Great News at the Doctor's Office

Today was my semi-annual doctor's appointment. Due to a chronic illness, I see my doctor for a checkup twice a year to be certain I'm as healthy as possible. I don't mind seeing her at all. I actually like her very much, which I can't say about many of the doctors I've had in the past.

My appointment started like always. I stepped up on the scale. The nurse took my blood pressure. I breathed deeply while she listened to my heart and lungs. I held still while she checked my nose, eyes, ears, and throat. Just like always.

While we were discussing my medication, she asked me about the reduced dose of one drug in particular. Her physician's assistant had me reduce it last fall, and she was curious about how I was feeling and what my readings had been since the change.

After a brief discussion, she looked at me and asked the question I never thought I would hear. As casual as can be, she asked, "What would you think about being taken completely off of (that medicine)?"

I nearly leapt off the table in joy. I have been trying to get off that stuff for the past 16 years. I never thought it would happen and told her so.

She smiled and told me I was doing well enough that we could give it a shot. She wants me to step it down gradually, of course. We've been reducing it slowly for a while. I'm currently at half the dose I was taking two years ago. I honestly thought my current dose was the best I could do.

She explained that most people who take the medicine I will be stopping are forced to increase it over time as their conditions worsen. The more medicine used, the more side effects occur such as weight gain, confusion, excessive sweating, loss of consciousness, and seizures to name a few. I have personally experienced more than one of those side effects during my years with the medicine.

I was seeing a different doctor when I received my diagnosis 16 years ago. The nurse practitioner who diagnosed me was adamant that I would be on the medicine in question as well as a host of others for the rest of my life. In fact, we argued about adding more drugs every time I saw her. No matter well I did, that lady wanted to add more medicine. The doctor was the same way. I am no shrinking violet and stand up for myself. Therefore, I divorced that doctor and his staff. Zero stars. Would not recommend.

After an agonizing search, I found another doctor who was pretty good. He listened to me and then told me that he knew best. What I liked about him was the fact he didn't try to force a drug on me every time I saw him. I stayed with him until my insurance changed and no longer covered his network.

This forced to me to change networks completely. I asked around and requested recommendations on social media. Most of the doctors my friends recommended were not accepting new patients. By sheer dumb luck, I found Dr. Mary and she had some patient openings. I finally discovered what having a good relationship with a doctor feels like.

My doctor listens to me and uses her knowledge along with a healthy measure of common sense in medical care. Early in our relationship, I saw her for a mystery rash that refused to go away. I didn't know what caused it, but it was painful. She examined it, told me to rinse my laundry twice, and head to the baby aisle of my local drug store for some A&D Ointment, which I was to use morning and night. She was right. The rash was gone within a week. No steroids or unnecessary medicine.

Dr. Mary has taken me off more than one drug that I no longer needed, and I am far healthier now than when I first started seeing her a few years ago. She believes this move may make me feel even better than I already do.

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