So the office bitch, after screwing up so many things for me told me today
"You are scaring me" Isn't that just so sweet and PREJUDICE?
I have literally not been treated by the doctor since the middle of December when I finished coming off of the Lamictal and Prozac so I could get a DNA test to see what is the best medicine for me.
I don't know how I can explain the horrible treatment I have experienced from this doctor's office staff but I will try and explain what is going on now.
I came off of Lamictal and Prozac starting the beginning on November so that they could do a DNA test to see if I would be better treated with an ADD drug.
It was scary but I did it. I asked how long the test took to come back and was told 1 or 2 days. So before my appointment in the middle of December I asked if I could come in and just do the swabs so that the test would be there when my appoint came the next week.
So no problem except at my appointment I am told that one of the staff just up and quit and they can't find my test and the company doesn't have it. I am given another test and told that the day it comes in they will call and put me in that day.
A couple weeks go by, nothing. I call last week and I'm told the test is not in. So today, Kismet or something but I mistakenly think I am completely out of Klonopin so I call. I'm told I need a hard copy AND I am told that as of last Friday something came to the office that I have to sign before the company who did the DNA will release my tests. (Notice no one called me to take care of this? But I am supposed to be brought right in as soon as my DNA tests come in!)
She hands me this paper from the DNA company and basically it tells me that Medicare might not pay and I have to sign to agree to pay a mere, "$1,750" if they don't. But I read further and it is saying something about "my diagnosis or treatment history does not meet the current criteria of the Medicare coverage policy for (this company)
So I go back to the desk, in the meantime people are coming and going because this doctor is doing some new things and I guess has a lot more patients, I ask her what she knows about this and after getting nothing from her I ask her for the number to call the company.
I sit down and call the company. I find out that it is not coded right!!!!!!!! So I go up to the desk again with the phone and she takes it an talks to the person and it is fixed in less than 2 minutes. Voila' I don't have to pay $1,750!
But in the meantime, the doctor sticks his head out the door and I tell him about the medication. He says he'll write a partial script.
During this time that I find out that twice I was not called when they were told by the company that they would not continue with my test and no one bothered to call. And during the time I had to figure out by myself what the fuck was going on. And during the time I realized that they have done nothing, zero, squat to help with this test......I am told
"You are in the way of patients" "You just need to leave" "If you don't leave I will call the police" and
"You are scaring me"
(I am a bit loud, not yelling but obviously pissed off and not going to go away like the bitch wanted me to. She said all of this in front of other people)
I am in the process of writing a letter to this doctor.
And so while writing this I look up "prejudice" and 'mental illness" and this is one of the first things I come upon.
http://scattergoodfoundation.org/prejudice#.Vp3UVPkrKa1
Fear and exclusion: People with mental illness should be feared and kept out of most communities. This prejudice is closely linked to endorsement of the dangerousness stereotype and the blame stereotype. This often is expressed as NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) directed towards establishments that serve people with mental health conditions like treatment facilities or facilities that offer job training for people with mental illness. However, individuals can fear and avoid specific individuals with mental illness as well. Excluding a neighbor with mental illness from a dinner party or neighborhood event are good examples.
Authoritarianism: People with mental illness are irresponsible and others should make their decisions. This is closely related to endorsement of the incompetence stereotype. This prejudice can apply to many decisions people with mental illness could make like decisions about taking medication, decisions about personal finances, or decisions about raising children. In theses instances the authoritarianism prejudice suggests that individuals with mental illness should not be allowed to make those decisions on their own.
(There is more at the link)
= new reply since forum marked as read
The woman you're having the problem with was hired by him, after all. It's awful what you're having to go through. I think you're coping extremely well, considering everything.
There are too many red flags with this one: staff who just up and quit, inadequate training in dealing with patients, inadequate training on basic office management. I would be scared to trust my health..esp my mental health to anyone with this level of unprofessionalism.
I understand though the limits of finding good medical care due to geography and/or insurance and I am really sorry you had to experience this.
There is this great song called "I'm gonna show you crazy" that I thought of when you talked about the office bitch...of course you are going to be upset...it has nothing to do with your diagnosis and everything to with being jerked around.
I hope the best for you.
