Be Proactive In Your Health Care!

[lob6796]

My physician ran a few of the celiac blood tests and they came back positive, so he informed me that he believed I had celiac. he gave me a referral to a GI specialist and said I needed to have a consult with him, then he would do more blood work, then send me for an endoscopy for biopsies, then another consult, then I could go on the diet. I was looking at waiting until October or November to start the diet. I got the paper in the mail with my appt date for August 23rd! I called the office and the receptionist said that they were already booking into September, and they rarely had cancellations. I muttered something about "god I wonder how long it will take to get my endoscopy appt, if you have to wait so long just for a consult". She caught the remark and answered - "one to two weeks. We do endoscopies everyday. We only do office appts 1.5 days a week."

The next morning I sat down and wrote my physician a letter (that I faxed to him). I told him that I felt he was competent enough to handle my post-diagnosis care, and that I would appreciate it if he could just send me for the endoscopy. His nurse called me this morning. My endoscopy is next Wednesday. I am looking at being able to begin the diet within a month, instead of 5 or 6.

So be proactive in your health care - you might get more out of it than you think!

[happygirl]

kilcan:

wow, good for you! im happy that you will have the procedure much sooner, due to your action. And of course, let us know how it goes. best of luck!

[Lisa]

Wow, good for you. It is all too easy to get lost in the system. While you wait, read up here, and hope we here back from your tests.

[sneezydiva]

Wow! That's great news. It does pay to b proactive, that's for sure. Your experience also explains why I'm getting my biopsy results from the P.A. I guess the doctor has to save his precious time for consults and endoscopys. Part of me wondered if I had insulted him in my sedated state, since I think he is a huge jerk.