Following up to this post and just the final icing on the cake why I will NEVER see this doctor again and have already called in this morning to request my records and talked to the office manager.
The medicine that was prescribed for me last Monday was for 2 pills a day, for 10 days. Even thought it was NOT fixing the problem that the doctor assured me it would fix and I had written the dr off as of last Friday, I figured I would finish the medication in the off chance that it would eventually work since I'm a sucker for being compliant.
Saturday morning I woke up feeling fine, puttered around for about two hours, then took my morning pill. I'm playing on the internet, blah, blah, blah, but my hands start to feel . . . weird. They aren't working right. I figure my hands are cold. As the day continues things aren't getting better. I'm losing feeling, pins and needles, I can't grasp things, and it's working up my arms. I'm trying not to be a hypochondriac, but I'm starting to get frantic. I tell my husband that if it doesn't get better in the next hour we are going to the ER in case I'm having a stroke or something. I'm mentally going over every possibility about why I could be losing control of my hands. Then Shane asks "Did you take your medication today?" because with some of the medication I take I get shaky if I don't take it, although this was much more than just being shaky.
"Yes, everything, even . . . oh my."
With his help I get the sheet that the pharmacy always staples to the bag -- thank god for some reason I did not throw away the bag for the medicine the asshat doctor prescribed for me. It lists peripheral neuropathy as one of those "serious!!! Call doctor NOW!!!!!" rare side effects. So I (as in my husband dials) call the answering service for my doctor, list my symptoms, and (I will give him credit for this) I get a call back within 15 minutes. It's a large practice, but my (ex)doctor is the one on call. So I'm talking to him, and these are the types of the questions/comments I get (the things in italics, I said much nicer).
1. How did I call if my hands aren't working? I have a very loving and caring husband.
2. I probably just slept on my arms funny. It's 3 in the afternoon, and I was FINE when I woke up.
3. Have I taken this medicine before? I don't know. How do you not know? I can't remember!! You prescribed it, you tell me!
4. I've been taking this medication since Monday. Why would it cause side effects on Saturday? You're the damn doctor, but even I know that medicine takes a while to build up in the system.
5. Have I been drinking? NO you fucking asshole! I'm not drunk or high. Are you sure? Yes!!
So I'm told I should "probably stop taking it," should take some bendryl, and if it doesn't get better, call on Monday.
After a few doses of bendryl I start to get some control over my hands again, and do some google-fu. Turns out this side effect, while rare, is a sign of severe neuro toxicity and has caused people permenent damage.
I actually really liked this doctor before these incidents and I've always been one of those people who accepts that sometimes people have off days/weeks and to give people second chances, but no, I cannot just dismiss his cavalier attitude towards something so serious. I'm still absolutly furious that he could be so nonchalant and flat out rude, like having a snarky tone when asking how I called and questioning, repeatedly, if I had been drinking, during a situation that was so terrifying.
So I've requested my records, let them know why I requested them, and am writing a letter. I'm considering writing a letter to the medical board or something.
P.S. To the ladies -- Folic Acid. Believe it or not, I read some homeopathic boards regarding certain types of itching, and even though all the anti-itch stuff did not work, taking folic acid has knocked it out. GO FIGURE!