doctor Refused to See Me

[susiestar]

Today was strange. I had a doctor appointment about 90 min away. I am not feeling great partly because normal migraines and partly because thank you threw up most of last night.

I was called back for the height/weight/drug test (pain doctor) and I let them know that some medications might not show up as strong as they should because we are fighting a virus and I have had bad migraines that made me throw up.

Thirty seconds after I sat down they called me and said the doctor can't see me. It has never come up before, but apparently they will not see patients if they have a bug. I have never had a doctor's office tell me that being sick means they won't see me.

I understand that he doesn't treat that problem, and I actually think he may have a health problem that puts him at greater risk of getting a virus, but it just seemed strange.

WHen I told them yesterday I had a migraine and was sick they said it wasn't a problem (the reminder call).

At least they know that I showed, that I didn't act oddly or nervously about the drug test, etc... It just seemed really odd. Esp since if I had called this morning and told them that someone in the house had the flu they would have charged me for not showing up!!

I am going to have to have them do some things for me outside of office hours because I need the forms for the patient assistance programs filled out. I was waiting until this appointment but I cannot wait until my next appointment to get it started. (I am thrilled to learn that lidoderm has a program! They are so expensive but so helpful!)

Is this odd or is it some new thing that docs are doing now that I am out of the loop on?

 

[DDD]

I haven't heard of it....but nothing surprises me anymore. Sorry. DDD

 

[JJJ]

I've seen it with specialists who treat patients that are at increased risk of catching bugs. Weird that they didn't tell you in advance -- unless they needed you in for the drug test anyways??

 

[TerryJ2]

So sorry, Susie.
I hope you get a lot of sleep tonight and feel much better tomorrow.
Then you can call the ofc and have them squeeze you in asap.

 

[HaoZi]

Did they originally think you being sick was from the migraines? I know those can make me throw up.

 

[Nancy]

I have never heard of a doctor refusing to see a patient because they weren't feeling well. I'm so sorry and hope that you are feeling better tomorrow.

Nancy

 

[KTMom91]

Seems strange to me, too.

Hope you and thank you are both feeling better soon.

 

[susiestar]

It wasn't to get the drug test done. They would do it at the appointment, and will redo it at my next appointment. They probably won't process this one, though it doesn't matter to me.

I think it was from the migraine - I throw up from them a lot more now than I did even a couple of years ago.

I don't think they were worried about the other patients, though that would be logical. The nurse who told me they couldn't see me seemed very alarmed at the idea that I might have gotten to see the doctor. It really felt like they were afraid that he would get the flu - as though if he got it he would be more than normally sick. THey have NOT been this way in the past. husband reminded me that 2 years ago I called to cancel because I had the flu (really had it and was BAD - ended up in the ER) and they acted like not going to the doctor because I had the flu was the most ridiculous thing they ever heard of. I had to explain it wasn't going to the doctor that was the problem, it was the very long drive that was the problem.

They won't be squeezing me in. I have an appointment for April and it isn't a big deal for the most part. They don't squeeze people in. If it is an emergency then you need the ER. They are pain specialists and the visit was routine. They will mail me my rx's when I need them re-written. As long as you have an appointment scheduled in the next few months there isn't a problem.

Thanks for letting me know it seemed odd to you. How does this strange stuff seem to find me? I must have a built in weird magnet or maybe ridiculous radar?? Tractor beam for the bizarre??

At least it keeps life interesting!

 

[Josie]

I think the more doctors you go to, the more likely you will see this kind of thing. We had a doctor refuse to see us after we waited an hour and a half because he had an important lunch meeting. Nothing surprises me any more.

 

[witzend]

A doctor doesn't treat people because they are sick? How bizarre! In the past couple of years I had a severe stomach bug that I got in Mexico, an e-coli type thing. They called me right back to a special room in a special hall that was away from everyone else and did a thorough history there. It was a quarantine room and they told me so. But I have never heard of a doctor not treating someone who might be infectious. During flu season they make everyone - and I mean everyone - in the waiting room wear a mask.

 

[Hound dog]

Odd. But then he is a pain doctor, not your average fam doctor or whatever. Perhaps it has to do with fear of other patients getting ill as I'd imagine he has some chronically ill patients that a bug would do a real number on. Or since this didn't seem to be the case not long ago........perhaps doctor himself is battling a medical issue that makes him more susceptible and more difficult to throw off a bug.

My girls get furious that unless it's life or death I flat out refuse to go to the ER. Heck I even avoid the doctor if at all possible. Not because I like to suffer, but because I know it puts me at high risk of catching heaven knows what. And at this stage, I've gone from never catching anything (seriously I so rarely got sick that perfect attendance was normal for school and work ugh) to catching just about everything that crosses my path. To make it worse.......no matter what it is, it takes me 3 times longer to throw it off. Scary when a simple case of flu can throw me into renal failure.

You may be certain that the throwing up was due to the migraine, but doctor and staff have no way to be certain that is the case. I mean once I went into the ER with a killer migraine.......turned out I was in renal failure. No other sign, just the killer migraine, well and my blood work was off the charts. This is why docs don't assume. lol Betting it's a safeguard for either patients or himself. But still would be polite to let your patients know this policy exists and they won't be charged for canceling due to illness.

 

[DammitJanet]

I had just the opposite happen. I woke up sick as a dog on 2/16 which was my normal pain doctor day. I thought I was fine when I went to bed the night before but Cory had been sick for several days before that and he had been bombarding me. On that Wednesday I woke up at 10:30 and my appointment was for noon. I was feverish and I started the mad dash from both ends. I immediately called the pain clinic and explained that I had felt perfectly fine the night before but my son has been sick with the flu for a week and that this morning I had awoken with a fever and whatnot and didnt feel I should bring my germs into their office. They told me I should have called before 9 am and would be charged $50 and they would call me when they could fit me in!

I know my UA will be a bit weak because I had to stretch my medications to cover me for the week and a half until they got me in. Oh well.

 

[Fran]

Was this a specialist or a GP/family doctor?
I have seen a few practices who do not want to mingle sick with well visits. Pediatrics comes to mind. They have a sick child waiting room and a well visit waiting room.
With the H1N1 flu panic and the pressure to prevent flu's I'm not surprised that a specialist who is treating something not in realm of a GP would postpone the visit. However, I can't imagine not telling the patient up front that they do not want infectious patients to come in way ahead of time strange.
Have you been his patient for a while? Do you have a decent relationship? If you do, I would ask in April.

 

[DaisyFace]

Yes, I might suspect that the doctor himself may have a compromised immune system...

In which case, I would understand him not wanting to be near a person with an illness - but it might have been nice if they had some sort of "official policy" on visiting the office when you are sick and could have let you know in advance that you'd need to reschedule...

unless his immune issue is only temporary.

 

[Star*]

My dermatologist found out I had the flu once and asked me to reschedule. Don't know if that's the same - but I think he was a bigger germaphobe that me.

My GP upon entering their office had a sign during flu season last year that said if you suspected you had the flu? To grab a mask and put it on and gloves....I was SO thankful for that. I came with my own - but really.....really thankful. All the staff had them on too.

 

[susiestar]

I have been his patient for years and we have a great relationship - partly because I don't pester him to increase my medications all the time. He actually complains that I wait too long to ask for an increase because I wait until I just almost cannot function before I ask.

I guess it surprised me because there is NOTHING on their new website about it, or in the waiting room, or anywhere else. Most of my other docs all have signs that if you have a cough or feel sick to your stomach to tell them right away. They either have a separate waiting room or put you in an exam room right away so you don't wait near anyone else. One doctor says this isn't just to keep you from infecting others, he does it largely because he got tired of people who are already sick getting another bug from others in the waiting room. It is easier to treat one bug than 2 or 3.

The thing that really made an impression was the sense of urgency that came from the staff. There was a real push to get me out of there fast, and relief that I hadn't made it past them to the docs.

Janet, the very next time your pain doctor will not see you because you are sick, call his nurse and ask them to either mail the rx to you or let Tony or you pick it up. You should NEVER have to stretch your medications - it is part of the doctor's job to give you the rx on time even if you have to cancel the appointment because you are sick or he cancels it because he has a conflict or whatever. I KNOW my doctor would read me the riot act if i didn't ask for the rx on time. Part of your prescription medication agreement is to take your medications EXACTLY as prescribed every single day. This means that you shouldn't take less than rx'd and if need be the doctor's office should mail the rx to you or have you pick it up.

PLEASE talk to the doctor about this when you see him again. Ask what his policy is and why. He has to know by now that you are NOT going to be likely to abuse them. If he won't give you the rx on time, ask for a copy of the pain medication agreement and put in there that if you cannot see him because you are sick you will take fewer medications each day so you do not go off them cold turkey while waiting to be given another appointment. Most docs (ones I have seen) do NOT want that in the pain medication agreement and if you write it in and ask him to sign it he will see how silly it is (and how wrong - he has a mandate to manage your pain properly and to keep you from going into withdrawal by rxing the medications appropriately so that you have enough medications to take as prescribed) and will agree to give you the rx even if an appointment has to be rescheduled.