Dealing With Bad Doctors

[whitepine]

So my doctor recently put me on micronor birthcontrol because she is convinced that my health issues are related to endometriosis. I've told her that Ive stopped eating gluten but she refuses to believe that it could be one of the reasons why I have so many symptoms. Unless I take the 200 dollar test which involves eating gluten products for two weeks.

Anyway, I am not at home right now and I started taking the micronor birth control, hoping that this would help some of my symptoms, especially with my periods. The first day I took it i started to notice the fat of my thumb turning really blue. I decided to ignore it and continue on with the medication but after 3 days of taking it, it was really visible. I asked my partner about it who also noticed it. So I didn't feel crazy about it since he noticed it.

I stopped taking it because it was quite painful at times, like if you were to hold your finger and let the pressure build up and then release it. It caused other symptoms as well but this was the one that concerned me the most.

After a couple of days of not noticing much difference in my hands I decided to seek out a doctor.

I spent 2 hours waiting in a doctors office when i finally got to meet with this doctor.

I told him my problem and at the time my hands weren't relatively blue. It seems to happen a lot more if my hands are cold or if I have not been resting.

He took one look at me and said that his hands were much more blue than mine and that nothing was wrong with me. After no more than a few minutes of explaining this to him he brushed it off and compared my 25 year old hands to his 60 year old hands. He told me to ride it out and continue taking the birth control and then rushed me out the door.

This isn't the only time that I've gone to a doctor with a symptom and have them basically tell me I am crazy.

I went to a doctor a couple years back before I realized my problems with gluten. She told me that there was nothing wrong with me and that I needed to get my head checked after I told her that what I was experiencing was more than IBS.

Its so frustrating when a doctor quickly brushes you off like that. I don't know if I should try another doctor about this blue hand thing which also started happening to my feet today or just ride it out and hope that it will go away.

IAfter my brief meet with this doctor today I am finding that my partner is almost silently shaking his head at me and has informed me that I have probably overacted. Which is upsetting because it's as if this quick meet with some stupid doctor has given him the idea that I am a complete nut job.

Have any of you had a bad reaction to a medication like this? where your hands go blue? the veins pop and your skin goes blue?

Have you guys had problems with doctors brushing you off after a few minutes and how do you deal with it?

[frieze]

So my doctor recently put me on micronor birthcontrol because she is convinced that my health issues are related to endometriosis. I've told her that Ive stopped eating gluten but she refuses to believe that it could be one of the reasons why I have so many symptoms. Unless I take the 200 dollar test which involves eating gluten products for two weeks.

Anyway, I am not at home right now and I started taking the micronor birth control, hoping that this would help some of my symptoms, especially with my periods. The first day I took it i started to notice the fat of my thumb turning really blue. I decided to ignore it and continue on with the medication but after 3 days of taking it, it was really visible. I asked my partner about it who also noticed it. So I didn't feel crazy about it since he noticed it.

I stopped taking it because it was quite painful at times, like if you were to hold your finger and let the pressure build up and then release it. It caused other symptoms as well but this was the one that concerned me the most.

After a couple of days of not noticing much difference in my hands I decided to seek out a doctor.

I spent 2 hours waiting in a doctors office when i finally got to meet with this doctor.

I told him my problem and at the time my hands weren't relatively blue. It seems to happen a lot more if my hands are cold or if I have not been resting.

He took one look at me and said that his hands were much more blue than mine and that nothing was wrong with me. After no more than a few minutes of explaining this to him he brushed it off and compared my 25 year old hands to his 60 year old hands. He told me to ride it out and continue taking the birth control and then rushed me out the door.

This isn't the only time that I've gone to a doctor with a symptom and have them basically tell me I am crazy.

I went to a doctor a couple years back before I realized my problems with gluten. She told me that there was nothing wrong with me and that I needed to get my head checked after I told her that what I was experiencing was more than IBS.

Its so frustrating when a doctor quickly brushes you off like that. I don't know if I should try another doctor about this blue hand thing which also started happening to my feet today or just ride it out and hope that it will go away.

IAfter my brief meet with this doctor today I am finding that my partner is almost silently shaking his head at me and has informed me that I have probably overacted. Which is upsetting because it's as if this quick meet with some stupid doctor has given him the idea that I am a complete nut job.

Have any of you had a bad reaction to a medication like this? where your hands go blue? the veins pop and your skin goes blue?

Have you guys had problems with doctors brushing you off after a few minutes and how do you deal with it?

can't help you with the doctor thing, but i have to wonder if you may have a mild case of Raynaud's? Which would mean you shouldn't use hormonal birth control....good luck.

[GottaSki]

No blue hands here, but plenty of adverse reactions to meds and dismisals by doctors. All I can tell you is what I wish I could of told my 25 year old self. Listen to your gut - the pun is sad yet true. If your hands are blue since starting this med and the prescribing physician is dismissive - find another. I would avoid the ER unless your hands were bright blue or numb.

You are well ahead of were I was - I had no idea gluten was destroying my body - if you have found it a problem and your doctor is dismissive - same advice - find another doctor that will order the proper blood work.

Arrive at the new doctor with a list of your symptoms before removing gluten, what has improved gluten-free and what symptoms remain. Also have a list of the needed celiac and nutrient testing you require. Take charge of your health, you are the only one that can know exactly what is going on in your body so it is up to you to communicate it well.

While celiac antibody tests are most accurate before removing gluten, they along with proper nutrient testing remain important even after gluten is removed.

If you have not been gluten-free for a long period - an endoscopy may be helpful - again your best chance for accurate results are while consuming gluten, but the test can still be useful for some time after removing gluten - especially if digestive symptoms remain.

Good luck - trust your gut

[whitepine]

I think it has been a case of Raynauds brought on by the birth control. It's still there but not as bad as it was when I was on the birth control. But my hands and now feet go blue when they are cold so I hope that stops.

I am thinking I could go to another doctor but I am worried that it will be the same thing. I don't think walk in clinic doctors care to dive further into the mess that is someones health.

I'm also visiting an area of Canada that is known and prone to a lot of drug addicted people. So I wonder if I immediately go in if they suspect that I am on drugs.

I should definitely get another doctor but it's difficult to find another one in Canada. there's a huge shortage which is why I have put up with my doctor for so long. I haven't been set up to meet a gastro doctor yet which would be the most beneficial doctor for me to see. I have other specialist appointments but they are 5 and 8 months away from now.

But yes you are right I should go with my gut about things even though there isn't anything on paper to say that this is whats going on. I'm pretty sure I suffer from celiac but I am also confident that I am suffering from an auto immune disease.

I am considering visiting a private doctor in British Columbia while I am here because it's not allowed in Ontario to have private clinics, so you are at the disposal of the long and slow provincial health care system. Unless you are dying or it's obvious, you are sent on your way and have to wait up to and over a year to get into doctors.

While I know that I am lucky that I am not going overly in debt for my health problems, I would almost rather go in debt to get diagnosed properly so I can get on with my life.

I'm going to continue the gluten free diet but there must be more to this story.

I think when I go into the doctor I get overly emotional but I try to avoid crying infront of them so when I get brushed off as usual it still hurts me a lot.

[GottaSki]

Very frustrating indeed - I completely understand the trying not to cry when talking to doctors - I was dismissed and my celiac symptoms were dismissed as stress, overwork, hormones, motherhood and was suggested more than once that antidepressants would help me feel better. Wrong! I had undiagnosed Celiac for decades - this is why I encourage you to keep looking for answers. You may improve gluten-free and have your answer - I hope this is the case.

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disorders do tend to run together. Have you requested an appointment with Rheumatology as well as Gastroenterology? Perhaps Rheumy can see you more quickly? In the meantime, learn all you can about AIs and make sure you remove ALL the gluten for an accurate test by elimination.