to your Dr.? Do they say, "no" or no appt available for two years, lol? What happens down under there when you need attention?

Mama-Sher, ild 3-06, OR.Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: doctors.....yuck.........Sandie

It's really important to hear about the good ones out there Joyce...I'm so glad YOU have scored one!

TIME PRESSURE is the Enemy No 1 of Doctors in Australia....not enough of 'em to go around. We have an orgaization called the AMA (Australian Medical Association) & another AMB (Australian Medical Board) over the years they've CONTROLLED the numbers on student intakes into our Unis for training & they've DELIBERATELY held those numbers DOWN (To protect income in City Practices!)...that has left those of us in Country AReas very poorly serviced in Doctor numbers.

Our Past Governments also have to take responsibility for under-funding the Scholarships that allow students from country areas to undertake Uni training expenses in city areas. It's well known that students that have grown up in the Country are more likely to return to set up Practices there after Uni training. City kids rarely venture out into Country areas.

I feel a real pressure not to BOTHER my GP...so I don't....I'm amazed at how many Doctors you all seem to have & how often you get appointments to see them!

Just like my hail damaged roof....the roof has to be BLOWN AWAY before we think to ask for help!

Heck, folk over the Great Dividing Range, not that far out West, have to rely on the Flying Doctor Service....you can imaginen how sick you'd have to be before you got them to come out to collect you!

WE think we've got it good over on the Coast!

THAT's why we're a HARDY Bunch ...we HAVE to be!

in Oz

IPF: Fibrotic NSIP/UIP????

Reynauds'

May 2007

in Oz> > > > > > >> > > > > > > Well it was what i figured the appt was to be. I dont know> > I> > > > just> > > > > > > cant get my hopes up to much with these doctors. I suspect> > > > > whatever> > > > > > > I have will sit and drive me miserable for awhile before> > they> > > > are> > > > > > > able to see what it is and do something about. He was a nice> > > > > > > doctor. Did an exam and said he wanted to check two things,> > > one> > > > a> > > > > > > blood test for emphasyma he said he does it on all his> > > patients> > > > > but> > > > > > > secondly he said your tests show you have the beginning of> > > > > emphasyma -> > > > > > > he said did they tell you that, I said no they didnt. So he> > > > said I> > > > > > > really quit smoking at the best time possible for me and to> > > not> > > > > > > start. he said this blood test will tell him if I have a> > > > genetic> > > > > it> > > > > > > gene for emphasyma if I do he said we want to know this now> > > and> > > > > not> > > > > > > in 20 years. He also ordered the exercise stress test. He> > > said> > > > > lets> > > > > > > see what you can do, lets see if its your heart or lungs or> > > if> > > > its> > > > > > > neither and rule some of this out for you so then you know.> > > > > > >> > > > > > > He said unfortunatly with people who have auto-immune> > issues> > > he> > > > > has> > > > > > > seen it take a few years up to five years before anything of> > > > > > > signifigance shows up before they know what it is to treat.> > > > > > >> > > > > > > So I will go to that test, and see the GI doc at the end of> > > the> > > > > month> > > > > > > and then I will just see my regular GP until something major> > > > > > > happens. And just document things there really isnt> > anything> > > I> > > > can> > > > > > > do about it. My GP called last night my other tests were> > > fine,> > > > > and I> > > > > > > told her about the lung appt she said yep this thing is> > going> > > > to> > > > > be> > > > > > > just like the RA and hide until its beyond miserable and> > then> > > > we> > > > > will> > > > > > > find it.> > > > > > >> > > > > > > So still no diagnosis and I still have to suffer. He did> > tell> > > > me> > > > > to> > > > > > > do some 40-80 minutes of cardio workout a day he said 9 out> > > of> > > > 10> > > > > > > people are out of shape. I just looked at him. I think I> > know> > > > if I> > > > > > > was out of shape I hardly think I am that out of shape. But> > > > > whatever> > > > > > > I will do my best.> > > > > > >> > > > > > > Thanks for listening!> > > > > > >> > > > > > > Sandie> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > >> > ______________________________________________________________________> > > > __> > > > > Meet the new AOL.ca. Free radio, music, videos, news & > > > > entertainment â€" with a Canadian perspective.> > > > >> > > >> > >> >>

[Guest guest]

...how exhausting and irritating getting your care has to be. It is much easier where I am. A good reminder that I have another thing to be grateful for.

Mama-Sher, 69; IPF, 3-06, OR.Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: doctors.....yuck.........Sandie

You can get into see your GP (General Practitioner) either that week or following for a 10 minute consult. Generally you wait up to an hour or more to get into your appointment & if anything major crops up it IS dealt with then & there & the patients waiting just get further behind! If you're in an emergency you go to the ER at the big Local Hospital with all its attendant waiting time nightmares!

HOWEVER there is NEVER enough time for CARE & DISCUSSION of ANYTHING...I don't actually know who does that bit! Everytime you go into a GP's room you take with you the full knowledge of the roomful of Patients waiting their turn. I HATE going to the Doctor...it takes up soooooooo much time & I never leave feeling like I'm much further ahead. I got given stacks of pills for Heart Failure which I took for all those months before I got into the Heart Specialist only to be told it wasn't that it was probably IPF......I got left to contemplate what Heart Failure meant only to have to ditch that theory & start AGAIN!

Specialists are a whole other kettle of fish...a 3 month waiting time to get in is totally normal. I got referred to the Heart Specialist in January & my appointment was in May...I saw him in May & he rang the Lung Man to speed things up (my appointment with him was also made in January & it was scheduled for July!) ...... GP's have no clout to speed things up but one Specialist to Another is a different story!

Everything went quite fast after that... my Lung Biopsy was in June & my appointment with the BIG MAN in Brisbane was in August Since then I've not been near a Doctor's Surgery of any kind & won't until March 12th.

After my March appointment I've no idea of what management will happen since I will be refusing Immuno-supressant therapy.... my guess is that I'll jsut go away & get on with it until I suspect I need O2.....even then I've no idea of how I'm going to actually pay for that since I don't qualify for Govt Assitance & my expensive Private Health Insurance only covers treatment given in Hospital. I'm thinking of ditching that & saving the money to spend on O2 when the time comes.

My best support comes from the Hospital Pulmonary Rehab Sister who ran the Exercise Class...she runs a Support Group that meets every month...nearly everyone in it has COPD but they're alll very friendly & cheery. Lyn & I have good discussions & she' trying to come up to speed on my condition. She'll know when I need O2!

I have reservations about doing PFT tests on a regular basis for all the reasons that have been aired on this Board....they're expensive, not covered by my insurance & I have to travel 2 hours each way to get them done. The Lung Doctor never DISCUSSES what they mean but he does give me a Copy (Because I asked) & I talk about them with the Pulmon Rehab Sister! HRCT are incredibly expensive, not covered by Insurance unless you're a patient in Hospital, & perhaps worth being done every year or two to my mind. However I think I'll know that I'm feeling worse because I'll be FEELING WORSE....

LESS IS MORE is my modis operandi at this stage!

Got the gist .....in the cities it IS different I'm told!

Here's to self-management through necessity!

in Oz

> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > Well it was what i figured the appt was to be. I dont know> > > I> > > > > just> > > > > > > > cant get my hopes up to much with these doctors. I suspect> > > > > > whatever> > > > > > > > I have will sit and drive me miserable for awhile before> > > they> > > > > are> > > > > > > > able to see what it is and do something about. He was a nice> > > > > > > > doctor. Did an exam and said he wanted to check two things,> > > > one> > > > > a> > > > > > > > blood test for emphasyma he said he does it on all his> > > > patients> > > > > > but> > > > > > > > secondly he said your tests show you have the beginning of> > > > > > emphasyma -> > > > > > > > he said did they tell you that, I said no they didnt. So he> > > > > said I> > > > > > > > really quit smoking at the best time possible for me and to> > > > not> > > > > > > > start. he said this blood test will tell him if I have a> > > > > genetic> > > > > > it> > > > > > > > gene for emphasyma if I do he said we want to know this now> > > > and> > > > > > not> > > > > > > > in 20 years. He also ordered the exercise stress test. He> > > > said> > > > > > lets> > > > > > > > see what you can do, lets see if its your heart or lungs or> > > > if> > > > > its> > > > > > > > neither and rule some of this out for you so then you know.> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > He said unfortunatly with people who have auto-immune> > > issues> > > > he> > > > > > has> > > > > > > > seen it take a few years up to five years before anything of> > > > > > > > signifigance shows up before they know what it is to treat.> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > So I will go to that test, and see the GI doc at the end of> > > > the> > > > > > month> > > > > > > > and then I will just see my regular GP until something major> > > > > > > > happens. And just document things there really isnt> > > anything> > > > I> > > > > can> > > > > > > > do about it. My GP called last night my other tests were> > > > fine,> > > > > > and I> > > > > > > > told her about the lung appt she said yep this thing is> > > going> > > > > to> > > > > > be> > > > > > > > just like the RA and hide until its beyond miserable and> > > then> > > > > we> > > > > > will> > > > > > > > find it.> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > So still no diagnosis and I still have to suffer. He did> > > tell> > > > > me> > > > > > to> > > > > > > > do some 40-80 minutes of cardio workout a day he said 9 out> > > > of> > > > > 10> > > > > > > > people are out of shape. I just looked at him. I think I> > > know> > > > > if I> > > > > > > > was out of shape I hardly think I am that out of shape. But> > > > > > whatever> > > > > > > > I will do my best.> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > Thanks for listening!> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > Sandie> > > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > ______________________________________________________________________> > > > > __> > > > > > Meet the new AOL.ca. Free radio, music, videos, news & > > > > > entertainment â?" with a Canadian perspective.> > > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > >> >>

[Guest guest]

...well I'm glad you are a tough old Boiler! Guess we all need to be. I see the same here in Oregon. The haves and the have-nots. Rich and I are the same...we make a 'little too much' for medical help and not enough to meet our needs.

It's harder too when we no longer can work, even a part-time job. But I try to remember there are others who have it worse. At least we have a cozy little apt that we can afford and our basic needs are met ok.

BTW thanks for the cute msg. to Rich. I read it to him and he chuckled.

Mama-Sher, 69; IPF, 3-06, OR.Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: doctors.....yuck.........Sandie

It's never been THAT much of an Issue for me before, Mama-Sher...it HAS been an eye-opener reading about how the rest of you all do the Health Service Dance!

There's a lot of pressure here to help country folk on Kidney Dialysis & receiving Cancer treatments ..all the stats show that our country folk have much worse survival stats than our 'big city' folk (They're among the best in the world!) But NONE of us do as badly as our indigenous people!

Small population, huge distances & uneven wealth distribution between city & country people are all part of the problem. Government Assistance is there & very good IF you qualify through the Income Test...those of us that JUST fall below the cut-off line are the ones that cop the tough end of the deal!

Just as well I'm a tough old Boiler, (Chook in case you dun know!)

in Oz

> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > Well it was what i figured the appt was to be. I dont know> > > > I> > > > > > just> > > > > > > > > cant get my hopes up to much with these doctors. I suspect> > > > > > > whatever> > > > > > > > > I have will sit and drive me miserable for awhile before> > > > they> > > > > > are> > > > > > > > > able to see what it is and do something about. He was a nice> > > > > > > > > doctor. Did an exam and said he wanted to check two things,> > > > > one> > > > > > a> > > > > > > > > blood test for emphasyma he said he does it on all his> > > > > patients> > > > > > > but> > > > > > > > > secondly he said your tests show you have the beginning of> > > > > > > emphasyma -> > > > > > > > > he said did they tell you that, I said no they didnt. So he> > > > > > said I> > > > > > > > > really quit smoking at the best time possible for me and to> > > > > not> > > > > > > > > start. he said this blood test will tell him if I have a> > > > > > genetic> > > > > > > it> > > > > > > > > gene for emphasyma if I do he said we want to know this now> > > > > and> > > > > > > not> > > > > > > > > in 20 years. He also ordered the exercise stress test. He> > > > > said> > > > > > > lets> > > > > > > > > see what you can do, lets see if its your heart or lungs or> > > > > if> > > > > > its> > > > > > > > > neither and rule some of this out for you so then you know.> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > He said unfortunatly with people who have auto-immune> > > > issues> > > > > he> > > > > > > has> > > > > > > > > seen it take a few years up to five years before anything of> > > > > > > > > signifigance shows up before they know what it is to treat.> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > So I will go to that test, and see the GI doc at the end of> > > > > the> > > > > > > month> > > > > > > > > and then I will just see my regular GP until something major> > > > > > > > > happens. And just document things there really isnt> > > > anything> > > > > I> > > > > > can> > > > > > > > > do about it. My GP called last night my other tests were> > > > > fine,> > > > > > > and I> > > > > > > > > told her about the lung appt she said yep this thing is> > > > going> > > > > > to> > > > > > > be> > > > > > > > > just like the RA and hide until its beyond miserable and> > > > then> > > > > > we> > > > > > > will> > > > > > > > > find it.> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > So still no diagnosis and I still have to suffer. He did> > > > tell> > > > > > me> > > > > > > to> > > > > > > > > do some 40-80 minutes of cardio workout a day he said 9 out> > > > > of> > > > > > 10> > > > > > > > > people are out of shape. I just looked at him. I think I> > > > know> > > > > > if I> > > > > > > > > was out of shape I hardly think I am that out of shape. But> > > > > > > whatever> > > > > > > > > I will do my best.> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > Thanks for listening!> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > Sandie> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > > ______________________________________________________________________> > > > > > __> > > > > > > Meet the new AOL.ca. Free radio, music, videos, news & > > > > > > entertainment â?" with a Canadian perspective.> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > >> >>