Does Your Pdoc Call You Back?

Recently I've left a message for my pdoc. I called twice for one situation, received no return call. Then twice for a different situation. I never received a return call, I was w/ the office manager who assured me I've get a return call.
This last time I was having problems w/ insomnia, I hadn't had good sleep in 3-4 days. If I had went the whole weekend w/ little to no sleep, I could've had a episode. Luckily my GP helped me out yesterday. But it wasn't her responsibility. What if my GP had said no.

From what I've learned episodes can't be stopped, you call ur pdoc and take a sleep aid. So what are we to do when they don't call back? Is it common for pdocs not to call back?

I've only left one message for mine. It was on a Friday late in the day and one of the admins in his office called me the following Tuesday.

I was complaining about being too sedated, sleeping for 14 hours, being late for work and cognitive issues.

The message that the administrative person left was to cut my Seroquel dosage in half. I never actually spoke to the pdoc about it but it didnt really matter to me since he changed the med dosage pretty fast.

my pdoc has me call through my T...

Hi Cocosurviving: My pdoc would never call me back I don't believe. He sees me for about 15 minutes every month or 2 depending on how I'm doing. He asks me if I want to make any changes in my med's. He may suggest something. But that's it. He does, however, have an assistant & she does call me back usually the same day or the next, during normal business hours (no evening or weekend calls.) If it were an emergency my options would be to call "911" or go to a hospital emergency room. There is also the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255). (I have, in the past, been suicidal.)

My pdoc has a nurse and she did not call me back. I would have been happy if she had.

My pdoc always calls back the same day after he finishes his patients for the day (so usually around 6:30 or 7:00). He will call sooner if I specify it as an emergency (only have done that once.) On weekends it may be another pdoc that answers my call, which is generally fine. Those calls are also answered quickly (usually within 1/2 hour).

Depends on pdoc:

First 2 at University Heath Services: always a call back in a few hours

Next guy: never under any circumstances, you needed to make an appt to ask even the smallest question (one of the reasons I replaced him)

Next guy: great at returning calls in an hour or two, but a jerk in other ways

Current guy: spotty. Usually will call at the end of the day that I leave him a message, but a few times I have had to wait several days. Even though they have an office staff, they rarely answer the phone so you leave a voicemail and who knows what happens from there. Don't love that, but pdoc is good in other ways, so I'll stick with him.

Would it help to be vague in your message and to use the word "urgent"?

Best,
EJ

My pdoc only called me once I didn't ask. I have gone into his office if I really need him. Currently he has no extension but when he did he said he checks it 2x a week. If I do need him I'm suppose to come in. I can call my T and she'll IM him urgent and get me to see someone if not him.

He calls back same day.

Mine does too, either in between patients or after his last patient of the day. And he doesn't leave a message through an assistant, he calls me personally and sometimes we handle stuff over the phone, rather than my having to come in and pay another $50 co-pay (not that I mind that so much, he's worth it). If he's away, the on-call will give me a holler and help me resolve the issue I'm having, and the two I've dealt with have been wonderful.

Mine always calls me back, and reminds me to call with any needs. She is very conscientious of the amount I must pay now that my insurance isn't accepted anymore. Like Christina, I have a great pdoc, and hopefully I won't have to search for another one. She's pregnant and the father lives in another state, so who knows if she'll stick around.
Bluemountains