How long should I wait before telling my urologist I’d like to go get a second opinion on getting rid of my chronic kidney stones? I have had problems for over 3 1/2 years. It goes like this. Endure terrible pain. Go to doctor. Have a lithotripsy performed(which I must admit is way better than surgery.) Take antibiotics to control infections from the scratches the broken up stones make on their way out. Make appointment for six month checkup. And a six months or almost a year later(just before the next appointment) the cycle starts over. I’m getting TIRED of this but the doctor doesn’t suggest anything else. My next appointment is Friday and I started at “Endure” last Sunday. Should I put my foot down and tell the doctor to either tell me about other options, or should I just go to another MD? Any suggestions???
I don’t think you need your current Dr’s permission. Call another urologist.
Also, you DO have the right/option/whatever to point out the cycle and ask the question “gee whiz (pardon the pun), how come (pardon the second pun) I get this so often???”
My son had a bad bout with Strep several years ago, where he’d get strep, we’d get the antibiotics, he’d get better, about 10 days after the anitbiotics, he’d be sick again. etc. After the second round, our doctor said “something else must be also going on” so prescribed another kind of treatment, then ended up giving a penicillin shot instead of pills, and that cleared it all out.
take a proactive role.
Wring is right (trying saying that fast three times). You don’t even have to inform your current urologist that you want to see somebody else. Call a physician referral number (most hospitals have them) and they will set you up with a doctor that takes your insurance.
BTW, do you know if your urologist has had your kidney stones analyzed to determine exactly what kind of stones your body is making? There are several different kinds. Depending on what kind of stones they are, something as simple as dietary changes can help lessen the frequency of the stones.
Of course, I am not a doctor. Go ahead and get a second opinion. Maybe the next doctor can figure out different treatments that your regular urologist hasn’t thought of (or simply doesn’t want to do).
This might help.
My aging aunt has heart problems. Lately she developed what appears to be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both of her hands, causing numbness. Her regular Doctor decides that this is the case but, due to her heart, she cannot have the surgery. He prescribes medication and braces and a physical therapist. The therapist decides she doesn’t have carpal tunnel, but has been holding onto her walker wrong. (She is rather heavy, with crippling arthritis of her legs and mainly uses an electric runabout. She is in a rather pricey assisted living place.) He shows her how to grip it.
She is sent to a neurologist, who tests her for CP via various means including a ‘shock’ test. He decides she actually has CP and absolutely must have the operation on both hands as soon as possible or face the loss of function in them. (Remember - bad heart - but this guy doesn’t seem to bother with checking with her main cardiologist.)
Clear so far? Two doctors who say she has carpal tunnel syndrome. One who says she is bearing down on her walker wrong.
She experiences a lot of pain after the neurology tests and goes to the ER, fearing the she is having a heart attack. We go also. After - of course - several hours, the doctor decides she is not having a heart attack, but residual pain from the neurological shock test - apparently not an uncommon thing. Then he floors us by saying that he suspects her carpal tunnel problems are due to some problems in her cervical spine – neck – and that she might want to have that looked into.
He did not say chiropractor because there is still somewhat of a war going on between them and ‘real’ doctors.
She went home the next day and the neurologist called to let her know that surgery would be the following one!! She refused. She had never agreed to it.
So - are we clear so far. 2 docs for CP, one Doc for therapy, one Doc for neck problems. 4 doctors.
She decided to go to see a chiropractor, as, until having to move into assisted living, she had once or twice a month. He cracked and creaked and crunched and stretched her joints and bones. Popped this and that and sent her home somewhat sore, but content.
Guess what?
Not only did he manage to ease the pain of her arthritic legs, but apparently eased up some of the discomfort of her wrists and hands.
We think the ER doctor was right.
DISCLAIMER HERE: Concerning chiropractic’s: I do not believe that they have the ability to cure almost any disease via the manipulation of the bones and muscles as many claim. However, I do believe that their skills and understanding of the manipulation of bones and muscles is valuable in alleviating various forms of distress caused by slipped disks – (standard medical treatment is to put the person in traction and wait. A chiropractic can manipulate the disk back in place in much less time) – misalignment of bones, pinched nerves, pain caused by some forms of arthritis and so on. I know weight lifters who go to chiropractic’s regularly to get popped and cracked to alleviate some pain and damage caused by pushing their joints and bones so hard.
By all means, get a second, third or fourth opinion. The doctors might request your medical records from the first doctor - with your permission. While we like to believe that medicine is an infallible field, the doctors are human and very darn busy and can over look things.
Thanks for the replies so far. I guess my problem is that, being raised to defer to authority, I might not imagine that they could disagree. FarTreker’s story is one to heed, as well as the others. Again, thanks, and I guess I will just have to square my jaw and be firm on Friday.
If you don’t have confidence in your MD, by all means, see someone else. I know some doctors are quacks and some just don’t listen!
A little over 11 years ago, I went to a diabetes specialist. I had been diagnosed with diabetes for a little over a year, and I had been off drugs and booze for 6 months. This doctor suggests medication for me. I tell him I am a recovering addict and cannot take mind or mood altering drugs. He looks me dead in the eye and says there’s nothing in this that’ll hurt you, and hands me a box. I read on the box that this medication contains Phenobarbital.
It says right on the box in bold letters “WARNING: MAY BE HABIT FORMING”. I threw the medication away and went to another doctor.
I learned that you have to take an active role in your relationship with your doctor. Ask questions. Write them down in advance and insist he/she answer all of them. And ALWAYS get a second opinion on any problem you consider serious.
Thanks, spooje, for your reply. I can’t believe your first doctor said that! I do ask my doctor and/or the pharmacist about the medications I take, but then I call my sister the pharmacist for the deep dirt. She works mostly in hospitals, but right at the first she worked in a drugstore, and used to tell us how some doctors made mistakes. A lot were in the handwriting(big news) and she said she never hesitated to call the office if she was unsure about the prescription. Some of the doctors got mad, but she didn’t care. My sister is tough.
Here’s a sneaky way to do it:
Ask the receptionist when your regular urologist will be on vacation. Call his office when he’s gone and say you need to see a doctor right away.
All doctors have covering physicians while they’re out of the office and it’s a good way to see another doctor without “insulting” your regular one.
Plus, you’ll be able to tell the covering doctor the whole story and s/he may look at the whole picture, not just begin treating the symptoms over and over again.
Good luck!
Most all doctors are not offended and do not hold it against you if you see another doctor. In fact, although I know you feel you may have built a “relationship” so to speak by going to this doctor for so long, I think you would be surprised by how much your doctor probably just views you as another patient. They have so many patients they see they rarely remember too much in the way of personal details befor referring to their notes.
The only way you can really offend a doctor by getting a second opinion is to insult them, like saying “You’re stewed, buttwad! I’m going to a REAL doctor!”
And don’t be embarassed to ask that your medical records be sent to a new doc - this happens in these offices dozens of times a week, the doctor often doesn’t even really know about it (a nurse prepares and sends them), and no one really cares.
If a doctor is offended by a patient merely seeking another professional opinion, then that doctor IMO is somewhat emotionally immature, as this is SOP for the medical world.
Unless you’re actually married to your doctor, you’re NOT married to your doctor - there’s no contract and no obligation to that individual. And event if you ARE married to your doctor, there’s nothing wrong with seeking that second point of view. It’s not like the docs get together at the end of the week and compare notes to see who’s cheating on them. It’s your body, your health, your copay.
At the other extreme, my husband’s ex-MIL went to several different doctors simultaneously. She wouldn’t tell them about each other - didn’t want to hurt their feelings, I guess. She took different medications prescribed by different doctors to treat the same symptoms - again, not telling each doc what she was on. THAT is nuts.
If I was in your situation, I’d consult another doctor…
SaxFace I liked your idea. If this goes on another six months and recurs again I might take your advice. As it stands now I saw the doctor today, the 8th, and a new test has been arranged. A kit from a special lab will be sent to me and I have to save all, ummmm, “output” for 24 hours. This is sent back to the lab and contents are analyzed. This is supposed to discover if there is nay chemical or dietary imbalances that may be causing stones to form. And I will have yet another lithotripsy next week, as the stone is too large to pass on its own. I’m told it is 8mm, pretty honkin’ big. Thanks for all the responses, I feel I’m getting some good advice.