Posted by Racer on January 22, 2004, at 14:12:59
Don't *ever* take for granted the access to quality health care one can receive through health insurance! Aside from the recent statistics that almost 20,000 people die each year in the US as a direct result of their lack of access to health care, I've got an example that affects me directly and enrages me. Therefore, I'm going to share, and you can't stop me! Hahahahahhhh [imagine maniacal cackle there]
OK, so my pdoc is still trying to find a drug that works on the depression without making me sicker than I already am. Quite a problem, that. The latest drug he started me on is Lamictal, which came with a long, strongly worded lecture on the dangers of TEN, and the need to be scrupulous about avoiding any potential allergens.
Last night I cracked a tooth. This morning I called the clinic and left a message, saying quite explicitely, "I am calling Dr EyeCandy regarding the medications I'm currently taking, because I have an emergency dental appointment and want to check on any potential drug interactions with him before the appointment." Someone, please, tell me what part of that is unclear about what I'm asking for?
The message I got back was from an assistant of some sort. The content of the message was as follows: "I can't tell you if there might be an interaction, because I don't know what drugs you're taking, and I don't know what the dentist might give you. You'll have to ask the dentist when you see him."
Forgive me, I must be too stupid to understand where I went wrong in this matter. (You betcha I'm trembling with rage as I write this.) It seems to me that dentists generally use a local anesthetic, a pretty standard amalgam containing mercury, and on very rare occasions will prescribe a painkiller or antibiotic. It further seems that a pdoc is more likely to know the interactions of those compounds with psychotropic drugs than a dentist is to know the possible interactions of his standard bag of tricks with the myriad other drugs on the market, most of which he's never even heard of before!
My husband is mildly irritated by this, which is as angry as I've ever seen him. He says it's great, because this way, if there is an interaction, he can't sue the clinic for wrongful death, because they've shifted the responsibility.
(On the other hand, I am FEELING angry, and I am AWARE that I am FEELING something. Those are two good things, and improvements. Too bad I couldn't be AWARE of FEELING satisfied, or confident, but you can't have everything, right?)
(Oh, and the punch line to all this is that I can't even find out who to contact to complain that the assistant who didn't know a damn thing called with useless information, because the clinic is so poorly operated in so many basic ways.)
poster:Racer
thread:304253
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/2000/20031122/msgs/304253.html