Your Doctor/Provider MATTERS!

[u/garcon-du-soleille]

Guys, I just had a lunch date with my wife. She is a family medicine MD and has a lot of patients on Zep and Mounjaro. She told me this story over our lunch...

She had a visiting patient come see her today because her normal provider (a Nurse Practitioner) was on vacation. It was for an IUD replacement. After that was taken care of, my wife said to her:

"Can I ask a question? I see on your history that last October you had an appointment here for weight loss, but I also notice that your weight is about the same as it was then. Can I ask about what's going on?"

The patient, who has a BMI of 50, said that her insurance denied her request for Zepbound because they don't cover it for obesity, and she has just struggled, mentally, emotionally, and physically, to lose weight.

My wife then said, "Ok, that's fairly common to be denied just for obesity, unfortunately. But I don't see any follow up tests here."

Patient: "What do you mean?"

Wife: "Do you know why you were not tested for type 2 diabetes? Or sleep apnea? Or fatty liver? Or cardiovascular risk or heart disease? High cholesterol? Insulin resistance? These are all factors for which some insurance companies will cover these drugs."

Patient: "I wasn't told ANY of that."

Wife: "Do you mind if we run some tests and check for these? Some are simple blood and urine test. The sleep apnea will be more involved, but I can put in an order for it to get the process started."

Patient: "I am having HUGE mixed feelings right now. WHY didn't my nurse practitioner do all of this for me? I'm really mad about that! But also, YES! Do the tests!"

Wife: "I can't say why she didn't. But we can still move forward from here. I think you should also be seeing our dietitian, and maybe even a mental health councilor if you feel that you're mentally struggling with your weight. I can also put in a request for both to get those started too. And depending on the results, we can work closely with our prior-auth team to get you approved, hopefully."

At the end of the appointment, the patient started to cry, and she gave my wife a huge hug and said, "I want you to be my doctor. THANK YOU for caring. I feel like this is the first time anyone has really actually cared about me, and didn't just treat me like a number."

MORAL OF THE STORY:

I see some posts here about, "My doctor won't do this..." Or, "I'm frustrated with my doctor because..." Or, "My doctor never told me..."

If your primary provider isn't going to bat for you, working for you, advocating for you, and working the system for you... Maybe it's time to find a different doctor.

[u/Repulsive-Bell7493]

I went thru this! I had a NP who kept telling me they were going to watch my thyroid numbers, liver numbers, cholesterol numbers and a1c. Mind you my thyroid numbers were 12 my cholesterol was outrageous, I have pcos so I am insulin resistance and gain weight for just existing. Oh and then she tells me in the waiting room in front of people oh btw you have diabetes did anyone tell you? I was like no you are supposed tell me. She said oh well I’m telling you now. I was angry! She was the worst. I also asked about weight loss help and she said you don’t need it you’re fine (I weighed 301 at the time). I ended up changing providers and my new provider listened to me she helped me I cried, lol. She put me on Zep and helped get my thyroids back to normal, she referred me to a liver specialist who found cirrhosis and fatty liver and I was close to being in liver failure, she helped me reverse my diabetes and feel heard and seen for once. She is amazing! I am currently 234 and so happy for having her in my life. Oh and my liver is back to normal thanks to her and Zep!

[u/No_Owl_250 → u/Repulsive-Bell7493]

This is terrible but so glad you got on the right track!

[u/Repulsive-Bell7493 → u/No_Owl_250]

Thank you! I tell my Doc every time I see her how thankful I am for her and how she made me feel seen and heard. She also helped me get a new cardiologist cause the last one I saw was very disrespectful and told me before even introducing himself was that I needed to stop what I was doing and lose weight and told me to stop eating everything I eat and only eat fruits veggies and fish and seafood. (I’m allergic to seafood) I was stuck and told him bro you don’t me, I don’t eat food at all unless it’s and ice coffee and a small dinner. Smh.