Some doctors don't listen

[JPD]

I have being going to this one practice for a few years now, its both primary care, and a walk in clinic in one. My primary doctor, who I started with took up a more administrative role in the company, and now only works with patients as walk in, so my new primary doctor is another one in that practice.

My old doctor had been the one to diagnosis my PCOS and put me on birth control pills to control the symptoms. I was due for a refill, and since it had been several years since a certain test woman get, I had to make an appointment for a physical and to get that test done.

I've had a few issues that have been bothering me lately, but not enough to actually make an appointment for them, so I figured I would at least bring them up, and if I would need to schedule another appointment for those, I would be wiling to.

He completely ignored everything I've brought up, or dismissed it, then seemed to get annoyed that I didn't go in before hand for a blood test, but I was never told to do that. How does he expect me to know to go in for a blood test, if none had been ordered.

When the nurse called to go over the results of the test, I was told that there were not enough cells collected for them to test, but it was mentioned having it redone next year, instead of coming in now to have it redone.

[AccountingDrone]

I have an excellent PCP practice we go to, we were among the first patients he had when he opened up [we followed him over from where he was a doc in a box] and he does not see the new patients so we are in his specific patient load. Even with close to 10 years with him, I still type out a page of my medications, their schedule, all my nonprescription extras, my already dx conditions, my list of hospitalizations and then on a second page, I list any concerns for that specific visit. [I make 2 copies, I keep one and the other I hand over to the intake assistant.] Could you possibly do this? It at least give a firm list [and I do include my symptoms and rational for being worried about them] of items to consult about, and we sit there and go through them bullet point by bullet point. I also have my own notebook, and if there are any changes to meds or new meds and practices, I make notes about them.

I found I had to do this with the Navy docs, or things would get ignored. I had to be seriously proactive and I still degraded until I got a civilian doc. My cardiologist at Yale said that they hate getting sent patients from the Navy hospital, they have to fix everything they screwed up before they can get around to fixing what the patient is actually there for.

[JPD]

I wish that would work. There is a notice by the reception desk that a physical is just for routine stuff, and anything more would possibly need a second opinion. I was under the impression that routine stuff also asked about how current health is, and do you have an issues. He asked me virtually no questions.

Also when I told him my diet was about 90% candy, and healthy food makes me feel sick, he didn't even make any comments about that

[Seshat]

Get another doctor. Possibly at the same practice, possibly at another one.

Also, send a letter saying what you told us (with specifics) to the good doctor at the practice - the one you mentioned had originally diagnosed you with the PCOS. He/she will want to know how you were treated.

Hm. A fasting glucose test and a PCOS-skilled doctor's eye will determine whether my guess is correct about why 'healthy' food makes you feel sick, and why you eat sweets so much.

IF - and only if - my guess is correct, then a glycaemic load diet should alleviate many of the symptoms. It will make a major change to your metabolism, and you'll have to get used to a completely different way of feeling: I felt 'wrong' at first, until I got used to it.
Short form: many PCOS patients have problems with their insulin system (it ties in with the reproductive hormones, it's complicated). Insulin is a major part of the system which regulates blood glucose, which is your basic body-fuel.

When your blood glucose drops too low, you feel sick and lethargic (no fuel, duh).
Easy fix: sweets!
So your blood glucose becomes a series of dips and spikes, hovering around 'feels kinda okay'.

A low glycaemic load diet is composed of foods which digest slowly, over time. Like a slow release medication capsule. Each meal contains enough digestable glucose to get you through three or four hours, or a meal plan created by a dietician or nutritionist can get you through the whole day without any dips that are painfully (lethargically?) low.
Your blood glucose levels, instead of being a series of dips and spikes, becomes slow drops as you get towards a meal, and a slow rise after the meal.

As you can imagine, transferring from a dips and spikes pattern to a smooth waves pattern feels WEIRD as hell. But you're much better fed nutritionally, and the smooth waves pattern feels much, much better once you're on it.

BUT BUT BUT:
DO get a medical opinion; there are probably many other reasons you might feel the way you do, and while a glycaemic load diet is fine for metabolically healthy people, you clearly aren't one.

I wouldn't call this a 'get to the doctor today' issue, but I'd get to the best doctor you can at the first available appointment that you can meet. Hopefully after getting your mail, the doctor who diagnosed you with the PCOS in the first place will see you.

[Sapphire Silk]

Doctors have less and less time to spend with patients, and it's made them abrupt and insensitive.

It is typical for physicians to do a new patient physical before discussing any health care issues. However, that's not what it seems happened.

Yearly PAPs are no longer recommended by some physician groups for women with no previous history or risk factors for cervical cancer. I'm not sure how PCOS affects that risk.

[Seshat]

To the best of my knowledge (I'm a PCOS patient), PCOS doesn't affect cervical cancer risk.