Well you know what annoys me about doctors? They over-order tests you don't need so they can bill your insurer, and they make you take certain medications, because pharm companies give them tons of perks for it.

All the Drs I've encountered have been upfront and helpful, they know I don't want to do a bunch of tests or take a bunch of pills. They ask lots of ?'s and so do I. Honestly it's the nurses that don't always get the message to the Dr that annoys me.

Regarding #2 well they may hate it but that doesn't stop me. I have endometriosis and I can't tell you the number of times I've been given directions by a doctor to follow that is not in my best interest or spouts "facts" that have been disproven. For example telling me getting pregnant or having a hysterectomy will cure me when that's totally been disproven since there is no known cure.

You know what annoys me is doctors that think it's ok to run 45 min late. My time is just as important as theirs!!!

I'm thankful I have a good family doctor. We have a good relationship.

You know what I hate?? When I go to several dermatologists within the span of 10 years who keep prescribing me the same worthless crap for my acne and they refuse to give me accutane. Luckily, I found one guy who did it and now he's the only guy I go to for any skin problem.

I also hate when I blow over $100 on a hand injury I got on a punching bag and leave with nothing because doctors keep blowing me off because I should just quit martial arts instead.

The end of my rant.

#2-- i'm annoyed by doctors who preach having an active, healthy lifestyle and sit there overweight or obese themselves.

campgirl-I totally agree!!!!

I am sure I pissed off the two GI doctors I was seeing when I didn't know why I was sick and wasn't getting any answers from them by beginning my own research. After some invasive tests and a recommendation to lose my gall bladder (to see if it would help) I finally got a blood test to check for food allergies via a chiropractor friend. We found what was wrong.

All I know is that if you are not getting answers get another opinion and follow your intuition.

It seems like doctors don't give their patients much respect, either. Whenever I see a doctor of ANY kind, it's like they'd rather be doing something else. It always feels like my appointments are very rushed.

I hate it when the doctor is convinced that I don't know my own body and basically talks right over me. I also hate it when they order unnecessary tests and I end up paying out $450 for a routine UTI (just happened in January. I'm still bitter).

Ha, it's always the doctors that make my job such a pain in the butt. Half the time, they don't know what they're doing when it comes to ordering certain cultures because they expect US to know what to do. Most of the time, we do but sometimes doctors order just about every test that we can possibly run so they cover their a$$es and that only winds up costing the insurance companies and the patients a lot of extra money. My doctor told me to get a bone scan done because I'm "at risk" for getting osteoporosis. The thing is, my insurance will only pay for ONE bone scan in my lifetime. So I told them that I'll continue with my vitamin D/calcium supplements and strength training and I'll get the bone scan done later, like when I'm actually going to be more prone to having osteoporosis.

Doctors that treat everyone as though they're the same also really bugs me. When I was underfat, my doctor told me that I wasn't underweight according to my BMI, so I should be fine. Never mind that I wasn't menstruating because my body fat was too low. I don't think she really "got" that BMI is really flawed for a lot of people. Especially if you're short, muscular, and very athletic.

#2 bugs me - you shouldn't have to take something or do something your doctor reccomends if you feel in your gut that it isn't right. Yes they may have a medical degree, but you know your own body and and you have your intuition which is not worthless!

I think the internet is evil in terms of health (I mean serious health...things like fit sugar are great!).

If I feel sick, I try to NEVER look online about whatever ailment I have or may have. The internet is like a placebo--it convinces people that something is there that really isn't.

I don't do any of these things with my doctors. If I'm going to the doctor, I'm going to get answers and find out what's wrong and how to fix it. And I do what I can from there.

But where's the "5 Things that Annoy Patients About Doctors"?!

The main thing that irritates me about doctors is that many times when I've told them about my symptoms, they run over them and make up some new diagnosis that doesn't make any sense and isn't supported by the needless tests they make me undergo. And THEN they want to come back and say, "well hmm...I don't know what it is". WELL NO DUH if you had listened to the symptoms I had and when I said, "well doesn't XYZ condition have these markers that I DON'T have? I *do* know a bit about how bodies work, you know..." then we could have saved time and money and we might actually have a diagnosis. But no - many times I leave not knowing any more about my condition than the doctor does, but with Rx's that just happen to stop the symptoms but don't get to the root cause.

The thing that scares me the most is that I know quite a few students from my health professions high school who are in medical school now (through some serious cheating) and don't know a damn thing. I know more about some things than they do, and THEY'RE supposed to be the "experts"!? I will NEVER see any of them as a patient when they become doctors, and it's a little unsettling that they're going to be entrusted with other people's lives.

i like number 5, thanks to webmd of course!!! haha

I have a slight annoyance to #1. While I do agree that you should be totally honest I think some things you can fib on. EXAMPLE: When I was pregnant they ask tons of questions about your health and personal life. They asked me if I had ever taken drugs. My response was, "In my whole life?" and they said yes. So answered honestly with a "yes I have but I no longer do and haven't for quite some time." Fast forward to my delivery. After my daughter was born they taped a plastic baggie to her vagina and said they needed a sample of her urine to test her for drugs!! Stunned I asked why. Their response was that I had stated that I had used drugs in my life. I was completely shocked! They screwed up putting the baggie on and had to keep reapplying it. My daughter was screaming. It broke my heart. I told all my girlfriends that if they are asked that question to say never. I am an adult who lives an extremely healthy lifestyle, I was mortified. If I could have done it again I would have lied.

I think many readers here, patients mostly, don't realize the difficulties of the medical profession. Yes, many doctors are rushed and sometimes late, and yes that bothers me as well, but they are the only profession that has not been able to raise the prices for procedures in over 25 years. That is why so many of the new procedures are so expensive, its pretty difficult to keep a practice afloat when you have to charge the same for basic medical care that your father did. Also, when insurance companies refuse to pay bills, paying less that 1/10th of the bill in most cases, it is not hard to see why physicians are struggling and why so few seem to go above and beyond. The health care system is broken, and it is frustrating to see doctors blamed instead of the bureaucracy that caused it.

NikkiRuby - that is ridiculous, not only would your routine blood tests during your pregnancy have shown what you said was true, but that sounds very unnecessarily invasive and unintelligent. If they'd been required to medically find out, why didn't they test your blood, or used the heel prick blood for that?? Not ok- in such a situation you could have called them on inefficient and unnecessary behaviour leading to distressing a newborn!

I think using the internet isn't necessarily a bad tool when it comes to learning about your health. I had an operation about 2 years ago and it was difficult to understand what exactly the diagnosis was for my condition to go forward with the procedure. Everyone kept speaking in very technical terms and I still wasn't aware of what was completely going on with my body. So I had the doctors write down everything and I went ahead and looked it up myself to give me a better understanding. But at the same time I can see how using the internet could make you paranoid and you can be misinformed.

i think that utilizing the internet is a great thing! doctors these days are more interested in prescribing a medicine for a "quick fix" thanks to a pharmaceutical company without getting to the root of the problem. doctors also don't often ask the right questions. after years of debilitating skin rashes, i was at my wits end and asked my dermatologist if it could be food allergies or anything internal. they flat out told me NO. after a ton of research, i lost them, found a new doctor and found out i have food allergies, a bacterial infection and other GI problems.

the internet has been an invaluable tool for me. sometimes it's difficult to go against a doctor you trust to get a second opinion, and the internet can give you the confidence to take control of your health.

I am so frustrated with doctors and honestly I don't give a rat's TAIL what they "hate" about us. Doctors USED to become doctors because they wanted to help people, now it is all about the money. If there's a doctor out there who gives a crap, I haven't seen one. I know there is something wrong with my body and 3 different doctors have told me 3 different things, and now they're making me think that I'M crazy because they can't find the problem...they don't WANT to find the problem! I know my body...like others have said, if there's something wrong, don't stop until you find a doctor who will help...I'm still on my search.

I have been to many many doctors who simply didn't listen to me - just tuned out, thought they knew what was wrong, and clearly couldn't be bothered to figure it out - I spent a few moths having serious chest pains and overwhelming fatigue - I was in my early 20's, and I saw about 4 different doctors who all said the fatigue was depression and the chest pains were anxiety attacks - mind you, they made this diagnosis before even EXAMINING ME. Then their examination was perfunctory at best, and they prescribed me anti-anxiety meds and anti-depressives. I refused to take these drugs because I knew they were all wrong and that something was seriously wrong in my body - I decided to take a trip home to see my PEDIATRICIAN, who had been my doctor literally since I was born, and he discovered that I had a COLLAPSED LUNG and I had to have lung surgery and spent a month in the hospital.

I was told after the surgery that I COULD HAVE DIED from this, and I was admonished by my thoracic surgeon for not having been to the doctor earlier - when I told him that I had seen 4 other doctors who all said I was depressed and anxious, he looked stunned for about a second, and then said, "Were they all older men?" 3 of them were older men, and 1 one of them was a younger man - And he said that he saw female cardiac patients all the time who were told by male doctors that they were depressed and anxious when in fact they were having heart attacks. If a male patient walks into a doctor's office complaining of chest pain, everyone takes them seriously - if a woman does, especially a young woman, doctors brush it off as emotional distress.

So my thought on this story is that if I had just "listened" to all those sexist doctors and taken their medication, despite what my instincts were telling me, I might be dead now.

These comments are hard to read for me, since I'm a medical student. I truly do care about helping my future patients and I'm not just in this profession for the money. The money would actually be better if I got a job in engineering or pharma straight out of college. I'm taking out $250,000 in loans to pay for med school and I'll be paying that back, plus interest, for most of my life. Then there's malpractice insurance, which, for one year, costs a family doc around $20k, and an ob-gyn closer to $120k! I don't ever intend to be rich, but it would be nice to pay my bills and go out to dinner or a movie once in a while (something I can't do now because I'm pinching pennies).
About the "unnecessary" tests, it's a sad reality that a doctor today can be sued for all she's worth, and maybe even lose her practice, if she misses a serious diagnosis. So we run test which are ruling out rare but real possible diseases.
This doesn't excuse doctors who dismiss their patients symptoms or don't continue reading to learn the latest medical advances. That's awful and we should avoid these doctors if possible.
But it might explain why most doctors' offices overbook and expect 10 minute appointments. We hate that too-- I don't know many docs who get a lunch break-- but what can we do?

well to be fair to some doctors, my friends who are new to the field, work for clinics and hospitals, and are often forced to go by their procedures which aren't always right. But those who own their own practices need to do a better job. My ortho surgeon had an average 2 hour wait to see him every time, and he literally spent 5 minutes when seeing me for my appointment. It was frustrating, but he's the best in his field, which is why he sees 50 patients a day.

my friend's doctor googled her condition - right in front of her!!

I totally lie to my doctor when he/she asks if I do drugs. I like to smoke pot sometimes and I just don't feel like getting a lecture.

I think that most doctors mean well. Still, Doctors aren't god, they aren't always right, and they aren't always recommending things out of good information and selfless desire to help you. I've had doctors argue with me about the honest facts I state about my lifestyle. I've also had advice that make no sense or is way outdated. There is a difference between the hard-headed patient who just doesn't listen and one that is skeptical in an educated way.

Gosh, this is good advice for any situation with a professional who you're paying. Be educated about what you want, listen to their opinion, be open and honest.

We receive free healthcare through the NHS here. It is a COW to get the tests you need to diagnose a problem! An absolute nightmare.

It seems that this article was designed primarily for people who are leaning towards hypochondriasis or possibly diabetics. Type II diabetes is a notoriously difficult disease to manage, especially since it's built on a lifetime of poor health habits in most situations. A doctor can give you a prescription, but he/she can't force you to walk for 30 minutes a day or watch your glucose intake. Neither can he/she control the ridiculous number of appointments made each day due to the demands of the insurance companies.

I'm premed with the goal of improving the quality of lives for my future patients and hopefully fighting Alzheimer's. In an ideal world, each doctor is knowledgeable, empathetic, and encouraging. I've fortunately experienced only these kinds of doctors, both female. My pediatrician is the only person who can make me laugh during a Pap.

i think the idea of bringing up what a sister or relative has found useful if they've used a specific treatment to a doctor would actually be helpful. so many things are genetically linked, why not bring up something that worked for your mom/sister if there are multiple ways something can be treated? also, it assists doctors with history. in this day in age, when doctors are seeing an overwhelming number of patients each day, you better believe i am going to bring up any piece of information that might be helpful as i am rushed out of the doctor's office. i have plenty of friends who are doctors who yes, do get annoyed by some of the above items, but have had too many experiences where doctor's miss things or don't consider something due to lack of time or rushing.

For a long time I went to Physician's Assistants. Doctors usually spent 3 minutes with me and wrote me a script for whatever med they liked to prescribe. PAs spent real time talking to me and trying to understand all the factors of my problem.

Luckily I found a doctor who is very generous with her time. There is a PA in her practice but now that I have a doc who can usually see me the same day and takes an interest in my well being and the time to fully discuss my problems and treatment I generally go to my doctor.

As I see it I am the person who is responsible for my own health. My doctor in there to help but in the end it is me who will decide what to do. I see my relationship with doctors to be one of collaboration rather than one of obedience. If I disagree with my doctor's recommendation I don't want them to take it personally. I'll hear them out but everything is ultimately my decision.

Don't know what health insurance you have, but I have a bone density test done every 2 to 3 years and the costs have always been covered by my insurance. I suggest reviewing your policy or changing to another that provides this service at a reasonable interval. Having 1 lifetime bone density doesn't make sense. I had a baseline bone density scan done when I was in my early 40's. Since then I've had 3 more. All these scans showed a very slow progressive loss of bone mass. I am not at the point where I need to be on medication. With strength training I hope to be able to avoid meds a bit longer.

And the truth about Doctors? Most of them these days don't really care about CURING you. They give you a prescription and send you on your way because they get kickbacks from pharmaceutical co. to push their products. Not enough attention is given to HOMEOPATHY and those doctors. They actually try to CURE you, not mask and bury your symptoms!!

These comments are hard for me to read as well since I am a medical student. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and I realized that medicine was my passion because I loved science and interacting with people and making them feel better. I think there is still a huge stigma about people that enter the medical profession: as someone mentioned they think we go in it for the money. This is absolutely not true!! As the med student in post #24 already stated: I too am taking out about $200K in loans to cover my medical school tuition and will also be spending a good portion of my adult life paying this back with very high interest.

I would hope (and expect) my patients would come in and engage in a 2-way conversation with me about their health. Unfortunately, this includes some very personal questions. In my opinion you should NEVER be lectured in a demeaning manner by any physicians about things that you do. If what you do is detrimental to your health though I would also hope that the physicians speaks up and calls you out on it. After all he is your physician and should care about how you are treating your body. Also, if you ever are uncomfortable and unsure as to why a doctor is asking you a question I would ask him why that question is relevant.

For those interested there is actually a really good article of the current health care system in the US (and yes, a lot of problems with physicians are the byproduct of our health care system) and the author poses some very interesting questions and thoughts:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?curr...

These comments are hard for me to read as well since I am a medical student. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and I realized that medicine was my passion because I loved science and interacting with people and making them feel better. I think there is still a huge stigma about people that enter the medical profession: as someone mentioned they think we go in it for the money. This is absolutely not true!! As the med student in post #24 already stated: I too am taking out about $200K in loans to cover my medical school tuition and will also be spending a good portion of my adult life paying this back with very high interest.

I would hope (and expect) my patients would come in and engage in a 2-way conversation with me about their health. Unfortunately, this includes some very personal questions. In my opinion you should NEVER be lectured in a demeaning manner by any physicians about things that you do. If what you do is detrimental to your health though I would also hope that the physicians speaks up and calls you out on it. After all he is your physician and should care about how you are treating your body. Also, if you ever are uncomfortable and unsure as to why a doctor is asking you a question I would ask him why that question is relevant.

For those interested there is actually a really good article of the current health care system in the US (and yes, a lot of problems with physicians are the byproduct of our healthcare system) and the author poses some very interesting questions and thoughts: it is in the New Yorker by Atul Gawande called "Annals of Medicine: The Cost Conundrum". I tried posting the link here but it wouldn't let me

I read that Atul Gawande article a few weeks ago. It is a weird situation for doctors as well. I honestly think grad school fees need to be dropped a lot. I'm a lawyer, and owe 120k in loans for law school. It's ridiculous, and forces me to take a job I hate because I need the money to pay back my loans. I'd rather be helping out the disadvantaged.

The Drs hate that we are looking online? When drs actually know what the hell is going on with me instead of running to their computers and pdas then you tell me something.
Your damn computer can't tell you have I felt this morning, yesterday or a week ago.
How about you listen to me? You will not be successful if you don't, but I guess then the drs dont care. It's not them who are sick. They'll get paid anyway right? *bitter*

I remember once I was feeling really ill, I had been for a little while, but it got so bad, I could not walk without help. I went to the ER. The PA that I got seemed to feel that something was truly wrong, but her attending did not. Told me to go back to work, my symptoms were caused by not having enough to do.
So when I was diagnosed with MS a year after that er visit, that dr who wouldnt take the time to consider me, who had in his head that my symptoms were a figment of my imagination. I thought of him. What an ass. If he did bother with me, I might have been able to start treatments sooner.
I would love to say that was my worse experience, but it's not. Ive had my share of extrmely crappy ER docs. I pray to GOD that I never have to see an er again.

Subject of Doctors is a very sensitive one in different ways,
there are a lot of doctors that are doctors just for the money, and make you take all the expensive tests, BUT there are also many doctors who are really there to help.
So PLEASE PLEASE remember that all doctors aren't bad
I myself am i pediatrician and I just really get annoyed when parents of the patient act like i'm just out for the money

I've found that sometimes you have to "interview" a doctor when looking for one to treat you for a certain condition. My family doctor, who has treated my whole family for probably 15+ years was emphatic that I could not be getting sinus infections/bronchitis/strep throat/upper respiratory infections from an allergy to my cat. She refused to test me to see if I was allergic. I spent about 4 years of my life suffering with these infections for 6-8 weeks at a time, to have them clear up for a week or so and then come right back. She just kept prescribing antibiotics.

Went away to college, and my first weekend home to visit, I had my first asthma attack and broke out in hives to the cat. Went to the doctor, she denied it! So I stopped seeing her and found someone new.

For years I was told that I was asthmatic but nobody ever treated me for it or did any tests. They would just prescribe an inhaler to use when I felt out of breath. Finally I moved to a new city for work, and I decided that instead of getting a family doctor, I'd get a dermatologist (for skin cancer screenings), a primary doctor who specialized in women's health, an ENT to deal with my infections, and for kicks, I added an asthma specialist. The first thing the asthma specialist did was run a bunch of tests, which showed that my blood oxygen level was below 90% and I failed the spirometry test (65%). She said most people would be at the ER with these symptoms, that she was amazed I accustomed to that severe of asthma. She immediately put me on medications to control my asthma and life has been so much better.

I know I have 4 doctors instead of the normal 1, but each one is a specialist for something that is a health concern of mine. Minus the dermatologist, the other's I see for regular checkups so they can adjust my meds should something improve or worsen. I keep them all updated on what each other is doing and I think it has helped me to feel the best I have in a long time.