How much do you trust your doctor?

[bsfins]

Give me a percentage....

I've been going round and round with my Mom's doctors.....IT doesn't help her health insurance has switch companies 3 times,in the past 3 years...and she's now had to switch doctors,because her old doctor wasn't covered under new insurence....I Understand,medicine is a business,it's the business of health care.I just feel More,and More it's more about the $$$$ than the patient's well being. Her new Doctor is as bad,or worse than her old one....Well I want to run all these tests on you...Then Come back in two weeks we'll run them all over again...Then In a month you have to come back,and put you on all these meds....Then She wants to send her to more specialists....Meanwhile,Putting my ass in the poor house...I'm still trying to pay off her bills from 2005,and 2006....From doing the same things...

I'm torn between telling them..Stop...This is B.S. every time we run these tests,they're like $3000,and I pay like $800...Not to mention the Hundreds of dollars worth of meds,they keep trying to put her on.After a week on the Meds,She ends up in the hospital...More $$$$ ...She feels like Shit for 3 weeks....When everything we're doing right now...She feels good...

So how much do you trust what your Doctor is doing? 50%? 75% 100% of the time?

[MaineDolFan]

My doctor - personally - I trust as much as I can.  I am also in the good, and bad, position of holding an MSN RN...which gives me way too much insight on things I should not have insight on.

In other words, it is way too easy to self diagnose yourself - so I am in the vital need to be able to disconnect and not second guess him too much.

B - I would be interested in hearing what is going on with you mom?  I might be able to help in some way? 

[StL FinFan]

I trust my own doctor, but my grandma was in a similar situation as your mom.  Too many tests, too many drugs.  They finally got her to a doctor who sorted everything out and got her down to a few necessary drugs and then she was better.

[TEKGOD]

Hospitals & health insurance in this country is a well-oiled business machine. Doctors will try to milk insurance companies for all their worth. I'm sorry about your mom, & its good that you are now second-guessing your doctor. I hope it works out in the end.

[Dave Gray]

I like my doctor, but I also ask a lot of questions.  My doctor explains what different things are for, but it's because I ask.

There's not a percentage....I guess 100%.  I'll do whatever he says, more or less.

[SportsChick]

I trust my doctors but I research and ask questions. I went to my doctor on monday just to have a chat about questions I had about something. He was great and answered everything.

My orthos are both awesome

[SCFinfan]

My doctor has been my doctor since I was about 14 months old.  I trust him.  That doesn't mean I don't question as carefully as my competency allows.  I also have a friend in med school now.  He preps me when I'm about to go to the doctor, so that I can ask the appropriate questions.

[bsfins]

B - I would be interested in hearing what is going on with you mom?  I might be able to help in some way? 

She has Congestive heart failure,Diabetic,and a bad gallbladder...She had a heart attack/episode in December 2005,she spent a week in the hospital..They put her on like 4 medications,a couple for her heart,and chleostersal..Plavix plus metformin (sp?)...They said her Gall Bladder wasn't bad enough to have surgery to remove it....

Within 2 weeks,She had jaundice (sp?) she looked like a 5'2" squash....She was sick the whole time,since the day she left the hospital.We took her to to her normal Doctor,they checked her into the hospital immediately.They said it was her Blood sugar,it had nothing to do with Meds. Since she was at the Doctors office all day,she wasn't able to take her meds,and felt better by that evening....The doctors,kept saying it was her blood sugar,over,and over...It wasn't the meds...After 4 days,they finally said well it was the meds,and sent her home...They switched her to Lantis injections,and Novalog if her blood sugar goes over 150...So like a good little patient Mom went to the doctor every month, for the next 3 months....Then the First Bills rolled in...They kept running all these tests,and they wouldn't come up with anything new.So I had a talk with her Doctor,especially after seeing the bills...We couldn't afford to come to the doctor every month...She then wanted My Mom to go to Blood specialist,and referred her to the Blood specialist..We refused,because the Blood tests that she was taking wasn't showing any difference...So Every trip to the doctor was a battle...

We changed doctors fast forward to 2007...Changed doctors,same health system,hospital,etc...They wanted to start her back on heart meds again...Within a week Mom was back in the office extremely sick,and Jaundice..They checked her back into the hospital...Same thing over again....So then they guilted us into seeing a heart specialist in St. Louis...We went to see him 3 times in about 5 weeks...Before we explained we couldn't afford to do that...So,she went back to her normal doctor..She kept pestering her to go on some kind of heart medication..So My Mom,started to refuse to go to her regular visits...Feeling fine,not having to take ha novalog shot since August of 2006....November of last year,Her doctor threatened not to fill her Lantus,and test strips prescription.So mom went back,and they ran all the tests,and they were darn near the same as 4 -5 months earlier...very little change...She insisted on the Heart Med,mom refused to take it...Why take things that are making her sick?..

So then When they changed healthplans...My Mom has drug her feet,on even going back to any docotor..Till Last Monday...New Health system,new doctor..And they ran all the same tests,and want her back next Thursday,to start her on Heart medications...(they've not told her what ones yet...) I don't even want her to go back to the Doctor,they gave her like a 6 month subscription to fill her lantus...I'm just afraid it's the same Protocol,and it's going to come with the same result...

[Phishfan]

God luck B. My father is dealing with doctors now, but it is surgical. I myself do not go to a doctor unless it is necessary. I will probably be one of these old farts having a heart attach and insisting it is just gas.

[Brian Fein]

I stopped trusting doctors about 10 years ago.  I realized that they're only human and that they're often wrong.  Its a long story, but do your research and don't be afraid to get a second opinion.  Doctor's aren't infallible.

[bsfins]

I'm like Phish,and Brian...The only reason If go to the docotor is if I'm dying...My Coworkers took me to the hospital in Topeka Kansas in August ....(You've been warned...Just die...You'll be less scared...) They never really told me,I had to ask 5 times so what do you think is wrong? I thought I had a food poisoning,they swore I had some virus...

[Pats2006]

Some you can trust but most are paid by insurance drug company's to give out there meds so I think they are quick to say you have somthing $$

[SportsChick]

Um, insurance companies don't have meds.... I think you're referring to drug companies

[Pats2006]

Um, insurance companies don't have meds.... I think you're referring to drug companies

Thats what I ment to say

[SportsChick]

the benefits they get from various drug companies will usually have them prescribe that brand/type rather than a cheaper version. Doctors don't just go and prescribe useless drugs. It's your job as a patient to ask questions not only about tests and results but about drugs that you are being prescribed.