How to advocate for an earlier doctor appointment?
March 5, 2020 3:33 PM Subscribe
I’m having some fairly significant health concerns. Could be nothing, could also be big scary problems. I do not currently have a PCP/GP, and the GP I was recommended can’t see me for 3 weeks. I am in the US and on the best PPO offered by my employer. I’m currently experiencing a lot of anxiety driven by uncertainty and fear that if I wait, I’m letting things get worse. How can I (should I?) advocate to see a doctor sooner? Challenge level: active Coronavirus community transmission in my area.
I am in my 30s and have been healthy most of my life. I’ve seen specialists a few times but have been getting by and ignoring a relationship with a PCP (no shaming please, I know that was stupid). A couple of weeks ago, my new girlfriend noticed a thing and said “you should get that looked at.” So I googled things, terrified myself, and had a video chat with a telemedicine doc covered by my insurance who said “I don’t think that looks urgent or cancerous and I don’t think you should go straight to a dermatologist, but you should get it checked out by your PCP in person within a couple of weeks.”
I sought out doctor recommendations from coworkers and made an “assumption of care” appointment with the most-recommended GP. That appointment is in 3 weeks. I am kind of freaking out about the idea that I’ve ignored something for several months, and here I am, waiting several weeks to maybe get a first level of diagnosis and/or referral to more tests, while whatever it is, is potentially progressing, if it’s the bad option.
I’m also jumping at other things my body is doing that I hadn’t thought to connect together before and having an anxiety field day, made harder because I’m trying not to go back to the Google Symptom Lookup Anxiety Generator until I can talk to a doctor. It isn’t fun.
Ideally I’d like to see someone before 3 weeks from now, and get some idea of if I need to be seeking additional treatment or if I’m just an anxious wreck jumping at shadows.
For added complexity, I’m in Santa Clara County where Coronavirus is spreading in the community, and so far we don’t know how serious that is. The idea of going to an urgent care doesn’t really appeal at the moment, and I don’t think an urgent care could necessarily help, since this is a “look at a thing and biopsy/refer to a specialist” kind of problem, assuming they don’t just say “oh, you are being a histrionic patient, that’s _____.”
Side question: I really want to talk to the doc about this specific concern and ideally get a plan going to deal with it, whatever it is, when I do the “assumption of care” appointment. I’m used to doctors being in a hurry — if the answer is “really, 3 weeks should be fine,” what should I be ready to say to make sure that, in addition to getting all the baseline stuff covered, my doctor takes a look at this specific concern during the “assumption of care” appointment?
I am in my 30s and have been healthy most of my life. I’ve seen specialists a few times but have been getting by and ignoring a relationship with a PCP (no shaming please, I know that was stupid). A couple of weeks ago, my new girlfriend noticed a thing and said “you should get that looked at.” So I googled things, terrified myself, and had a video chat with a telemedicine doc covered by my insurance who said “I don’t think that looks urgent or cancerous and I don’t think you should go straight to a dermatologist, but you should get it checked out by your PCP in person within a couple of weeks.”
I sought out doctor recommendations from coworkers and made an “assumption of care” appointment with the most-recommended GP. That appointment is in 3 weeks. I am kind of freaking out about the idea that I’ve ignored something for several months, and here I am, waiting several weeks to maybe get a first level of diagnosis and/or referral to more tests, while whatever it is, is potentially progressing, if it’s the bad option.
I’m also jumping at other things my body is doing that I hadn’t thought to connect together before and having an anxiety field day, made harder because I’m trying not to go back to the Google Symptom Lookup Anxiety Generator until I can talk to a doctor. It isn’t fun.
Ideally I’d like to see someone before 3 weeks from now, and get some idea of if I need to be seeking additional treatment or if I’m just an anxious wreck jumping at shadows.
For added complexity, I’m in Santa Clara County where Coronavirus is spreading in the community, and so far we don’t know how serious that is. The idea of going to an urgent care doesn’t really appeal at the moment, and I don’t think an urgent care could necessarily help, since this is a “look at a thing and biopsy/refer to a specialist” kind of problem, assuming they don’t just say “oh, you are being a histrionic patient, that’s _____.”
Side question: I really want to talk to the doc about this specific concern and ideally get a plan going to deal with it, whatever it is, when I do the “assumption of care” appointment. I’m used to doctors being in a hurry — if the answer is “really, 3 weeks should be fine,” what should I be ready to say to make sure that, in addition to getting all the baseline stuff covered, my doctor takes a look at this specific concern during the “assumption of care” appointment?
If this is a dermatology concern, maybe just go straight to a dermatologist- it seems a little less likely you'd run into a coronavirus patient there than at a regular doctor. Use ZocDoc to find someone with an opening now who takes your insurance. Re timing, if whatever it is isn't changing rapidly, I personally wouldn't be super worried about getting it seen immediately, but that also should be easy enough to do.
posted by pinochiette at 3:40 PM on March 5, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by pinochiette at 3:40 PM on March 5, 2020 [6 favorites]
For example, I just looked on ZocDoc with my insurance, and I see multiple openings with dermatologists in Los Gatos, San Jose, etc. tomorrow and even this afternoon.
posted by pinochiette at 3:43 PM on March 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by pinochiette at 3:43 PM on March 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
Well, since you mentioned “dermatologist”, I had a mole I wanted looked at. I asked my GP about it, and he told me that he thought it looked OK, but to go see a dermatologist anyway. So you might wind up going to the GP only to be referred to a dermatologist.
See if you can get an appointment with a dermatologist in your area. With everything going around these days (including our buddy Mr. Coronavirus), you might have more luck with a derm than a GP.
Keep the appointment with the GP. Having a GP that you know and trust is important. Once your immediate concerns turn out to be nothing, it’ll be good to have that GP to build a relationship with.
By the way—the mole turned out to be nothing. The dermatologist checked everywhere else, too, and everywhere else also looked good. I was full of anxiety about this, too—but it turns out that there are LOTS of causes of skin irregularities, and very few of them are cancer.
posted by vitout at 3:43 PM on March 5, 2020 [7 favorites]
See if you can get an appointment with a dermatologist in your area. With everything going around these days (including our buddy Mr. Coronavirus), you might have more luck with a derm than a GP.
Keep the appointment with the GP. Having a GP that you know and trust is important. Once your immediate concerns turn out to be nothing, it’ll be good to have that GP to build a relationship with.
By the way—the mole turned out to be nothing. The dermatologist checked everywhere else, too, and everywhere else also looked good. I was full of anxiety about this, too—but it turns out that there are LOTS of causes of skin irregularities, and very few of them are cancer.
posted by vitout at 3:43 PM on March 5, 2020 [7 favorites]
as someone said above , get on the waitlist. then call every morning first thing and check for cancellations. If they don't have a Waitlist , it's still usually fine to call early and ask after cancellations/openings in doctor's schedule. It's a bummer, but these days , if you're in the US, and the subject is healthcare, I think the reality is one has to be a tireless advocate for one's self or one's loved ones. One has to be ok with using the phone and one must not worry about being a pain in the ass. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you have a sense of urgency about it that you feel your doctors lack, you might be wrong or right, but for better or for worse it's on you to make it happen if you want to be seen sooner than later.
posted by elgee at 4:13 PM on March 5, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by elgee at 4:13 PM on March 5, 2020 [3 favorites]
I am also in the Bay Area and I am sure that right now you will get to see a dermatologist about a thousand times faster than a PCP. If you call one of the big practices like PAMF, they have multiple dermatology practices in different areas and it should be easy to get scheduled in a convenient location. This would be a perfectly reasonable course of action even if you weren't anxious about waiting. I would probably do this because I hate waiting and my self-diagnoses only get more dramatic as time goes on.
But given what you have done so far, it's also really, REALLY reasonable to wait for the visit you have already scheduled. This is a perfect example of what telemedicine is great at - treating minor things and referring you with appropriate urgency for anything requiring followup. You did everything right! I hope you feel better soon.
posted by yogalemon at 4:58 PM on March 5, 2020 [2 favorites]
But given what you have done so far, it's also really, REALLY reasonable to wait for the visit you have already scheduled. This is a perfect example of what telemedicine is great at - treating minor things and referring you with appropriate urgency for anything requiring followup. You did everything right! I hope you feel better soon.
posted by yogalemon at 4:58 PM on March 5, 2020 [2 favorites]
Your new GP may have appts available for problem visits. These are shorter and more common than assumption of care visits. You may be able to get into one of those quickly. Or even with one of that doctor’s coworkers.
posted by SLC Mom at 5:14 PM on March 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by SLC Mom at 5:14 PM on March 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
N’thing just going directly to a dermatologist. Otherwise, you’ll go to the GP, they’ll look at you briefly & say OK, dermatologist, sure, and then you will have to wait another two to three weeks at least to get in there.
posted by mygothlaundry at 5:37 PM on March 5, 2020
posted by mygothlaundry at 5:37 PM on March 5, 2020
Nthing the specialist since you're not on an HMO. Also nthing the "waitlist," and call each morning to remind the practice that you are happy to drop everything and be at their office within --timeframe-- (minutes, hours, whatever is practical for you) in case they have a change in the doctors schedule today or any day.
Dropping by with a 12 pack of donuts and a generous warm smile might help, but is not a konami code. For anyone else reading this in the future, since I know you will be the paragon of courtesy, do not be pushy, demanding, tearful, sarcastic, cruel, or rude at any point.
posted by bilabial at 5:54 PM on March 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
Dropping by with a 12 pack of donuts and a generous warm smile might help, but is not a konami code. For anyone else reading this in the future, since I know you will be the paragon of courtesy, do not be pushy, demanding, tearful, sarcastic, cruel, or rude at any point.
posted by bilabial at 5:54 PM on March 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
i am going to assume this is a weird growth/mole. if your PPO allows specialist visits without referrals, i'd try to find a dermatologist. with the caveat that they often have months long wait lists especially for new patients.
i do not think waiting 3 weeks to get this issue checked out in person is going to be harmful to you. i am also full of anxiety and always want to be seen RIGHT NOW, but you will be fine. promise.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:36 AM on March 6, 2020
i do not think waiting 3 weeks to get this issue checked out in person is going to be harmful to you. i am also full of anxiety and always want to be seen RIGHT NOW, but you will be fine. promise.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:36 AM on March 6, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, lots of healthy folks don't have regular doctors. It's okay.
Maybe try a meditation app?
posted by bluedaisy at 3:39 PM on March 5, 2020