I can't stand my pulmonologist. I have asthma all my life.

[Maraya1969]

I've been hospitalized 4 times in the past when I have gotten a cold or the flu and it ended up as an infection in my lungs. This asthma is not something to sneeze at.

I have had doctors in the past say that there were going to treat it, "aggressively" which would always work.

So somehow in the last couple years I have ended up with a new doctor, (well my regular guy retired and she was just kind of appointed to me)


In the last few months I have had an exacerbation of symptoms. I don't know why. But twice when I spoke to her she just kept the medicines the same but added a course of prednisone even after I suggested using some of the older medications that used to help in the past.

So finally after bitching at the triage nurse yesterday she called in an inhaled steroid, (which is better than taking pills since it goes directly into your lungs). I decided to look up the dosage and I realized she has me on a very low dose!!!!!!!!!!!

FUCK! This has gotten so bad that I can't even walk around the damn block anymore and she decides, "Let's start her off slow"

I am just increasing the dose myself. It is still a tiny amount compared to taking the pills. And I'm going to look for a different doctor.

I am so mad now I could spit! I can't believe I have been suffering like this for months now and it is completely unnecessary!

[Bayard]

1. I hear you.

Yes, find another doctor who listens to you.

I also have asthma, and frequent respiratory infections. I love my pulmonologist! He's Pakistani though, and went back to get his visa renewed. Government has been delaying him getting back here for 2 months now.

In the meantime, I switched from Walgreens to CVS for prescriptions, because they would ship them directly to me. i wouldn't have to go out, and my insurance would cover it. I've been on the Symbicort inhaler for 4+ years. Insurance has suddenly decided they want to deny it, no reason given. Now they don't even want Walgreens to fill it, even with a new prescription from my GP. We've tried other things, and the Symbicort is the other thing that works for me.

I am beyond pissed!

[MenloParque]

2. Advair?

I have dealt with asthma my entire life so I know what you are going through. I have been on advair diskus as a preventative for the last 10 years and I have not needed prednisone since. For me It’s a life changing inhaled corticosteroid.

[Maraya1969]

6. I looked up Advair and it has the same medications as Symbicort but Advair seems

to have more of the drug in it. But then again they are a little different in the names and that pisses me off because I can't really compare them.

But if this is a higher dose than using Symbicort why didn't she just switch me to this? Because the Symbicort stopped working and that is what has been the problem.

Well I guess the answer is still find another doctor since the one I have won't answer anything.

[MenloParque]

8. I've used both.

Advair has helped me tremendously to keep my asthma from flaring up. As a matter of fact the advair inhalers come in different doses. If you have severe asthma which it sounds like you do, ask about the 500/50 advair...the strong one! Fight your insurance for it - it is expensive out of pocket.

[MuseRider]

3. Find another.

My husband, who was a doctor, is always stunned at the way I get treated. He goes in and wham and boom and a couple of Yahoos and he is in a bed with IVs and released the next day because they just wanted to observe. I was in the ER and the female doctor asked me what was going on and I told her that I was out walking and my chest felt tight in a way it never had and I was having PVC's. I am a retired ICU nurse. Of course she did not know that but knew all about my husband because they had had a nice long chat before she even looked at me. Once she heard me say PVC's she put her hand on her hip and looked at me and asked me, "Well where did we hear all about PVC's?" I got up and left, I would rather have died. Every single time I go to the doctor, which is rare because damn they treat you like you have no business taking up their time, he goes because he still thinks I am making this up. I never come out of an office with even a diagnosis just a "complaint". Thankfully the doctor who takes care of a problem I have had since I was 20 listens and does what he can in his specialty. He happens to be our governors husband and we talk about how much she loves it and work is so interesting to her. Just an aside, it makes it even cooler when I go in. It is a mess and I hope this is not why you are not being neglected.

[Maraya1969]

7. I have found that the more expert the doctor the more willing they are to listen to your

suggestions. Maybe they are just more open minded or self assured and don't worry about someone hurting their self esteem or something.

[procon]

4. My pulmonologist has the same reserved outlook.

I have to suggest meds. He seems unconcerned, reluctant to use anything beyond his routine drugs, like one size fits all.

Very frustrating to deal with someone who doesn't take you seriously.

[cyclonefence]

5. It's such a PITA to break in a new doctor

This has happened to me, too, and several times since I've gotten so old--they all retire. You build up a relationship with a doctor, and when you have a chronic illness, that doctor knows you and knows what will help. These new guys act like they are inventing the wheel, and they won't pay attention to what you tell them. You've had the damn disease for years and years; they've studied it and treated some patients--but NOT YOU.

My pulmonologist is a gem. He once told me he'd learned a lot from me! When I call in with a problem he says "I know you're not a complainer, so this must be pretty bad."

I asked him if he had plans to retire, and he said "No--I've just been through a very expensive divorce."

I hope you can find someone, maybe someone older, who will respect you and what you say. And good luck with your asthma. This is no time to get sick.