The Cellar - View Single Post

chrisinhouston · 04-15-2014, 08:43 AM

Last week I went in for my annual exam and left 2 hours later vowing to never go back to this guy.

A little background info: I have mild hypertension or high blood pressure. Been that way since I was 52 or so, a doctor I saw while in Altanta taking care of my parents before they died found out and prescribed BP medication. When I came back to Houston and had to find a new Dr. to get prescriptions I saw a GP who wanted to run every kind of test for just about anything and see me every 3-6 months for followups which I thought was crazy, just a way to fund her practice. So I went to see my mother in law's cardiologist. He seemed ok, he just wanted to see me once a year, do an EKG, etc. My biggest complaint was every time I have gone in to see him I end up waiting 1-2 hours because he runs way behind. He tends to talk a lot during the exam, mostly about himself which gets a bit boring.

After the first year he wanted me to do a nuclear stress test. Now, I'm the only member of my immediate family with high BP and it's most likely because I am a bit overweight and also a bit stressed. No one in my family has ever had heart disease or a heart attack or taken BP medication. I blew if off as my insurance at the time would not cover it until I met my $1000 deductible.

So, this year I go in because I am about to run out of meds and need the refills and he says I should really have the stress test because I "am just about at the right age" . Seems like you should be At the right age and not JUST ABOUT to me. Then he goes on to tell me that I could just do the tread mill stress test that my insurance will cover for a $20 copay.

Then he goes on and on about Obamacare and how horrible it is and how it is ruining the country. I for one don't need to rely on the ACA but I am a big supporter of it. He then goes on to tell me how the Democrats are so bad (I claim to be an Independent but I definitely vote Democrat most of the time). I had to bite my tongue so as not to get in his face and tell him what I was thinking.

Finally I am done and go to pay. Just a $20 copay for my exam which included the EKG and I schedule the stress test for next month. He also wants me to have my blood test done which won't cost me a thing under my insurance! I can only imagine how expensive this exam, the EKG, the stress test and the blood work would be if I had no insurance! I probably just wouldn't do it and I would just go about my life with high BP and probably have a stroke some day.

I go pick up my BP prescription and it's approved for the whole year so I think I now have a year to find a new doctor who doesn't bore me with his political views and doesn't make me wait 2 hours and take tests that I don't really need.

04-15-2014, 08:43 AM	#1
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	Time to find a new cardiolgist! Last week I went in for my annual exam and left 2 hours later vowing to never go back to this guy. A little background info: I have mild hypertension or high blood pressure. Been that way since I was 52 or so, a doctor I saw while in Altanta taking care of my parents before they died found out and prescribed BP medication. When I came back to Houston and had to find a new Dr. to get prescriptions I saw a GP who wanted to run every kind of test for just about anything and see me every 3-6 months for followups which I thought was crazy, just a way to fund her practice. So I went to see my mother in law's cardiologist. He seemed ok, he just wanted to see me once a year, do an EKG, etc. My biggest complaint was every time I have gone in to see him I end up waiting 1-2 hours because he runs way behind. He tends to talk a lot during the exam, mostly about himself which gets a bit boring. After the first year he wanted me to do a nuclear stress test. Now, I'm the only member of my immediate family with high BP and it's most likely because I am a bit overweight and also a bit stressed. No one in my family has ever had heart disease or a heart attack or taken BP medication. I blew if off as my insurance at the time would not cover it until I met my $1000 deductible. So, this year I go in because I am about to run out of meds and need the refills and he says I should really have the stress test because I "am just about at the right age" . Seems like you should be At the right age and not JUST ABOUT to me. Then he goes on to tell me that I could just do the tread mill stress test that my insurance will cover for a $20 copay. Then he goes on and on about Obamacare and how horrible it is and how it is ruining the country. I for one don't need to rely on the ACA but I am a big supporter of it. He then goes on to tell me how the Democrats are so bad (I claim to be an Independent but I definitely vote Democrat most of the time). I had to bite my tongue so as not to get in his face and tell him what I was thinking. Finally I am done and go to pay. Just a $20 copay for my exam which included the EKG and I schedule the stress test for next month. He also wants me to have my blood test done which won't cost me a thing under my insurance! I can only imagine how expensive this exam, the EKG, the stress test and the blood work would be if I had no insurance! I probably just wouldn't do it and I would just go about my life with high BP and probably have a stroke some day. I go pick up my BP prescription and it's approved for the whole year so I think I now have a year to find a new doctor who doesn't bore me with his political views and doesn't make me wait 2 hours and take tests that I don't really need.