Bad test results and doctor is not responding.

October 26, 2023 12:33 PM

I saw an endocrinologist for one reason and he did a couple of tests. Something unexpected turned up.

This doctor was pretty dismissive of my issue. It gave me some very rote answers that I could have gotten from Google. But did a couple of blood tests anyway. The results on my cortisol level were that mine is 1.0. Normal for this test is 6-13. And yes, I took a pill the night before and got blood work first thing in the morning (suggestion from my sister, the nurse). This was ten days ago. I have written him twice (using a portal) to ask for advice or direction and it has been radio silence.

I wrote my primary about another issue and asked what she thought of the results. She said, "It could be many things- follow up with him." I get that- professional courtesy.

I don't know if insurance will pay for a second opinion, but I am at the point I don't know if I care.
I know it is not life-threatening, but it should not be ignored.

Any advice?

posted by shaarog to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

Best answer: Call the endocrinologist's office, don't trust the portal. Leave messages for the endocrinologist with their front desk staff. Call every day until you hear back from the endocrinologist. Say something like, "I have tried X times to contact Endocrinologist about my abnormal test results. This is urgent. He needs to call me back." You can say it politely and in a normal tone, no need to yell or act alarmed. But be relentless and persistent.

If nobody gets back to you within, say, 5 working days, tell your primary care doctor that this guy has ghosted you and you need their help interpreting these results. Do not slip this in with some other request, and ask directly and politely for what you want. If your PCP cannot interpret these results for you and treat you for it, ask for a new referral to see a different endocrinologist. That's not called a "second opinion". It's just trying to get the care you need after a doctor abruptly ghosts you after taking on your case. Your insurance has to cover it as part of your normal care.

BTW ghosting you might actually be a violation of professional ethics? You might want to look it up and report the doctor who ghosted you to their professional board. You may also want to report endocrinologist to your insurance people. But I would not consider it ghosting unless nobody is returning your calls, mind.
posted by MiraK at 1:02 PM on October 26, 2023 [14 favorites]

Best answer: I'd call the practice and talk to the triage nurse. Patient portals can be absolutely infuriating because health systems switch all the features on so they can market their "digital front door" without considering the inconsistent ways different physicians use/don't use them. A busy practice will have a nurse running interference who can get a quick response from the physician and suggest next steps for you.

PS some health systems are starting to charge for portal messaging, another reason to go old school and call them.
posted by headnsouth at 1:08 PM on October 26, 2023 [1 favorite]

I am so sorry this is happening to you. I had this happen and it turned out to be a tech glitch on the portal’s end. Definitely call the office and let them know the doc is not responding.
posted by corey flood at 1:08 PM on October 26, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Depending on the health system, responding to portal messages might be something that takes a ton of time the provider has no protected time for. I would call the office and request to schedule a phone appointment so they can respond at a time when they are not trying to get a lot of other things done. If the only available appointment is very far out, that's when I would point out the lack of response to portal message.
posted by latkes at 1:13 PM on October 26, 2023 [6 favorites]

When you say “took a pill the night before” - was this a dexamethasone suppression test? If you had dexamethasone or another corticosteroid the night before, a low cortisol is a normal result in that context.
posted by chiquitita at 10:16 PM on October 27, 2023