Really frustrated with my doctor

[emjaye]

Hi all
I am from Ottawa Ontario Canada, and should consider myself lucky to have a family doctor, I suppose. Ontario is suffering from a severe shortage. Mine is female, And young and at first I couldn't beleve my luck.
Eight months later, I am frustrated beyond belief. Before I moved here I had been on many many different prescriptions and supplements, most of them ending b/c of side effects, cost or no change in my condition.
I go to the doc once a month, and she gives me the same prescriptions that I had come to her with; ms contin 30mg 2x/day, percocet, and dexadrine for my ADHD.
I try to keep up with any news regarding fibro, and am desperate for relief! The government is paying to retrain me (I was a welder in my pre-fibro life), and am attending college full time. The sitting is so painful for me. More sitting at nite while studying. I walk 2.5 miles a day, take a fibro friendly exercise class once a week.
At my appointment, I ask to try different things I had researched; ie vitamin B shots (too trendy she says), get my thyroid tested more thoroughly (last blood test 8 mths ago doesn't warrent it), change brands--not strength--of my pain pills to see if that would help my tolerance (she says it won't), get tested for sleep disorders (too long of a waiting list) and on and on
I leave there in tears, because when I try to explain my overwhelming exhaustion and pain, she just asks how much exercise I'm getting
this mth my mom-in-law came with me, determined to get my doctor to understand how bad things are for me. She told the doc I'm up 4-5x/night, that I come home from college and cry from pain & exhaustion.
Doc told her and I that she prescribes three medications for fibro (lyrica, amitryptine (sp) and gabepentin), and I had tried them w/no change, so I should just resign myself to the fact that I will have pain for the rest of my life. She only gives me the pain pills cuz I came to her with them already being prescribed to me.
My mom-in-law is furious. And I'm stuck. How do you fibro sufferers out there get your doc to try different things for your symptoms? Why is my doc so stubborn about this? I need help. I'm worried I won't be able to keep up in school, which would mean I can't make a decent living for myself...

[supermomma531]

Here's what you should do......be a royal pain in the you know where!! Be persistent about being referred to another doctor for specialized treatment. Seek a second opinion. Try getting another GP as your family doc if that's at all possible. If need be call and complain about her to the physicians and surgeons collegiate school board where they are issued there licenses. I don't know if this is the actual name of it or not. But I believe that all doctors have to be registered with the better business bureau.  At least my last family doctor was registered there. You can definitely put in complaints there. I live here in Windsor, Ontario and know how hard it is to find a doctor. Good luck.

[emjaye]

Hi there
thanks for the advice. You are right; knowing other ppl feel like this. I am sorry for your pain, but relieved I'm not alone...

I was diagnosed by a rheumatologist in Calgary  before I moved to Ottawa. I had a good GP in place just before my fiancé got transferred.

I received an email from one lady, and she mentioned seeing a psychiatrist. Would a psychiatrist be more willing to prescribe other off-label prescriptions do you think? I never thought about it. There is a waiting list of 6 mths, but hey. I'm also referred to a pain clinic, but believe it or not, it's a three yr wait. Another great move by my doc; I had asked to be referred to one on my third visit, she was reluctant, but I insisted. This last appt I asked for the name of the clinic she referred me to, and she said she hadn't. She said  I had never asked. Which is bs. But what can I do? She knows as well as I do that she's lying, but she also knows there isn't much I can do about it.

Thanks for the book idea. I will see if I can find it in the library

[supermomma531]

Hi there.... Have you tried asking to be sent to specialist such as a rheumetologist or something thereof? Have you gotten a second opinion? Have you seen a pain specialist? I too have fibro as well as other painful diseases such as arthritis. I am on nothing but ibuprofen to take for the pain. I hope you get the help you need.

[kmil1999]

I am so sorry for the situation you are in.  I do not know the ins and outs of your health care system so I have no good advice on how to change your situation.  You are right on needing to get a new doctor.  I don't know how that works where you are at.

I have read the book "From Fatigued to Fantastic" by Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D..  I have no idea if what he has written will be of help or not.  He said he recovered from CFS and Fibromyalgia is an associated condition.  At one point he had to drop out of med school and was basically living on the street.  The theory of our bodies circuit breaker (hypothalamus: our "master gland") going offline has some credence in my humble mind.  I figure it can't hurt to try.  At least you will feel like you are "doing" something to try and feel better.  

Most of the things you can order on line or get from a health food store.  (He says that anything he gets from selling stuff goes to non-for-profit so he trying to be credible.)  

Most of all, hang in there.  Most of us feel like you do even when all the docs we go to try different things.  Know that you are not alone and we care here.  Vent all you need!

Best wishes,
Karen