Bummed about losing my HIV doc.

[libvet]

My doctor who has been treating me for almost 7 years and one of the few docs in the area who has been seeing people with HIV since the mid-80's is leaving private practice for a new position (a very lucrative one at that and I wish him the best).

It's pretty wierd to feel like this, but for me, it's losing a healthcare partner who really listened to me and in some ways I think literally saved my life.

He has always been available to me when I needed him and open to new ideas (such as going along with my experimentation with Interleukin-2 for a year which I finally seemed to bump my numbers up to an almost normal level after they hovered around 125 t-cells for almost two years after starting treatment...btw, I haven't injected it since 2004 and my numbers haven't dropped since, so I consider that a success).

So now I have to start a new healthcare relationship with someone who doesn't know what I was like 7 years ago when my t-cells were at 22 and my viral load was 250k and was 30 pounds underweight. 

He does have a point though.  He said of there was only two docs who in my area who have been in this from the beginning and neither of them are getting any younger, so I can understand where he is coming from, but it still kinda sucks to have to deal with someone I don't know and hasn't got a resume like my former doc.

How have your experiences been with finding and starting a new healthcare partnership?

[Jody]

Hi Libvet, I can imagine your trepidation in this regard...I often wonder what I would do if my ID doc left practice, moved or whatever...I just don't know if another doctor would be so quick to pick up an HIV+ patient...I would have to ask around my support group or get a recommendation from my current doctor if possible...It is not like having to find another dentist or dermatologist really, it is a more complex relationship as you know...It must be very unsettling for you and a huge cause for concern...Just do your best to establish a good relationship with the next doctor, be proactive and give it your best shot.

Good luck, Jody

[Eldon]

Hi Libvet,

I know what it is like when you have such a relationship with your doctor and then you lose it. In my case, I had moved from my current Doctor and I had to find a new one.

One of the things you might do is ask him for a referral and see if he knows someone in the field that can pick up where he left off.

Have the Best Day.

[purpledragonfly]

Hi LIbvet, I know how it feels to loose your dr. My first dr. was wonderful, he saved my life, the day i ment him i had a cd4 count of 29 and vload was over29,000. He didn't think i would make it thru the night, well that was 9 yrs. ago. I am here but he is not. He left here to work for a bigger hospital. It was very hard for me and i went thru 2 different drs. before i found the one i have now. The funny thing is i looked everywhere for a good dr. and found one in the same dr. office as my first dr. He is wonderful and is going to help with me with starting up a support group.
Hang in there you will find the right one. But if you are not happy with one dr. then look for another one. Don't settle with not so good but not so bad. Find the one that will listen and talk to you like a person not a patient.

Good Luck.  Wendy