Nonresponsive doctors

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I'm frustrated. I saw my new urologist over a month ago, and he said that he would start the prior authorization process for botox injections. Now I can't even get his office to call me back to give me a status update. My previous urologist could get the prior authorization in a week or so, so I'm guessing that this new guy hasn't even filled out the paperwork. Meanwhile, I'm hurting and wondering if my new doctor is even trying to help. I could find another urologist, but it can take weeks to get in, then longer still to wait for them to get the botox injections approved and scheduled.

I'll call his office tomorrow (again) to see if we can move things forward. After that, though, I think I'll go back to looking for a new urologist who doesn't just blow me off. I really wish my old urologist, who was amazing, hadn't retired!

 

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@ltapilot I would move on to a longer urologist. I feel you pain; mine just retired, too I had choosing a new doctor out of the blue.

Does anyone recommend any urologist in particular in UT, particularly in SLC?

 

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Now, where have we heard this before, and how many times?

Need a new urologist? Wonder if asking your other docs would work? Better yet, ask the nurses at the doc's office or a local hospital. "I'm not happy with my Urologist. Know one who won't blow me off/treat me decent?"

Oh, and if there is a prostate support group, ask them, even if you are a woman. I know my support groups had plenty to share about the good ones & the bad ones. If you're in a big city, ask the big hospital where the prostate cancer support group meets, when, and what's the contact point. The men might not want you in the room for the full meeting, but bet they might for that one question. we can hope, anyway.

 

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Very sorry they are blowing you off. I think its fair to give doctors 1 second chance however, your issues need to be taken seriously. I know from a hospital stand point they have a quota of how many people to see, much like an auto dealership mechanic. This does not excuse the behavior though.

Alternatively, you could try to schedule an appointment, but make a second one somewhere else, and see who can get you in earlier. I hope you find someone better.

 

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Hi @ltapilot, Although this new guy seems to be blowing you off, I think giving him one more chance is prudent. And when you do finally get a real person on the line, tell them you're in pain and need to know immediately what the status on the botox authorization process is at this point.
And just pointedly ask if the paperwork has been done and or submitted.
"And I can stay on hold while you find out," is something else I would say if it were me. It won't hurt to put them on the spot and force a "yes" or a "no" answer from them.
Barring getting any kind of a useful response from them it may be time to see if there is another urologist who is available to do botox treatments. Hopefully you'll end up with someone more sympathetic and will take your needs more seriously.
As for me, I dread the day I hear the news that my doctor is retiring (or leaving the practice and moving out of town). I do not look forward to having to find a new doctor one bit. I hope you get an answer and relief soon!

 

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Yesterday, I had a nerve block procedure. Has anyone else tried this for your bladder pain? My Urologist sent me to a Pain Mgmt doc who did this procedure after my Botox injections performed by my Urologist stopped working. The last 3 Botox treatments did not bring me any relief. The Botox treatments use to work great for me.

 

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@Kathylp Makes me so sad for you that Botox stopped working. As for me, no I haven’t had, nor heard of, a nerve block for incontinence. Did they inject it in your vertebrae, near L3-L4 and L4-L5?

 

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It’s not for incontinence. It’s for pain. So far, so good.

 

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When I can get Botox, it still works well for my pain. I'll have to look into the nerve block if I get to a point that Botox quits working.

I called my urologist's office again today. I get the receptionist, but she always just transfers me to the office manager, and leaving voice mail for her hasn't worked so far. I left voice mail yet again, but I think I'm going to look for another doctor at this point. I just don't trust this one anymore. So it looks like I'll be waiting weeks longer. Knowing the way these things work, they'll probably try to schedule it for the week of Balloon Fiesta, which is the one week that I can't possibly do it!

 

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@ltapilot

I would look into if the hospital has a patient advocate office and call them. When I got into the issue of not getting call backs or stuff that really helped me.

 

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Hi @ltapilot, I know how annoying it is when you finally get a "real person" and it's only the receptionist who immediately transfers you to someone else's voice mail.
I think you're wise to find another doctor especially when your gut instinct tells you not to trust this guy any more! Usually your instincts are right on the money and instinct and intuition are always your best guides...ever!
When you do get with a new urologist, just tell them that you were waiting for the authorization process for Botox (which you need now!) and they just kept blowing you off. That way you may get a more sympathetic response from the new office and they may even try to squeeze you in earlier to get the process started. It's always worth a try!!! I hope you find someone good soon!

 

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I finally heard back from the manager at the doctor's office. She implied that they've been waiting the whole five weeks since my visit for the insurance to approve the Botox, though she didn't come out and say that. I'm pretty sure that she, or somehow else in the office, forgot to send in the paperwork, and realized it only when I called a couple of weeks ago asking for the status.

I'm still irritated that it took so long, and angry that I'm sure they made a mistake but they won't just come out and admit it. I find it unacceptable that they didn't call me back for two weeks when I was leaving messages asking for an update - even if the answer is that they don't have any news to report, I still deserve he courtesy of a call to tell me that. I don't think that's too much to ask

At least I have my Botox scheduled for next week. Good thing, since the pain and urgency have ramped up a lot in the past week or so. I've kept count, and I'm at 17 bathroom visits so far today - not as bad as it sometimes gets, but not so good, either.

 

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Hi @ltapilot, I'm glad you finally have your botox sked for next week! But getting the doc's office to work on that and communicate with you was probably like pulling teeth on your part.
Most likely the explanation was they just forgot about it and then their break time or lunch time came and somehow the paperwork for that request magically levitated itself to another pile of paperwork. OK I'm being just a tad sarcastic here but unfortunately we mere mortals don't see the goings on of the business office of a typical doctors' practice!!! I think if we were to be admitted to that inner sanctum we would probably be blown away by all of the paperwork that's lying around and wonder what their system is for handling it!
And you have an extremely valid point about why they just don't come out and at least give you an update even if there is nothing new to report. The thing is, if they did that with every patient, they would get so far behind in.....well, processing even more paperwork!!!!
I agree it would be nice to have the courtesy of a call to update you but that's only in a perfect world and today's United States of America is not that perfect world that we all seek!!!! I know courtesy calls on a one-on-one personal basis is how we deal with friends etc., but a medical practice is a whole different world unto itself!!!!!
But it's good you're finally going to get relief!!!!