My life on the medical hamster wheel

I went back to the pulmonologist yesterday morning. Basically he can't help me and he wants me to come back in 6 months. Um, no.

The long story: he says that my lung function isn't as good as it should be. That's what the allergist says too. But I don't wheeze or don't get short of breath when I walk or climb stairs. The pulmo insists that's why I cough, even though the tickle comes when I inhale, not exhale. I argued with him. He's not used to patients who argue with God.

He wanted me to try more asthma inhalers, and I told him no. I've spent thousands of dollars on those things and they don't work. The tests that I had prove that I do not have asthma and I don't respond to asthma drugs. So there. He then said that all he can do is send me to a cough treatment center in BOSTON. Yes, Massachusetts. I showed him the articles that I'd googled and printed before I went to his office, and one is by an ENT in Warrenton (VA) who specializes in treating sensory neuropathic cough, which describes exactly what I have. He brushed that suggestion right into the crapper. No more ENTs, he says. The center in Boston has an ENT, a gastroenterologist, and a pulmonologist, and he wants me to see them. I don't see the difference; an ENT is an ENT as far as I'm concerned. One is one hour away and one is 9 hours away. I won't see any more ENTs in Hburg or Chville, but I will see the one in Warrenton if I want to.

So I emailed the dr. in Warrenton. Within 30 minutes I had a reply, saying that he'd be glad to see me (and my insurance $$$), but my GP could try the drugs he uses for this cough, amitriptyline (which I've tried, and it really helped, but it made me too stupid so I stopped taking it; mixed with Effexor it was too much), nortriptyline, tramadol, and Neurontin (gabapentin). He said that he has one patient on two of the drugs. We're seeing our new GP this afternoon, so I'm taking his email and the article he wrote, and we'll see what happens.

I told Dr. God that I'm worn out fighting this cough. I'm getting off the hamster wheel. No more asthma drugs. If necessary, I'll go to NIH or the Mayo Clinic. No more farting around with local "specialists". Give me a GP who will listen to me.