BreaknBrix
Power Member
- Mar 25, 2014
- 778
- 4,523
I've been seeing my current doctor for about 18 months now. Before this guy I use to see an awesome doctor in Brooklyn. The man was a genius, polite as hell, listened to his patients, respected their opinions and extremely affordable since I don't have health insurance. His office visits were only $60 / visit which is unheard of in New Jersey.
Problem is I grew sick of driving up to Brooklyn every month to go see him. Its 1 hour ride there, 2 hours in the office, 1 hour back = 4 hours wasted every month and I realized "I need to find a local doctor around his price range".
Now, I work out and run 4-5 days a week. Eat 3 salads a day, but I AM a salt fiend, drink coffee nonstop and smoke 4-5 American Spirits / day (the natural, non-additive cigs). I went from smoking 2 packs of Marlboro menthol, down to 1 pack, down to a half a pack, then switched to these natural cigs which don't taste as good and it's much easier to smoke less. My plan is to eventually transition to e-cigs then drop the habit.
Anyway, I've been on a low dose (.25mg) of suboxone for about 5 years now. Because of this, legally, I have to see a doctor once every month.
About 18 months ago I made 14 phone calls and found a doctor within 20 minutes of my home. Office visits were only $100/month.... but I sensed I was gonna have problems with this man. Not just cause he's 5' 4" and 300lbs, but he's a stubborn, authoritarian type control freak. And over the months I've caught him in many lies which led to a verbal argument in his office yesterday.
This was basically how the conversation went -
Doctor - So how is the benicar going?
Me - I didn't take it cause it was $150 and I'm not paying $150 / month for any medicine.
Doctor - This is the 9th blood pressure medicine I've prescribed you that you've refused to take.
Me - I don't refuse to take them doc, the problem is I take them for 2-3 days, the side effects are horrendous, I get headaches, lethargy, I feel like a zombie and then I stop taking them.
Doctor - You've been in stage 2 hypertension since the 1st day you walked into this office, I tell you this everytime you come in here son but you are most likely going to die of a stroke or heart attack in your early 50's.
Me - Doc, I'm perfectly aware this is a very serious problem.
Doctor - You have no problem taking your suboxone... cause it makes you feel good or 'motivated' as you say, but you refuse to take what you really need... and I ethically can't keep doing this. I'm telling you son, lowering your salt intake, coffee or quitting smoking is NOT going to fix this problem. Numbers this high, this consistently as this young an age mean this is a genetic problem. If I can not get your blood pressure down.... let me just put it this way... I'm not assisting your suicide.
Me - You "ethically" can't keep doing this?... do you need me to sign a waiver or something?
Doctor - Excuse me?
Me - I'm saying, I will sign a waiver that states I'm perfectly aware of all the risks of not taking blood pressure medicines... if it'll make you feel any better.
Doctor - That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is I care about you son, and if you are not going to take this problem seriously, then I can no longer be your suboxone doctor.
Me - Doctor, when I first came into this office a year and half ago... you told me I had 2 options. Option 1, you could treat me as a suboxone doctor or Option 2, you could treat me both for suboxone and as a medical doctor. I told you I'd prefer if you just treated me as a suboxone doctor. But NOWWW you're telling me you won't do that? So you lied to me?
*this pissed him off
Doctor - Son, I reserve the right to treat my patients how I wish to treat them. I can change my mind whenever I want. I'm telling you, this is your last warning. If you do not take the new medicine I'm prescribing you, I will not be your doctor anymore and I won't prescribe your suboxone.
Me - *I sense he's trying to threaten me so I just roll my eyes.
Doctor - Don't you understand I'm doing this cause I care about you? I'm trying to tell you that you will DIE if you do NOT start managing your blood pressure.
Me - Ok, I get it. You "care about me" (I say this very sarcastically). So your plan is to stop seeing me and outright stop prescribing me suboxone. That way I have to go hunting for a new suboxone doctor. And as we both know... less than 5% of doctors are licensed to prescribe suboxone. So it's gonna take me months to find a new doctor. I'm going to run out of suboxone during that time, go through withdrawals and will be forced to relapse on illegal street opiates until I can find a new doctor. All of this during a time in my life when I'm the most stable I've ever been, my business is doing great, life is great.... and your plan is to help me mess all that up?
Doctor - Son, I'm not gonna collaborate with you about this.
*I reach the point where I realize "I don't give a fuck what happens right now".
So I pour more gas on the fire and raise my voice a few decibels..
Me - I say this with all due respect doctor, but HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED IN THE MIRROR?! You're severely obese, you're on more than 1 blood pressure medicine as you said, for all we know you're gonna be diabetic in another 5 years OR you're already in pre-diabetes.... yet you're telling ME you're not gonna see me anymore cause the last 9 meds you gave me all made me feel like shit and I'd simply rather die early or fix this issue naturally rather than live my life feeling like a zombie? Does that really seem "ethical" or make any sense to you?
Doctor - (he finally realizes all his patients are listening and shuts the door) Son, we are not here to discuss my health. I'm telling you right now. I'm either going to write you a script for a new blood pressure medicine and you're going to take it, or you can walk outside this office right now.
Me - Fine, write the script. I'll take the med and our next meeting will be very interesting to say the least.
He writes the script, says "merry christmas" with a very detached, pissed off tone. I say "you too" then stomp out of the office. The secretary asked me what happened, then I tell her how I think SHE'S an awesome person, but the doctor she works for is an overbearing asshole and hyprocrite.
So this is my plan. I'm going to get the "valsartan" he prescribed me. I already know based on http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20665&name=DIOVAN that I won't be able to take it for more than a few days. Askapatient is usually spot on with their reviews and this med has horrible reviews and side effects.
But next time I go back, I'm bringing a letter with me. This letter will be my sword. It will be a very passionate, well written letter mentioning all the good things I can think of about my doctor. But I'm also going to tell my story, call him out for the liar he is, the hypocrite, a doctor who doesn't respect his patients opinions, an authoritarian control freak, his weight problems... then some very bad things about how he runs his practice. It's a long story but he uses a very sneaky method to extort his patients for money. Legally speaking it wouldn't be considered extortion, but ethically speaking it's the exact definition of extortion. Extortion is defined as "the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats". What he does is you call him up the 1st time, he says office visits are "$100/month". But then he tries to force you to see him twice a month (so he makes $200/month from each patient). For as long as I've seen him he's always said "come back in 2 week". And I ALWAYS come back in 4 cause I know legally speaking, I only have to see him once a month. But I also know there's tons of patients who fall for this shit. I've heard him speak to dozens of other patients and he always says the same shit to them. I've even asked patients in the waiting room "does this guy ever write you refills" and not 1 person has told me "yes". He does all this cause he's a greedy fat fucking pos.
So IF he says on our next visit "I can't see you anymore", I'm gonna say...
"Not a problem doc. You might have a PHD in medicine, but I have a PHD in spamming. And I'm leaving you with this 1 simple letter. I suggest you read it very carefully. Because this letter will be posted on vitals.com, healthgrades, g local, suboxones find-a-doctor website, locations and reviews, every directory your practice is listed in... and on top of that I'm going to submit the article to more than 10 million websites optimized for your name so if anyone searches your practice on Google, THIS ARTICLE will be the first thing they read. Have a nice life".
Moral of the story - stay away from fat doctors.
-BB
Problem is I grew sick of driving up to Brooklyn every month to go see him. Its 1 hour ride there, 2 hours in the office, 1 hour back = 4 hours wasted every month and I realized "I need to find a local doctor around his price range".
Now, I work out and run 4-5 days a week. Eat 3 salads a day, but I AM a salt fiend, drink coffee nonstop and smoke 4-5 American Spirits / day (the natural, non-additive cigs). I went from smoking 2 packs of Marlboro menthol, down to 1 pack, down to a half a pack, then switched to these natural cigs which don't taste as good and it's much easier to smoke less. My plan is to eventually transition to e-cigs then drop the habit.
Anyway, I've been on a low dose (.25mg) of suboxone for about 5 years now. Because of this, legally, I have to see a doctor once every month.
About 18 months ago I made 14 phone calls and found a doctor within 20 minutes of my home. Office visits were only $100/month.... but I sensed I was gonna have problems with this man. Not just cause he's 5' 4" and 300lbs, but he's a stubborn, authoritarian type control freak. And over the months I've caught him in many lies which led to a verbal argument in his office yesterday.
This was basically how the conversation went -
Doctor - So how is the benicar going?
Me - I didn't take it cause it was $150 and I'm not paying $150 / month for any medicine.
Doctor - This is the 9th blood pressure medicine I've prescribed you that you've refused to take.
Me - I don't refuse to take them doc, the problem is I take them for 2-3 days, the side effects are horrendous, I get headaches, lethargy, I feel like a zombie and then I stop taking them.
Doctor - You've been in stage 2 hypertension since the 1st day you walked into this office, I tell you this everytime you come in here son but you are most likely going to die of a stroke or heart attack in your early 50's.
Me - Doc, I'm perfectly aware this is a very serious problem.
Doctor - You have no problem taking your suboxone... cause it makes you feel good or 'motivated' as you say, but you refuse to take what you really need... and I ethically can't keep doing this. I'm telling you son, lowering your salt intake, coffee or quitting smoking is NOT going to fix this problem. Numbers this high, this consistently as this young an age mean this is a genetic problem. If I can not get your blood pressure down.... let me just put it this way... I'm not assisting your suicide.
Me - You "ethically" can't keep doing this?... do you need me to sign a waiver or something?
Doctor - Excuse me?
Me - I'm saying, I will sign a waiver that states I'm perfectly aware of all the risks of not taking blood pressure medicines... if it'll make you feel any better.
Doctor - That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is I care about you son, and if you are not going to take this problem seriously, then I can no longer be your suboxone doctor.
Me - Doctor, when I first came into this office a year and half ago... you told me I had 2 options. Option 1, you could treat me as a suboxone doctor or Option 2, you could treat me both for suboxone and as a medical doctor. I told you I'd prefer if you just treated me as a suboxone doctor. But NOWWW you're telling me you won't do that? So you lied to me?
*this pissed him off
Doctor - Son, I reserve the right to treat my patients how I wish to treat them. I can change my mind whenever I want. I'm telling you, this is your last warning. If you do not take the new medicine I'm prescribing you, I will not be your doctor anymore and I won't prescribe your suboxone.
Me - *I sense he's trying to threaten me so I just roll my eyes.
Doctor - Don't you understand I'm doing this cause I care about you? I'm trying to tell you that you will DIE if you do NOT start managing your blood pressure.
Me - Ok, I get it. You "care about me" (I say this very sarcastically). So your plan is to stop seeing me and outright stop prescribing me suboxone. That way I have to go hunting for a new suboxone doctor. And as we both know... less than 5% of doctors are licensed to prescribe suboxone. So it's gonna take me months to find a new doctor. I'm going to run out of suboxone during that time, go through withdrawals and will be forced to relapse on illegal street opiates until I can find a new doctor. All of this during a time in my life when I'm the most stable I've ever been, my business is doing great, life is great.... and your plan is to help me mess all that up?
Doctor - Son, I'm not gonna collaborate with you about this.
*I reach the point where I realize "I don't give a fuck what happens right now".
So I pour more gas on the fire and raise my voice a few decibels..
Me - I say this with all due respect doctor, but HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED IN THE MIRROR?! You're severely obese, you're on more than 1 blood pressure medicine as you said, for all we know you're gonna be diabetic in another 5 years OR you're already in pre-diabetes.... yet you're telling ME you're not gonna see me anymore cause the last 9 meds you gave me all made me feel like shit and I'd simply rather die early or fix this issue naturally rather than live my life feeling like a zombie? Does that really seem "ethical" or make any sense to you?
Doctor - (he finally realizes all his patients are listening and shuts the door) Son, we are not here to discuss my health. I'm telling you right now. I'm either going to write you a script for a new blood pressure medicine and you're going to take it, or you can walk outside this office right now.
Me - Fine, write the script. I'll take the med and our next meeting will be very interesting to say the least.
He writes the script, says "merry christmas" with a very detached, pissed off tone. I say "you too" then stomp out of the office. The secretary asked me what happened, then I tell her how I think SHE'S an awesome person, but the doctor she works for is an overbearing asshole and hyprocrite.
So this is my plan. I'm going to get the "valsartan" he prescribed me. I already know based on http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20665&name=DIOVAN that I won't be able to take it for more than a few days. Askapatient is usually spot on with their reviews and this med has horrible reviews and side effects.
But next time I go back, I'm bringing a letter with me. This letter will be my sword. It will be a very passionate, well written letter mentioning all the good things I can think of about my doctor. But I'm also going to tell my story, call him out for the liar he is, the hypocrite, a doctor who doesn't respect his patients opinions, an authoritarian control freak, his weight problems... then some very bad things about how he runs his practice. It's a long story but he uses a very sneaky method to extort his patients for money. Legally speaking it wouldn't be considered extortion, but ethically speaking it's the exact definition of extortion. Extortion is defined as "the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats". What he does is you call him up the 1st time, he says office visits are "$100/month". But then he tries to force you to see him twice a month (so he makes $200/month from each patient). For as long as I've seen him he's always said "come back in 2 week". And I ALWAYS come back in 4 cause I know legally speaking, I only have to see him once a month. But I also know there's tons of patients who fall for this shit. I've heard him speak to dozens of other patients and he always says the same shit to them. I've even asked patients in the waiting room "does this guy ever write you refills" and not 1 person has told me "yes". He does all this cause he's a greedy fat fucking pos.
So IF he says on our next visit "I can't see you anymore", I'm gonna say...
"Not a problem doc. You might have a PHD in medicine, but I have a PHD in spamming. And I'm leaving you with this 1 simple letter. I suggest you read it very carefully. Because this letter will be posted on vitals.com, healthgrades, g local, suboxones find-a-doctor website, locations and reviews, every directory your practice is listed in... and on top of that I'm going to submit the article to more than 10 million websites optimized for your name so if anyone searches your practice on Google, THIS ARTICLE will be the first thing they read. Have a nice life".
Moral of the story - stay away from fat doctors.
-BB
), off various things that hurt my "ego"... but I am now enjoying my life even though my cardiac efficiency is not what it should normally be. I am alive, becuase I have a great anger control device (mind control!) firmly in place. I am totally off nicotine since that moment in his room (since November 2011), off Tea (our tea contains milk and sugar), off sweets, am on proper diet, and even if I die tonight, I will die a much better person and even with these severe complications. I believe that that doctor, however "rude" he sounded in that one off meeting, made me turn back sharply and made me take the most appropriate actions -- instantly!
