Mine are very short - not long enough by any means. It gets very frustrating actually.
I'm wondering if my allotted time is normal or abnormal.
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
I would say it depends on how much money you are paying out.
When we went to a doctor that was 12 hours away from home and had to pay a bunch of money because he didn't take insurance, we had at least an hour appt.
We were only required to come two or three times a year, so I would think that the doctor would need that much time to go over everything.
We now see a doctor who is only two hours away, takes our insurance, and want to see us every two months. His appointment only last for about 20 minutes at the most.
I don't feel like he rushes me or anything though. I get all of my questions answered, he tweaks my daughter's meds as needed, we go over any symptom changes, and we are ready to go.
If you are not getting the answers you need before you leave, you need to speak up. That's what they get paid for.
Posted by Missyindc (Member # 27598) on :
At least an hour, at least monthly.....worth every penny!
Posted by sk8ter (Member # 8671) on :
Mine takes at least 2 hrs first time andat least an hour for followups
Posted by kday (Member # 22234) on :
Lyme ND - 2 hours Lyme DO - 30 minutes to an hour CFS Doc - supposed to be 30 minutes I think but usually ends up being closer to an hour.
If a doc is under 20 minutes, they just want a quick buck and don't care. There are docs that are extreme and cut their follow-ups to 2.5 to 5 minutes. These are the really bad ones.
If they ever do the "I have to step out for a minute and right things down" trick (and never come back), I never go back to them. Consultants train them to do that and it's rude. It's usually (but not always!) a good indicator that they really don't care about you too.
I guess you can say I traveled the medical system and know the dirty tricks.
Note: It's not that I like long appointments, it's that they are often necessary because I am a complex patient. If I had an earache or sinus infection, a shorter appointment is fine. I don't go to doctors for minor stuff like that anyway.
Posted by mbdq (Member # 26277) on :
Mine usually range from 30-45 minutes. Most are 45 min. I do pay for an "extended" visit.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Mine were an hour. I went about 3 times per year. I had to fly to see my LLMD, so he didn't make me go very often.
I had 20-30 min. phone consults on the months I didn't go in person. I got the blood work done locally.
Posted by Deb133 (Member # 18544) on :
My daughter's first LLMD was 15 minutes for $175. If we went over that it was an additional charge of $30. Although we liked him ALOT and he was close we did end up switching after a year.
Our current LLMD we travel 2 and 1/2 hours and he is worth every penny. His cost is $175 and he spends an hour and does not rush us. There is no extended fee that I know of. We usually go once a month but sometimes we wait two months with a
phone consult in between. He is great and worth very penny.
Deb g
Posted by Starfall (Member # 26795) on :
Mine are 15-20 minutes every 3 months, which I often don't feel are long enough. But then I also get stuck having to bring at least one kid along, so I'm always dealing with that.
But I always seem to not get everything answered, or think of something right after I leave.
I'm also getting frustrated because I've been on the same dosage of the same meds for a year and a half, and I still have lingering sx.
He also never seems to know what to tell me (although I realize this is a complex disease) when I do ask questions, and I never seem to get the answers I need.
I want to change docs, but there aren't any closer to me, and hubby throws a fit about the constant doctor visits.
Posted by INEBG (Member # 27690) on :
My appointments are 4-6 weeks apart, and last from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on my needs and the doctor's schedule. The average length of an appointment is 45 minutes. I pay $150 for an office visit and also purchase several supplements each time. The doctor is nearly two hours away, but I think he is doing a good job, and I like that he always makes time to talk with me via phone if I am having a problem between visits.
Recently he invited me to participate in a group 3-hour appointment with other Lyme patients. Not sure how I feel about that and whether insurance will kick in anything. The fee is higher, but he says I may benefit from the general talk he'll give (based on recent conference) and from questions of other patients. Has anyone else done this?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Two hours the first time.. 45 to an hour after that.
Posted by momlyme (Member # 27775) on :
We have a pediatrician who spends at least an hour with my son. She is very thorough and takes his chart to consult with Dr. J in CT if she is unsure of what direction to go with my son's treatment.
She returns my phone calls & emails personally and the same day if I have a question or a concern.
We see her once a month. It's a little over an hour's drive.
She takes our insurance and only charges the co-pay for a regular doctor's appointment($15), not the specialist($30).
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
My llmd is within 2 miles of my house.
I see him about every 4 weeks lately, and we get all our talking done in about 20 mins. And I feel we hit all topics. I've gotten to know his staff and lab gals which makes a fun time seeing everyone. He's so personalble, and I usually have all my 'what's gone on in the last month' info ready to share with him so he can figure out what to do next.
He takes my insurance so lucky that I only pay $25 each time I see him.
I know I can call or fax anything or time and I would get an answer too.
It's really nice having this relationship as my first LLMD I felt like I was at a Walmart check-out, zipping me right along the belt quickly.
Posted by FYRECRACKER (Member # 28568) on :
I'm about a 10 hour drive from my LLND.
She doesn't make me go very often, when I do it was around 90 mins.
Phone follow ups about once a month, 30 mins.
If it goes a little longer she doesn't charge extra or anything.