At what point do you just switch your GI up?

[ImActuallyReallySick]

I'm at contact attempt #7 or something in the last 2months with my GI (leaving voicemails... even contacting the remicade nurse to contact him to contact me, which she did, and he didn't).

The receptionist even called me a couple weeks ago and said she had heard from the Remicade nurse (who said she had left him a message weeks prior), and that my GI would call me that night, which didn't happen.

I was meant to start Remicade last year (approx 14months ago) at my GIs request due to Crohn's being Crohn's, but as Crohn's does, I began to feel better, then worse, then better, then worse, and each time I felt better for a few days I convinced myself I could go into remission for good but haven't quite mastered that part yet.

Anyways, that leads to the beginning of July when I finally decided that I want to move forward with Remicade as opposed to waste more of my life being sick, and I haven't been able to get in contact with him, even with my GP sending a referral in and requesting he contact me at the very least.

Do I just swap out GIs? I've been with this guy for 14years now and don't get wtf is going on.

 

[ronroush7]

I am sorry you are being treated like this. I think you need to change your GI.

 

[my little penguin]

Did you specifically state in your messages that you wanted to start remicade ?
Did the nurses know if the paperwork process has been started ?
Sometimes the doc has put xyz in place thinking that is a response especially if it's something like starting on a drug is all that is needed ( given the doc discussed it with you more than once prior )
I would review with the nurses whether orders for remicade had been placed and insurance approved first
If these hadn't happened then I would request that happen
Since per your post you don't need to discuss starting remicade - you just want to start it


Good luck

 

[ImActuallyReallySick]

I am sorry you are being treated like this. I think you need to change your GI.

idk if it's intentional, or if it's incompetence, and who the fault would lie upon. This Friday I'm meeting with my GP again and will see what he thinks about getting a new GI/who he suggests.

Did you specifically state in your messages that you wanted to start remicade ?
Did the nurses know if the paperwork process has been started ?
Sometimes the doc has put xyz in place thinking that is a response especially if it's something like starting on a drug is all that is needed ( given the doc discussed it with you more than once prior )
I would review with the nurses whether orders for remicade had been placed and insurance approved first
If these hadn't happened then I would request that happen
Since per your post you don't need to discuss starting remicade - you just want to start it


Good luck

I wanted to ask him a series of questions before starting unfortunately. I didn't really ask questions last Summer, just kind of agreed to go on it and then didn't, and didn't contact him until a couple months ago when I decided I really ought to.

 

[aypues]

Change right away. You need a new GI, and one that has a subspecialty in IBD. You can't treat Crohn's based on clinical symptoms anyway, some people dont experience symptoms until theyre ready for surgery! I just switched and so glad I did!!

 

[my little penguin]

If you agreed to start a med but didn't that could be part of the problem
Did you tell the doctor ( last year - that you weren't planing on going on remicade ) or did you wait until two months ago ...to say anything to the doctor about the medicine either way
Have you had any follow ups since last summer when you agreed to go on the meds?

 

[tots]

I just "interviewed" a new Dr tis past week.

Every time I have a treatmeant plan with my Dr he switches it up, meaning backs out of what we are going to do. I am beyond frustrated. On the other hand, what will I have to
do to prove to this new Dr I have CD?

I say, do it before you go bald from pulling your hair out!

I don't know what I am going to do!


Lauren

 

[ImActuallyReallySick]

If you agreed to start a med but didn't that could be part of the problem
Did you tell the doctor ( last year - that you weren't planing on going on remicade ) or did you wait until two months ago ...to say anything to the doctor about the medicine either way
Have you had any follow ups since last summer when you agreed to go on the meds?

I thought this could potentially be the problem. I did not say anything to him, and I have not had a follow up (although I have been in frequent-ish contact with my GP).

That is why I got my GP to send in a new referral in case I was no longer his patient. However, nothing has happened on that front in weeks now. When I brought up the potential that my GI could perhaps be offended by what happened, my GP said that I was hardly the first Crohn's patient to do this, and that the GI would definitely not be offended or anything of the sort.

 

[Jennifer]

If you really like this GI after being with them for 14 years then you may want to try and make an appointment with them and see them in person to figure out what's going on. If the appointment is too far away ask the staff to place you on the cancellation list so if anyone cancels then you might be seen sooner.

If you're not really attached to this GI in any way then it might be best to move on an find another one.

I've had both good and bad GI doctors over the years since my diagnosis and the good ones always called me back even if it was days later and my question wasn't urgent. If suddenly they didn't call me back and I couldn't get a hold of them for weeks then I would make an appointment to come in and see them myself.