I may not be easy like Estrella30...

[chickwriter]

...but I sure am sick like she is.


No, not in the whole "I'm twisted" way, just in the sneezing, hacking, OMG how can one human cough so much kind of way.

I thought it was just a cold, but after 6 days of this, I went to the doc this a.m.

I'm just going to say: you piss me off once, I'll write it off as you having a bad day.

Do it twice, (and I've ONLY ever been there twice), you LOSE.

This doc, whom I call Doogie, b/c he's way younger than me, proceeds to get all pissy because I never came back to see him after my 1st visit 2 years ago, when I had flu. He wanted to do a physical, because hey, guess what, I'm a big woman, and god forbid I might actually be healthy (except for the flu).

He mentioned this today, when doing the thumping of the chest thing. I told him I'd had a full workup in October by my gyn. He's all, I didn't mean a female checkup. I kindly corrected him, explaining I had a full physical/blood workup, etc. prior to my day surgery. He then grumbled that it takes an internist to interpret that, not a gyn. So - WTF? He's implying that my gyn (who is in his early 60s) is less of a doctor? And dude, interpret what? All my bloodwork is NORMAL - as in, I'm not diabetic. I have normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol and am not at risk for heart disease because I'm NORMAL. Yes, I fall in the obese category in modern (and IMHO incorrect tables), but that alone doesn't mean I'm a candidate for death.

And since when do docs get grumpy at a patient for this kind of thing? My take is a good doctor is a good doctor, and if gyn saw something funky, he'd have told me to see a primary care doc. (which he did not, because I saw the test results and he explained them quite carefully)

So today, I got a cursory exam and scrips for amoxicillin and codeine cough syrup because I have a sinus infection (which I'd figured). Just a few minutes ago, I went to take a dose of the syrup, because codeine puts me out like a light. The dosage on the label: 5 ccs every 12 hours - which is what in teaspoons - because although I may agree the metric system is much more logical, I don't have a handy-dandy metric measuring item around. ARRGH.

I managed to look it up online (after some false starts) and figured out it's about 1 teaspoon. Why the hell didn't he just write the scrip that way?

Why yes, I'm grumpy. And yes, a new goal for me is to find a new primary care doc - one that respects his patients.

ETA: OMG - In my foggy haze of coughing/congestion, I *totally* forgot to thank all of you that posted such nice things about my recent book review. Mea culpa!! Thanks so much - I'm still kvelling.

Comments

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Um....

Just so's you know, health care providers are switching to ccs rather than teaspoons because people have different sized spoons, and ccs are much more accurate, unless you're using an actual measuring spoon, which most people don't, and even then people will confuse teaspoons with tablespoons and such.

Also, um, fewer and fewer women's health care providers are actually providing primary care these days--most will only do the most cursory of exams of the other body systems, because the truth is we're not as trained in primary care as people like internists and family practice practitioners. Which doesn't excuse your PCP being grumpy with you. But there is some basis to the idea that a health care provider won't want to only provide acute care when he/she hasn't ever done a full physical, because there might be something going on in the background that would impact your care.

In any case, you should definitely find a health care provider you feel comfortable with, no question. And I hope you feel better soon.

*hugs*

[chickwriter.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the feel better hugs!!

And you are definitely the voice of reason - it wasn't so much *what* he said, but how he said it. Like a pissy child. I'm an adult, treat me like one.

I remembered I didn't like him much on the first visit - and dislike him even more now. If I need to see a doc, I want a bit of tea and sympathy.

Thanks for the insight!

[brooklinegirl.livejournal.com]

*snuggles you*

that doctor is EVIL and the people I adore need to STOP BEING SICKLY DAMMIT. *reads you, uh, Sentinel porn to make you feel...better?*

[chickwriter.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sweetie.

::snuggles you back::

and, ehr, I'm actually already reading the Sentinel pr0n as per your post. ::g:: (I caught up on on reading LJ, just haven't really commented.)

[aurianrose.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I just put your book on my list to read! I can't wait!

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

*thwaps your ex-dr*

[ezust.livejournal.com]

I hope you're feeling better very soon!

Your doctor deserves a spanking, and not the fun kind AT. All. *stern*

[allaboutm-e.livejournal.com]

regardless of the intent of his messge, he still loses points for delivery and I support you changing your listed primary physician at the next opportunity presented by your insurance

:: hugs ::