Okay, another episode of "I kid you not". Remember the appointment I mentioned they had scheduled for me with the PA? Well I went to that appointment, which was scheduled after my occasional regular standing appointment with my counselor which had previously been scheduled. I told my counselor of the problems I've been experiencing with my pain and with the lack of treatment or response from my doctor. He immediately got on the phone and personally made me an appointment with a MD coleague of his whose practice is closed, but he got me in to see him. He had all my info there before him and all I had to do was sit there in pleasant awe of the man, who told the doctor personally that I was probably not currently receiving adequate medial care. I burst into tears of gratitude and relief, looking forward to my first appt with a new doc next week (fingers crossed). Thus encouraged, I kept my scheduled appoointment with the PA for my (now soon to be former) doctor. I told her of my worsening terrible pain, the pain crisis of the day before, the dangerously high blood pressure and the lack of treatment. She checked with the doctor who told her not to do anything for me. The PA came back into the exam room, knowing how stupid it was not to treat me, but said her hands were tied, and would offer no suggestion as to how I should proceed if I encounter another pain crisis. I said, "I think a PB of 160/100 is dangerous, don't you?" and all she did was look at the floor in embarrassment, I kid you not. She handed me my bill, which I took to the front to check out. I looked down at it on my way to the check out desk, and noticed that the doctor (it was her handwriting) wrote for my diagnosis for that visit, "Depression". I'm not kidding. She never even laid eyes on me, just the PA! So, all in the same morning, I had my shrink make me an appointment with a new doctor because I'm not receiving proper medical care, and my current (soon to be former) doctor diagnos mee with depression based on nothing. And here's the fun part: at no time did the PA or doctor ask me any questions to assess me for depression, such as "How is your appetite?" "Are you sleeping ok?" and yet the doctor wrote "depression" as the diagnosis, and as if that weren't bad enough, she never offered or suggested any kind of treatment for depression, so I KNOW she doesn't really believe I'm depresed, she just has to cover herself for not treating my physical symptoms. When a doctor thinks you're truly depressed, they offer you antidepressants, ask you if you have a support system, blah blah blah. This didn't happen. Depression or my mood or state of mind NEVER CAME UP IN THE CONVERSATION. Ok, so I get the hint. Me, my disease and my pain are not welcome at this practice. No problem. I'm outta there. Wish me luck with the new guy.
