We are fortunate to have an excellent Neuro-Psych Dr. and the same can be said of our PCP. However, we have also had our share of medical personnel who make you raise an eyebrow at their instructions, skills, knowledge, etc. I’ll give a few examples. Thought maybe some of you might have nominations for the “Cracker Jack” List---aka—and where did you get your degree? ********** Township Board decided they needed to bring aboard a Dr. to handle hiring physicals and work injuries. After hiring, the Dr. had to do routine physicals on all existing employees to establish files. All my library employees were going and returning within an hour. My turn came. Drove there, did all classic things. Then because of my CMT, he had me do all the basic coordination and muscle tests. After having seen me walk (funny) in and doing all the tests he finished with, “Did you know the little muscle on the side of your hand between your thumb and hand doesn’t work?” I asked how it was supposed to work. “If you try to hold a sheet of paper between the side of your thumb and side of your hand, it can fall right out because you have no grip there.” That was the sum total of his findings. I returned to work 2 hours later. ******************** Dropped a large can of sweet potatoes on my toe, Thanksgiving Day morning. DH took me to ER, which was so busy the nurses were watching the Rose Parade. Dr. ordered x-rays. Orderly took me down, parked my wheelchair by the waiting area seats and delivered paperwork to the desk, giving a stage whisper, “She dropped a can of sweet potatoes on her toe” to the Tech. After x-rays, returned to hall of ER by desk. Dr. reads x-ray—tracking line across toe. Comes over to tell me, “It appears to be broken.” Then proceeds to move it, while telling me to tell him if doing so hurts. He moves it a second time before I can respond to the first move. Hands fisted I am pumping my arms up and down in short swings saying softly, “Quit playing with it. . .uit playing with it.” He then returns me to the exam room and explains while bandaging my toes, “ There’s not much we can do for broken toes, except tape them to neighboring toes. I’m glad to see you wear a good sturdy shoe(leather oxford fastened to short brace which maintains perpendicular position of leg to foot—like an “L”). Puts that on. Then tells me, “Elevate and ice it today. Take it really easy on it and walk on the side of your foot.” (HUH??) ************** DH takes 2 meds for tremor control. One is a prescription for Propranolol 20 mg. 3 times a day. It is a BP med but has an off label use for treating tremors. He takes it for that. After Dx, we were referred to a new Psych Dr. for his care. Dr. changed some meds and the new tremor med he prescribed wasn’t working for DH. I asked about returning to the previous med that had worked. He dismissed that idea,. “That’s an old med.” He kept the new med and instead wanted to double the Propranolol. DH’s BP has always run on the lower end of normal range. I questioned how the increase would affect his BP. The Dr. responded, “I’m not giving it to him for that.” (HUH??)
I'd like to take all the doctors wearing blinders and working for insurance companies and shove them in a cracker jack box and torch it!!! My husband was put on Marinol about a month ago and it has been amazing! BUT our prescription provider won't cover any part of it. When I called them, I was told that the FDA has only approved it for nausea from chemo. That's it. End of story. When I tried to explain there were documented studies showing the benefits of Marinol for Alzheimer's patients, they just blew me off! So until someone tells me what I have to do to get it covered, I will take that 1/10 of our income and pay for it. I hope they knew I was serious when I said the selection process had begun and that I guessed people who could not afford what they medically need could just die.
Linda Mc, I think if nothing else I would try to get the doctor to say the reason for the Marinol was for nausea. Explain to him what is going on with the prescription provider and he may help you out with this. If that doesn't work report to the dr that your dh is sick to his stomach. How do they know it is not true? They don't. You have nothing to lose,,,,, good luck.