Is your doctor a moron?

[shoybs (OP)]

Just curious about who else out there who has a doctor (general practitioner, not a specialist) who is just unfathomably stupid.

I fully believe that my doctor is. For one thing, she's a huge bitch and my whole family hates her. During every visit she always just sits there nodding her head and going "uh huh" as you explain your concerns, and typing on her laptop. I don't think I've ever had any kind of physical examination from her ever. The last time I saw her, she left the room momentarily and I peeked over at her laptop. She was literally typing my symptoms into WebMD for Christ's sake.

But my favorite time was when I saw her because of my addiction. Basically, I wanted to quit dope and get on suboxone, but I couldn't get in to see a sub doctor for three weeks. So I went to her to ask for help getting through those three weeks. Already knowing that she was a moron who I hated talking to, I wrote down a list of meds to help with detoxing, and gave it to her and said "Just, whatever you're comfortable prescribing, but I need something to help me get through this."
The list was:
Metoclopramide (Nausea/Vomiting)
Ondansetron (Nausea/Vomiting)
Clonidine (Blood Pressure/Tremors)
Zolpidem (Insomnia)
Methocarbamol (Muscle Pain)
Carisoprodol (Muscle Pain)
Clonazepam (Anxiety/Tremors)

She looked the list over and frowned, saying "Ooh, yeah I don't think I can prescribe any of these to you because I'm worried about side effects," and then said "Well, I guess I could write a one-week prescription of the 'clozapam' and give you two refills." I remember thinking The fuck? You mean the clonazepam? But I didn't say anything, instead I just kinda rolled with it. She gave me the script though and yep, good ol Klonopin, 1mg 3x daily. I was so pumped as I had literally never gotten a benzo script before, and fuck if I hadn't tried. Turns out all I needed to do was ask for it by fucking name. Although to be honest, I'm still not entirely sure if she even realized that she was prescribing me a benzo. It just kinda blew me away that she prescribed me that, and flat refused to prescribe me simple nausea or blood pressure meds, or even the mild skeletal muscle relaxants. That and the fact that she called it "clozapam" at least four times during the appointment.

[Griffin]

Mine is, a lot of people think he is a pill mill but he has chilled out on that. I liked that he was compassionate and gave me opana despite my age when I had proof of pain. But i know a lot of people who he gave oxys to because they said they were on them already and he didn't ask for proof from them or from me. He gave me opana my first appointment without any paperwork or scripts being brought in.

On the other hand he is very dumb and not thorough at all. All his appointments last 5-10 minutes tops and I think a lot of people go there for narcotics. I know a lot of people from my clinic who go their and everyone was getting a ton of benzos and opiates when I first started going, He has cut down a lot, but He won't test you for anything which is annoying.

I also hate that every single doctor including this one I have ever been to since I was 14 has asked or recommended that I try an anti depressant. I was on them from 14-19 and they never helped, always made things worse, especially suicidal thoughts. I got better after getting off them even though I still have anxiety and depression, opiates have stopped my panic attacks 100% so I hate being asked to try a different one every time I see a doctor. They guinea pigged me on 5 of them already I have been much better since I stopped taking them 6 years ago.

My doctor assumes I am fine which I probably am but I have been trying to get my testosterone levels tested for months as well as trying to figure out why my tremors are so bad. I can't eat with a fork or spoon sometimes. I have wanted to make sure I don't have diabetes or something from my sugar intake because of the shaking and my hands and face going numb but he won't even do a blood test for anything.

I think I have parkinsons some times because how bad the tremors gets especially if I try to hold anything in place or have controlled movement. My face and cheeks tremor when I smile and I drop shit constantly. Sometimes it is really bad where if I stand up my leg will noticeably shake like when you are extremely nervous but it does it out of no where. If i try to hold a pen in the same spot on a piece of paper my hand shakes so much that i make marks all over up to 6 inches away. I have all but 2 or 3 of the symptoms for it.

He just blows me off every time I ask about my tremors or bring up getting my testosterone tested. I have contemplated bringing in a vial of my blood so that he doesn't have to do anything except get a nurse to send it somewhere. Yeah maybe i am a bit of a hypochondriac but I am paying for the shit, it'd be nice to get something besides my monthly benzo and blood pressure script if I am going to a doctor anyway. Every male on my dads side of my family and on my moms are on testosterone replacement and most started around 35, it isn't unreasonable.

Anyone else have super high blood pressure because of MMT? Mine is directly related to done and my weight gain from being on done. It's always super high, and is worse the first 5 hours after taking it. I hardly ever take my blood pressure meds(bystolic) because I hate taking meds(that's ironic). I am hoping when I get down to a normal weight that it goes to normal but the done always makes pulse and bp high anyone else have this or know why it happens? Shouldn't it go down?

I am 180lbs now which is super fat for me as I have been 135 my entire life until I got on MMT. Within a year of starting done I got up to 225 which was 100lbs more than when I started. I dropped down to 185 when I got off after getting arrested and haven't gone up since getting back on thank god even though I eat candy constantly my dose is 90 instead of 280 so I think that is why.

 Sorry for the complete derail I may make my own thread or ask in the MMT side effects thread but I thank if I had a normal doctor I would of been tested a long time ago for all this shit.

[Chip]

I have had a bad doctor and I say this because she just wasn't understanding of our plight.

she obviously didn't like users and seemed to have little idea of what it's like to be on our end of the consultation.

maybe I was going through a difficult stage but since then, my doctors have been great.

a good doctor listens to their patients and should offer the best care possible.

I always advise people to try to change their doctor and that can be based on personality clashes, if nothing else.

my only advice is not to condemn your doctor to a new one because that doesn't benefit anyone plus doctors are more likely to defend each other and may think less of you for complaining.

much luck with that.

[Sand and Water]

Wow good thread!  My first thought after having to see so many different drs for my injury was literally "i . Just. Can't. Evengothere", & griffin & OP are sadly right about it often is the norm. All i can say is ^^^chipper is absolutely right. It's hard & often I've felt like another cog being pushed thru a machine. And I HATE the creaking typing into a computer vs an actual conversation.  Sorry for rant lol.

I think b/c its the "norm" when you're in the hospital or being examined in an office, its easy to forget how vulnerable that can make some of us feel. Plus the pressure of x number to be seen in "x" time (it was for me when I had many patients & so little time to give to any one person). But if you trash talk your former dr, you may actually be talking to his golfing buddy!  If you've got a good dr, hang on tight--if you have to find one, be nice & patience does usually pay off.

[Z]

I guess I'm lucky.  My doctor is very smart, extremely empathetic, and well informed.  He keeps up with new medications, and research studies around them. 


My wife's ob-gyn was amazing.  Amazing.  He was the lead physician for a group of doctors that do the methadone deliveries in Montreal.  He would stop and check research studies before prescribing something.  He took 20 minutes to explain the worries about paxil and pregnancy back in 2004 and quoted several studies as well as in process research.  If he didn't know something he would say "give me a minute" and find out.  This is back when everybody didn't have iphones, and doctors didn't write all their prescriptions on their computer and check the internet at the same time.


That guy is my hero.  He followed all three of our kids, and we have sent him pictures and letters after the fact.  The only art in his office were framed pictures his kids had drawn and pictures of babies he delivered.


I guess I have been lucky.

[shoybs (OP)]

Wow Z your doc sounds awesome. Every doctor i see doesn't explain shit. And it always leads me to think they have no idea what they're doing. They just do what they do because "it's what other doctors do".

My sub doctor is the worst. He asks me how I'm doing and then i can instantly tell that he tunes out. Like i told him i lost my job - which if you're treating someone for addiction, should be a MAJOR concern - and he just said "mhm okay. Well we're gonna keep you on the same dose as last month, here's your prescription." And showed me out the door. Like really?? You're my fucking psychiatrist also dude! You don't have any follow up questions??

Also he reduces my sub script he reduces them by 3 strips every other month. And then he explains that what I'm supposed to do to taper is "just take one every day until i run out, then spend the last 3-6-9 days of the month with nothing, and then come for your next appointment and repeat next month". Seriously? Just detox for several days at the end of every month only to start all over next month?? That's fucking torture. No thanks dude, I'll just stick to cutting my strips and doing my taper my OWN way!

[Z]

Also he reduces my sub script he reduces them by 3 strips every other month. And then he explains that what I'm supposed to do to taper is "just take one every day until i run out, then spend the last 3-6-9 days of the month with nothing, and then come for your next appointment and repeat next month". Seriously? Just detox for several days at the end of every month only to start all over next month?? That's fucking torture. No thanks dude, I'll just stick to cutting my strips and doing my taper my OWN way!

That's beyond inappropriate.  That's criminal.  I bet that you could make a complaint about your doctor and how you are forced into withdrawl for up to 9 days (or whatever) a month because of his prescribing policies.  You can't do that.  Doctor's are required to look out for the health and safety of their patients.


Here is how to file a complaint against a physician in the US:

[/size]First, try to identify whether the conduct was unethical.
The first step in filing a complaint is to determine whether the physician has acted unethically or unprofessionally. Opinions in the AMA’s Code of Medical Ethics may be one way to determine this. The AMA and its Code of Medical Ethics have always maintained that physicians should provide competent medical care with compassion and with respect for patients. The AMA’s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) has developed guidelines for physicians who strive to practice ethically. Fundamental Elements of the Patient-Physician Relationship, Opinion 10.01, outlines in general what the AMA believes to be the ethical basis of all interactions and relationships between physicians and patients. We hope it clearly articulates what the medical profession believes you can and should expect from physicians when you seek medical treatment.
Other Opinions of the Code of Medical Ethics may be accessed online by searching through the broad topic categories found in the table of contents.
Additionally, you may wish to contact one or more of the medical specialty societies. The AMA serves as an umbrella organization representing all state medical and national specialty societies. When a particular concern is related to psychiatry or surgery, for example, the specialty association may have policy or practice guidelines that are specific to that concern.

Next, take action.
Once you have determined that unethical or unprofessional conduct has occurred, there are a number of recommended steps you may choose to take. First, you may want to approach your physician and explain your concerns. Second, you may choose to report the behavior to another physician who works with your physician or who has treated you or a member of your family. Also, a number of hospitals and group practices have grievance mechanisms in place for patients to lodge complaints.

Other avenues for addressing complaints include the state medical society or licensing board. These organizations have appropriate investigative bodies at the local level that can review physicians’ conduct. If appropriate, the licensing board can take disciplinary action against a physician’s license to practice medicine. A comprehensive list of state medical licensing boards can be found at the Federation of State Medical Board's (FSMB) website.

[Chip]

wow. that's cold. and he is forcing a taper and that is not on !

it also sounds like he wants you off his books and they say that there are quite a few that prescribe bupe so start looking for a new doctor.

that's not how it goes !

you have my full support and I would consider telling him what you told us so he knows your position on this matter.

I really hope that you can change doctors without too much stress - easy to say but hard to do.

[Guts]

Remember guys, about 50% of doctors would not pick the same career path if they could do it over again. Half of these pricks are just in it for the money... I have never met a demographic with a higher chance of being a douche bag than doctors.

[shoybs (OP)]

I don't think he's got anything against me personally, and he certainly doesn't intend to cause harm. He just flat out doesn't give a shit and he's ignorant, and in a way, that makes him the best sub doc around. Every other sub doc in the area requires weekly visits rather than monthly, which there's no way in hell i could afford.

His lack of fucks to give also means he's the easiest doctor to work with. I learned over time to just go in, answer a couple questions (no, I'm not seeing things, no, I'm not hearing voices) and just take the script and go.

I truly think that he just flat out has no idea how the medication he's prescribing works. Which, for me, is fine because i know all i need to know about it. But what worries me is other people. Other addicts that might not know anything about suboxone. Or even addicts with genuine mental health issues. Those people could potentially suffer from his lack of guidance.

Hell, he doesnt even prescribe subutex or do an induction. He doesn't even ask you when the last time you used was. In fact, his admittance policy states that you MUST submit a dirty piss test within 72 hours prior to your first appointment. The very first time i saw him i was detoxing from fentanyl and because they didnt test for fent, he wouldn't sign my prescription until i tested positive for something. So i ended up leaving his office and scoring a half gram of H, did it, and then went and took another piss test. I guess they do that to weed out people just trying to get a script to sell? But then on your first appointment he doesnt do an induction in-office or ask you when you last used, or even tell you how long to wait to take your first dose, he just prints out a script for 30 strips and sends you on your way. I wonder how many people found out about precipitated withdrawal the hard way because of that.

[Roman Totale]

Remember guys, about 50% of doctors would not pick the same career path if they could do it over again. Half of these pricks are just in it for the money... I have never met a demographic with a higher chance of being a douche bag than doctors.

The doctor vs lawyer douchebag contest is an interesting one. I've dealt with a lot of both, and it's hard to pick - each profession kind of attracts and fosters a totally different kind of douchiness. When the two collide, it's colossal.

[skramamme]

I consider myself very lucky to have the Dr I do. His area of expertise is addiction and pain management.
He absolutely loathes the way the health department deals with addicts, especially addicts with complex pain issues.
He is very empathetic and genuinely tries to do what he can under the restrictions of the health department's prescribing policies.

OTOH I wouldn't cross him- from what I have heard if you try to pull the wool over his eyes and he finds out he will come down hard and I don't know how easy it would be to regain his trust (or if that would even be possible).

I have been pretty lucky in general with all the GP's I have seen relating to my addiction. "Normal" GP's are a different kettle of fish, if they know about any of my past issues I wouldn't even get tramadol. So thank god for the Dr I do have 

[Guts]

The doctor vs lawyer douchebag contest is an interesting one. I've dealt with a lot of both, and it's hard to pick - each profession kind of attracts and fosters a totally different kind of douchiness. When the two collide, it's colossal.

Hey, I only said *I* haven't met a demographic with more douches... I'm sure a few choice lawyers could change my mind

We have this guy on radio who calls himself Jim Adler the Texas hammer.... he's pretty douchey lol.

[Z]

The doctor vs lawyer douchebag contest is an interesting one. I've dealt with a lot of both, and it's hard to pick - each profession kind of attracts and fosters a totally different kind of douchiness. When the two collide, it's colossal.

I was going to say it, but I didn't want to.  I'm glad you did. Maybe medical lawyers are the sort of worlds colliding asshole uber alles of the world?

[rcrumb]

Using WebMD everytime you visit? Lol might want to do a little research on your doc and find out where she went to school/got her med degree.
She sounds phony, there are some docs out there who aren't even real fckin doctors. They practice medicine because fly by night clinics will hire them.

I've had tons of bad doctors, and the good ones I could count on 1 hand. With fingers left over.

Growing up I thought doctors were really smart and had it all together, turns out most of them don't. My brother almost died from a bad diagnosis by an Indian doctor who can barely speak English. Not saying anything against Indian doctors, I know there's bad white ones too. But not being able to communicate with your doctor because he doesn't speak adequate English is pretty ridiculous.