Help! Problem with Doctor's Appointment!

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So today I finally got up the courage to call and set an appointment for my yearly gynecological exam (which due to past "bad" results is supposed to be every 6 months) and physical. I haven't gone to my GP in several years! Some of my prescription meds have gotten to their absolute last refill so I guess that's what prompted me to finally schedule an appointment. If I stop taking my Synthroid I'll get very, very ill.

So I sat through the 15 minutes on hold for a scheduler. When I finally got her she told me they only book same day appointments or appointments 8 weeks away. Also, she told me today wouldn't work because my primary care doctor isn't in on Tuesdays and all the appointments were already gone anyway.

Here's my dilemma -

I have a job!! ! Nearly every workplace requires you to schedule your appointments ahead of time so you can get that time slot off. This new system at my doctor's office requires you to take a whole day off from work in case you get lucky enough to be a chosen one and get an appointment that day. Not only that, even if I take the day off to call for the appointment I might not get an appointment that day and so would need to take another day off to try again. Another issue arises with that - of the days my GP works (M, W, F) only Mondays and sometimes rare Wednesdays are days I can ever get off. So to actually see the doctor in time to renew my prescriptions I'll have to take off the next several Mondays and possibly Wednesdays (I don't often get any choice about working Wednesdays) losing all that income to get a Dr's appointment. I can't seriously believe I have to take multiple sick days or vacation days to make one stupid Doctor's appointment!

Unlike how it was before (and still is with my specialists) I must take the whole day off instead of just the time for the appointment and I STILL can't be sure I'll get to see the doctor!

And........I must admit, I need the time to get used to the idea of going to an appointment.

I don't know if I can do this. I have to have at least my Synthroid - I have no thyroid function at all and too long without it could put me in a coma. Should I buy my Synthroid off the Internet internationally and just set up an appointment for 8 weeks from now?

Or am I just being a stupid Aspie and I should take the days off? Have any of you had to deal with a same day doctor's appointment (other than urgent care or ER) and what did you do?

Basically the reason you have to take the day off is because they are booked solid for weeks. If you are around and someone doesnt make their appointment they might slip you in early.

Id go see a GP and tell them your almost out and having trouble seeing your regular doctor. They'll usually give you a temporary prescription.

In the meantime set your appointment.

You have to talk to the doctor's office and make it clear to them you won't be able to come in for an appointment for eight weeks, and you need your medication now. You have to be adamant about it, and not back down. This means talking a lot on the phone, but you have to do it when you need such an important medication. Explain to the doctor what is the point of taking off work, getting fired, and being unable to pay for any medication in the future. Also, keep track of your meds' refills. I'm guilty of this too and I end up on the phone between doctor's offices, pharmacies, and my insurance when I don't keep up with them. Pain in the ass to say the very least.

Actually, my GP doesn't take any appointments unless you place it the same day unless you place it for 8 weeks away. My GP is my regular doctor. You are now only allowed to see your primary care doctor inside the group.

The way it works is they alot a certain amount of time each day they work for same day appointments, in her case Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9am - 2pm. The time from 2pm to 3:45 is alotted to appintments made at least 8 weeks in advance - which MAY BE CANCELLED ON YOU FOR URGENT APPOINTMENTS BY OTHERS! If you make a same day appointment (requires calling when the office opens and sitting on hold hoping your call is high in line to be answered) you may get to be one of those appointments and do not get to choose the time. So you have to take at least an entire day off work that way because you don't know what time the appointment will be.

You cannot make an appointment of any kind other than those two kinds. I can't just slip over to the doctor's office and get refills - you have to go through those two processes only.

Or are you suggesting calling around to find a Doctor's office that takes actual appointments?

My DR gets very upset with me for "procrastinating" about getting in for my apts. BEFORE my prescription runs out(You would think she would get use to it since it happens every six months...lol)
But....they dont actually want you to get sick,so she will reluctantly call the pharmacy and extend it if I promise to come in in the next few weeks.......(I also take a thyroid med and a Effexor and would get very sick if I just went off them).....I would seriously consider looking for a new DR,however,as I think their policy is INSANE....as much as we pay for health care(uhm,are you in US?),they treat us like we are welfare recipients and not customers...really pisses me off.

Foible.....I was really lucky with my thyroid(it isnt that bad,I take 100MCG levothyroxine)I went to a female Nurse Practitioner for depression and she asked if I had ever been tested....said there was a correlation with depression.Since then<i have had trouble with DR who think that level should be no lower then 5 even thought the specialist now recommend 2.5 to 3(for TSH)I still have a lot of symptoms but maybe they are from something else....I am still considering going to a "specialist" but I HATE going to DR.....