No answers yet

I finally got to see my GI today.  Turns out, he's not a GI.  I asked my general practitioner for a referral to a gastroenterologist, and he sent me to a colorectal surgeon.  I'm mad.  I'm frustrated.  And I can't decide how much of a stink to raise about it.

Ultimately, I think we're moving in the right direction. They scheduled me for a colonoscopy for the 20th. But the doctor today behaved in the manner I'd expect a surgeon to act - didn't ask many questions, just did a quick exam and scheduled the procedure. Anticipating a discussion about my diet and if there was any connection between what I eat and my issues, I've been keeping a detailed record of all of my intake and outgoing.  He didn't even blink at the journal I'd been keeping; didn't want to look it over, and didn't ask a single question.
There are three possibilities:

1. I have extremely poor luck in picking doctors.
2. I am way more demanding and/or deluded than the average patient.
3. There is something very, very wrong with our health care system.

The more I think about it, the more indignant I get about today's experience.  Since I moved in Sept 2010, I have met with four different general practitioners.  All have had flaws.

The first, I discovered later, had decided to add "Chronic Anxiety Disorder" to my diagnosis list, without actually discussing this with me, or making sure I fit the diagnostic criteria.  (Yes, I told him that I was currently on an anti-anxiety medication - which was prescribed for the extremely difficult final semester of graduate school, and I hadn't yet been able to wean off.)  I only learned this by chance while on the phone with my insurance company.

The second came highly recommended by a good friend of mine.  She had been this friend's GP since childhood, and always made her feel very comfortable.  My experience with this GP was extremely curt and brief.  I had specifically asked for extra time with the physician because I had so many concerns, and I got about 6 minutes of distracted attention.

I would have been willing to give number 2 another chance, but she has proved extremely difficult to see.  Since then, I have had multiple semi-emergent situations, and she never has an opening less than a week away.  So I ended up seeing her husband instead, because he's in the same practice.  Also quite brisk, but efficient.  But he never truly seemed interested in my health; he was just getting the job done.  I was also rather annoyed that he wrote "High risk sexual practices" on my chart just because I asked for an STD panel.

My current GP, I really didn't dislike until today.  I've seen him twice now.  In December, it felt reassuring, though vaguely disturbing, that he was so unconcerned about my complaints.  It seemed like he had a firm opinion of what the diagnosis was, and wasn't inclined to listen or think deeply enough to change his mind.  This feeling persisted when I met him last week for my pap smear.  Though I will say, he was very competent with the pap, and was at least willing to humor me and refer me to a specialist... even though it turned out to be the wrong damn specialist.