It's rare that I write a review for a doctor the same day I left their office for an appointment, but I left the office sobbing, so I want to get this all out of my mind while it's fresh-- I've been dealing with neck pain due to a herniated disc causing spinal compression for years, with the pain becoming serious and debilitating at times the last 3 years. I've done PT. I've made MAJOR life changes to baby the injury, I take time off to sit and let things calm down when they flare up. I already use all the heating pads, patches, NSAIDs, STIMS, etc. I do everything right. In bad flare up, I'll take oral steroids, which I can't take this time because I work fire operational support and we're REALLY busy right now (the state is literally on fire!), and I am working long hours and rotating shifts all over the place. I'm sensitive to the steroids. They make me not sleep, and increase my already heightened anxiety. I can't have that happen right now during peak fire weather operations requiring my time and attention. My surgeon sent me to Dr. Wu to talk about steroid injection options to get me through the next two months of fire season without the bad effects of the oral steroids.
Dr. Wu kept pushing the oral steroids and a few other meds, some of which I told him I have already been on without any relief in the past. I kept telling him I don't want to take the oral steroids this time because of my job and the side effects they have on me being able to work at a critical time. He made it sound like I was a huge bother to do an injection. That he would have to book a room, have it scheduled, etc, and basically this was just something he didn't feel like doing, and oral steroid is his preferred option because it's easy. I started to cry (and I NEVER cry. I am not a crier), because I wasn't being heard, and I'm sick of being in pain. I'm just trying to still be able to do a public safety job that is critical right now, and get a shot to help me feel better to get through this crazy wildfire period. Then he blamed my crying on anxiety. What? Are you serious? No-- you're not listening to me. I'm in pain and can't tolerate the oral meds right now. He's said, "well, I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to shove oral steroids down your throat." I replied, "well, that is exactly what you're doing, so just prescribe them and I'll have to go sort myself out somehow." At that point it was a lost cause going back and forth with him, and I just wanted to run out of that office and take a deep breath..or maybe scream and just let it all out. I've been dealing with this pain too long.
I have never in my life felt this awful leaving a doctors office. Completely unheard. Completely invalidated. I'm just trying to find a way to function and be able to do my duty during a bad fire season, and I am so hopeless now after leaving this office. I used to be a patient of SOAR phys medicine group, and years ago they offered me shots right off the bat, which I turned down because at the time I was able to tolerate the oral steroids well. I wish that office was still open. Definitely won't be back to see Dr. Wu, and will be on the search for a phys medicine doc who will listen to me and treat my pain effectively in a manner which won't inhibit my work demands during a wildfire outbreak. read more