My pcp admitted me to the hospital late Friday morning. At the time of my visit to the clinic he informed me that another doctor would be filling in for the weekend. That afternoon I was in very severe pain and my blood pressure skyrocketed out of control. I was transfered to the ICU where they did get my blood pressure under control. Then on Sunday the doctor told me that I also had pneumonia. He set me up with a stronger iv antibiotic along with the new bp medications. Monday morning my regular pcp comes in to see me. Basically he just asked me how I was doing and that was it. Later that afternoon one of the nurses came in and stopped the strong antibiotic. I questioned her and was told that my doctor had ordered them stopped. At the same time he also stopped some of my hypertensive meds. This made me very angry...but he did not show his face until the following evening. At that time I asked him why he had terminated my antibiotic....he stated that I didn't need it. I then told him that I had been told I had pneumonia...to which he replied that I did not. I questioned him as to whether he knew about what had transpired on Friday afternoon to which he replied no. When I told him about my ICU experience he wsa shocked. It was very obvious to me that when he returned after the weekend he did not reviewed my chart before seeing me....two days later he still had not reviewed it. To me this was the biggest mistake he could have made. He could have very easily killed me by removing me from my blood pressure medications. Luckily he didn't. While I was in the hospital I was working with the pharmacist to obtain adequate pain control. I had been place on mscontin and they had increased the amounts of neurontin. I was told that should I need more pain medication I should just let the doctor know and he would increase it. A few days after discharge I phone their office and let them know, but was told that I was on morphine and the doctor was not going to change anything. I told his nurse that I was going to do what I had to do. From there I made an appointment with the physician whom I saw while in the hospital. When I saw him he indicated to me that he would not take me as a patient...that he had words with my doctor before...over the same type situation...and that my doctor had been very angry because he was "stealing" his patients. When I explained the problems that I had been through and my lack of trust in him he finally agreed to take me on as a patient. I also addressed with him the failure to keep the pain under control....without a question he increased the morphone. I just thank God that I now have someone I can place my trust in.
The lesson here is that we need to stand up for ourselves...no matter how difficult.
-- Karla