changing doctors

Hey! I just joined the site yesterday. I love my doc. He's the only one who could diagnose me correctly. I've been seeing him for over 3 years and I really like what he's been able to do for me. But recently, he's been really bad about returning phone calls. It's not uncommon for him to take a few days to get back to me. I called his emergency pager for the first time this weekend and it took him over 24 hours to get back to me. Should I try to get a new doc or try to stick it out with this one?

Oh I would stick it out. The connection you have built with him, the trust issues and all that are well worth the little wait, don't you think?

Doctor's are people too. They have dysfunctional families and real life issues with plumbers and such that take time from their office lives.

Since you've been seeing him so long now, why not ask him if there's a reason for his change in response lately. Maybe he will want you to call back after a few hours to "remind" him? Mine always wants me to call him again if he hasn't responded within the hour, as the page might not have gone through.

Maybe talk to him about your expectations and see if you can work out something satisfactory. What kind of emergency was it? Did you make it through that okay? What other emergency resources are available to you? Those are all things to consider too. What I would try to work out with your doc is an understanding of what types of emergencies he can be available for, how fast he is able to respond to those, as well as when to call someone else (crisis line, ER, etc.).

If this was me and my therapist I would stick it out too. therapists are human too. sometimes things come up in their personal time that they cannot get away from right away. On my therapists voicemail her answering message is that she will get back to the caller as soon as she can and that may take 2 days. Her voice mail message also states a number to call if the person can't wait for her to call back. The number is the therapy agencys main number which people can call 24 hours a day and some one is always answering and someone is always on call. then she tells her clients that she gets about 35 calls a day so the 2 days is the least amount of time she can commit to and it may be longer.

years ago I started setting up a back up therapist. I didn't like calling a hot line number where my counselor worked and getting whoever. So that counselor and I chose a back up person for me to call. That worked out so great that I do it every time I am in therapy.

By having a back up I know I don't have to worry about who's on call and having to explain alot of background on myself just to get the on call person to understand.

By having a back up I don't have to wait for my therapist if she can't get away right away.

I just call the agency number and tell them my name and phone number, the name of my therapist and the name of my back up then ask them to call my therapist and ask her if she will take my call or if the call should be forewarded to my back up.

I have never had any problems of having a back up because in setting up the back up I sign a release form so that the back up and my therapist can keep in touch so that we are all working the same way with me and my problems.

Maybe you can do this too since your therapist is having trouble right now with returning your calls. That way if it is an emergency you have the hel[p you need right away.

Hang in there.