Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Dogjudge
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Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Dogjudge » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:28 pm

I'm FED UP with doctors who think that THEIR time is valuable and the patient's time doesn't mean anything.
STILL having sleep issues. About a week ago I got about an hour and a half sleep. Saturday night it was four hours. Last night it was five.
You have to make an appt. 3 months ahead of time with this guy. Luckily, I had one today, hoping that he'd finally fix the problem with the machine, or whatever the problem is.
Appt. is for 11:00. I get there at 10:45. No one in the waiting room. He's the only doctor in this office. At about 11:10, I get taken into a room where they take my vitals, etc. "The doctor will be in in a few minutes." 12:00 NO doctor.
I KNOW that I'm grumpy because I haven't gotten much sleep, but this is the way that it's been every time with this guy. Simply got fed up and walked out. They had me come back to pick up my machine and I filled out the forms for all of my records from this "god".
As an aside, I've had maybe six appointments over the last year with this guy, and it is ALWAYS the same.
Now, I just have to find another doctor.
Some times you just have to vent.

Have any of you ever tried acupuncture?

SunnyBeBe
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by SunnyBeBe » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:36 pm

I haven't tried acupuncture, but I've always been curious. Are you talking about using it for Apnea?

I can relate to the long wait at the doctor visit. I am a busy professional too, but I never make my client's wait more than 5 minutes and usually, it's exactly on time. I don't understand why they can't be more respectful of your time. Sometimes the doctor is called away on an emergency. I get that, but other times, I think it's just arrogance.
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Dogjudge
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Dogjudge » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:55 pm

I had someone I know who is a pediatrician recommend acupuncture.

Having been is sales for 30 years, I've had all types. One guy was especially bad. 1/2 hour wait no matter what. THEN I finally figured out it was a power trip for this purchasing agent. Get there early, late, or on time, he'd make you wait 30 minutes. I then learned to ask for him, then ask for someone else at the same time. By the time I was finished with my meeting, I'd usually have 5 minutes and then he'd show up.

I can understand doctors getting their schedules delayed, but . . .

Hopefully, I'll have my records next week and be able to find a doctor in the NW suburbs of Chicago that takes Medicare.

Baylor1970
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Baylor1970 » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:06 pm

It irritates me that the Doctors can't seem to run their business on time. Many years (30+) I had a Dr. in Houston that always kept me waiting in the waiting room. After 1.5 hours one time I (being a S/W consultant) sent him a bill for an hour of my time. Nothing was ever said, but the rest of my visits were on time.

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Dogjudge
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Dogjudge » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:18 pm

Baylor,

A LONG time ago. A dentist, who was a friend. I had to cancel an appointment at the last minute. Got a bill for $75.00. Annoyed, but I paid it.

About six months later. FIRST appointment of the day with his hygienist. Kept me waiting for nearly an hour. Again, not one of the receptionists said anything, they just let me sit there. Finally I just walked out.

Sent him a bill for $75.00. Got a check within a week.

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Krelvin
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Krelvin » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:21 pm

If a confirmed appointment is missed or late (the same amount of time where they will bill me if I was the one late), I will bill them the same late fee. It normally never happens but the few times it has, I got paid without any dispute.

My time is worth the same as their time. Especially if it is a confirmed appointment.

I am never late or miss doctor or medical test appointments.
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LSAT
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by LSAT » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:21 pm

Dogjudge wrote:I'm FED UP with doctors who think that THEIR time is valuable and the patient's time doesn't mean anything.
STILL having sleep issues. About a week ago I got about an hour and a half sleep. Saturday night it was four hours. Last night it was five.
You have to make an appt. 3 months ahead of time with this guy. Luckily, I had one today, hoping that he'd finally fix the problem with the machine, or whatever the problem is.
Appt. is for 11:00. I get there at 10:45. No one in the waiting room. He's the only doctor in this office. At about 11:10, I get taken into a room where they take my vitals, etc. "The doctor will be in in a few minutes." 12:00 NO doctor.
I KNOW that I'm grumpy because I haven't gotten much sleep, but this is the way that it's been every time with this guy. Simply got fed up and walked out. They had me come back to pick up my machine and I filled out the forms for all of my records from this "god".
As an aside, I've had maybe six appointments over the last year with this guy, and it is ALWAYS the same.
Now, I just have to find another doctor.
Some times you just have to vent.

Have any of you ever tried acupuncture?

If you are having all this trouble with your sleep doctor maybe you should be using Sleepyhead and monitoring your own therapy. You have a good machine and you should learn the ropes and make your own adjustments.

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Dogjudge
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Dogjudge » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:41 pm

LSTAT,

That's one thing that I'm definitely going to go back to.

Unfortunately, the last time that I went down that road, things got significantly worse.

As an aside, it will be interesting to see if he tries to bill me for the "appointment". Luckily, I just had my car emissions tested 10 minutes before the appt. The emissions facility is 2 minutes from his office. Then I have the time they called me on my cellphone to tell me to come back to pick up my CPAP. So I can pretty much "prove" when I got there and when I left.

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ChicagoGranny
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by ChicagoGranny » Mon Jun 15, 2015 6:45 pm

Dogjudge wrote:LSTAT,

That's one thing that I'm definitely going to go back to.
+1

Get to it and post some Sleepyhead images here for help from people who have been through what you are experiencing. Here is a guide to posting SH images - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104876&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30

... and another guide - https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize

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archangle
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by archangle » Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:15 pm

Just because your doctor is a jackass, that doesn't mean that a friendly con-man with a well run business gives effective treatment.

As for doctors, every time you go, write down when the appointment is and when he actually saw you. If he ever complains about you being late, show him the list.

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ems
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by ems » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:57 am

Dogjudge wrote:Baylor,

A LONG time ago. A dentist, who was a friend. I had to cancel an appointment at the last minute. Got a bill for $75.00. Annoyed, but I paid it.

About six months later. FIRST appointment of the day with his hygienist. Kept me waiting for nearly an hour. Again, not one of the receptionists said anything, they just let me sit there. Finally I just walked out.

Sent him a bill for $75.00. Got a check within a week.
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49er
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by 49er » Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:11 am

Dogjudge,

My current sleep doctor is always running very late. Last appointment, I didn't get in until 1 hour and 15 minutes past the due time which greatly angered me. Obviously, I have to decide if this is worth my continuing to see her.

I am sure everyone on this list is screaming find another sleep doctor but my experience with various ones has been horrible. At least this one is a decent human being who tries but the lateness is really getting old.

Regarding acupuncture, I have never tried it but have read it can help with sleep issues depending on what your problem is. But as others have implied, I would make sure your therapy is optimized first.
Dogjudge wrote:I'm FED UP with doctors who think that THEIR time is valuable and the patient's time doesn't mean anything.
STILL having sleep issues. About a week ago I got about an hour and a half sleep. Saturday night it was four hours. Last night it was five.
You have to make an appt. 3 months ahead of time with this guy. Luckily, I had one today, hoping that he'd finally fix the problem with the machine, or whatever the problem is.
Appt. is for 11:00. I get there at 10:45. No one in the waiting room. He's the only doctor in this office. At about 11:10, I get taken into a room where they take my vitals, etc. "The doctor will be in in a few minutes." 12:00 NO doctor.
I KNOW that I'm grumpy because I haven't gotten much sleep, but this is the way that it's been every time with this guy. Simply got fed up and walked out. They had me come back to pick up my machine and I filled out the forms for all of my records from this "god".
As an aside, I've had maybe six appointments over the last year with this guy, and it is ALWAYS the same.
Now, I just have to find another doctor.
Some times you just have to vent.

Have any of you ever tried acupuncture?

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Sheriff Buford
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Sheriff Buford » Tue Jun 16, 2015 3:54 am

Ain't nobody pokin' me with needles!

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49er
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by 49er » Tue Jun 16, 2015 4:06 am

Sheriff Buford wrote:Ain't nobody pokin' me with needles!

Sheriff
I hear you Sheriff.

I was a bleeping wimp when I recently got a cortisone shot in an attempt to relieve trigger thumb. But if I had a medical condition that doctors were unable to help me with and there was a good chance that acupuncture might, I would grit my teeth.

49er

Dogjudge
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Re: Firing you doctor and acupuncture.

Post by Dogjudge » Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:59 am

Accepting unacceptable behavior.

Having now calmed down for a day, I actually feel even better about my decision to walk out.

I feel two things are going on here. The first is simple respect for the patient, which I also feel reflects on the type of care that you get.

A doctor may be the absolute top specialist in their field, but if they aren't truly getting the full input from the patient, are they potentially missing that is critical to treating the patient properly?

Apnea, as we're all aware, is not the same as having a broken leg. I am extremely involved with dogs. Torn cruciate ligaments is a common problem for some breeds, just as it is for running backs. That type of problem is essentially cut and dry, so to speak. You see the tear. You look around to make sure there aren't any problems and you put it back together. There's a vet in this area who has been THE TOP vet for that type of surgery in the country. He is also probably THE rudest, condescending, etc., etc. individual you've met in your life. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't complain about him. The competitive dog folks won't take their dogs to him, unless the problem has something unusual going on. His typical client is someone who's asked, "Who's the best?" and then go to him. His business has definitely suffered, but he has enough clients that he doesn't care.

In retrospect, I realize that our docs are specialists and as such the can take on the doctor/god syndrome very easily. While my doc does have a pleasant personality, he also tends to come to very quick decisions (from my perspective). Most importantly, I feel that he truly isn't responsive to when there are problems. From day one since I've gotten my machine, I have not gotten what I consider is a reasonable amount of sleep and have been pushing him to solve the problem. Last time it was a quick, "Well the machine's fine, you must need drugs to solve this." In addition, and this is a burr in my saddle, the soonest you can get a next appointment is three months from when you're there. So after a year, I've had 2 great nights of sleep (not consecutive) and 4 times when I've gotten 3 nights in a row of decent sleep. Everything else has been 6 hours down to 1 or 1-1/2 hours.

So yes, it's back to Sleepyhead and this forum. (Don't take that in a negative way.)

BTW. AFTER I get all of my medical records, I'm sending him a bill for $75.00 for my time and the fact that HE missed the appointment.