Would you be upset?

[teller80]

I don't know if it's fairly new or not, but the Cleveland Clinic treats migrains with botox injections. My co-worker goes every few months, they put a number of needles in her head (like acupuncture) and wah- lah! She's good for another few months.

I too would switch doctors.

 

[Happy Snowman]

Any increase in head pain like this should be an instant referral. I would also double check your policy to see if you still need a referral. Unless you signed up with an HMO (yuck!!!) its likely that you no longer need a referral. Then I would drop this doctor and I would send a strongly worded letter to the doctor and the clinic supervisor as to why!!

 

[Ponygirl]

A "worst headache of my life" event is usually handled with a trip to urgent care and a CT or MRI of your head to rule out an aneurism. (sp?) This is done at once. If you cannot get in to see a neurologist any time soon, go to the emergency room if this happens again.

Migraines suck the joy out of your life. I wish you luck getting yours under control.

 

[Mokat76]

New doctor for sure. Yours is dismissing your real symptoms and, more ports tilt, your concerns.

I agree with another poster who said you should seek a preventive med. My PCM put me on a low dose of Topamax, which is an anti-seizure med. It has worked wonders. The few I get now can be managed with OTC meds.

Good luck. No one should have to suffer like that.

 

[Mokat76]

Port tilts = important. Fat fingers and autocorrect are my downfall.

 

[HM]

I'm so sorry, I've had those migraines where they hurt so much you want to die to get over them. And I had little very kids to take care of at home. Mine were definitely hormone driven, so I ended up taking a birth control pill every day for three months to keep hormone levels even and then one week off (that week I may have a headache...they last three days, but lately I'm not getting them anymore). I'm still doing that 18 years later.

My DD has developed daily headaches after contracting Lyme Disease two years ago. She's been to a neurologist, had an MRI which found nothing physically wrong, tried the Botox injection to block the nerves (didn't work and hurt worse than the headache she said), and tried varoius meds. Nothing's really worked. But, luckily she rarely gets the headache that means you stay in bed in the dark....I wish she never had those though.

Good luck getting the help you need.
I do agree that your doctor isn't really listening to you and needs to be replaced. Can you ask for someone else in that group?

 

[DizBelle]

Port tilts = important. Fat fingers and autocorrect are my downfall.

I was wondering what the heck you were talking about.... What does the left side of a boat and tilting toward it have to do with migraines?

 

[pryncess527]

Over the last year they have gotten way worse and more frequent to the point I'm very worried.i asked to see a specialist and my doctor refused a referral saying it's not necessary.

Get a new doctor.

When I decided to change PCPs I started with Angie'sList Medical. I read tons of reviews of doctors in the area until I found one that consistently had reviewers comment on things that were of particular importance to me. I found the reviews well worth the cost of membership.

 

[nkereina]

Doctors get kickbacks from the drug companies. Sounds like yours is trying to fix your problem with prescription drugs, which is not always healthy OR the answer. Perhaps she wants to exhaust the drug options (in her best interest) first.

You should confirm whether or not you need a referral. I've been on 4 different health insurance plans over the last few years and haven't need referrals on any of them. You may be able to take matters into your own hands. But I'd still consider switching doctors - she should be listening to you and letting you do what you want to do, within reason.

 

[DopeyDame]

I'll just pile on and say switch doctors! A dart into the phone book will get you a better option than what you have now.

 

[ncdj2013]

Or am I overreacting? Here's the long sob story. I have a history of migraines. Over the last year they have gotten way worse and more frequent to the point I'm very worried.i asked to see a specialist and my doctor refused a referral saying it's not necessary. She told me to take nose spray, claritin, and Benadryl. That didn't help at all. And I took so much Excedrine I had stomach issues. She gave me Pepcid and told me to take imitrex. That didn't work. Then she called in zomig. That did work for about 3 months or so but last week I had the worst headache I have ever had in my life. I couldn't be in the light and I was dizzy. It was a sharp pain and I could hear may heart beat in my head. I took so much benadryl, tylenol, aspirin, and Zomig I thought I was going to die but the pain was unbearable. I was home alone, called my husband and asked him ton on home as I ight need the er. When my husband got home my headache had eased up and I was able to sleep a little. So first thing in the morning I called my doctor and Spoke with the nurse at 840 am asking if I could see her. The doctor didn't call me back. I left another message on their message line at 330. By then my headache was mostly gone. No call back. Then it was New Years Day. The day after I called and got voicemail saying it was closed for the holiday. Today I called again left a message with the receptionist at 915am no call back. I also found out that they were open Friday, they just forgot to take that message down, so never called me from wed- now.


I just got a call from cvs that my doctors called in the same medicine zomig, that I have been trying to tell them isn't working. Of course the doctors office is now closed She has not akcnowledged the horrible scary bad headache I've been calling about or called me at all. I am so frustrated. I just want to cry. I have no headache now, but I never want to experience what I did last Tuesday night.

Wow. my first thought was you are taking so many meds that you are having rebound headaches. But If I had the worst headache of my life I would go to the ER where they would at least check things out; do a cat scan etc to rule things out. And I would definitely get another doctor. One that would listen and not just throw meds at you.

 

[Mokat76]

i was wondering what the heck you were talking about.... What does the left side of a boat and tilting toward it have to do with migraines?

lol!!

 

[Rafiki31]

Just to continue in with the saga, I called my Drs office again when they opened the day after the cvs call and asked to speak with the doctor as soon as possible I got no call back. I asked around and had 3 friends suggest the same one, so I called and made an appointment yesterday. The first one avail is January 26. I took it. They asked me to come in and sign a release to get my medical records which I did this morning at 9am. I assume they faxed it immediately, because today, so far, I've recieved 2 voicemails from my Drs office asking or me to call or come by today, they would like to speak with me.

Now I'm trying to decide if I should just suck it up until the 26 and not call back my skin to be ex doctor, or if I should go in or call to explain why I left. My real concern us that I'll get a migraine between now and jan 26 and be up a creek. But I'm kind of up a creek anyway.

 

[Happy Snowman]

Just to continue in with the saga, I called my Drs office again when they opened the day after the cvs call and asked to speak with the doctor as soon as possible I got no call back. I asked around and had 3 friends suggest the same one, so I called and made an appointment yesterday. The first one avail is January 26. I took it. They asked me to come in and sign a release to get my medical records which I did this morning at 9am. I assume they faxed it immediately, because today, so far, I've recieved 2 voicemails from my Drs office asking or me to call or come by today, they would like to speak with me.

Now I'm trying to decide if I should just suck it up until the 26 and not call back my skin to be ex doctor, or if I should go in or call to explain why I left. My real concern us that I'll get a migraine between now and jan 26 and be up a creek. But I'm kind of up a creek anyway.

I would send a letter letting the clinic manager know why you left. I would call the new dr and ask to be placed on a waiting list (if you haven't already) to be seen if something open sooner. If your soon to be ex Dr calls again, take the call and explain why you are leaving, but still follow up with a letter.

 

[SC Minnie]

Just to continue in with the saga, I called my Drs office again when they opened the day after the cvs call and asked to speak with the doctor as soon as possible I got no call back. I asked around and had 3 friends suggest the same one, so I called and made an appointment yesterday. The first one avail is January 26. I took it. They asked me to come in and sign a release to get my medical records which I did this morning at 9am. I assume they faxed it immediately, because today, so far, I've recieved 2 voicemails from my Drs office asking or me to call or come by today, they would like to speak with me.

Now I'm trying to decide if I should just suck it up until the 26 and not call back my skin to be ex doctor, or if I should go in or call to explain why I left. My real concern us that I'll get a migraine between now and jan 26 and be up a creek. But I'm kind of up a creek anyway.

I fired a Dr once and he called me to find out why. I told him the truth. No sense in sugar coating it but I was very polite about it. No raised voice or name calling. Just told him that after seeing him for a year DD wasn't getting better (she was a toddler) and I needed a second opinion. He hung up on me. After seeing the new Dr DD was better within a week. Believe me anytime anyone asks me about a ENT here I tell them not to go see Dr #1.

I find it rather ironic the Drs office can find your phone number when you are leaving the practice but when you needed their help, nothing.

 

[sasywtch]

I think a lot of people, including myself put doctor's on pedestals and fearful to say anything to them. After all, they have all that education, all the clinicals, they must know what they are doing and they definitely know more than I do. I found with age, this is not always the case. I dumped a doctor I had had for quite sometime because he told my bf and myself something I knew not to be true. I don't expect a doctor to know everything but if I question, I do expect them to research. He just stood flat and said no I couldn't have that test. Fact is, I changed to a D.O., had the test and was positive.

Years ago I went to a doctor that I loved (he up and left CA due to malpractice insurance fees). My daughter developed a severe rash within minutes at school. My sister who has worked in schools for 30 years said it was Fifth's Disease. My doctor admitted he didn't know much but did a prescription. By the time I got home, he called and told me he researched it, changed his diagnosis to fifth's and told me to continue with the prescription he gave.

Any good doctor worth their salt will not let you leave without helping you. I also got a letter from the doctor I left wanting to know why. I wrote to Kaiser's administration telling them why. My old and new doctor are in the same practice so if my doctor is out and I need to be seen, I request someone else.

 

[doxdogy]

I would also call your health insurance company and tell the what is going on with your doctor. They may allow you to skip the referral and go to a neurologist. Tell the doc the truth on why you are leaving.

 

[bedillamouse]

I would not go see the doctor again... they couldn't find the time to call you when you asked but when they found out you were leaving they called??

I would send a letter or talk to them on the phone and nicely tell them why you are leaving. If talking to the doctor on the phone is scary or you could be talked back into seeing them again instead of the new doctor, I would just do the letter and ignore the phone calls.

I liked the idea of calling the new doctors office and ask to be called if there was a cancellation. If you have a bad migraine again...go to the ER! It is not uncommon for the ER to see severe migraine patients.

I also feel for you ...I am on day 2 of my migraine and it is wearing me down quickly.

Good Luck and I'm glad you were able to get a new doctor!

 

[Rafiki31]

I called this morning and asked about a cancellation and they gave me a "sick" slot at 3pm. I waited until 415 to see the doctor, I was pretty frustrated, but she was wonderful when I finally saw her. I finally feel like someone is going to help me! She has me scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday of next week, started me on a preventative med daily ( but said it takes 4 weeks to start working), and gave me a new med called Maxalt for if I get a migraine. She said any headaches like last week I need to go right to the ER and have her paged. She said after the MRI she will see if I need a neurologist.

I feel so much relief just knowing there is hope!

 

[Handbag Lady]

i called this morning and asked about a cancellation and they gave me a "sick" slot at 3pm. I waited until 415 to see the doctor, i was pretty frustrated, but she was wonderful when i finally saw her. I finally feel like someone is going to help me! She has me scheduled for an mri on wednesday of next week, started me on a preventative med daily ( but said it takes 4 weeks to start working), and gave me a new med called maxalt for if i get a migraine. She said any headaches like last week i need to go right to the er and have her paged. She said after the mri she will see if i need a neurologist.

I feel so much relief just knowing there is hope!

bravo!!!!!!!!