Scared to ask for a new primary care provider.

I don't know where to put this thread.

I went to see my primary care provider yesterday. My doctor that I had for a number of years left, so where I go for healthcare assigned me to a new provider - a physician's assistant. I 've seen her 3 or 4 times. I don't like her.

Actually, I can't say that she's not a good person or a good provider. I don't really know. She seems smart and consciencious. I just don't like her. She seems curt and bloodless. She asks a lot of questions. Then she seems detached, cold. I feel like a specimen getting viewed under a microscope. I feel like she's studying me. But there's something weird about it.

I've been disturbed, since the appointment. Now I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can request to be assigned to another provider, or who I would even ask to do that. I'm afraid it would get me labeled as a problem patient to say I want someone else.

Anyone ever feel this way?

I don't have a pdoc or a therapist. My primary care provider is it. So it seems like I ought to have a better relationship with the one person I see for healthcare. She is very thorough. She likes to order tests. But I could not imagine myself confiding anything in her.

I wonder what my options are? I don't know what to do.

I am really bothered by this feeling of unease.

I understand you are scared.. however, if it makes you feel this way, I think asking for a change is the best option.. it's for your own good. Unfortunately, I can't help you in telling you how to change, since I don't know how it works..

It seems to me that people should select their doctors, or other "providers." This place just assigned me to this person. I go to a family practice clinic associated with a teaching hospital associated with a state university. This is a huge healthcare system. I feel like a little nothing in the maw of a beast.

i am with an hmo. they assigned me a pcp but when i googled reviews on her and found negative ones, i asked for a new pcp and was given one. it sounded like this sort of request is very common to them. i did tell them why i wanted to change. i am sure they have heard every reason under the sun. just sharing my experience. good luck rose.

Thank you, Terry. I guess one could consider the PCP whom the system assigns to a patient as a tentative provider, until you pick one of your own selection. It was that way with my boyfriend's HMO. But this system that I'm in seems not to really encourage self-selection. They don't give you any booklet listing available providers, as HMOs typically due. So I figure they mean me to take who they gave me. I stay with the system I'm in because they're pretty generous about referrals to specialists and doing any kind of testing you can think of. I have no copays fir any of this. If I went to an HMO, I think I would. Plus, if a doctor wants to order anything that Medicare doesn't like to pay for, the university hospital just picks up the cost.

I got on this because my community lets any low income people in this area be covered by this system. It's meant to provide Medicaid-like benefits for people who don't qualify for Medicaid.

When I was in a partial psych hospitalization program, I was able to stay as long as I wanted. My peers in this program were getting pushed out because their various insurers would only approve paying for so long. So I'm one of the unusual poor persons who has old fashioned straight Medicare. Most poor people do better getting into an "Medicare Advantage" program. So I'm kind of grateful to this university system. I'm in a part of the country that has a rather enlightened attitude toward low-income people (New Mexico.) My state is an island of blue in a sea of red.

do they have a patient advocate? if you have to handle things yourself, i would tactfully ask if it would be possible to switch docs. maybe they won't even ask you why you want to do that, or if they do ask, you could say it is not quite a good fit. you deserve good care.

I don't know if there is any advocate in this system. I'm inclined to think there's got to be something like that. I do need to understand more how this works.

I think you're right about giving some benign general reason, rather than voicing a complaint.

Here's a big concern that I think dominates my thinking. This current provider is prescribing hydrocodone for me. I'm afraid, if I go to someone new, the new person might decline to do that. There's even a Medicare Advantage plan I'ld like to join that would give me membership in the YMCA (a $500 benefit,) but uncertainty about a new provider giving me hydrocodone freezes me from making a move.

If it sounds like I'm overly protective of my pain pill supply, yes I am. I have fallen in love with this drug, though I don't take large amounts. I totally see how people get hooked.

Would this help? https://advoconnection.com/advocate-...ns/new-mexico/

Interesting site. Thanks.

what about medical marijuana? in case the new provider won't prescribe the hydrocodone..

I don't like marijuana at all. I hate smoke. I'ld be more likely to go looking for black market opiates. But they're expensive. So I'ld probably just drink more.

here's one site you could look into https://unitedpatientsgroup.com/reso...of-consumption
i also see cbd oils at the health food store. i give my elderly bunny cbd chews for pets for her arthritis. just some info in case it might help with your decision.

That's interesting. I tend to forget that marijuana is available in eatable form.

I had the same PCP for 5 years. She was wonderful...a caring compassionate listener. Then I realized she had missed symptoms of two serious medical issues...she would tell me there was nothing that could be done about the symptoms. One conditions was very serious and one turned out was life threatening. This doctor was emergency medicine trained. I reported my concerns about her to the director of her clinic. Now, a year later, I learned she has retired. I am glad I decided to no longer see her and I'm glad I called attention to her mistakes. It appears it was time for her to retire.

There is nothing wrong with asking for a different PCP. I would insist on having an actual doctor while you were at it. Not a nurse practioner or assistant. You won't be branded as a problem patient. Please do this soon. Especially since you have psych issues. You need someone you like and trust to be your primary care provider.

Funny this thread showed up in my profile as active today. It so happens I went for my usual recall visit today with this PCP. I still don't like her. She does seem conscientious, and she gave me my script for Vicodin, so I'm still afraid to switch providers. I'm pretty stable for now in both my physical and mental health. So I don't want to rock the boat. I just wish she seemed a bit less aloof. That could be just her manner.