How many doctors?

[buglebe]

In all honesty , how many doctors does a person need? I think maybe things were better back in the day when we just had a GP. Oh I know, it is probably better the way it is today but there is a limit. Sometimes with too many they can't all know what the other is doing. I have ten doctors, I listed them so I could count them. Today I was told I need to go to another specialist. I refused and called my internist to see if he agreed. He will be honest with me, and said he will call me back tomorrow after reviewing my lab work. How many do most of you have? Don't you think 10 specialities should be enough?

[SLance68]

I only have 2. A GP and a Ortho. I am diabetic and use to see a Endocrinologist but I got tired of the "herding" they did in the office - move the herd from one room to the next to the next and you would be there a couple of hours to see the Dr. for 5 minutes. Finally just decided that my GP did more for my diabetes than the over priced specialist.

[speedygirl]

I have half a dozen specialists and my PCP and like it that way. They've been able to treat my conditions more in depth. They all belong to the same hospital system and with EMR, they have instant access to all of my medical records.

[gmyers]

I don't have a regular doctor. I see whoevers available at the clinic I go too.

[PrincessArky]

I don't have any thankfully

My hubby is lucking with all the complications he has had with the AML he is still under just one dr.........of course there are many that work with him and work for him but EVERYTHING goes through the one dr before anything is approved

[Army-Mom]

I have four..I was talking with my mom the other day how back in the day you only had one dr and they set arm if broke or stiched you up if you needed it.

[baragabrat]

I have my family doc (she is a gem!), an orthopedist, and a urologist if I must. The second two I see very infrequently. My doc has wanted to send me to others but I refuse if I think she can help me just as well. I really hate to go out of town to see docs and she knows it so we work together on my well-being. Now if there is something she absolutely cannot help me with, she will send me to someone, but only if there is a real need.

[Anig2u]

I have been seeing my GP (family doc) since I was 18 and he treats me for my high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and prescribes medication for depression & sleep problems. I am also in counseling for my depression, and I was thinking about going to an Endocrinologist for my diabetes, but haven't yet. I keep my diabetes under control with medication and diet.

[jasmine]

well, theres many doctors, each specialize in different things, so people with multiple problems I guess would need multiple doctors.

[sunniekiss]

I have my family doctor, my gastroenetrologist, my neurologist & 2 oncologist so I have 5 doctors.

[baragabrat]

well, theres many doctors, each specialize in different things, so people with multiple problems I guess would need multiple doctors.

I don't necessarily agree that just because I have various things going on that I should have various docs. For me it's a matter of common sense. If both my doc & I believe that she can't treat me, I'll see a specialist. But if we both agree she can just as easily treat me, then that's how it'll be. I could benefit from seeing both an Endocrinologist & a neurologist but they can't do for me what my family doc isn't doing already, so there's 2 docs I don't need. This is just for me. I would never recommend it for another as we all have to make those decisions personally with our own doctors.

[SLance68]

I don't necessarily agree that just because I have various things going on that I should have various docs. For me it's a matter of common sense. If both my doc & I believe that she can't treat me, I'll see a specialist. But if we both agree she can just as easily treat me, then that's how it'll be. I could benefit from seeing both an Endocrinologist & a neurologist but they can't do for me what my family doc isn't doing already, so there's 2 docs I don't need. This is just for me. I would never recommend it for another as we all have to make those decisions personally with our own doctors.

That is why I quit seeing the Endocrinologist. She wasn't doing anything that my PCP was doing so why spend money to see 2 Dr's when one was just repeating what the other was doing.

[Jenefer3]

My son has just about every kind of 'ologist' you can think of it (except gynecologist lol). He's got so many different issues going on and between his regular doctor and myself we decided seeing the specialists was the way to go. Some of my son's medical issues aren't common in his age group (he was 2 when he was diagnosed with osteoporosis and that's just one example) and his regular dr. can't provide him with the right kind of treatment. I will say that his regular dr. is great at doing as much as he can. My son was seeing a neurologist for his migraines and sleep apnea and that dr. moved and the one they brought in to replace him was worthless in my opinion (2 minutes in the room with us just to say to hand us a prescription with a year's worth of refills and telling us to just call in for more and no need to come back) and my son's regular dr. took over monitoring him for that until we found a good neurologist.

[justme23]

I have two. My GP and my OB, which of course I only see once a year. I also used to have an Endocronologist, but I didn't like his staff or many of their office practices. Hello, you are a diabetes specialist but you won't draw blood? The insurance won't let me line is crap, EVERY doctor I have seen w/ my insurance (in network or out) can and has drawn blood from me. They wouldn't refill prescriptions unless you came in for a visit but never wrote a script w/ refills on it when you came in, so I was having to see him once a month and it was unnecessary. He also happened to be very far away considering how many were closer... so I said screw it and let my GP take care of it. I asked her if she thought she could and she said she could until she couldn't and she'd let me know when that was... so fine w/ me.

[captorquewrench]

we have a family doc. I do go to a specialist when they tell me something is out of their scope.

[jedmatters]

I see a handful...
GP for general issues, OB/GYN, a high risk pregnancy specialist, a Nephrologist (kidney doctor), and my chiro.

Of course, the eye doctor and dentist (but do they count in this?)

[baragabrat]

I see a handful...
GP for general issues, OB/GYN, a high risk pregnancy specialist, a Nephrologist (kidney doctor), and my chiro.

Of course, the eye doctor and dentist (but do they count in this?)

Yeah, I have to admit that as good as my doc is, she isn't too good at treating my cataracts or screening for glaucoma (runs in the family.) Nor is she very talented at cleaning my teeth, getting x-rays or putting in a crown or filling. But i love her anyhow. LOL!

[SLance68]

I have two. My GP and my OB, which of course I only see once a year. I also used to have an Endocronologist, but I didn't like his staff or many of their office practices. Hello, you are a diabetes specialist but you won't draw blood? The insurance won't let me line is crap, EVERY doctor I have seen w/ my insurance (in network or out) can and has drawn blood from me. They wouldn't refill prescriptions unless you came in for a visit but never wrote a script w/ refills on it when you came in, so I was having to see him once a month and it was unnecessary. He also happened to be very far away considering how many were closer... so I said screw it and let my GP take care of it. I asked her if she thought she could and she said she could until she couldn't and she'd let me know when that was... so fine w/ me.

Our insurance changed a few years ago and we cannot have blood drawn at Dr's office any longer. I hated that change since my PCP's nurse was great she could get blood out of a rock and not leave a mark. I miss her. Thankfully we have a new lab in our area and they are very good instead of having to go to Labcorp. Don't know about other areas but the Labcorp's around here are awful.

Oh yes I do have a dentist and a eye Dr. Thankfully only see dentist 2x per year and eye Dr. once per year (insurance requires it since I am diabetic).

[Eyore]

I have my family doctor, my Gyn which I see once a year, and a urologist when I have to because of stupid kidney stones. Hadn't been to him in over 10 years, but now I'm back in seeing him cause of stones.

[justme23]

Our insurance changed a few years ago and we cannot have blood drawn at Dr's office any longer. I hated that change since my PCP's nurse was great she could get blood out of a rock and not leave a mark. I miss her. Thankfully we have a new lab in our area and they are very good instead of having to go to Labcorp. Don't know about other areas but the Labcorp's around here are awful.

Oh yes I do have a dentist and a eye Dr. Thankfully only see dentist 2x per year and eye Dr. once per year (insurance requires it since I am diabetic).

They blamed it on our insurance... but I can't believe it. Everyone else I've ever seen takes blood. And I don't know about Labcorp... I know our blood is processed through them cause we get bills from them... but we haven't actually been to one cause the doctors offices do the drawing.

[jedmatters]

Yeah, I have to admit that as good as my doc is, she isn't too good at treating my cataracts or screening for glaucoma (runs in the family.) Nor is she very talented at cleaning my teeth, getting x-rays or putting in a crown or filling. But i love her anyhow. LOL!

I know. I moved up here, left a chiro, and a GP I love.. plus my gyn/ob retired a few years ago. People I love and trust...
Dentist, and eye doctors: not really picky, as I have fairly good teeth, and no major eye/sight issues.
But I have a GP here, and the gyn/ob just said he can not take care of me this time: sent me to a specialist 30 miles away.

[SLance68]

They blamed it on our insurance... but I can't believe it. Everyone else I've ever seen takes blood. And I don't know about Labcorp... I know our blood is processed through them cause we get bills from them... but we haven't actually been to one cause the doctors offices do the drawing.

I am the one that handles our health insurance so I do know that was the reason for the change in ours. There are lots of other insurance carriers that still do it through the Dr's offices but not United in Florida.