Fibromyalgia Community

That sounds like quite a frustrating day for you. What if you were going on vacation and needed to refill early for that?

I have a problem getting through to my neurologist's secretary. There is a front desk person who answers, after a lengthy message, and directs your call to a doctor's secretary. That doctor's secretary never answers the phone. She has a 2-minute long recording listing all the rules, times, and things they no longer do for patients. Then you get to leave your message. You are lucky if she calls back in 3 days! I've had a number of failed attempts to get test results, report serious symptoms, etc.

I've actually had the doctor apologize to me, first thing at an appointment, because he read a note in my file he must have never received. His excuse was she has been swamped with work as they've been very busy. I agreed with him that it was unfortunate I was unable to communicate some important new symptoms in a timely manner, but I let it slide after that.

He is a good doctor, but his office is run by control freaks, I swear. I'll put up with them to get his expert opinions, but sometimes I have to take a deep breath to communicate effectively and not show my exasperation.

We all have to be the best patients we can be. That means putting up with the front desks, and also being organized for our doctor's visits. We also have to keep track of all the billing, and that's a whole other story with fibro fog! It's a lot of work to be a good patient!

I also have problems getting my pain meds filled I have been out since the 26th they calledin my spiriva monday but not the pain meds I am going ti call and leave a message for my dr. this morning....Hope she gets it....I am not drug seeking nor do I abuse the scrips I use the meds as perscribed /they dont figure 30 days in a month and tell me because of feb being short Sthe meds should be on time.....lol i am tired of the monthly fight....

About the anxiety drug i take, i finally had to get in touch with the pharmacy manager, b/c my doc's office wouldn't accept anything but a FAX for prescriptions, but the pharmacy only did emails at the time. I was told by the same girl i have had continual problems with that i was the "only one" that they ever had a problem with each month on that issue. The pharmacist apologized and explained in no way was i at fault, that because of the way my doc's office did it they were going to and did change to faxing scripts again.
My nurse called me today about my pain med refill, said she got the message yesterday, but that it was "early". She also said that my doc told her to tell me if i came up there and acted like that again i probly wouldn't be a patient there anymore. Funny thing, since b/f i had insurance office visits were $45.00. Now with insurance they are $106.00. Also, i had meds filled on the fist of this month, yes. But they have never given me crap over a couple of days, my thinking is that the beginning of the month verses the end of the month apparently doesn't authorize a few days early refill. I'll be aware next time and make sure it's nowhere near the beginning/end of the month refill! Sorry for all you others that have this problem, i happen to get the one girl that ticks me off every time, which is why i started getting the pharmacy involved, which helped a lot. I never call early for refill, maybe a couple of days, but my husband works overtime a lot and we only have one vehicle. Good luck guys!

The people at my rheumy's office have been great. He has a PA and nurses who call back and call in refills on timely basis. I'd tell you who he is, but you'd all rush over and I wouldn't ever get to see him. LOL!

I used to have a podiatrist who has an AWFUL staff! I got prescription orthotics, which were 100% covered by my insurance, and they wouldn't bill. One woman (Tina) in particular kept saying "you have to pay us and send the proof to your insurance." The ins co said they needed to bill. We went back and forth on this for months! I finally wrote the doc a letter - I really liked him, but I couldn't deal with Tina, and explained why I wouldn't be coming back. I found out a couple of years later - Tina is his wife!

I wonder if you complained to your docs about his staff's mistakes. Not giving the doc or a nurse a message is wrong on so many levels. Every medical office I go to is busy, but there has to be a system for sending messages to the doc. When I call my rheumy's office , I get a menu of what I need: ext 2 is for a nurse, the PA or prescriptions; ext 3 is for making an appt; ext 4 is for the lab, etc. When I press 2, another menu asks whether I want a nurse (1), the PA (2), or a 'scrip (3). A practice that doesn't invest in a system like this seems not to care.

Sorry for the rant, maybe I'm spoiled.
Lou

Yes, there are problems in my rheumatologist's office, too. I try to be very understanding of the fact that they are busy and have other patients but sometimes the PA doesn't call me back. So I have to call and leave another message. Or my question is not answered directly and I have to have them call me back again, anyway.

You should definitely speak to your doctor directly about the probelms you are having. Hopefully, he/she can offer a compromise so that you don't have to worry about dealing with the receptionist again.

I hear all the screaming, cussing, crashing of objects thrown, been there over and over. And one of the operative words is "20-somethings" (no offence to any one here), who seem to think they know everything, they will never get sick or old, and why are they working in doctors' offices anyway? Just a thought, maybe it will help: is there an office manager on site? The office manager in my PCP's office had to get involved, along with his nurse, before he would admit to reading my chart incorrectly, making assumptions, and generally being a
big ****. He made my life a living hell for three months because he could, but I never backed down, and now we can actually communicate (a little better). I do believe there is a mold which repeatedly regurgitates a certain model stamped doctor's office receptionist, support staff and then markets them, because there are so many like resttheweary describes. My sympathies. Don't hit her, you know jail would be very hard for you physically, and besides, you know she's stupid, right?

Good luck, Honey. Lots of hugs.

Joan

I am so thankful that I no longer have this problem, but I did before I was diagnois with Fibro, one NP in my doctors office said that I couldn't have anymore pain pills cause there was nothing wrong with me. I left crying, and almost thought she might be right, thankfully about a month later a neuro. doctor diagnoised me and then I went back to my family doctor. I had been a patient of his since he first started, I explained what had happened and that she made me feel like a dope addict, and he put in my chart that I was never to see her again, alittle while later she was gone. Now my problem is I am 52 years old and I can't find anyone to hire me. I went back to school for two years to be a Medical Admin. Assistant which I got thru and was even on the dean's list twice. Yet, my age and illness no one has even called me for a second interview. I can't afford to go on disability, here in Indy it takes about three years for disability to be approved if it is approved which is hard. How am I to live untill then a single mother of a 17 year old son. I have unemployment for a couple of more weeks, then I am in big trouble

Hi ResttheWeary:
I am sorry that you have such a stressful situation at your doctors's office! and I know how you feel, my rheumatologist's office staff are not friendly at all, and I I'm sorry but I feel like they are not great on follow through, I had an appt with my doc, this past March, and he put in a request for a TENS Unit, and he stated that I should hear from them in a week or two well after a month of not helping, I called my doc's office and asked what the status was of my referral was, they were not sure so I asked if I could get the number of where the referral was sent, they stated that they didnt have the number readily available and they would call me with it, well you can guess I didnt get a call after a couple of weeks, so I called back and requested the number again, at this point we are into May, so I get the number call the place and come to find out they were not even sure that they got the referral, so she asked what my insurance is, told her, she is not covered and tells me to get with my unsurance to find out, so I called my insurance they gave me the information, I called back my docs office and gave the receptionist the information she daid that they would get the info to the doc and take care of it, so a couple more weeks go by no word on my unit, so call back my docs office, they didnt send the referral because she, the receptionist thought that I wanted to wait, where the heck did she get that idea, I said no that I wanted the referral sent, she said okay and did I have their contact information, I said not readily available but I did have my insurabce number and they could give it to her, she says to give her a call back once I get it, I mean this is ridiculous, all this time she and others have been rude to me and non-apologetic to the fact that 3 months have gone by and no action on this referral!!, and the sad part is that I dont really care for the doc, so I feel like is it really worth staying with him.

Even the receptionist at my pain doc is a bit rude, however I like my doc there so I will deal with it, but man here you have people that are dealing with a lot and then you cant even be cordial, whatever happened to service with a smile, well sory to have vent so much, so to anser your questions, yes I have the same issue!!

Jen in FL

Thanks to all of you for understanding and responding. I got a call from my nurse today, (i see a family doctor and never talk to him on the phone). As explained earlier she said if i came in and acted like that again i would no longer be a patient there. I can understand that. I don't see the rhuemy my doc referred me to years ago, i don't think he was any help other than to rule out illnesses to aide in the diagnoses of my fibro. He didn't even give me results over the phone, and sent no report of his findings to me, so i don't consider him that useful. Here, where i live, (Arkansas), it's very hard to get past the front desk anywhere you go. I guess it's just the massive population we live among as to doctors and nurses not getting back to people with messages. I freaked out about mine yesterday because i know my nurse is great, and so is my doc, so i jumped to conclusions and held that one receptionist responsible, when she wasn't. (that time). LOL. Still suffering from bruised up knuckles and hands from the temper tantrum i threw, stupid, stupid me. Sometimes it's just too much to let go though!

Funny thing, the older woman that told me i needed to sit down, (with her finger pointed at me like a school teacher), i found out WAS the office manager. I had filed a complaint with another woman a year ago, but it wasn't her, so i didn't know who she was and didn't like her taking authority over the situation. Good thing i didn't completely lose it, now i know she is the person i'm to complain to from now on! I don't usually lose it in public, for the simple reason of my temper, i have anxiety issues which most people mistake for my timidness. But another side of anxiety is anger/rage. By the way, i totally have respect for older people, just not with scraggly fingers pointed my way. There is a reason for that thick glass between the waiting room and the staff.

Dear RTW, Jen, and all of us who suffer condescension and disregard, and just plain stupidity, we just have to stand up for ourselves. RTW, I sure am sorry to hear that the finger pointer was the office manager (support staff). And I completely understand your anxiety issues which can come across as either timidity or confrontation. Many of us know (and come to learn after much agony) that many doctors, nurses, and other medical "professionals" do not like it when we are intelligent, articulate, ask questions, know our own bodies, and do not sit like mushrooms (I've said this before) while in their eminent presences. I've had this problem for years, and since I have a medical background and know the lingo, I must come across as a knowitall. I don't care any longer. I am always cordial, respectful, and open until I see THE FACE and know that the professional suspects I may know more than he/she thinks I should. Being in the medical arena in any area puts one at a disadvantage because we know what goes on behind the scene, and we learn to be very careful about listening, notating, and questioning. As I said, my PCP now listens and treats me with more respect, but he's really great when my hubby is in the exam room. Interesting, huh? With all we have to deal with on a daily basis, living in these broken bodies, it takes so much energy and self-control not to do damage to the people who are supposed to understand and help us. With the doctors on this site, they read our posts and respond, and I wish they could spread the word and share the bedside manner, or at least pursue and promote teaching bedside manner. But I'm afraid you can't teach that, I believe it is inborn. In the meantime, just continue to be the huge burr under their saddles. You will either get attention, or you will be kicked to the curb, which has happened to me on both accounts, and you still have the option of reporting your treatment to the State Board in the area where you reside. Sometimes, these doctors are disciplined, but normally you won't know it. As for the support staff, always remember, you as the patient are definitely smarter than any of them. They are pencil pushers, data entry, answer phones, read all the juicy chart info, and have a good laugh on the way home. There are a few really compassionate non-medical office workers, but they are few and far between. Just remember also, what goes around comes around, always. I've seen it happen several times now.

Good luck again, RTW. Visual them all in the restroom with screaming diarrhea with their panties around their ankles (oops, didn't quite make it!) and try to grin and bear it through and beyond them.

Don't we wish we ruled the world? It would be a kinder place for those of us who are not perfect.

Joan

Joan, thanks for your reply, you sound very intelligent and understanding of these situations. You made me laugh with the visual!

Dear RTW, I sent you a reply hours ago, and I don't see it here. So, to reiterate, I am soooo happy I made you smile. I always feel better myself when I can help someone else even a little.

Soft hugs.

Joan

There is definately ( i never can spell that right) something wrong on the receiving end of this site. I don't know a thing about how it works, (my husband calls me a techno tard), but when i go to my discussions on my profile page, if i see it there i know sooner or later it'll show up on the main discussions page. That being said, off subject, i was prescribed generic Skelaxin for muscle spasms/ stiffness. Haven't filled it yet, but wondered if you knew of any reviews it had that it was effective. Thanks, sorry to hit you up for answers.