When to change drs?

[gothiclovemonkey]

Im wondering...
If u dont feel like ur doctor is not taking u seriously, because ur on dialysis? For example, hes also my primary, so i asked him to look at my hip, it was killing me, he shook my leg said, well u dont have arthritis, u want a pain pill??
Another thing, i have sores all over my body, asked him, he said, if they arent gone in a month ill look. I got a sleep test done thru him over a year ago, asked him 3 times for the results...nothing.
I hear hes the best, and i know i havent been the most compliant with my dialysis (i went on a crazy binge over a year ago) but for over a year now i have been compliant.... and he stll says, its because i mssed treatments, or its related to dialysis
is EVERYTHING related to it?

[jbeany]

Nope.  Not everything.  It can certainly cause a lot of related issues, but it's not the cause of absolutely everything. 

Having a doctor you trust is huge, though.  If you don't feel like you are communicating, then it doesn't matter how many people say he's the best around.  You don't need other people's best doctor; you need your best doctor.   Any doc who wouldn't even look at issues like sores and pain doesn't sound like the best anything to me.  Yes, the sores and hip pain could be related to a calcium or phos imbalance.  Or you could have an allergic reaction to insect bites and a fractured hip socket.

There's a medical saying that when you hear hoofbeats, think horses and not zebras, meaning the most common cause of a symptom is the most likely reason for the problem.  Good theory, but every once in a while, you find yourself at the zoo.  He should at least be taking a quick glance to make sure there are no stripes in sight.

[gothiclovemonkey]

i ended up going to convienent care for my hip issue, and he thought i have sciatica? my saitic nerve is unhappy with me heh
it would be nice if they would try to fix the problem rather than mask it with pills. I HATE pain pills.

[natnnnat]

I hate pain pills too.     I had sciatica etc when I had three "slipped disks"... they call it something else nowadays.  Anyway now, when I get the numbness around my knee, which is related to that bundle of nerves that runs down through the hip from the spine, I go walking.  And at the time, to fix my spine, a phsyio gave  me spine strengthening exercises.  The cheapest first suggestion I have therefore is:  do you walk much, are you in a position to walk much (e.g. time, physicality etc)... because if you are, walking is a really good way to get deep core strength happening, which supports the spine and may deal with the sciatica...

[RichardMEL]

The mere fact that you raise the question seems that it's time to change. He may be "the best" but for you he clearly isn't because you're not satisfied with the service you're getting. I'd go elsewhere until you receive what you consider to be good treatment where your issues are being addressed to your satisfaction.

[Jean]

I am in total agreement with Nat. Sciatica I dont think can ever be fixed without surgery, so far better for you to walk and walk and walk. Not the day you injure it, but when it is a little more comfortable for you. I used to do 2 miles a night and then go and sit in the jacuzzi. Took over a year to really regain the strength in my left leg, which was the biggest victim in that attack. In the meantime, take the pills.

[gothiclovemonkey]

thats the funny part, I didnt have this problem until i fell off a porch on Easter lol
I have scoliosis, my back looks like a ? and my neck curves the wrong way completely. I dont ever wear shoes, unless its snowing, im in my flipflops. When I go...say... Shopping, thats when it hurts the most. i thought that was strange, i too thought walking would make it better

[Jean]

Maybe if you wore a more supportive shoe, it would help the pain. Flip flops are comfy, but they give you no support. You really need to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles, so they can help you. I know it hurts, but, you really need to do it.

[Riki]

I hate wearing shoes and socks, and only do so when it's too cold to wear sandals, which for me is about November to May.. *LOL*  Flip flops are the worst thing you could wear because you are holding them on with your toes, and they have no real support.  If you really don't want shoes, at least get a pair of sandals with an ankle strap to hold them onto your feet.

and yeah, waking is the best thing you can do for sciatica.  I had a pinched sciatic nerve after my last transplant.  My back and hip would kill me if I moved too much.  Even getting out of bed was hard.  I had to grab hold of the edge of the martress and pull myself up.  The lucky thing for me was, even though I didn't want to, I had a boyfriend who wouldn't let me sit down longer than five minutes.  He would grab me by the hand and pull me all over the city.  I even remember him coming into the bedroom at 2am once, waking me, and asking if I wanted to go for a walk.. *L*  it did hurt at first, and he'd let me rest if it got bad, but after a few weeks of being pulled around, it stopped hurting.  He and his mom and moving back to the province this week, so he'll be here to pull me around the city again.  It'll probably kill me, but I'm looking forward to it

[gothiclovemonkey]

i have a 6 year old with ADHD rofl he doesnt allow me to sit still much either! hes great.
I finally bought some tshoes but i havent warn them, but once the day i got them. I need to buy socks. I HATE socks. hehe
Once i get out of the hospital i plan on getting my behind on a better schedule so i can lose the last 30 lbs for my transplant... Ive lost 60 (thats what cracks me up, i lose weight now i have pain? u would think when my butt was BIGGer it would have been causing the problem not smaller! lol)