Fucking moronic general practitioner (kinda lame).

The BBQ Pit
1

So, my husband went in for his very first physical. He hasn’t had one since he was a child in India. Of course he had appointments with civil doctors for the INS, but this was his first checkup, practically since birth. I encouraged him to get one because his dad has heart disease, my husband eats like shit, doesn’t exercise, has gained significant weight in a year, and recently has been having problems with sleep apnea and acid reflux. He also almost ran off the road one afternoon because he found all of a sudden he couldn’t breathe and his heart was racing and felt as though it was going to explode out of his chest. I wanted to take him to the ER but he refused. So I asked him a few questions and asked that he see a general practitioner who, I assumed, would probably check his cholesterol, recommend some ways to combat his sleep apnea, plus encourage him to exercise, use better nutrition, etc.

The moron didn’t do a goddam thing. My husband goes in, waits a half hour to be shown into an appointment room where the doctor natters away at him for 15 minutes, then disappears. My husband waited 20 minutes before going to look for him, only to be told that he’d have to wait - the doctor was with another patient because they always book two patients in one time slot.

Fine, he thought. He’d wait. The doctor probably would be back soon, and he was sure that, because he has no medical history as a result of having seen a regular doctor only once, the doctor would want to spend a significant amount of time with him, checking cholesterol, learning more familly medical history, etc. So the doctor reappears with some grand medical advice related to my husband’s weight gain and breathing problems: get larger clothes.

Okay, what?? So, the solution to significant weight gain is to purchase larger fucking clothes?? You get paid $150 for 15 minutes of your time only to dispense medical information like that? The asshole didn’t even bother getting my husband’s cholesterol count, mentioned nothing about nutrition, didn’t bother learning any family history about health - nothing. My husband finally asked him if he thought he should have his cholesterol checked and the doctor told him to see someone else for that! So what the fuck to general practitioners do anyway? If this is the kind of medical advice I can expect to receive from a general MD, I am never, ever going to one. I can get better advice from fucking Cosmopolitan, Shape, or Self. Fucking idiot.

2

Wow, that’s horrible.

Doctors are like people in any other job, though. Some are very good at what they do, and some are terrible.

I mean, I went to a gyno once and he didn’t even ask me if I was sexually active. :confused:

Anyway, maybe you can find another doctor? I find that it helps to make a list of the things you want to talk to the doc about, and then give it to him (or her). Sometimes you gotta prod them along a little.

3

I think my husband’s going to go to a couple of specialists - there’s a clinic here that does cholesterol checks for a bit cheaper than a doctor’s office, and he’s also going to check out a sleep specialist.

We both could stand some better nutrition, too. Although I’m a relatively healthy eater, I think I’ll be doing some research to try to get more nutritional “bang for our buck” in each meal. And I think I’ll see if I can get us to go for a walk after dinner every night. I work out on a regular basis, but my weight’s been creeping up there, too, but not nearly as fast as my husband’s.

I was just so pissed - what idiot includes getting larger clothes in their medical advice?? It makes me wonder how many of his patients have heart disease.

I can’t believe an OB/GYN didn’t bother to ask if you were sexually active. I mean, yeah, the patient bears responsibility for bringing certain issues to the forefront in any medical exam, but that’s really basic stuff that any OB/GYN should be asking.

Stuff like this makes me wonder how the fuck certain people get their medical licenses. Grrrr…

4

Just remember the old “joke” about doctors:
Q: What do you call the guy who graduated from Med School dead last in his class?
A: “Doctor”.

Point being, of course, that some of the doctors out there are spectacular and others are just horrid. Sometimes ya just gotta shop around.

5

I had a friend who was merrily coasting his way through med school. Not because he was brilliant, he just had no problem with barely passing every class. So that was the precise amount of work he did.

Admittedly, he also had no interest in ever being a praciting physician, he was also getting an MBA and was aiming for medical administration. Or something.

Find a new doctor. Swap around until you do. I’ve had great luck with a residency clinic for people wanting to become general practitioners. Up to date, fresh from school knowledge, plus oversight from doctors who are teaching the residents about bedside manner and other parts of being a good GP. To a person the residents have been eager to help, delightful, dedicated and good at what they do. While I have my favorite doctor at the clinic (because she RAWKS!) when she goes on to get her own practice I know anyone I see there will be just as good. (Even if I don’t know them as well.)

Before my family found the clinic we’d do anything to avoid our piece of crap GP. Including driving 80 miles to where our old family doctor had moved his practice until our insurance wouldn’t pay for us to see him any more.

Get a good doc, you’ll be willing to see them more, tell them more, and listen to their advice more. Which is only good for you.

6

I know I’m getting my panties in a twist over something relatively small - after all, we will be going to another doctor. However, one of my problems with this whole situation is that a LOT of GPs do stuff like this. What’s more, any idiot who opens the newspaper or turns on the TV knows that there’s a serious problem in our country with people eating too much crap and exercising too little - you’d think that a GP would ask about stuff like that. I shudder to think of all the kids and adults who’ve shown up in his office saying, “Um, my clothes are really restricting, and I feel really sluggish and just kinda gross most of the time,” to which he’s probably responded, “Get bigger clothes,” instead of “Do you exercise? What does your diet look like? You might want to try getting a little more exercise and eating better - that should give you a lot more energy. Here’s a great resource - check it out and come back in six months so we can see how you’re feeling then. By the way, does your family have any history of heart disease, diabetes or cancer?”

But no, here’s the conversation my husband and I had about the actual reality of the appointment:

Me: So, how was the doctor?

Him: It was good. He said I was fine and that I should get bigger clothes.

Me: Bigger clothes? I guess they’d be less restricting, but that doesn’t seem like much of a solution if you’ve been gaining weight and feeling gross. Did he weigh you? Take your blood pressure?

Him: Yeah, but I’m kind of confused because he didn’t ask me any of the questions you asked after I had problems breathing and had those heart palpitations.

Me: He didn’t? What about cholesterol? Did he recommend checking that? What kind of questions did he ask you anyway?

Him (starting to get irritable): No, he didn’t even metnion taking my cholesterol. In fact, he didn’t ask me anything really. I just walked in and he started talking and I sat there, then he left and after a while I had to try to hunt the guy down to ask him those questions I’d wanted to ask him.

Me: What about medical history? Did he ask about that? Or when you mentioned you’d gained several inches around the waist this year and had problems with snoring? What’d he say to that?

Him (getting pissed now): He didn’t ask about my or my family’s medical history. And, like I said - he just told me to get bigger clothes, and didn’t mention anything about the sleeping issues.

Me: It’s your choice, but I don’t think you should go back to him. He sounds like a quack. But you did say that you managed to get the name of a cholesterol clinic, right?

Him (absolutely furious): Yeah, I did, but I had to really prod him for that information. You know, the more I think about it, the more pissed I’m getting. He didn’t ask any of those questions, and he should have, shouldn’t he? That asshole. I’m never going to see him again. What a fucktard.

I would have loved to have called this quack and rip him a new one, but that’s my husband’s department - his doctor, and it would be really fucking embarrassing for him to have his wife call and yell at his GP as though my husband were 12. Anyway, no, neither of us will ever make a repeat visit to this guy, and my husband has a list of stuff that he’s going to ask at the cholesterol clinic. He’ll probably get better information there anyway. I’m just so pissed, though, that he would tell my husband to get bigger clothes in response to weight gain and snoring problems. He’s probably telling other people the same thing.

7

I used to have a Chinese gentleman for a GP. He was a pretty good prescriber-that’s really all he ever did. Once I came to hjim complaining of job-related stress and anxiety problems. What was his response?

Wait for it…

When I once inquired about Meridia for weight loss(long time ago), he gave me an equally stupid reply. “Eat 10 percent less, be active 20 percent more”. Sage fucking advice I tell ya, Sage.

Sam

8

I think you just made my day. You certainly put everything in perspective for both me and my husband.
:smiley:

9

Did your husband actually mention that he had problems breathing, heart palpitations, sleep apnea and acid reflux to the doctor? I only ask because I know some people are reluctent to bring up there problems and expect the doctor to guess why they are there. I am not saying that your Doctor didn’t suck. Obviously he did.

He may have something more serious going on then just a cholesterol test can detect. The cholesterol test isn’t going to tell him if he has heart disease or is close to a heart attack.

When my hubby had similiar problems his GP took it very seriously. The first thing they did was a stress test. Turns out he has a great heart - although he does need to lose weight. His problems were acid reflux combined with panic attacks when the acid reflux scared him. Still serious though as acid reflux can cause cancer and is easily treatable.

It would seem to me that another GP and a full physical should be the least he needs to do. Also, sleep apnea is nothing to play around with. Is there a sleep clinic in your area?

10

My husband had a list of stuff he mentioned to the doctor, including the breathing problems, sleep apnea and acid reflux. But mostly all the GP did was blab about how my husband clearly needed looser clothing. Then my husband prodded him for information on how to get his cholesterol tested (I made kind of a big deal about wanting him to get it tested, along with his glucose levels, just in case), then he was sent on his way.

One of the primary reasons I wanted my husband to see a GP was because of his family’s history of heart disease, the weight gain, etc., and because, since he hasn’t exercised much in the past, I didn’t want him to start working out too hard and suffer for it. I would make recommendations of my own, but I’ve been running since I was 14 (I’m 28 now), and didn’t think I’d be the best source of information on beginning an exercise program (that doesn’t usually stop me, though), and I wanted my husband to make sure his heart was in good condition to start exercising rigorously if that’s what he wants to do.

Either way, I think he’s going to see about finding a decent GP and a sleep specialist - we live in an area with a couple of good research hospitals, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find. But this guy was an idiot, and I wonder what sort of advice he’s doling out to other people.

11

So did you follow his bang bang advice sam? :stuck_out_tongue:

12

See, the one thing the GP overlooked was that ladies don’t want no bang-bang with some jittery, nervous, over-emotional dude who’s making the rounds looking for pussy. Hell, my future-to-be wife wouldn’t even come over to “visit” me(no fucking joke).

Glad I’m making someone’s day! It’s my birthday, I’m stuck at work, I still work in family law, and my wife is fighting with me. Good times! :rolleyes:

Sam

P.S.- sorry for the dump

13

How dare you take a dump in my thread! Just kidding. :smiley:

Happy birthday - I hope your day gets better.

14

I was just asking. Half the time my husband goes to the doctor he “forgets” to mention one of the major reasons why he was there.

Example (only a slight exaggeration)

Me - So what did the doctor say?

Husband - He told me I seem pretty healthy.

Me - Healthy? But what about the flesh eating parasite that has almost consumed your entire right pinky finger?

Husband - He didn’t mention it.

Me - Huh? He didn’t mention it??

Husband - Well, I put some hydrogen peroxide and a bandage on it and by the time I got to the doctor’s it wasn’t eating nearly as quickly. The doctor seemed really busy and since he didn’t mention it I forgot to bring it up.

:smack:

15

Sorry if I seemed kind of grumpy - I’m still steamed about this. But that’s hilarious - and exactly the sort of thing I had worried would happen when my husband went to the GP yesterday. I made him put together a list before he went. I’m a little more rude when I visit my doctor - normally I don’t care whether they’re busy or not. I figure if they’re un-busy enough to be in the room with me, they’re going to hear the entire litany of stuff I’ve got before they’re let outta there. :slight_smile:

16

I don’t blame you for being grumpy. If I were you I would report that doctor to who ever doctors get reported to.

Not to do any testing on an overweight man with problems breathing, heart palpitations and a family history of heart disease has to be borderline malpractice.

17

Don’t pay the bill. Tell them why when they start calling for payment. Ask them to justify the charges.

18

I totally agree with this. He should be reported to the medical board right away.

I’m not trying to justify what the doctor said but as a long time sufferer of severe reflux, I can say that wearing looser clothing is a must. Anything constrictive around the waist or chest only makes my reflux worse.

Here’s my advice:

I am also new to physical activity. I am 70 pounds overweight and as I said, I have reflux.

I started cutting out all junk food and I started going to they gym. The one I go to is only circuit training. The workout is only as strenuous as I can handle. The machines are hydraulic so I’m not in danger of hurting myself by lifting weights. I also have bad knees so treadmills and such are out. None of the machines hurt my knees.

Another suggestion, get a workout ball. They come with a chart of exercises you can do. It’s virtually impossible to do more than your body will allow. When you watch someone working out on a ball, it looks really easy and pointless but it’s not.

Last, get another doctor. I spent my whole life seeing crappy doctors who said my reflux was from my diet. None of them even considered it wierd that I get reflux from drinking water. Finally, after a lifetime of searching, I found a clinic with not one or 2 but FOUR incredible doctors and a wonderful head nurse. I feel totally comfortable with all of them. I see one doctor for my physicals and another for my reflux - simply because my doctor was not embarrassed to admit that she knew nothing about reflux. There are good doctors out there. The trick is to not get frustrated finding one.

Good luck to you and your husband. I hope it’s not too late to fix any health problems he has.

19

<sigh>

There’s a lot of poor doctors out there. Frankly, it sometimes scares me seeing how some of my colleagues practice. And now that I send inmates out to see some specialists, I am frankly appalled to see how my patients sometimes get treated by some of my colleagues.

Yes, any day a particular good doctor can be brusque and not do a decent job. I’ve failed to do my best at times. It sometimes pains me to recall specific incidents where I should have done better. But I’ve seen sooooo many docs for whom such behavior is the standard, rather than the exception.

I sometimes feel like apologizing for these ninnies. But I’m not so powerful that I think I am responsible for someone else’s actions.

Complain to the Medical Examining Board if you like; but if there is no harm done thru wrong action/inaction, or any laws broken, little will likely occur. Yet they will at least start collecting data on this doc. If enough others complain about this yammerhead, someone might notice.

The best action is to call the first doc’s office and explain that you are leaving the practice because you expected to have an adequate history taken, and an adequate physical exam performed, along with discussion of relevant concerns. Indicate that you felt the expected standard of medical care was not met at your visit. Then go find a new doc. There are quite a few out there who are competent and thorough, at least 95% of the time.

QtM, MD

20

This reminds me of the time when my mom went to her [now former] doctor about a tissue mass on her left wrist. She couldn’t even wear her watch anymore because of it.

He said, “Wear your watch on your other wrist.”

It wasn’t cancerous or anything terrible, but really…

overly, I have a very useful book which gives many examples of letters you can write to doctors, HMOs, etc. Just in case you should ever need such a thing, it’s called called You Don’t Need A Lawyer, by James Kramon.

Good luck!