One hour on the phone complaining about the gyne

[livetohike]

to the insurance company. This is the first time I have ever done this. I had an appointment last week. I am a new patient. Among the many things he told me:

Menopause is not natural.

60% of the women over 60 years of age who break a hip die within six months. You are not far from there! (I am 56)

To prevent bone loss you must either go on estrogen, or take Boniva. No other options. Didn't want to hear anything about natural solutions.

Offered a free "heel scan" test in which I scored a -1 and then told me to schedule a Dexascan (in his office.

There's more, but these were the highlights. This is the first gyne appt. I've had since moving here two years ago and he was recommended by a neighbor. He's in my age group. I thought he would be easy to talk to. I won't be going back to him.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. Jeebus.

Why is it so hard to find a decent one? When mine retired I asked friends who they used. Inevitably, it was "I use Doc X, but s/he is an idiot." :eyes:

I finally went on ratemd.com to find a new one. At least some reviews were better than none.

[livetohike]

2. Thanks for the tip!

I'll check the web site out. I live in a rural area and the gyne I went to is the only one in town (20 miles away). Guess I'll have to drive a little further.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

3. I found a most excellent one using ratemd.

Hopefully you'll have good luck too.

[JerseygirlCT]

4. That's a little scary

And you probably know this, but there are also other rx alternatives to Boniva. I couldn't take the once weekly Fosomax, but I now use a nasal spray - no side effects. (And I seem to have side-effects with EVERYTHING!)

I'm 48, and already have osteoporosis, though, so I was quite eager to do something right away before I join my mother and younger sister in the hip replacement club. (Although my problems seem not to be my hips, but my back. Maybe that's a little scarier!)

[livetohike]

5. Thanks for the tip

I'm sorry to hear about your osteoporosis :-(. Did you have a Dexascan? Is that how you found out? I only had the heel scan and the gyne wants me to come in for the Dexascan. I will go get one, but not with him.

My m-i-l was on Actonel, but she quit taking it because it upset her stomach. So now, at age 82 she is not taking anything other than a multi-vitamin with extra calcium and vitamin D.

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Yeah, had the dexascan, which is really no big deal.

Though my doc at the time (who I loved) was just closing down his practice, and no one told me the results. I'd assumed no news was good news, but a year later learned that I didn't even have borderline osteoporosis - it was already there. Given my family history, no surprise, but gee, it would have been better to know sooner than later!

The one time I took Fosomax, it was like I could feel the stuff within 15 minutes. I've also got Crohn's so I don't even know why the new doc thought to try this stuff on me, but it made me feel really ill. No more of that stuff!

From what I read, the nasal spray won't help rebuild bones, but it will help stop the continued weakening. Luckily I LOVE dairy products (not luckily for my weight, lol), so I'm hoping that calcium supplements, plus a lot of calcium in my diet, will help with that. We'll see - I'll probably have another scan in a year or so to see where things are.

My mom (she of 3, going on 4 hip replacements - one of the earlier patients for them way back when) can't manage any of the other drugs for it, either. She's like your grandmother - just watches her diet, gets exercise, and figures that will see her through!

Good luck - hope your new doc does right by you!

[latebloomer]

7. Sounds like an ass

How is menopause "not natural"? I suppose that means it's an illness for which you MUST take drugs. :eyes:

I was told I had borderline osteoporosis last summer- probably related to the drugs and treatments I underwent as part of a bone-marrow transplant. They wanted me to go on a drug for that. I said no, I'm on enough drugs as it is- will see whether the calcium/D/magnesium/exercise thing helps.

You definitely need a new doctor!