Didn't really know where to put this, but I have to get it off my chest - and I figured The Ladies' Room was a good place to vent about a gynecologist.
I've been having heavy periods for about a year now, and had gone to a new gynecologist in April. My usual medical insurance pays for my PAP and annual to be done by a NP, who referred me to gyne at the associated hospital when we discussed what was going on.
I knew I had uterine fibroids, and the gynecologist and I decided on the pill. In August, it had gotten slightly worse, and we discussed surgical options. The fibroids are too small for surgery, but I'm having to change overnight pads every 30-90 minutes for a couple days of my period. This month, I ran around the apartment with a folded-up bath towel to sit on for 3 days because I got tired of having to scrub my chairs if I sat for more than 30 minutes.
So, I'd asked about a focused ultrasound treatment that basically burns the fibroids out of existence. It's an ablation procedure. For me, one of the big pluses is that recovery is 24 hours, rather than the 4-6 weeks that abdominal surgery requires. Both because I live alone, and because my last exacerbation was likely triggered by jaw surgery (I'd not been diagnosed). She said I'd be "an excellent candidate", and said I should let her know if I needed anything written for the insurance company, since it's not standard treatment yet. Neither is it experimental - it's been FDA-approved for a number of years.
So two months ago, I sent in a letter requesting that she write a letter for pre-approval from the insurance company. I reminded her of all the points we'd discussed in the appointment. And I asked that the office inform me by phone or e-mail when they'd sent the letter to the insurance company (since I'd had trouble with insurance stalling in the past).
After two weeks, I hadn't heard anything, so got in touch with the nurse. She couldn't track down the letter or any record of its existence, so I carried in another copy. This time, I also hand-wrote on it that they should confirm with me that they received it. Two more weeks. Nothing. So I called and they said they'd track it down. Eventually, I called and left a message that I'd have to file a complaint with the hospital if I didn't hear back.
Well, that got the office manager's attention. She's been trying to track down the letter, and keeps saying she'll call back, but I keep having to call her 5 days later. Today, she finally called back on her own.
Turns out the letter's been with the doctor this whole time. She told the office manager that she didn't know enough about the procedure to know if it was appropriate or effective, so she couldn't write a letter. And that it was experimental, so the insurance wouldn't cover it anyway.
This is the exact opposite of what she said to my face in her office. AND she made me suffer through three more periods - one of which cause me to have to buy a new set of clothes while out shopping because I'd bled through an overnight pad, tights and a jeans skirt.
I am so upset. Why didn't she get in touch with me immediately to tell me she'd changed her mind? Or at least to tell me she had new information that made her uncomfortable writing the letter?
Yes, I'm terminating my professional relationship with this doctor. Tomorrow, I will also get my medical records - especially since I'm concerned that she either didn't write what she said to me, or that she might try to "amend" them to reflect what she said today to the office manager. And I will also stop by the complaints office of the hospital clinic where she works. This is a university medical center.
On top of it, I called the center that does the procedure. I explained the problem to the doctor there briefly, and he said they would look at my ultrasound to see if I'm a candidate, and that they have a list of gynecologists with whom they've worked. Some are in my network. BUT for the procedure, they require $10,000 up front because they've had so much trouble with insurance companies not paying up - sometimes even when they've given written pre-approval with dollar amounts in the letter.
I'm a full-time graduate student and don't earn much more than $10,000 from my teaching job. So I broke down on the phone. I'm embarrassed, but it was just the final straw.
Going to see my GP first thing Friday to figure out what to do. Oddly, I'd discussed with my GP some of my concerns about previous treatment decisions with the gynecologist in our last appointment.
Oh - and no, Medicaid won't cover any of this. Not that it matters, because they won't get back to me about the application I'm trying to do. I know I'll be declined, but I need proof of being declined in order to apply for charity aid for the transvaginal ultrasound from earlier this year. Even the 10% I pay is kind of pricey.
I know: TL TR. But I had to get this out of my system. I'm not necessarily looking for solutions - just need some support. My mother's solutions was a transvaginal hysterectomy - but she was treated for fibroids when the treatment options were pretty crude. And she was 10 years older than I am. Ugh.
Thanks for reading.
Nabbosa
I've been having heavy periods for about a year now, and had gone to a new gynecologist in April. My usual medical insurance pays for my PAP and annual to be done by a NP, who referred me to gyne at the associated hospital when we discussed what was going on.
I knew I had uterine fibroids, and the gynecologist and I decided on the pill. In August, it had gotten slightly worse, and we discussed surgical options. The fibroids are too small for surgery, but I'm having to change overnight pads every 30-90 minutes for a couple days of my period. This month, I ran around the apartment with a folded-up bath towel to sit on for 3 days because I got tired of having to scrub my chairs if I sat for more than 30 minutes.
So, I'd asked about a focused ultrasound treatment that basically burns the fibroids out of existence. It's an ablation procedure. For me, one of the big pluses is that recovery is 24 hours, rather than the 4-6 weeks that abdominal surgery requires. Both because I live alone, and because my last exacerbation was likely triggered by jaw surgery (I'd not been diagnosed). She said I'd be "an excellent candidate", and said I should let her know if I needed anything written for the insurance company, since it's not standard treatment yet. Neither is it experimental - it's been FDA-approved for a number of years.
So two months ago, I sent in a letter requesting that she write a letter for pre-approval from the insurance company. I reminded her of all the points we'd discussed in the appointment. And I asked that the office inform me by phone or e-mail when they'd sent the letter to the insurance company (since I'd had trouble with insurance stalling in the past).
After two weeks, I hadn't heard anything, so got in touch with the nurse. She couldn't track down the letter or any record of its existence, so I carried in another copy. This time, I also hand-wrote on it that they should confirm with me that they received it. Two more weeks. Nothing. So I called and they said they'd track it down. Eventually, I called and left a message that I'd have to file a complaint with the hospital if I didn't hear back.
Well, that got the office manager's attention. She's been trying to track down the letter, and keeps saying she'll call back, but I keep having to call her 5 days later. Today, she finally called back on her own.
Turns out the letter's been with the doctor this whole time. She told the office manager that she didn't know enough about the procedure to know if it was appropriate or effective, so she couldn't write a letter. And that it was experimental, so the insurance wouldn't cover it anyway.
This is the exact opposite of what she said to my face in her office. AND she made me suffer through three more periods - one of which cause me to have to buy a new set of clothes while out shopping because I'd bled through an overnight pad, tights and a jeans skirt.
I am so upset. Why didn't she get in touch with me immediately to tell me she'd changed her mind? Or at least to tell me she had new information that made her uncomfortable writing the letter?
Yes, I'm terminating my professional relationship with this doctor. Tomorrow, I will also get my medical records - especially since I'm concerned that she either didn't write what she said to me, or that she might try to "amend" them to reflect what she said today to the office manager. And I will also stop by the complaints office of the hospital clinic where she works. This is a university medical center.
On top of it, I called the center that does the procedure. I explained the problem to the doctor there briefly, and he said they would look at my ultrasound to see if I'm a candidate, and that they have a list of gynecologists with whom they've worked. Some are in my network. BUT for the procedure, they require $10,000 up front because they've had so much trouble with insurance companies not paying up - sometimes even when they've given written pre-approval with dollar amounts in the letter.
I'm a full-time graduate student and don't earn much more than $10,000 from my teaching job. So I broke down on the phone. I'm embarrassed, but it was just the final straw.
Going to see my GP first thing Friday to figure out what to do. Oddly, I'd discussed with my GP some of my concerns about previous treatment decisions with the gynecologist in our last appointment.
Oh - and no, Medicaid won't cover any of this. Not that it matters, because they won't get back to me about the application I'm trying to do. I know I'll be declined, but I need proof of being declined in order to apply for charity aid for the transvaginal ultrasound from earlier this year. Even the 10% I pay is kind of pricey.
I know: TL TR. But I had to get this out of my system. I'm not necessarily looking for solutions - just need some support. My mother's solutions was a transvaginal hysterectomy - but she was treated for fibroids when the treatment options were pretty crude. And she was 10 years older than I am. Ugh.
Thanks for reading.
Nabbosa
I had my ablation at age 26. Recovery was great!
So a year later I had my hysterectomy. Yup- recovery stunk. But it was sooooo worth it.
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