Second Opinions

[123456]

Hello All,

Today I went to get a second opinion on my treatment plan. I highly recommend this for two reasons. One, you can hear a different perspective on treatment. Two, you can see if you're on the right track. I had an excellent time today with the new doc. He sat with me for darn near an hour talking about IC and the various treatments. He even gave me a referral for physical therapy to a woman who has specialized in IC and PFD for over 17 years. He made me feel at ease with the decisions of my other doc and encouraged me to ask for the things I need. I called the physical therapist and start after my vacation. I also called my regular uro and let them know I was starting PT and they were also encouraging stating that many people had success with PT.

Please, get second opinions, if only to ease your mind AND have a back up uro! Or, if you ever want to change docs, you'll already have had that first visit and it will be easier to change.

[lttlewun]

I have an HMO. Would I just need to ask my PCP for another referral? Can you use BOTH doctors at the same time or how does that work?

[nottoc4]

Good for you. It took me 1 1/2 years to seek another opinion...I feel so dumb now.I have the right Dr. now though.

[123456]

1. Call your doctor and see. They will know. Most insurance company's are fine with seeking second opinions. Also, your current uro doesn't need to know you got a second opinion. The doc I saw today asked me if I wanted his notes sent to my regular uro. I told him "no" and he was extremely kind.

2. Don't feel dumb. Doctors can be intimidating. If I hadn't worked in medical sales for years, I probably wouldn't have gotten a second opinion for a while. I'm just used to doctors on a professional level. Of course, my job never let me work with uro's, so I had to try to figure out who I wanted.

3. I don't know if you can use both at the same time, but I was able to use my referral from the doc today. I'm sure they would need to be informed if you were being treated by both due to medication interactions.

[lttlewun]

Thank you! I may just consider getting a 2nd opinion for the hell of it. Can't hurt right?

[mary124]

I have a PPO (and supposely I don't need a referral but I do according to doctors office/insurance -guess its the type that I have plus I work with the STate) I had a referral for another doctor a few years ago (not for a Uro) they told me that I can get 2nd or ever 3rd opinions as long as in the long run I pick just one of the doctors. So call your insurance and or doctors office and see what they tell you.

[theclownster]

Hi there! I saw my first urologist for a 2 or 3 visits (i think) and then I requested a second opinion. Before I called my PCP (I have an HMO), I called my other specialists, one is a surgeon, and asked who they would recommend. Then I called my PCP and told them that I wanted a second opinion and gave them the name of who my surgeon recommended and they made the referral. They referred to this doctor all the time and were very familiar with him and they agreed he was a good doc. I think originally, my doctor referred me to the first doctor because she was female and maybe thought I'd be more comfortable - which in theory is probably true. However, I didn't like her and the second opinion urologist, who is male, has been my urologist since the very first visit. So, I do see him regularly and don't think I can go back and forth, yet if I felt like I needed a second opinion again, I could request one. I didn't care if my 2nd opinion doc talked to my 1st one cause I knew I wasn't going back to her. In fact he ran into her at a conference and mentioned that he confirmed her diagnosis for me. I do wonder if she ever wondered why I didn't come back. She was good at diagnosing me right away - but her office behavior was not acceptable to me and her staff wasn't the nicest either. I'm very glad I got a second opinion or I wouldn't be in the shape that I'm in. For the most part, I do very well with my treatment.