My Dr rant.....

[CHCRandy]

About 2 years ago I had a physical and blood work done. The Dr. wrote me a prescription for a pill for something (can't remember what). 6 weeks later his assistant calls and says "Your lab came back and everything is fine but don't start taking that new prescription, it can't be taken with your cholesterol medicine"....at that point I had already taken it for 6 weeks. I asked if the "new" medicine she was referring to was the stuff I had been taking for 6 weeks, she confirmed and apologized...said she thought someone had called and told me that a few days after it was prescribed. I think she was feeding me a line, because if she thought someone called me 6 weeks earlier, why is she calling now? Oh well...no big deal. I stopped taking and lived.

Fast forward to today. I had my physical and blood test around mid February to early March. Today I get a call and it is the same Dr's assistant. She says "Your lab results came in (yeah, 5-6 weeks ago) and your cholesterol is great but your Enzymes are high, Dr. wants you to keep taking your CoQ-10 he prescribed you".....I asked her what she was talking about that the only thing he prescribed me was a statin, years ago. She did some checking and said he must have "thought" he told me to take it that she would check with him. She called back later and said I needed to take 200MG 2 x a day. No explanation as to why they thought I was already taking it.

Am I just being anal or does this seem a little sloppy? Or is this the new normal?

BTW...Anyone know what causes high enzymes? Today was the first I knew of it and the assistant didn't know why they were high.

End rant.

 

[KittySlayer]

I think I would be making a personal visit to the office and demanding to speak to the doctor personally. "Sorry I don't have an appointment, would you prefer I have my attorney call and schedule a deposition in advance?"

 

[bwframe]

Aren't doctors just "practicing medicine?"

 

[Dirtebiker]

I'd be shopping for a new doctor immediately!

 

[CHCRandy]

Glad to see I am not just being a prick. I thought maybe I was just being too picky....

 

[Shadow]

No your not being a prick ---- I have gone through 3 Dr. cause of this bull crap -----at one time I was taking almost 30 pills a day - which I hate taking meds in the first place . It got so bad that I could hardly walk , muscle cramps in my legs ---fast foreword to now , the DR I have now said my god why are you on all these and some of these shouldn't be taken with each other ... I'm now on 4 pills a day and feel pretty good .

 

[KittySlayer]

6 weeks later his assistant calls and says "Your lab came back and everything is fine but don't start taking that new prescription, it can't be taken with your cholesterol medicine"...

You should also be having a conversation with your pharmacist. He should have caught the inappropriate mix of drugs too.

 

[hoosierdoc]

http://www.mdedge.com/jfponline/article/63212/statins-and-elevated-liver-tests-whats-fuss

statins can raise liver enzymes (transaminases) and can cause liver injury. It's something you should be monitored for if on a statin

 

[TB1999]

Sloppy indeed.

 

[pilotof727s]

I've had an issue with a Dr. before. Just have to remind them that they are running a business and you are a customer. Nothing more. They don't have ultimate power and if you want to talk to the boss you should be able to.

 

[nra4ever]

Im glad to see im no the only one with a sloppy Dr. Thaes days it all about volume. How many patients you can see per hour.

 

[CHCRandy]

http://www.mdedge.com/jfponline/article/63212/statins-and-elevated-liver-tests-whats-fuss

statins can raise liver enzymes (transaminases) and can cause liver injury. It's something you should be monitored for if on a statin

Doc, Have you ever heard of COQ10? Can that alone really fix enzyme levels from a statin? I also have been told by a Rheumatologist that I have Rhabdomyolysis or something like that. I at one time got really dehydrated while working and started cramping so bad I thought I was having heart attack. They rushed me to ER and my kidneys had shut down. I don't take any meds for it, just have to drink a bunch of water when I am working in the heat on roofs. Can that cause high enzyme levels?

 

[Old Dog]

Time for a new doc, there seems to be some lack of communication with the doc, staff, and you. It is inexcusable for you to be given a script without the lab work necessary to support the script being done before the script is handed out. And what's the deal with the 6 weeks later your lab results are in? It should never take that long for lab results to get to the doc. Mine are back to doc within 48 hours. If the doc took 6 weeks to notify you, then they are not doing you any good. I hope you don't get really sick, no telling when you might find out what is going on, maybe too late. Look for a new provider and good luck.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Doc, Have you ever heard of COQ10? Can that alone really fix enzyme levels from a statin? I also have been told by a Rheumatologist that I have Rhabdomyolysis or something like that. I at one time got really dehydrated while working and started cramping so bad I thought I was having heart attack. They rushed me to ER and my kidneys had shut down. I don't take any meds for it, just have to drink a bunch of water when I am working in the heat on roofs. Can that cause high enzyme levels?

I know statins are supposed to be taken with Co-q10 but know nothing about it. I think the elevated levels are a different process though

rhabdo is nasty. Saw a HS football player, big strong kid, that couldnMt walk. Peed Coke for five days in the hospital and finally went home to keep drinking two gallons a day because they were bored waiting for his muscle levels to come down to detectable on the machine again

no real meds for rhabdo, just avoid dehydration and heavy exercise

 

[femurphy77]

Somewhat in your doctors defense, I've found that sales reps can have a strong influence on the types of meds that are being prescribed and very few doctors can have a complete knowledge of the effects and interactions of various medicines. I've been fortunate enough to have had two family physicians in my life that were also registered pharmacists! Very rare, and very knowledgeable in the effects of those pills they keep pushing down our throats!

 

[AngryRooster]

Would be looking for a new doctor before you start getting things like this.

 

[Old Prof]

My doctor seems pretty careful, but anytime I get a new medicine I always check the interactions with food and other medicines. And I figure I care about my health more than my pharmacist or doctor does, so I should do this much for myself.

And your doctor does sound sloppy.

 

[SMiller]

To give these crappy Dr's credit it is YOUR crappy insurance that only pays for a 15min. visit, there is no way for a Dr. to cover all that charting in the patient window, poor bastard is up till midnight finishing charts as it is.

Regardless it is BS and if they are not catching things like this then what else are they not catching? One mess up and they loose their license and they are done, sometimes a reminder will slow them down a little.