I fired my pdoc.

He doesn't know yet. However, I would like to share with you all, a collection of what has occurred since his has become my pdoc:

I have been on Lithium for one month and specifically, have been on 600 mg for almost a full week. I have yet to get any blood levels done.

I spoke with him on Sunday night. He said he wanted me to get my blood levels done this week so he will be sending me out the instructions and order for that. Today is Friday and nothing has arrived in the mail.

When I spoke with him on Sunday he said he would be calling me on Wednesday to check up on how I'm doing. That never happened.

I left him a message at 6 PM yesterday. No call back.

There was one previous time in which he said he would call on a particular day and did not.

There was one previous time in which I called to ask him something about the medication and it took him three days to call back.

I realized that when I talk with him he acts more like a therapist than a pdoc. At first it was refreshing to have a doc ask me questions about my family, environment, relationships, school, work, etc.... but then I realized that he doesn't ask a whole lot about my symptoms... which is the whole reason that I'm there.

I left a message for T today asking him to do me a favor and speak with my previous pdoc about taking me back to maintain my Lithium for me. I think this is a good idea, especially because him and T work in the same place and they can correspond. I told T not to call back because I'll be seeing him tomorrow morning, anyway.

I have spoken to several pdocs that I work with (asked them 'hypothetical' Lithium questions, lol) as well as the covering doctor from when my own pdoc was on vacation-- he was the one who made me reduce the Lithium bc he didn't feel comfortable having me on 600 mg with no blood level checks. The other doctors that I spoke with said that they monitor patients who are on just 300 mg... Plus I am barely five ft. tall and I weigh under 110 lbs. I neeeeed my levels checked.

I really hope that I can go back to my previous pdoc. I will tell T-- I promise I'll be good, lol. I'll be nice to pdoc.

pinksoil, good for you to take your health in hand and advocate for yourself and take action. Bravo. Hope you can get your levels checked very soon.

Hi,

You sound so confident about your decision. I think that's awesome. I hope previous pdoc (Can we call him p-pdoc?) takes you back. Yes, be a good patient now will you? I guess the lithium is helping because it sounds like you want to stay on it and that's a good thing.


Your promise to be good reminds me of a story. When my sister was in the hospital she had an argument with a couple of the nurses. She looked at her chart and saw a notation that "patient was rude." LOL We laughed about that for years afterward. I kept saying it probly said "patient was nude."

Anhow, I'm glad you feel sure of yourself and impressed that you called T and told him what you needed. Bravo! I know how hard it is.

Take gentle care.

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sister said:
When my sister was in the hospital she had an argument with a couple of the nurses. She looked at her chart and saw a notation that "patient was rude."

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I used to work at a veterinarian's office and we drew/doodled little flowers on the charts of all the pets with rude and difficult owners. Some of the pets had mighty flowery, purdy charts!

pinksoil, I am so glad you fired him because it didn't seem like he was taking good care of you.

I think you were more than generous with giving him the benefit of the doubt. I'm glad you're looking out for you!

Way to go, Pink.

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sunrise said:
I used to work at a veterinarian's office and we drew/doodled little flowers on the charts of all the pets with rude and difficult owners. Some of the pets had mighty flowery, purdy charts!

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That's hilarious! Neat idea. They just had a "code" of initials at Sears Robuck back in the early 70's when I worked for them for "race" and got found out and the Feds jumped on them.

Pink,
Forgive me, but I don't think I read why you left your first pdoc? Just curious. I hope you get a pdoc that cares about you as much as your T, but in a pdoc way.

I hear the same confidence mentioned above. You are being an adult and taking care of yourself rather than being a child and just complaining like I do sometimes!

I agree that you need those blood levels checked, you are so tiny and that is a high level...