Thanks much for the input "Sleepless in St. Louis"
and to snoregirl I want to say, don't think I don't appreciate you're viewpoint. In fact a major source of the patience I'm having with my doc's approach is the comfort level that comes from knowing I have this forum as a resource. Believe me, I'll carry it all with me into my conversations with him... so keep representing your honest thoughts.
Ultimately, the most important data-set is going to be the one that comes from my bed each night and my head each day. I'm a grownup and if I don't get the best out of my therapy I'll have no one to blame but myself.
Abt to embark on treatment; 1st appt. w/ Dr. tmrw. Advice?
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whatrdreamsmadeof
- Posts: 421
- Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 2:12 pm
- Location: vA. BEACH, VA.
kcarter
Hi, I am delighted to hear you are doing so well, and are confident you and your dr. are on the same page. That said, my experience for almost a year now with 2 renowned specialists in my city and a large dme 3 machines, 1 out of pocket, countless broken promises, large unexpected insurance problems, has made me a cynic, so snoregirl had some great advice. I would if I was you get a conformation that YES your dr. will upgrade you to at least an auto.....mine promised me the world and after the rental period refused to comply with what he said all along the way. Also there is a honeymoon period that can last a month or several where you feel great with a certain pressure and machine and then oops rebound and need an auto or bipap. Believe me I talk from experience. Rested gal and Snoregirl know their stuff........good luck and I hope your dr. lives up to your trust and praise. I too would be concerned how he got to the pressure prescribed, even if you feel good. Ellen
Thanks, Ellen. I greatly appreciate your experience and Rested Gal and snoregirl's, too.
Now, for my cynical side: I don't see much use in pushing for a confirmation from my doc that he'll do one thing or the other down the road, because I doubt that "confirmation" would prevent him from doing whatever he's going to do when the time comes. The only meaningful thing will be what he actually DOES and I'm hoping he'll do the right thing. He knows, and will continue to know, what my goals are.
Having said that, I'm not ready to treat him as if he had reneged or misled me until he actually DOES that. I'm going to proceed in good faith, expecting he'll do the same. Another real test will be how he responds if and when I hit a speed bump. But again, I want the actual "data" on him, and don't want to saddle him with negative expectations he hasn't earned with me yet simply because many, if not most, docs in his position have disappointed.
I'm not a spring chicken and I been through and witnessed many types of medical relationships, etc. My mother worked in the med biz for over 35 years and went from wanting me to be a doctor to thanking God that I had ignored her urgings.
One of the many things that informs my approach here is that i have a very dear friend who is heavily into the internet as a health resource. She's had a lot of medical problems and right now feels like @#!% all the time and has for years. She has gone from one "certain" self-diagnosis to another, based on her own research, advice of well-meaning friends, support groups, etc. and when she goes to a medical doc for confirmation has routinely ignored test results that don't back up her (and her forum d'jour's) diagnosis. Even that would be fine if it was working for her. But it isn't. So she represents an extreme that is easy to fall into given how frequently our medical establishment fails us. But that exteme doesn't work either.
I may discover that my doc is full of @$%! and I'll move on, but I also may discover that he actually is a good guy, has learned something useful from his experience and he will be a big asset if that turns out to be the case. I believe that kind of long-term outcome is worth the short-term investment I'm making but don't worry, I won't be the least bit caught off guard if it turns out otherwise.
thanks again!
Now, for my cynical side: I don't see much use in pushing for a confirmation from my doc that he'll do one thing or the other down the road, because I doubt that "confirmation" would prevent him from doing whatever he's going to do when the time comes. The only meaningful thing will be what he actually DOES and I'm hoping he'll do the right thing. He knows, and will continue to know, what my goals are.
Having said that, I'm not ready to treat him as if he had reneged or misled me until he actually DOES that. I'm going to proceed in good faith, expecting he'll do the same. Another real test will be how he responds if and when I hit a speed bump. But again, I want the actual "data" on him, and don't want to saddle him with negative expectations he hasn't earned with me yet simply because many, if not most, docs in his position have disappointed.
I'm not a spring chicken and I been through and witnessed many types of medical relationships, etc. My mother worked in the med biz for over 35 years and went from wanting me to be a doctor to thanking God that I had ignored her urgings.
One of the many things that informs my approach here is that i have a very dear friend who is heavily into the internet as a health resource. She's had a lot of medical problems and right now feels like @#!% all the time and has for years. She has gone from one "certain" self-diagnosis to another, based on her own research, advice of well-meaning friends, support groups, etc. and when she goes to a medical doc for confirmation has routinely ignored test results that don't back up her (and her forum d'jour's) diagnosis. Even that would be fine if it was working for her. But it isn't. So she represents an extreme that is easy to fall into given how frequently our medical establishment fails us. But that exteme doesn't work either.
I may discover that my doc is full of @$%! and I'll move on, but I also may discover that he actually is a good guy, has learned something useful from his experience and he will be a big asset if that turns out to be the case. I believe that kind of long-term outcome is worth the short-term investment I'm making but don't worry, I won't be the least bit caught off guard if it turns out otherwise.
thanks again!
Thanks again to all who post.