ADHD Appointment Antics
Yesterday, my eldest was scheduled for his ADHD appointment. We have been trying to get him re-evaluated by this doctor that our pediatrician referred us to back in May.
In July, we were finally able to get the appointment. Our first appointment was basically supposed to be an evaluation. It ended up being muddled and confusing both for me and my son. I filled out paperwork and we were asked the same questions as the ones that I had answered on paper.
We never did see that doctor that we were referred to. Instead, we saw what I assume was some sort of counselor. He was very nice and all, but it did not get us any closer to our goal of getting those meds re-evaluated and re-assessed.
Our second appointment was for some sort of test, or so we were told. I had called to reschedule it because of a schedule conflict. It was a good thing that I did, because they had failed to log us into the appointment book in the first place and we would have been sent away if we had shown up for it.
When we finally did make that second appointment which was three weeks later than the original one had been slated for, we were asked the SAME questions that we were asked the first time we came in and our answers were in writing as well on that initial paperwork. That second appointment took all of fifteen minutes. We didn't seem to be getting anywhere.
We left that second appointment with what we thought and what we were told would be our first appointment with the real doctor that we had been referred to in the first place. Even though an old friend had died and his funeral mass had been scheduled for the same day as our appointment, I was too worried about missing that appointment to reschedule it. The office called to confirm that appointment Friday morning. I had thought we were set and good to go.
Fast-forward to Monday morning. I was busy ironing my shirt for my friend's mass when the phone rang. I had expected it to be another friend of ours calling for directions to the church. As luck would have it, it was that doctor's office.
They were calling to see if we could either come in right then at that moment, or reschedule the appointment with the doctor. I tried to very nicely explain that I had a 10 o'clock funeral mass to attend, and that we had been confirmed as of Friday for the appointment today at 12:15.
The lady then replied that the doctor was in right now and would not be back in until the following Monday. I tried to explain that my son started school in the morning and that the whole purpose of us seeing this doctor was to re-assess my son's diagnosis and to adjust his medication because our pediatrician had taken him off of it for the summer.
The lady from the office then demanded to know why I had taken my son off of his medications. I reiterated that our pediatrician had done so and then referred us to this doctor because the medications were causing extreme behavior side effects such as obsessive compulsive tendencies and severe depression. I also explained to the lady again how we had been coming to this office for a good chunk of the summer trying to get in to see this doctor and how they had kept putting us off repeatedly and that tomorrow was the first day of school.
She didn't seem to understand why we were bothered that my son would have to start school without his medications. She also thought that I should be able to just drop everything and run up to the office right now and see that doctor. I tried explaining that my baby sitters were not here yet and that by the time I loaded up the babies and my son into the car and drove over there that it would be almost 10 o'clock and that I could not reschedule my friend's funeral mass.
We got stuck with another appointment for next Monday. I have severe trepidations about this office and its capabilities. I cannot trust that the appointment for next Monday will be entered into their system and I cannot trust that they will not call and try and put us off yet again. I wonder exactly how early I should have started trying to get in to see these guys if May wasn't early enough for this new school year.
I just do not know what to think. I had to send my son off to middle school sans his medication. He does have new glasses (if he actually will wear them) that may help a little with his school work. The problem is that I am worried he will miss something or get distracted and miss something important. This is not the way I had wanted him to have to start off his new year.
Hopefully, all will be well. I am waiting for him to get home right now so that I can find out how his day went. In the meantime, I am looking for alternatives to this doctor situation. I keep trying to give the actual doctor the benefit of the doubt because this is a satellite office, but I just do not know what to think anymore. I suppose time will tell!
In July, we were finally able to get the appointment. Our first appointment was basically supposed to be an evaluation. It ended up being muddled and confusing both for me and my son. I filled out paperwork and we were asked the same questions as the ones that I had answered on paper.
We never did see that doctor that we were referred to. Instead, we saw what I assume was some sort of counselor. He was very nice and all, but it did not get us any closer to our goal of getting those meds re-evaluated and re-assessed.
Our second appointment was for some sort of test, or so we were told. I had called to reschedule it because of a schedule conflict. It was a good thing that I did, because they had failed to log us into the appointment book in the first place and we would have been sent away if we had shown up for it.
When we finally did make that second appointment which was three weeks later than the original one had been slated for, we were asked the SAME questions that we were asked the first time we came in and our answers were in writing as well on that initial paperwork. That second appointment took all of fifteen minutes. We didn't seem to be getting anywhere.
We left that second appointment with what we thought and what we were told would be our first appointment with the real doctor that we had been referred to in the first place. Even though an old friend had died and his funeral mass had been scheduled for the same day as our appointment, I was too worried about missing that appointment to reschedule it. The office called to confirm that appointment Friday morning. I had thought we were set and good to go.
Fast-forward to Monday morning. I was busy ironing my shirt for my friend's mass when the phone rang. I had expected it to be another friend of ours calling for directions to the church. As luck would have it, it was that doctor's office.
They were calling to see if we could either come in right then at that moment, or reschedule the appointment with the doctor. I tried to very nicely explain that I had a 10 o'clock funeral mass to attend, and that we had been confirmed as of Friday for the appointment today at 12:15.
The lady then replied that the doctor was in right now and would not be back in until the following Monday. I tried to explain that my son started school in the morning and that the whole purpose of us seeing this doctor was to re-assess my son's diagnosis and to adjust his medication because our pediatrician had taken him off of it for the summer.
The lady from the office then demanded to know why I had taken my son off of his medications. I reiterated that our pediatrician had done so and then referred us to this doctor because the medications were causing extreme behavior side effects such as obsessive compulsive tendencies and severe depression. I also explained to the lady again how we had been coming to this office for a good chunk of the summer trying to get in to see this doctor and how they had kept putting us off repeatedly and that tomorrow was the first day of school.
She didn't seem to understand why we were bothered that my son would have to start school without his medications. She also thought that I should be able to just drop everything and run up to the office right now and see that doctor. I tried explaining that my baby sitters were not here yet and that by the time I loaded up the babies and my son into the car and drove over there that it would be almost 10 o'clock and that I could not reschedule my friend's funeral mass.
We got stuck with another appointment for next Monday. I have severe trepidations about this office and its capabilities. I cannot trust that the appointment for next Monday will be entered into their system and I cannot trust that they will not call and try and put us off yet again. I wonder exactly how early I should have started trying to get in to see these guys if May wasn't early enough for this new school year.
I just do not know what to think. I had to send my son off to middle school sans his medication. He does have new glasses (if he actually will wear them) that may help a little with his school work. The problem is that I am worried he will miss something or get distracted and miss something important. This is not the way I had wanted him to have to start off his new year.
Hopefully, all will be well. I am waiting for him to get home right now so that I can find out how his day went. In the meantime, I am looking for alternatives to this doctor situation. I keep trying to give the actual doctor the benefit of the doubt because this is a satellite office, but I just do not know what to think anymore. I suppose time will tell!
posted by Mimi Rankin Webb at 1:12 PM
Mimi is the mother of four: a 12 1/2-year-old boy and 1-year-old triplets (two boys and one girl). She is very happily busy taking care of everyone, whether it's the triplets' multiple doctor appointments, attempting a shopping excursion or volunteering to plan her son's school renaissance festival.
2 Comments:
Hi again! Well i think that yall should have gone to a doctor that i saw because he does appt. on saturday or any time that would be convient for your schedule. So if you would like to know his name then just let me know.
What strange behavior for professionals. But, then, can we tell you some stories about the "interesting" types we've encountered in our years of dealing with mental health providers.
Hope you find someone who doesn't waste your time like this person seems to want to do.
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