DEAR DR. GOTT:
I would like to tell you my story about how I wish I had gotten a general practitioner but instead opted for an internist because they supposedly know “everything”. What a mistake that was!
My doctor was marking time until his retirement at age 65 at which point I was “grandfathered” into a new doctor who bought the practice. My first doctor never gave me a complete physical. He just listened to my lungs and heart and depended on lab results to tell him “everything”. The second doctor did the same thing. Well, now I am on to a third doctor who is equally “incompetent”.
I don’t want to be a “doctor shopper” but when I tell them what’s wrong, they invariably ask me my age. Not one of my physicians has ever seen my legs, ankles or palpated my stomach but they still give me a diagnosis, medication samples and then a prescription.
My current doctor spends only three to five minutes on my office visits but charges me for a complete physical. Most of the visit consists of him writing; however, he is always quick to ask if I need any prescriptions.
It seems to me that as I age, these physicians are less interested in my health and take on a condescending attitude. I have an allergist, gynecologist and ear-nose-and-throat specialist also so I am able to do most of my own monitoring but I want someone (other than me) to take an interest in my health and wellbeing.
I am in my late 70s, 5’ 4” (and shrinking which no one seems to care about) and weigh 138 pounds. I exercise daily with an “alpine climber” and am very active in my community. I have been widowed for many years and don’t drink alcohol or smoke. I live a small area and don’t know where to go or what to do. What do you make of this situation?
DEAR READER:
Your story, unfortunately, is far too common in today’s society. Thanks to big insurance companies, HMOs and over-zealous pharmaceutical companies, many doctors are forgoing proper medical care in order to earn a buck, or rather lots of them! It is discouraging, disappointing and most of all, utterly unethical. Doctors take an oath to do no harm but by not taking the time to understand a patient, listen to his or her concerns and provide adequate help, these individuals are doing exactly what they swore not to.
In the world of the almighty dollar, physicians have turned into businessmen making the bottom line more important than the patient. That being said, there is a new generation of physicians who seem to be throwing that idea out the window and are instead focusing on the patient. These physicians also seem to be more interested in treating and preventing illness through the use of natural remedies, diet, exercise, and other preventive measures, using prescription medications only as a last resort.
In most cases, medication should not be used as a primary course of action. Diabetes caused by overweight, high cholesterol from poor diet, high blood pressure by lack of exercise, and more can usually be remedied through teaching the patient proper techniques, reserving medication for those with genetic predispositions or failure to respond. Some conditions, such as heart irregularities and seizures should be treated with medication regardless of health status but only after having proper testing and confirmation of diagnosis, not simple guesswork or hunches.
While I understand that you do not want to be a “doctor shopper”, you have to be. You are receiving less than optimal care and need to find a physician to fit your needs. As I have said in the past, patients are the livelihood of a doctor and if he or she does not conform to the needs of patients, that livelihood will wither away, leaving the physician out in the cold (so to speak). If you choose not to find another physician I suggest you speak to your current one and voice your concerns, disappointments and needs. If he or she fails to meet expectations, you have two choices — stay and be dissatisfied and possibly in harm’s way or find a physician who will treat you the way you deserve to be. At the same time, you must be realistic in your demands because doctors are humans too, and suffer the same effects of pressure and stress.
I suggest you begin your search for a new physician at your local hospital. Here you should be able to obtain a copy of all the physician in the area affiliated with it plus their medical education and work background. The hospital office staff may even be able to offer suggestions about which physician may best suit your needs and wants.
I would also like to mention that if you have not had a complete physical by your physician, ask your gynecologist. You are more than overdue. The physical should also include an EKG, blood work, colonoscopy and a bone density exam.
About Dr. Gott