On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:43:30 +0000, Orchid XP v8 wrote:

> Jim Henderson wrote:
> 
>> Yeah, I just have this inherent dislike of doctors.  I've gotten better
>> with it the past couple of years as I've had to do allergy shots, but
>> it's a pretty long-term issue for me - I've had some really bad doctors
>> in the past.  I recognise it's illogical to an extent, but it's still
>> not the sort of thing I "like" doing - even going along with a family
>> member for one of their appointments puts me on edge.
> 
> Last time I saw "my" doctor, it was completely evident that since I
> wasn't actually dying, he totally didn't give a ****. I came to see him
> because for the last week I'd left too nausious to eat anything. And he
> said "well if *course* you feel ill if you don't eat anything, you silly
> boy". Given that I was 22 at the time, I didn't really appreciate being
> called a "silly boy".
> 
> It turns out there are other doctors who are much more friendly. The guy
> I saw this week was quite cheerful and chatty. And when I told him what
> the problem was, he seemed interested to find out what was wrong. (As
> opposed to "you look fine to me, get lost kid!")

Yeah, my allergist is really good - I knew that about him when he stated 
up front that he doesn't like prescribing drugs if they're not needed.  
Too many doctors seem to throw free samples at the patient and say "try 
this and see if it works".  Dr. Bitner doesn't work that way, but instead 
actually listens to what I have to say.

My GP, though, needs to be changed; my wife had been using him, and she 
had some problems with her stomach; he gave a referral for an endoscopy, 
and said "you're awake for it but they give you drugs so you don't 
remember" and laughed about it, even though he new (from an earlier point 
in the conversation) that one of the most terrifying things for my wife 
is to be awake for something and not remember it.  That kind of 
insensitivity is far too common.

When she went for the scope, she was practically in tears with fear, and 
the doctor had to stop and ask her what was wrong - and what the GP had 
told her.  I understand that he wrote a letter of complaint to the GP for 
his insensitivity - the procedure was very simple and the way Dr. Johnson 
described it made it sound like sheer hell to my wife, and it didn't help 
that he thought it was *funny*.

My life has been full of experiences like my wife's with our GP.  She's 
got a new one now, and I need to get changed over myself.

Jim

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