I requested a new Primary Care Doctor this week

[KathrynJulia]

Hi everyone.  When I am frustrated I  Ilike to wait before I post to give  myself time to get meunder control.  I have been seeing this Primary Care Doctor for about a year and a half, where I get six month appointments and no matter what the issue I Have, I can call,but I never receive a call back.  I have type 1 diabetes and she tries to push as much of my care off on my endocrinologist as she can.

She handed me a specimen  cup on Monday for a urine specimen and gave me a funny look when  I requested a pair of gloves or a specimen collection hate for the toilet.    Doctor I no longer have a penis.  I have a vagina.  A urine specimen results in half of the urine missing and either gets all over my hands or all over the specimen cup.  This wasn't computing for her.  Doctor, I realize most of your patients are men, but I'm a post-Op Transgender women.  I need to be treated like a female patient.  

It's pretty bad when my Endo has to schedule me for breast exams and a pelvic exam over to the woman's center.  And for dilating I had been using Esterase Cream, it softens the vagina and allows more comfortable dilating.  No you need to see your endocrinologist to get it refilled because it has a small amount of estrogen in a topical cream. You insert a tubefull about 2 days before you dilate and it makes dilation easier.  Every medication request is met with a discussion with her why I need it.

Monday,was the final straw.  She got mad when I had two expiring out of refills medications.  And she was going to refil them for me.  When I told her I had called Endocrinology that morning for refills and they had called me back in about a half hour and they were refilling them.    She blew up at me.  I don't know why I see you at all.  Well Doctor, I don't know either.   I can only see you every six months, I see my endocrinologist on average every two to  three months.  

And since you palm off as much of my care to them anyways.  I won't repeat what was said afterwards, but their were some very unprofessional attacks directed towards me.  I reported them to the appropriate VA. Person who handles  complaints such as mine. And. I'm being reassigned to a woman's Primary Care Doctor who usually sees transgender patients at the St Louis VA.  I'm awaiting several letters about this. Otherwise my care has been wonderful from the St Louis VA.  

Regards every veteran on Lauras

KathrynJulia  former Sgt. U.S.Army  1973 to 1981

[Carolyn Marie]

Wow, that's horrible, KJ.  I can't imagine a doctor going off on their patient.  It seems likely that she just didn't want to treat a trans woman, but couldn't bring herself to tell you (not in so many words, anyway).  Good riddance to bad bananas.  You'll be much better off.  Good for you for standing your ground, too.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest]

OMG!! That's terrible!! I can't believe that. Well, yes I can, I had a couple different neurologists that literally deserved a poke in the eye for being lazy and argumentative. And I actually called my insurance to complain about her. Luckily I don't see her anymore. 

 

I hope your bext doc is much more pleasant.  

[Jani]

Kathryn I am sorry you had to put up with this BS for so long, especially coming from the VA.  I hope your new doctor is warm and caring.  You deserve it!  **Big HUG**

Jani

[Steffi_Memmel]

Deplorable....  And Inexcusable...  And a bunch of words that'll get *bleeped* if I try t say them

I'm so sorry you're having to put up with such nonsense.

25 minutes ago, Jani423 said:

 I hope your new doctor is warm and caring.  You deserve it!  **Big HUG**

From me, too

 

[KathrynJulia]

Most of my care at the VA has been top notch.  I've only had three appointments with this doctor.  I'll get a new Primary Care Doctor who will be top notch.  My endocrinologist and her nurse practitioner do a great job and give me really good care. I still believe it was inferior doctor that gave me inferior crap care,   She didn't want a Trans patient and that led to my strokes.  I've worked too long,inmedicine,not to tell substandard care.  

I was busy with a new job, and I should have got off my butt and found someone.I know about 10 Primary Care, family medicine doctors who graduated from our residency program in Columbia Mo and we worked so closely with our resident family practice resident doctors.  There are some good ones practicing in St Louis.that I could have found one good one to work with.

Just my own fault.  Being trans, it is harder finding a doctor who is comfortable with us.   I was seeing a gynecologist for the first time and she blew in and chatting with me, so I had no chance  to warn her that I was trans.  She did a cursory inspection and ask when did I have my hysterectomy and when was my last period.   I hstarted to giggle and told herI was trans and that I had Gender Confirmation Surgery the year before.  She told me I was her firstTrans patient. But told me my doctor did a good job on creating my vagina.  It fooled her.  And I continued to see

her until I moved to St Louis.  It's a 130 mile trip one way to see her.  My doctor was going to call her because she wrote me a prescription for a vaginal cream that has a low dose of estrogen that I like for dilating.  It softens and allows tissue expansion for dilation.  It works really well.   And I want a refill.

Kathryn