Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: The dentist is not my friend! And the eye doctor!

Hey Steph,

I'm sorry about all this. I can kinda relate to the dentist thing -- I don't hate going at all, but I've had no dental coverage (and no money) since starting law school, so I haven't been in 2 years. I finally made an appt for Monday. I'll have to pay out of pocket, but I'm freaking out about all the things that could be wrong with my teeth. Plus I'm definitely either clenching or grinding my teeth -- they feel pretty weird. So, hopefully he doesn't charge me an arm and a leg when I go.

As for the eyes -- I'm pretty sure I've had what you have. Did the doc say GPC or Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis? I know, it's a sexy name. I had to stop wearing my contacts for 3 months during my Junior year of college. I developed an allergy to the preservatives in normal contact lense solution, and had to switch to the kind with the little vial and the bubbling disk -- is that what you're using? Once you get the go-ahead to wear lenses again, ask the doc if you can use Focus Night & Day. That's what I'm using now -- I put in a new pair, and wear and sleep in them for 30 days, never having to take them out. Then after 30 days I chuck them and put in a new pair. The only problem is that they are not designed to correct astigmatism. So, if that's a problem for you, you won't be able to wear them. I have a moderate astigmatism in my right eye, but the doc just made the other correction a little stronger, and I can deal. By the way, you say you're blind as a bat -- My contact lense Rx is -8 in my left and -8.5 in my right. Contacts only go up to -10, so I hope I slow down!!! I'm going to look into LASIK as soon as I can afford it.

And on the subject of annoying doctors --- let me tell you about my pulmonologist. I have asthma, and used to go to this lady in NJ by my parents. She was fine until she randomly went crazy and left her practice. It didn't really matter though, because I was moving to NYC anyway and just found a doc here. He continued to prescribe me the same meds she had prescribed, and I've been taking Singulair every night for about 3.5 years now. It really makes a difference. The lady doc used to prescribe me a year's worth at a time. New doc gives me 3mo at a time. So, I call the office every 3 months and they refill. This has been working for a year. Then, I call on Wednesday, and the receptionist who barely speaks english takes down my info and says she'll call it in. I call the pharmacy later that day, and the next day. No Rx called in. I call the doc's office, get the answering service, leave a message. Called pharm again yesterday, no Rx. Called doc's office. New, english-speaking receptionist tells me there is a prob, because I haven't been there since 9/04, they won't refill it for me. Not even enough to get me through to my next visit! So then the doc gets on the phone and explains it to me, in a very lectury voice, saying well I have to see you once in a while if you want me to keep prescribing for you. I say that's fine and that I totally understand, but that if their policy is every 3 months, or every 12, or whatever, they should make that known so I don't run out of meds. Now I have an appt for Wednesday, and he'll be checking my lung capacity after I've been off the meds for a week. Does that make sense to anyone????? Grrr.

Plus, in addition to the dentist on Monday and the Pulmonologist on Wednesday, I'm finally going to the student health center on Tuesday to deal with my thyroid. I stopped by that office last week and told the doc my symptoms, and she said to sort out my insurance (I had to renew) and come back. So, hopefully they'll test me on Tuesday. Nobody said anything about having to fast before the blood test, but I'm going to call on Monday to see if I need to. At this point, I actually hope they find I'm hypothyroid, because I'd have an explanation for the 10 pounds I've gained in the last 2 years, and for the fact that I am constantly unbearably cold. We'll see.

Anyway I'm not trying to one-up you here -- just going with the theory that misery loves company, and I'm right there with you! I hope your mouth feels better soon -- try rubbing some scotch on it with a q-tip.

Best,
Panda

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Amanda

I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin

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