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| From: JoJo | Posted: Aug-23-2000 11:22 am | Msg: 1FFC |
| Subject: RE: [Sistahtalk] doctor experience | ||
| Hi Leslee, I have to chime in with others here - if you can, find a new doctor. (I'm not sure about the situation in the States - is this something that you can do easily?) Doctors are certainly human and they do make mistakes and assumptions. However, given that you are paying for their services, I think that its quite reasonable to expect good accurate service. Would you continue to go to a mechanic who insisted on treating your Dodge as if it were a Honda? Of course not - you need a doctor who is aware of YOU as a patient. Particularly when all the necessary info is already in your chart. That is their responsibility, that's their job! In my professional life, I've spent a number of years working with doctors (in a number of different capacities) and I feel pretty confident in saying that this is not acceptable. Giving you those pamphlets may just be a case of *business as usual* for them - just part of their everyday package. However, the issues with your blood pressure and weight/diabetes are things that could become dangerous. It seems clear that you are comfortable and confident in speaking out to your doctor, but many women are not - they would simply accept the info as given or be afraid to question the *expert*. My (longish) two cents, JoJo -----Original Message----- I am so mad right now, so this may not be very coherent, but please bear with me. I am pregnant with twins. I have been married for 6 years, and wear a wedding ring. I went to the dr. late this week, and was tonight going thru the paperwork/pamphlets that the nurse gave me prior to my appointment. Low and behold, I find several about proving paternity. Excuse me? My husband, with HIS wedding ring, on has accompanied me to most of my appointments, and most of the nurses know him (he is a 6'9", bald, mean-looking ex-marine; people tend not to forget him). My chart also notes that I am married and happy about the pregnancy. I know this thanks to my skill at reading upside-down. Why did the nurse assume that I was an unmarried woman? I know I am more sensitive and reactionary because of hormones, but this is not the first time I have been categorized at the doctors. Early in my pregnancy, my blood pressure was elevated. I was told it was becayse I am most likely prone to high blood pressure. I told the doctor, in my coldest voice, that if she read my chart(which she was holding), she would see that my blood pressure is actually prone to be low, and would she please consider another possibility. I was sent to a nutritionist for gestational diabetes, who advised me my pre-pregnancy weight was fine, since I have a such a large frame (she as planning my diet and weight gain, so she needed to have an accurate picture of my prepregnancy weight). As much as I love to be told I did not weigh too much, I need accuracy, not diplomacy, so I advised her that my frame has always been considered small. She then took the time to actually look at my wrists (even swollen, they are small), but still asked if the women in my family were small, or...It was fun telling her my mom and aunts' weights. These are just two examples. I would like to do something about this problem I am having. This categorizing is not only annoying, it can be dangerous, since they are less likely to look past their assumptions to the actual truth if there is a problem. Any suggestions would be nice. Thanks everyone Leslee | ||