Is it just me, or are all patients treated like road kill by their so-called specialists?

My family doctor is not only a good doctor, she is a good person. I guess that's why she is in family practice. I never needed a 'specialist' before, and hope to god I won't again.

My first meeting with my cardiologist was while I was still in Rehab. I thought it was a little odd my husband had to haul me out of the hospital in a wheelchair to go to his office. Couldn't he have stopped by the hospital? It was just a chat, no tests or anything. He told me about having a TEE to check for heart problems.

So I get out of the rehab hospital and they set up the test. I am told to be at the hospital by 7:00 AM. Of course the Dr doesn't show til 9 and it's 10:30 til he gets around to me. Nothing like a few hours on a gurney stressing out. And of course he couldn't share the results then, he was too busy.

They schedule another 'office appointment' but this was at another hospital. Just another chat, no tests, just his convenience I guess. He recommends closure in the next couple of weeks, I agree. he says "My office will call next week to set it up".

So, a week and a half later I call his office . After 15 minutes on hold, I'm told someone will return my call. 4 hours later, I get a nurse. She tells me "Oh it's not life-threatening, we'll schedule you for sometime in October". Ok, I'm not hard to get along with. Three days later the nurse that was SUPPOSED to call me rings me up. "Oh, we'll get you right in". Does that mean it is life threatening? And it took them this long to call me? AAGH!

I have the closure late September. The doc's advice afterward? "Take it easy for a few days, you'll be fine." The cardiac nurse gives me a paper with all sorts of do's and dont's and states my doctor has ordered 'cardiac rehab'. Huh? It also tells me to let my doctor know right away if I have any signs of infection.

1 month after my closure I get a terrible sinus headache. An infection maybe? I call my cardiologist. 15 minutes on hold again gets me another return call promise. 4 HOURS LATER a nurse calls me, listens to my symptoms, and sends me to the emergency room! That sinus pressure could be a stroke in her mind apparently. 5 hours and an MRI later, I leave the ER with a prescription for my sinus infection.

Unfortunately the ER doctor didn't consider my coumadin therapy when he chose a strong antibiotic. I was going along fine til that 'time of the month' arrived. I gave birth to four children with less blood loss than that week. I foolishly call my cardiologists office again. 15 minutes on hold, four hours for a call back, and they refer me to the coumadin lab! Of course the doctors were all gone for the day.

I called my GP in desperation. She had to prescribe hormones to stop the carnage and then interceded with the cardiologists office to change my Rx to Plavix. The cardio office never even returned my calls.

All this was months ago, and I thought I had put it behind me. Then I get a call, left on my answering machine no less, announcing it's time for my six months checkup TEE. Of course it's only been 4 1/2 months. I call the office and leave a voicemail (of course) asking for a return call. 4 days later I call again, and miraculously caught someone near the phone (A first!) I ask why the 6 month check at 4 1/2 months? "Oh we had time in our schedule at the hospital" AAGH again.

This morning I went to the hospital for my '6 month' checkup TEE. The nurse starts going over my chart and ask about the heart attack I had in 2003. I have never had a heart attack in my life. And the pack a day smoking habit? Who WERE they talking about? It seems My docs have more then one patient with my name and had thoughtlessly added her info to my chart. Nothing like lying on a gurney wondering if they have any idea who I am or what they are supposed to do to me!

Anyway the test went fine, the results were fine. My hubby cornered the doctor and got the results. I am now putting this whole cardio nightmare behind me. I just needed to get it off my chest! :chat: