Switching doctors

Has anyone ever needed to switch doctors due to a break down in communication? If so could you share your experience and how you transitioned over?

I had to switch doctors five or six years ago but it wasn’t because of a communication problem (that I realized). I had been diagnosed with a labia cyst when I was sixteen and sent to an Ob-Gyn by my childhood family doctor, to have it removed. That was almost forty years ago.

Once I was a patient of the Gynecologist I continued to go to him for annual pelvic exams and PAP smears. My medical fetish results in me becoming abnormally sexually aroused from the time the appointment is made until a week or more after it’s over. I went to this doctor every year for thirty years and he never once mentioned my condition which I knew he couldn’t help but notice.

He never did anything in the least inappropriate and I was always so ashamed of myself but completely unable to control it.

When he retired a friend recommended a doctor that she was seeing (an FP). The very first time my new doctor (a woman) performed a pelvic exam, she had me come to her office afterward and asked if it was normal for me to become aroused during the examination or if she had done anything to cause it.

After sobbing for several minutes I was finally able to tell her that I had always had the problem. She told me that it wasn’t common but also certainly not unheard of and was very supportive.

Since then I’ve had five or six exams done by her and I am much more relaxed (but, I shudder to say, no less excited). If she hadn’t had the courage to be so pro-active I would still be suffering that mortal shame. So changing doctors worked out well for me.

Mine would not take the time of day and call me fat.She had a couple of nurses that would fit my bill (fat) so i changed she is not getting any of my money now.If the shoe gets tight or worn out change them,also doctors.

I have switched docs once (other than due to moving away) and my ex did so once as well. Both times, we just found a new doc with whom we were compatible and just had him / her request the charts from the previous doc.

Yes I had to switch family doctors before as my last one would not listen to me at all, nor would she investigate the problems that I had. So because of that I found a better family doctor that I have had for almost a year now. As for the rest of the question I just left her, I got copy of my records and got a new family doctor and never went back to my old one.

I'm gay and had a gay doctor which was nice, because I could openly discuss important concerns. However, at one point I went on Effexor for anxiety due to multiple deaths in family and illness in small time frame. I have abandonment issues and was having coping issues. After a year, I felt I could ease off the meds and try time without them. If I needed them again, I would just ask to restart. The doctor fought me telling me it wasn't a good idea, not explaining any basis.

Once I said I wasn't going to take them, he stopped listening to me and gave me an attitude. I immediately chose another doctor at the same site, told him the problem I was having. He took me on as patient and the other doctor knew, but never said anything about it. Fast forward to this year, having new anxiety issues, at a new doctor closer to home. When I told him my experience with previous doctor he was visually upset that the doctor treated me that way.

The previous doctor didn't even address the side effects of medicine. The new doctor wants to eliminate the side effects as much as possible and said he'll back me up when I choose to stay or go off the meds. If they don't listen to your needs, worries, complaints, then change..

I just completed a change due to an authoritarian and controlling attitude.

I simply found a new doctor by referral from friends and colleagues. At the new doc, I signed a release and he sent for my records. The old doc STILL called to confirm my next appointment. I just told them I wouldn't be needing it. No muss, no fuss.

Remember, they work for you, not the other way around.

Recently the physician our family had gone to for almost 30 years moved out of the area (not retired). I continued with my specialist however my husband needed to find and internist or family practice physician. He is relatively healthy needing only minor blood pressure regulation. The first physician he went to was very thorough however after testing and xrays would not give him an honest answer, gave different answers to the same question and evaded giving answers to direct questions. He felt he couldn't trust her, however when going to a different physician there were obstacles to her office providing his records to them. We finally got his copies of his records from the original physician and test results from the testing facilities.

Sometimes things are difficult but if you are uncomfortable with the physician you have it is worth it.

Until having to change physicians I knew we had a good physician but did not realize exactly how exceptional he was. We are really going to miss him

I can usually tell from a first visit if there is, or isn't, communication. With doctors whom I was paying without insurance, it was simple. No phone calls to the insurance company to make a change. No lengthy records to get transferred. In one case, the doctor wanted all his specialty patients on a specific drug, which made no sense to me. In two cases, the doctors had to close their practices because of personal health issues. One for good. Another for a period of time. I can't say that I was even asked by doctor replacements why I ended up in his practice as a new patient.