If you thought I was angry before...

I go to my family doctor this morning to ask for a referral to another surgeon. Seriously I am getting the run around and the system is f'd up!!!!

I told him about the surgeon incident, he didn't respond. He did get a letter from the surgeon however stating that he couldn't help me.

I proceeded to tell my family doc that my problem has become worse, described it and mentioned I want to see another surgeon for a second opinion.

He said the surgeon you were suppose to see is the top surgeon in the city. If he can't help you all the other plastic surgeons will be leery of helping you too.

WTF??!!

I mean this surgeon is not the head honcho over all of them. Doctors have their own practices and own thinking skills.

I'm going to physiotherapy this week for my elbow and told him that. He said have them do physio on your finger for a month. I mentioned he sent me to a sports med doctor this past Spring. He said go to physio for a month, come back and maybe then we will discuss seeing the sports medicine doctor.

I have been to physio for 5 months and it hasn't helped. I exercise it at home, no difference.

I proceeded to tell him maybe I should just go see the sports medicine doctor (I already have an appt booked but didn't say that to him). He said if you want to that is fine and if I do he will send the surgeons letter to him. I plan on telling the spots med doc myself about the surgeon and ask for a referral.

It just seems like more and more delays in trying to get a referral. If I had a referral sent in this week it would be one month of less waiting instead of all this stalling!

The sports med doc agreed back in the spring I should have it looked at. So I'm hoping when I go in two and half to three weeks he will refer me to someone else.

Gawd!!

If I have asked this question before, I apologize.

I'm not sure how a plastic surgeon can help with your arm. Are you comfortable discussing why you want to see one and what you hope they will do for your arm?

I thought you were getting a procedure done for a cosmetic purpose and not to correct something that causes you pain. If you are comfortable discussing this with you, we'd like to know why the plastic surgeon?

I have a right hand finger injury that is a year old. Plastic surgeons deal with fingers and not orthopedics. There are hand surgeons with plastic or orthopedic training but none where I live. I've been to a plastic surgeon in the past about my left elbow and wrist. They do hand surgery besides cosmetic stuff. This is something not related to my elbow and wrist. This newer problem is my right hand.

My problem is not healing. I've been to physiotherapy etc as listed above. The sports medicine doctor mentioned I should see a plastic surgeon with regards to the finger. He said I may need surgery to fix it. I was already on a waiting list to see one, the referral was sent to him.

I know something is not right with my finger by the symptoms I have. The finger is not improving, I've done everything .. physiotherapy, ultrasound etc etc. I just want a second opinion to see what options are.

That's quite interesting - didn't know that plastic surgeons worked on hands.

Have you reconsidered London's St Joseph Hospital Hand Unit?

I thought they only did cosmetics surgeries. Before you mentioned your hand, I thought you were wanting a breast reduction or something (covered by medical). My DH had undergone ligament reattachment from thru sports medicine. He had really good results. Had you tried an orthopedic surgeon?

Hrm, i do not know enough about canada but i am sure there is some degree of similarity.

In america if their is a problem with a governmental institution (stuff like social security or welfare) you can go to your congress person and they will basicly get the ball rolling and get something done. So is there any way you can contact your local legislature (since i am sure they have to do case work their too), and explain to them that you are getting the run around. While they cant force a doctor to look at you, they may be able to get it so you can get a referal to a surgeon in another area.

Probably get better results from contacting the city newspaper.

Dragonfly.. I contacted London St. Joseph's Hospital Hand Unit a few years ago. The person I emailed said they only see out of town patients if the medical issue is something that the doctors where you can live cannot treat. I may contact them again because maybe things have changed.

Plastic surgeons.. Some just do cosmetic surgery, others do both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery (burns, hand problems, reconstructing of body parts etc).

I did contact one orthopedic surgeons office about a year ago and the secretary said orthopedics do not deal with fingers. You have to see a plastic surgeon.

I phoned the college of physicians in my province. I didn't give my name or doctors name. She said the college cannot force a doctor to give a referral. If I lay a complaint, the doctor would receive the letter and have 30 days to reply. She said in most cases the doctor will drop you as a patient.

I see the sports medicine doctor in two and half to three weeks. He was good when I did see him. I told him all the treatments I have been through. He is the one that said yes by all means see a surgeon (he knew I was already on a waiting list to see one for my elbow and wrist) and that surgery may or may not work. He did write a letter to my family doctor with what he thought was possibly wrong, that I should see the surgeon I'm waiting for about my finger, family doctor sent the referral in. He said finger surgery can be tricky and never guaranteed anyways. I'm hoping he will be the one who will refer me for a second opinion.

I'm going to physiotherapy tomorrow for my left elbow. I will ask about my finger. I'm still doing exercises at home that I learned from last year. So basically 11 months of doing physiotherapy and no improvement.

My family doctor made me mad yesterday especially when he said "If the top surgeon in the city cannot help you the rest of the plastic surgeons will be leery to help" Really how does he know that. I mean doctors have their own practices, their own minds and personalities. I was upset thinking geez he's making out like none of them will help me.

I remember my cousin who lives in another Province had neck problems. She did see the top neurosurgeon where she lives. He told her he cannot help. She did get a second opinion, had surgery and now is fine.

I believe there is the ministry of health and of course the newspaper. I will wait and see what happens with the sports medicine doctor.

If I can get a referral I'm on my way.

i would definately contact the london st. josephs hospital again. You have a note from a surgeon saying that they can not treat you so hopefully they will take you on as a patient.

I plan on contacting the St. Joseph's Hospital. The one surgeon said he cannot treat me but there are others in the city that may even though my doctor makes out like nobody will help me. I think I will contact St. Joseph's and also in the mean time see the sports medicine doctor.

I'm looking at the site right now. There is one email, maybe one of the surgeons email addresses, lol. I'm going to contact right now.

Edited: I just sent an email describing my finger problem even though I know they won't diagnose it over the internet. I also asked if they see patients from out of province etc.

Yay!

The one surgeon I emailed (didn't know if it was office or his own email) contacted me not long afterwards.

He basically diagnosed two possibilites of what I have and said surgery would likely be needed. He wants me to send photos of my hand and if possible to get the xrays sent to him.

He does see patients from out of province but the waiting list is one to one and half years. And I still need to get a referral from a family doctor to go there.

He asked me which surgeon I saw. I replied back and told him. My email doesn't show my last name. I guess I didn't want too much information given out in case (I doubt) he contacted him, lol.

So that gives me so me relief. Another doctor has at least diagnosed my problem and said what needs to be done. So it proves my family doctor wrong with regards that no other plastic surgeon will want to help you. Well I guess he meant surgeons where I live.

I still plan on seeing the sports medicine doctor and try to get a referral here. But going out of province is my back up plan.

I know the province I live in will cover surgery in another province as long as it is done in a hospital setting. I think they said as long as the place as reciprocal billing?

My brother lives in Toronto so not sure how far London is from there. I would have to save money for accommodations etc.

He emailed me back to say the surgeon I was suppose to see is a good surgeon.

Maybe he thinks that way but I don't. I wouldn't tell him what I think anways.

The whole referral system is stupid, that's why I always choose PPO's when possible. I get to go to whoever I want, whenever I want!!

I'd be fuming mad if that happened to me. It's crazy your own family doctor will not give you a second referral. I pray your sports medicine doctor will help.

Did you get your xrays and email them to that doctor in London? Hear back from him? He sounds like a decent doctor. Maybe you can go out to London or he will speak to another surgeon where you live?

Originally Posted by Krystal /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd be fuming mad if that happened to me. It's crazy your own family doctor will not give you a second referral. I pray your sports medicine doctor will help.
Did you get your xrays and email them to that doctor in London? Hear back from him? He sounds like a decent doctor. Maybe you can go out to London or he will speak to another surgeon where you live?

I emailed him the xrays (which cost me $40.00 to get) and photos on Tuesday (7th). I haven't heard back from him. Being a surgeon he's likely busy; lot's of patients, surgery, paperwork.. He suggested I send him the xrays and photos. I hope he responds.

Update.. (with some good news!)

I heard back from the surgeon in London. He said it's hard to give a diagnosis without seeing me in person. That makes sense. However he said try to find someone where I live to help me, a second opinion.

I saw the sports medicine doctor yesterday. I told him the surgeon could not help me (as explained above in this post). He basically said being considered a top doctor doesn't necessarily mean he is. I said I would like a second opinion with another surgeon. He asked me who I would like to see. I gave him a few names and asked his opinion. He said both are fine. He examined me and admitted he felt this was out of his realm. It could be a few things but he thought maybe I'm experiencing ulnar nerve problems similar to my other bad arm.

Anyways he said to have a nerve conduction test to rule that out and to see a plastic surgeon. He plans on sending a letter to my family doctor and have him refer me to one of these surgeons. Maybe it's protocol that the family doctor has to refer you and not the sports medicine doctor?

So I see my family doctor next week. I think after my last appt with the family doctorm he may have contacted the female surgeon I use to see lol. When I called to make an appt, the secretary said she had sent him a letter. Ugh. That is one surgeon I don't want to see. Poor bedside manners, didn't seem that interested. My family doctor thinks she's great. He's not her patient lol.

I'm crossing my fingers things go smoothly next week at my family doctor.

This is like a soap opera lol.