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862235 tn?1336060295

useless GP

My GP has known for some time about my HCV positive status. He never once thought to refer me to a GI specialist or a hepatologist. I had a lot of the annoyances that HCV+ people are prone to but he never once saw fit to take the bull by the horns and refer me to a specialist. I suffered a heart attack a few years back and was subsequently referred to a cardiologist. He appeared surprised that I had never been seen by a liver specialist. I was taking statins at the time and my liver enzymes were coming back at around ten times the normal level. He (cardiologist) arranged to get me in to see a hepatologist. Well I've now undergone treatment and so-far-so-good as far as the VL is concerned. I am scheduled for this month the 25th to discuss my 6 months post TX blood work with the hepatologist. During my treatment my GP was less than supportive. In fact he seemed to want to discourage me from treatment immediately before it was to begin. Now I know that my GP has the results of my blood work and knows the final outcome of my TX. I would like to go to see him about an unrelated matter but I don't want to hear my results from him. He was totally not responsible for any aspect of my TX and I want to keep him totally out of it now on principle alone. I will wait until after my appointment with the hepatologist before I go to see my GP again. If I need to confer with a doctor between now and then I will go to a walk-in clinic.
16 Responses
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Avatar universal
Not surprising that you seem to resent your family doc when it comes to HCV. I'm sure you're not the only one. My GP was pretty much the same but you know what? My hepa felt just like you about GP's in general!

My hepa mailed me all my results (including the weekly bloodwork for the first twelve weeks) but said he didn't want ANY GP's in on this because they didn't know anything about it and were a headache to him!

And I could see why. One time, my GP hit the roof because of my high ferritin level during tx (1281) and called the hepa about it, when a reading like this is actually normal (during tx) from a hep's point of view. Waste of time, my hepa said.

Still, despite her ignorance about HCV, I like my family doc and can live with her shortcomings. I doubt that there was more than a paragraph about non-A, non-B when she went to med school and frankly, it's not on the radar of most docs' daily practice, the way heart disease, cancer,and backaches are.

I bet your hepa doc or nurse will call you with the results any day now. Mine called right away and never even copied my GP. As a dream genotype (2) and with all the pieces in place at various weeks, I'm thinking you have something to celebrate very soon, so I hope you hang tight and get ready to rock.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
after this is all over and you find out you are UND then you should find a new GP. I personally would not put my life in a doctors hands like this.
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
I think it's all a matter of personal experience and those with wonderful doctors think they are wonderful!  While I like hamburgers others freak out about eating meat but it doesnt make my love of burgers any less :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My GP when I was diagnosed had really dropped the ball. I had elevated liver enzymes for over 25 years while under his care and he not only never investigated them but he actually prescribed a couple of courses of very hepatoxic meds (for toenail fungus) without doing the requisite liver screen.  My cancer surgeon noticed liver damage on a follow-up CT scan and alerted me to my liver problems.  I changed GPs and now I have one that is worth his weight in gold.

Even though that first GP missed my liver problems for a quarter century, I would gladly hear good news from him.  And SVR news is pretty good news, in my book.

jd
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
My first GP was dreadful when I was diagnosed. Told me I had no liver damage - told me my thyroid was just fine.......a whole bunch of wrongs.  Finally I told her where to go by finding somebody else.

He doesn't understand HCV or its implications (although of course he thinks he does) but I figure most GPs just diagnose the flu and basic GP things and that is why we go to specialists in the end.

Of course I feel that way because I have to see him tomorrow and he is going to go insane over my triglycerides which have more than doubled even though I have been eating better and working out and lost weight (but cholesterol went down 20 points so it's a mystery).  They are good with that kind of stuff!!!!!    ;)

Helpful - 0
862235 tn?1336060295
I treated for type 2A. In my first TX PCR @ 4 wks I tested UND. Great an early responder. At my second PCR (12 weeks) UND again. At my EOT (24 weeks) PCR UND again. I have little reason to believe that this 6 months post TX will be anything except UND & SVR. If it is not I'll be devastated. If it is UND it will only prove what I believe will be the case. If it is not UND, well I can wait for that disappointment.
Helpful - 0
476246 tn?1418870914
I would go nuts having to wait, knowing the results are lying there.

I wish you all the best. And sorry that you have such a bad GP. I count myself as very lucky, as mine is really good and kind. We love him.
Helpful - 0
1117750 tn?1307386569
most gp's are useless wankers
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
I thought the problem mainly was you just didn't want to hear it from the GP since they didn't do anything to help you get treatment. I'd definitely then take that pleasure away from them easily enough by finding out myself first.

And how can you stand not calling to ask? I called and called every single time and the NPs were nice enough to look it up right away. Now I just have to go online to look - when the results that the doctor gets come in he gets them from the same place as me. It's marvelous.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
A very interesting situation you describe here.
I hope you sort it out and your PCR is UND and you're SVR Chuckles..
Mike
Helpful - 0
862235 tn?1336060295
No it would only answer if I'm SVR or not. My GP would still be useless. Thanks though for your suggestion. I have time set aside after my appointment to celebrate (hopefully). I can wait until then. I'll keep you posted.
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
Why can't you call and ask the results of your PCR that would solve everything?
Helpful - 0
862235 tn?1336060295
In Canada we have a great health care system. All of the doctor and hospital visits are covered by government health plans. The trouble is that doctors are allowed to bill only to a certain maximum. Doctors in The USA doing similar work can earn 10 times what they do here. This has caused a great shortage of doctors in Canada, especially in areas outside of the major cities. My GP often has people waiting up to three hours to get in to see him and that's with appointments! The best doctors and a lot of them move to the USA. this is true for registered nurses too. If you want to go and see a particular doctor, good luck! You need to fill out an application. One doctor will not take patients away from another. Basically new doctors will only accept patients that have not been seen by any other doctor before (like immigrants) or ones who are without a doctor because their's is dead or retired. I would fire my GP instantly if I could, but I can't. As far as the hepatologist is concerned, she too is very busy but she is one of the best in her field. If nothing else, living in Canada teaches people to be patient with the health care professionals.
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
If I had a doctor that knew I had a problem say with my kidney's or heart and he didn't refer me to a specialist I sure wouldn't be going to him.  He'd be fired pronto I've fired doctors before haven't you?

It doesn't matter though because the GP wouldn't be the doctor to call you the GI who gave treatment and ordered the PCR is the one who would call you (most likely his NP although mine was so excited for me he called me at work and used his first name and I had no idea who he was for the first few minutes and couldn't figure out why a guy was screaming congratulations at me - that is the kind of doctor that I personally want and would not fire).

But seriously I wouldn't give a rats ast who told me I was SVR - just that somebody did.  But why isn't your hepdoc calling you with the results? Did you even bother to call him and ask that either?
Helpful - 0
862235 tn?1336060295
I am not worried I just don't want to get the news from my GP.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Is it the six month PCR you are concerned about or is it the other blood values?
If it's just the PCR, call the hepatologist's office and have them give you the results  over the phone.  I suspect if they haven't contacted you about the other blood values they must be OK or at least no pressing issues don't you think?

Trinity
Helpful - 0
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