Recommend a Doctor
#1
I am so friggin' fed up with my Primary Care Physician, so I have decided to give him the old pink slip and move on. The last straw for me was delaying an interpretation on my CT scan to see if I had an issue with Kidney Stones. I had already waited one week to have it done for some reason. He decided to put it off until he returned back from his couple of days off which will be his return probably tomorrow. I have placed calls in to his office to have another doctor interpret and have been ignored so, here is what I am looking for once I get my results from whomever that may be.

I must have a doctor that is willing to sit with me and hear me out on my issues and take me seriously. I am not a Wham Bam Thank you Man type of person when it comes to health care. I am a pretty crazy puzzle for the doctors health wise and they need to understand everything about me before they make a diagnosis. Yes, I know they have seen so many cases and can probably get my diagnosis immediately, but...I am not your textbook case.

I am currently at Providence Medical Group for my care and and not unwilling to stay in there, but I have pretty much been through most of them either because they have retired, or moved on. Never been abandoned by them. Smiling

I am banned from Medford Medical Group because of my past history with them when I lived with a person who never paid the bills. (Long long story). Let's just say, I am more responsible now that I have grown up, and do pay my bills. But, with them, once you are banned, you are out for life Including Urgent Care.

I have a gas hog when it comes to driving to appointment so of course, I would prefer Medford or Central Point. Yeah, yeah, I know...my choices just went WAY Down. That is why I am coming to you.

Do you have a doctor that you have had a great experience with who fits my requirements?

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#2
I'm not in Medford so I can't help you personally. I would try something like this http://www.partnerforqualitycare.org/selection.php or some other referral service down there. Maybe the state website could be of help also. http://www.stateoforegon.com/directory/p...rvice.html

Good luck....

(IllC, Your record is skipping.) Razz
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#3
I just sat through a long morning, with my friend, at Siskiyou Health Center? on Seventh in Grants Pass. He doesn't mean to be a difficult patient, but it's hard not to get frustrated with the poor staff, who hate having to tell you the truth about how it all works on The Health Plan? This is about the fourth visit, and they have my respect. And, sympathy. His physician has done all the right things, and offered the best answers he has. So far, I'd recommend them. The Mayo Clinic didn't help my cause (But, not for not trying). It's all a crap shoot. If they talk to you like you're human, that's a very good start.
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#4
(10-19-2011, 04:58 PM)medfordite Wrote: I am so friggin' fed up with my Primary Care Physician, so I have decided to give him the old pink slip and move on. The last straw for me was delaying an interpretation on my CT scan to see if I had an issue with Kidney Stones. I had already waited one week to have it done for some reason. He decided to put it off until he returned back from his couple of days off which will be his return probably tomorrow. I have placed calls in to his office to have another doctor interpret and have been ignored so, here is what I am looking for once I get my results from whomever that may be.

I must have a doctor that is willing to sit with me and hear me out on my issues and take me seriously. I am not a Wham Bam Thank you Man type of person when it comes to health care. I am a pretty crazy puzzle for the doctors health wise and they need to understand everything about me before they make a diagnosis. Yes, I know they have seen so many cases and can probably get my diagnosis immediately, but...I am not your textbook case.

I am currently at Providence Medical Group for my care and and not unwilling to stay in there, but I have pretty much been through most of them either because they have retired, or moved on. Never been abandoned by them. Smiling

I am banned from Medford Medical Group because of my past history with them when I lived with a person who never paid the bills. (Long long story). Let's just say, I am more responsible now that I have grown up, and do pay my bills. But, with them, once you are banned, you are out for life Including Urgent Care.

I have a gas hog when it comes to driving to appointment so of course, I would prefer Medford or Central Point. Yeah, yeah, I know...my choices just went WAY Down. That is why I am coming to you.

Do you have a doctor that you have had a great experience with who fits my requirements?

You're computer knowledgeable, and presumably internet knowledgeable too. Start working on "My Open Source Internet Doctor" with complete flow charts of symptoms and diagnostic devices that get shipped out as needed. I think we could take care of this doctoring without doctors to a great degree if the smartest among us put our minds to it.

Of course, the AMA would scream... Smiling
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#5
Placido is my go to guy...Wink

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#6
Why TV I'm very proud and impressed. Smiling
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#7
Having been through the experience with kidney stones a few times, I would strongly advise you to search out a urologist. If you do have stones, they will show up in the CT scan and you will more than likely be handed over to one anyway to deal with the situation. Things have come a long way with kidney stone problems. They rarely do surgery anymore and typically will either treat with pain meds if they think they will pass or will recommend Lithotripsy if they feel the stones are too big. I had this treatment in 2009 and it was reasonably uneventful. They knock you out, put you in a pool of water and blast the stones with shockwaves until they are smaller than grains of sand which will pass out normally. The stint that they install is probably the worst part as you have to keep it in for a period of time.
It looks like there are only 3 urologists in Medford so that kinda narrows down your search.
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#8
(10-20-2011, 04:59 PM)imaham Wrote: Having been through the experience with kidney stones a few times, I would strongly advise you to search out a urologist. If you do have stones, they will show up in the CT scan and you will more than likely be handed over to one anyway to deal with the situation. Things have come a long way with kidney stone problems. They rarely do surgery anymore and typically will either treat with pain meds if they think they will pass or will recommend Lithotripsy if they feel the stones are too big. I had this treatment in 2009 and it was reasonably uneventful. They knock you out, put you in a pool of water and blast the stones with shockwaves until they are smaller than grains of sand which will pass out normally. The stint that they install is probably the worst part as you have to keep it in for a period of time.
It looks like there are only 3 urologists in Medford so that kinda narrows down your search.

That's amazing...wow!
What kind of period of time for the stent?
I've heard, not seen, grown men passing a stone, it
was not pleasant.
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#9
I underwent 3 treatments of lithotripsy, spaced a month apiece each, before my stones were all gone. After one of the treatments the stent moved down, leaving me incontinent for a week or so when I couldn't get hold of my doctor. You wouldn't believe the stuff they can shove up your dick, or how much of your attention that commands, either.

That was better than some of my other life experiences with kidney stones though. The first time they told me it was just indigestion and sent me home. The 2nd time they told me it was appendicitis and took my appendix out.

After lithotripsy, I was amazed a few months later when it dawned on me that I no longer had those fleeting little twinges of pain that had plagued me all my life. I'd imagined everyone had those, and never gave it much more thought.
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#10
(10-20-2011, 05:28 PM)PonderThis Wrote: I underwent 3 treatments of lithotripsy, spaced a month apiece each, before my stones were all gone. After one of the treatments the stent moved down, leaving me incontinent for a week or so when I couldn't get hold of my doctor. You wouldn't believe the stuff they can shove up your dick, or how much of your attention that commands, either.

That was better than some of my other life experiences with kidney stones though. The first time they told me it was just indigestion and sent me home. The 2nd time they told me it was appendicitis and took my appendix out.

After lithotripsy, I was amazed a few months later when it dawned on me that I no longer had those fleeting little twinges of pain that had plagued me all my life. I'd imagined everyone had those, and never gave it much more thought.

Oh my....
The things you don't know about your friends. Smiling
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#11
I had kidney stones once. I didn't know what the problem was at onset. My friends put me in the back of the van writhing in pain. It was a good ten miles to the hospital and about half way there I realized if I lay still and quite it didn't hurt so bad. My friends thought I was dead because they kept swearing at me to answer them and I couldn't. Pretty funny a few days later. Laughing I guess I was lucky to pass them rather than the shish-kabob route. Big Grin
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#12
(10-20-2011, 05:16 PM)Crone Wrote:
(10-20-2011, 04:59 PM)imaham Wrote: Having been through the experience with kidney stones a few times, I would strongly advise you to search out a urologist. If you do have stones, they will show up in the CT scan and you will more than likely be handed over to one anyway to deal with the situation. Things have come a long way with kidney stone problems. They rarely do surgery anymore and typically will either treat with pain meds if they think they will pass or will recommend Lithotripsy if they feel the stones are too big. I had this treatment in 2009 and it was reasonably uneventful. They knock you out, put you in a pool of water and blast the stones with shockwaves until they are smaller than grains of sand which will pass out normally. The stint that they install is probably the worst part as you have to keep it in for a period of time.
It looks like there are only 3 urologists in Medford so that kinda narrows down your search.

That's amazing...wow!
What kind of period of time for the stent?
I've heard, not seen, grown men passing a stone, it
was not pleasant.

I don't recall exactly but I think it was 2 or 3 weeks for the stent. Best way to describe it on a family forum (lol) is that it is the female equivalent of a small string hanging out of you for a longer period of time! Only difference is that this string is more like fishing line! Smiling

The first one I had was when I still lived in Oregon. I had no idea what it was but by the time I figured out that I needed to go to the hospital I was, like VS said, writhing in pain. I literally crawled through the doors of the emergency room at Providence and told them that I thought I had a problem! It was 2 in the morning and it took them till the morning shift came in and a very astute nurse told them what was going on. The ER doc was going to do an appendectomy on me! She leaned over before they took me in to do an IVP and told me that she had been through 6 children and one bout of kidney stones. She then said that she would have 6 more kids before she would have another kidney stone! It really boosted my confidence at the time. Smiling A nice big shot of Demerol took care of the rest of it and I eventually passed it. This last batch in 2009 hit me at work and were way to big to pass, thus the lithotrip. I now always, always carry a sufficient supply of Vicodin with me at all times.

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#13
(10-20-2011, 08:47 PM)imaham Wrote: I don't recall exactly but I think it was 2 or 3 weeks for the stent. Best way to describe it on a family forum (lol) is that it is the female equivalent of a small string hanging out of you for a longer period of time! Only difference is that this string is more like fishing line! Smiling

The first one I had was when I still lived in Oregon. I had no idea what it was but by the time I figured out that I needed to go to the hospital I was, like VS said, writhing in pain. I literally crawled through the doors of the emergency room at Providence and told them that I thought I had a problem! It was 2 in the morning and it took them till the morning shift came in and a very astute nurse told them what was going on. The ER doc was going to do an appendectomy on me! She leaned over before they took me in to do an IVP and told me that she had been through 6 children and one bout of kidney stones. She then said that she would have 6 more kids before she would have another kidney stone! It really boosted my confidence at the time. Smiling A nice big shot of Demerol took care of the rest of it and I eventually passed it. This last batch in 2009 hit me at work and were way to big to pass, thus the lithotrip. I now always, always carry a sufficient supply of Vicodin with me at all times.

Oh...then it is pliable..not something stiff and sticking out.
I know, I know, I get funny mental pictures.
I hope you never get any more, you've had enough.
Know what really chaps my hide? My RN son, when he isn't flying the
wounded to Germany from Afghanistan, does Triage at a large city hospital.
You are guaranteed a long wait when you show up at the ER in pain..especially horrible, awful pain.
The junkies have it down, they writhe on the floor, they scream, they want to die, so, if the staff is honest about it, it's their first thought when you come crawling into the ER on the floor. It takes them a while to convince themselves you're not just looking for drugs. Sick, eh? Sad
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#14
Can't you drink vinegar and dissolve these things.
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#15
It makes you full of piss and vinegar anyways. Smiling
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#16
(10-20-2011, 09:02 PM)Crone Wrote:
(10-20-2011, 08:47 PM)imaham Wrote: I don't recall exactly but I think it was 2 or 3 weeks for the stent. Best way to describe it on a family forum (lol) is that it is the female equivalent of a small string hanging out of you for a longer period of time! Only difference is that this string is more like fishing line! Smiling

The first one I had was when I still lived in Oregon. I had no idea what it was but by the time I figured out that I needed to go to the hospital I was, like VS said, writhing in pain. I literally crawled through the doors of the emergency room at Providence and told them that I thought I had a problem! It was 2 in the morning and it took them till the morning shift came in and a very astute nurse told them what was going on. The ER doc was going to do an appendectomy on me! She leaned over before they took me in to do an IVP and told me that she had been through 6 children and one bout of kidney stones. She then said that she would have 6 more kids before she would have another kidney stone! It really boosted my confidence at the time. Smiling A nice big shot of Demerol took care of the rest of it and I eventually passed it. This last batch in 2009 hit me at work and were way to big to pass, thus the lithotrip. I now always, always carry a sufficient supply of Vicodin with me at all times.

Oh...then it is pliable..not something stiff and sticking out.
I know, I know, I get funny mental pictures.
I hope you never get any more, you've had enough.
Know what really chaps my hide? My RN son, when he isn't flying the
wounded to Germany from Afghanistan, does Triage at a large city hospital.
You are guaranteed a long wait when you show up at the ER in pain..especially horrible, awful pain.
The junkies have it down, they writhe on the floor, they scream, they want to die, so, if the staff is honest about it, it's their first thought when you come crawling into the ER on the floor. It takes them a while to convince themselves you're not just looking for drugs. Sick, eh? Sad

Re: the druggies, I suppose that is the case now. That particular instance was over 20 years ago and since they thought I might have appendicitis they didn't want to give me any meds till a full eval was done. I have the utmost respect for RN's after that episode though and some other surgeries also in 2009. This gal had obviously been at her job for a very long time and even though the ER doc that was treating me was nice enough, he really didn't have a clue as to what was going on. She nailed it within 5 minutes of coming on shift. I like to think of a seasoned RN as a doctor without the degree! Smiling

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#17
Thanks everyone for your replies. Smiling

I finally got info from the doctor. I pushed hard the next day after I wrote this and got another doctor to read the CT. It turns out that I not only have kidney stones, but gall stones and the tip of my Appendix was inflamed!

Long story short - got into it over the phone a little with my soon to be former doctor, getting stuff to dissolve the gall stones, and and appointment with a urologist. As for the appendix, well...not in pain and they aren't worried.

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#18
(10-21-2011, 08:49 AM)medfordite Wrote: Thanks everyone for your replies. Smiling

I finally got info from the doctor. I pushed hard the next day after I wrote this and got another doctor to read the CT. It turns out that I not only have kidney stones, but gall stones and the tip of my Appendix was inflamed!

Long story short - got into it over the phone a little with my soon to be former doctor, getting stuff to dissolve the gall stones, and and appointment with a urologist. As for the appendix, well...not in pain and they aren't worried.

On your way to wellness. Big Grin
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#19
Glad you got help. Saves a trip to Canada..SmilingWink
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#20
Might be cheaper in Mexico. In fact, I'd be googling "medical tourism" and reading everything I could get my hands on. There might be some big potential savings here almost anywhere else.
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