Has anyone here ever been kicked out of a Doctor's practice for non compliance by refusing a statin drug?
I got a phone call today from the nurse at my doctor's office telling me that my lab appointment for tomorrow has been changed to a fasting appointment. The GP has ordered a diabetic labs including A1C and fasting cholesterol.
I asked why the cholesterol test when I am intolerant of statin drugs because of some side effects? The nurse reminded me of the fact that my LDL level was out of control and my A1C at 6.1 wasn't very good either.
She then insuinuated that when a patient's levels are out of control that it makes the doctor and the practice look bad. I was told that 'they' (whomever they are) are putting the pressure on the doctor for all patients, especially diabetic patients, to be under control, and perhaps if I wasn't under control that I would be kicked out of the practice.
So.......now in addition to worrying about managing my diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol - I have to worry whether I will be kicked out of the doctor's practice too? I thought this was America, where we have freedom to choose what medicine we want to take? :(
I'd be very leary of a Dr's office like that. Yes a Dr's office can dismiss patients from the practice...but it usually for pretty significant reasons. Failure to keep scheduled appointments, getting verbally abusive with staff. I think in all the years I have worked in the medical field I have seen it happen like once or twice...both times due to patients getting verbally abusive or inappropriate with staff.
And an A1c of 6.1 in a diabetic is pretty damn good. My personal opinion find a new dr's office.
Not to get all political, BUT I think we are about to see a HUGE change in health care thanks to ObamaCare and a LOT more regulation and providers answering up to patient's performances. This is just my personal take on it working in the medical field, but I'm not impressed with ObamaCare.
I agree with you 100%. This is what Nursie Nightshade was referring to IMHO. In all of my 67 years I've never once been verbally abusive to any health professional. I might cuss in my own home or my car in the parking lot, but never in the doctor's presence.
I had to change endos about a year ago. The last A1C prior to the first appointment was 5.1. He told me if I had another like that I would be released as his patient.
I thought it was cruel, as Endos around here are impossible to find: no pump patients, no patients from other endos, no new patients period. No endo, no pump or, as I call it, no lifeline.
I see on your profile your A1C was 6.4 Assuming this is the one before your 6.1 I would say you are doing great to come down 0.3 points. I aggree that it's time to find another doctor.
My primary care physician said that they are required to report their D patients A1C's and other numbers to the insurance companies. If their patients are not "compliant" or don't fit in to the guidelines they can lose the insurance company reimbursements or be sanctioned as a result. And while this is definitely still America last time I checked doctors with those pesky non compliant D patients can be held liable. But at the same time I agree with Christy, find another doctor. It's just not worth the hassle imho.
An A1C of 6.1 is pretty awesome and indicates at the very least compliance with keeping your blood sugars in check. As far as the other numbers if they're really off the chart then a statin is not necessarily the worst thing in the world. Given the D propensity to get CVD complications I am ok with my doctor recommmending I take one. Whether I do indeed take it or not is not my doctor's business. If I fill the prescription there is nothing that says I actually have to take the pills. And who is going to be watching me ? I'm pretty sure there are no Statin Police hanging out at my house. " Oh yes, I have been taking the lipitor exactly as you prescribed" I guess it is just not working ". Fairly simple little white lie in my opinion. And if you really like the doctor then why not. I didn't type that , it was my evil twin. But seriously if I did everything my doctor told me to do I would be dead.
If 6.1 is not in control I would like to know what is. This sounds to me like an uneducated nurse talking. I would have a serious talk with the doctor about this nurse and if that really is his point of view I would tell him/her I was looking for a doctor when I found him/her.
If this doctor runs his office by threats rather than by caring you will be better off without him/her. I once had a physician assistant tell me that if I wasn't more compliant then there was no reason for me to come back. My response was to ask if he could recommend another doctor.
I would not just write this doctor off automatically but would come to and understanding about how you feel about threats. Remember this was the nurse talking not the doctor.
If I let my evil twin do my typing, then I would be "banned" from the forum. :(
Only one flaw in accepting the statin prescription from the doctor. She faxes it straight to the drugstore. I have already tried every statin there is as of 2009 and had some horrific reactions to each of them. If I accept the Rx, then that means I have to pay for something I am not going to take. I can't afford that kind of wasteful spending as a Senior Citizen.
I understand, right now the Wegman's supermarket is giving away free lipitor. Anyone who has a prescription can get 90 days of lipitor free of charge through April 27th. So I have stocked up on it. And I understand about side effects from statins, I was in pain for more than 5 years as a result of simvastatin and it took me forever to figure it out. It is only through reading info here that I now know what that evil drug was doing to me. I would tell my doctor that I was filling my prescription at the Wegman's for free or that I wanted to compare prices. Just get her to write it for you. If she is hell bent on you taking it, then she will just give you the prescription. You can fill it or not.
Regardless of what kind of "quota's" Dr's need to meet regarding their diabetic patient's. People need to understand their are many reason's that are affecting the level of control one may or may not be getting. Such as the cholesterol, and how you say you have horrible side effects from the Statins. You shouldn't be required to take it, OR purchase it to say you are if there are extenuating circumstances.
No you definitely shouldn't have to take it or buy it, but it is the system we live with and have to abide by. It is the system our physicians are also held to and although it sucks there is not a whole lot I can do about it. So I just smile and nod.
I haven't been kicked out, but rather I "fired" my doctor once because of a lot of things, but the statin issue was the icing on the cake. They wanted me to take them, I had a severe reaction to them, and they kept pushing the "you need to do something about your cholesterol" thing. That particular doc treated all his diabetic patients with statins whether they needed them or not, and I wasn't having that. You need a doctor who listens and who works for and WITH you, not against you.
I fired my endo for being an idiot and thankfully I have found a new endo who not only listens, but respects my ability to treat myself and respects me for having done it pretty well for 37 years. Lipitor does not affect anything besides my cholesterol so I am ok with taking it. Does my doctor push it on me ? no, but at the same time if it doesn't do any harm I am not going to argue. If it did give me the kind of pain that simvastatin did I would not take it.
If you had bad reactions to the statins you tried, then you need to talk to the doc directly about it. Not to Nurse Ratched (you're a senior citizen, you'll get the reference! LOL!). It is totally NOT unreasonable not to take a drug you react badly to. My cardiologist would love it if I took aspirin, but understands perfectly well that I get severe stomach pain for 3 days if I take even a baby aspirin. So, he sometimes forgets, and asks me about it again, and every time, I tell him about the pain, and he doesn't push it. So at least give the doc the benefit of the doubt, and go see him, tell him why you don't want to risk taking statins, and let him know that Nurse R threatened you. Maybe SHE's the one who needs to find a new doctor!
