How to Know It's Time to Dump Your Doctor

(CBS)  In relationships, sometimes you have to know when to call it quits. That's especially true when it comes to the relationship with your doctor.

Changing physicians could be the perfect prescription for your health; your life could even depend on it.

So how do you know when, or if, you should go that route?

Dr. Pamela Gallin, a surgeon at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and author of the book, "How to Survive Your Doctor's Care," offered some insight on "The Early Show Saturday Edition."

Having the wrong doctor is a "huge" problem, Gallin says. "Many of my friends and patients sit with someone they dislike, thinking they aren't getting proper care, but are afraid to change their doctor. This is harmful to them: Their problem progresses, or they are taking unnecessary or wrong medications; all medications have side effects.

If you went to a restaurant and the food was cold, or they messed something up, the manager would know it. Why be complacent? Don't be.

How do you know you have the wrong doctor?

You don't have to "know." It is enough that you just feel uncomfortable or don't like him or her. As with friends: Some you like and others you don't, but later you find out what you were responding to. Your physician is an intimate and often embarrassing relationship. Don't compromise.

SIGNS YOU MIGHT NEED A NEW DOCTOR

Can't get an appointment

Just because someone is a wonderful doctor doesn't help. They need to be accessible, and TAKE CARE of you. This means that you can see them in a reasonable period of time and that, if sick, they are responsive. I saw a baby from Canada yesterday. It took three months to get to the specialist and they were on a 10-month list to have surgery. I wasn't an emergency, but needed to be done shortly. Not being seen is not being cared for. Next doctor!

Rushes through the exam

We all know that the average visit is 15 minutes. It is our right and privilege to have a careful, thoughtful, considerate examination. And that our options get discussed. It is not about the overburdened physician. It is about taking care of you. While sympathetic, I am not interested that he or she has too many patients booked. If so, move on.

Doesn't answer questions

You are not supposed to have a Ph.D. in what ails you. That is the doctor's department. Medicine is not black and white. It is the obligation of the doctor to explain what you have and what the choices are in treating you. You are allowed, expected and required to voice your concerns about how the diagnosis or treatment will effect you and what choices you have to make. Some people can't take a medication in the middle of the day, and others cant take a pill with a once-a-day dose; the right answer is the best one for you. That requires discussion, and the doctor must be available to do so.

Treatment choices not discussed

Medicine is not one-size-fits-all, and the more complicated your problem, the more nuanced the care. There are frequently many ways to do the same thing. You must get the right one for you, and that requires choices. Sometimes surgery is an option, and sometimes it is the last thing you would want. Other times, you just want to fix the problem. This is complex and depends on the exact circumstances and your life; you must know what you are getting yourself into, and what the alternatives are, now and later.

Not up to date with latest treatments and procedures

No one knows everything about everything, and this is where sub-specialists and super-sub-specialists come in. But if you mention something about a treatment for what you have, it is fair to expect your doctor to know about it. The exception is if it is experimental, and even then maybe you want to go to someone doing the trial. Your doctor is supposed to know more than you. If you sense that is not the case, next doctor!

I have two friends, each of whom was told they needed emergency hysterectomies. In one, the diagnosis was wrong. In the other, there was a non-invasive procedure available through radiology. In the first case, the doctor botched the diagnosis. In the other, he didn't know (or wouldn't tell the patient) about the other.

You're just not getting better

Many medications are now for chronic use and take a while to work -- drugs such as hypertensive meds, diabetes, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressants. While you might be somewhat better, if you are not feeling the way you are supposed to, then it's time for another medication. But if your physician views this as a direct challenge, and won't discuss it, think of this as a maze with trial and error. Move on.

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[roxanne371]

There is another reason to consider - is your doctor changing your prescription every time the drug rep comes by with the newest deal to promote? Does he do his homework to be sure whatever he is giving you is not going to kill you? Can he answer intelligently why he is prescribing this particular medication for you? Every person's body chemistry, liver function and metabolism is different and just because the drug company has now run out of the time limit that noone can produce a generic does not mean that they can add aspirin or a placebo and call it new & improved so that it can be marked up again or give you another drug in it's place because it is newer so they can still charge you or your insurance company $10, 20, 30 or more per pill.

[HGOODGUY]

Please tell me again after reading all these posts.
You are against regulating the insurance companys WHY???

[ludvig1-2009]

I dumped my doctor when I showed up for an appointment and the receptionist told me according to their records, I was dead.

[btalking]

My doctors keep firing me because I will not take their medications when simple or natural treatments will work. I went to get a physical, my cholestorol was 219 and he prescribed a drug that when I read about it, would cause more severe problems than high cholestorol - sounded like the stuff would kill you! When I told him that I wouldn't take it, but instead seek a natural means like changing my diet, he told me that obviously we were not going to be a good match if I kept refusing all the medications he prescribed me. I now go to an alternative medicine MD because while he CAN prescribe medicine, he prefers to try to solve issues without them. And he doesn't take insurance... saves both him and me money and he doesn't prescribe needless tests. I'm sure a regular doctor would call him a "quack". But I feel better and have fewer health problems now because he tries to prevent them, not just write prescriptions.

[baileyccc]

I wish I had written that because that is is exactly what I have done. It is not the doctors, it is the system that needs massive overhauling. Profits before health. When i read that 30% of all prescription drugs are synthetic copies of a natural product, I was done with them. Posted Baileyccc

[roxanne371]

The doctors have agreements to push whatever flavor of the month pill that the drug rep has come by with. They are too busy now to do their own research, so they take everything the reps say as gospel - even to the point of changing your meds so that the drug companies can sell you the new stuff that there is no generic for and make mega bucks - you need to talk to your senators about that too - they take lots of money from the drug companies to keep this going. Costs cannot be contained until EVERY aspect of healthcare is on the same wavelength and noone seems to be addressing the drug company issue - that is where the largest percentage of all the healthcare monies are spent - we need to make the government stop some of these practices. Many times there are natural things that will work or simply changes in lifestyle. Part of the problem with this is that the average patient wants a little green pill to resolve all their issues so that they don't honestly have to make any changes to their lifestyles - so to be honest it is our own fault too -

[hungry1968-16]

How to Know It's Time to Dump Your Doctor:

When you get sick, and you call your HMO or PPO to "pre-certify" your scheduled appointment, and the insurance company tells you -- ONCE AGAIN -- that they've dropped your doctor, and that he's no longer "a participating provider".

[roxanne371]

By the way - that is your doctor doing that because he/she wants more money for the procedures that the other doctors are getting so HE is not signing another contract, NOT the insurance company's problem - the doctor likes his $$$$ too much.

[baileyccc]

When they tried to me me on the "Pharmaceutical Bandwagon" for their financial gain. My blood pressure was marginal and I reduce it very quickly with natural products, weight loss and exercise, then he tried to put me on Lipitor with a 221 Cholesterol. The doctors are good people but the system they work under needs massive overhauling. Until that is done I will "Doctor Myself".

[toldyouso21]

Dump them when they try to hawk drugs to you for conditions you don't have (like prevacid) for nonexistent acid reflux or diabetes drugs as a precursor treatment because it "runs in your family" or ERT, because you will be needing it soon due to menopause, so why not get a jump on it.

Also, pregnant women, be careful of your doctor deciding you are prediabetic or need lots of lab test for AFP, Downs Syndrome and other conditions. Often this testing is a scam to get more money out of you. Suspect something if you already have a test, they tell you it is inconclusive and say to move on to another test that is more complicated and expensive. Before you do that, go some where else and run the less expensive tests. OB/GYNS are notorious for stacking tests and GPs are notorious for recommending acid reflux drugs, antidepressants and pain meds like celebrex (all addictive) when you do not need them--be esp. wary if you are a minority. They did not stop the testing when the Tuskeegee experiments were found out--any isolated population that can be tracked can be experimented on. Minority pregnant women have been given Tetracycline to determine the effect on the teeth of infants and the mutagenic and tetragenic qualities in various minority groups. As late as 1985 a town in Mass. had its population experimented on with drugs that caused a higher incidence of childhood lukemia and in 2006. the VA admitted to subjecting soldiers in the Gulf war to several biological weapons...it goes on. Be informed, and get a PDR, if they prescribe it, it can be looked up--see if it is normal for what ails you and what the contraindications are.

I have stopped doctors from giving me drugs that contraindicated other drugs I was taking or would cause damage to my baby--for some reason--they appeared not to realize this--or they were out to f up a lot of women and their offspring.

[erasmus111]

Wow, Americans really are being taken for a ride.

[HGOODGUY]

No doctor is the know all-cure all.
I recently changed pulminary specialists because this clown was condescending and arrogant! He did not see patients-he tolorated them!
As a result of this splendid "charm school graduate", I was left frustrated, nervous and rushed--this after waiting about an hour for him.
The message is that no doctor is indespensible and you should not feel afraid or trapped with anyone you are not confident of or not comfortable with!

[erasmus111]

"How to Know It's Time to Dump Your Doctor"


When you finally come to the realization that your doctor hasn't really been looking after YOUR best interests, but the insurance company's.

Hmmm, I guess it might be kinda hard finding another doctor in that case, because that's what they have all been doing!

[erasmus111]

"This is a place where you have the opportunity dreaming about dating a millionaire and make it true!"


Yeah, I think I'll pass. I would rather be with poor boy than a rich one, but thanks anyways. : )