Posted by James K on May 15, 2006, at 15:41:30
In reply to Choosing a doctor..., posted by Racer on May 15, 2006, at 15:14:09
When we're looking for a doctor for me, we start by finding everyone in our plan by doing a computer search at the insurance companies site. Then we narrow by location, because I don't like driving long distances. From them, I try to find younger, but not too young doctors, in the hope they will have more current understanding and less stigma about the psych problems. I check for affiliation with better hospitals, and college and med school for clues. There are doctor directory web sites that have this info and sometimes a picture. Specialties are listed too. You can search their name to see if they've written papers. I usually pick women myself. In my personal experience, they've been more understanding and less likely to dismiss physical problems as manifestations of mental illness.
You're still going to run into bad or misguided physicians though. My prejudice against them is big. I don't trust myself, so how can I trust them.
I can relate to how it feels to walk in and have your symptoms dismissed. I have a long history of alcoholism, depression, and injury. Unless something is flat out broken, some doctors can't see past that.
OH, I just remembered. If you've had a bad EKG, you should either get your own copy of it, or make the appointment with your own, new cardiologist, and arrange to have it sent over. That will make the "why are you here" part so much easier. A heart doctor sees a bad EKG, and it is completely understandable that you would want to see him/her. Just to rule out or diagnose a serious problem.
James K
poster:James K
thread:644333
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060513/msgs/644347.html