zeptember

Today I went to a dermatologist for the first time. I’d made the appointment weeks ago but forgot to mention it here. There were two reasons I went:

1. I have a small red spot on my forehead, which showed up a couple years ago and never went away
2. I have dermatitis from food and chemical allergies

I got to my appointment, the doctor took a look at me after heard my concerns and family history (my dad, brother and first cousin all had skin cancer - all survived), and said outright that I do NOT have skin cancer. He asked me if my family had basal cell cancer - I told him I did not know but that I could ask. He replied curtly that it would have been helpful to know already. He then said I have an angioma, and told me that those are nothing to worry about, it’s just part of aging and happens to everyone and “is a sign that we are human”.

I asked him about some brown round spots near my ankles as well - he said those too are nothing to worry about. I’ve already forgotten what he called those - I’ll call back to get the name.

Regarding the dermatitis, he said it’s caused by exposure to detergents and solvents, and that some people are more sensitive than others. He said it’s not an allergy. I told him that when I eat anything in the bean family, or when I eat or touch gluten, my fingers split open. He told me flat out that he didn’t believe that to be possible, that he seriously doubted my claims.
I replied that whenever I even knead play-doh with children, my fingers break open and bleed within hours. He gave me a look that seriously said he thought I was retarded. I told him play-doh is made from wheat flour, which I am allergic to. This did not convince the man.

He asked what lotions and ointments I’ve tried. I ran down the list, and told him I’ve also been given a cortisone type ointment, but it made my fingers break out even worse. I told him that my mother once had a cortisone injection and had to be hospitalised from a reaction to it.

The doctor wrote me a prescription for Mometasone and sent me on my way.

I looked up the name of the prescription he wrote when I got home - it’s a corticosteroid just like the other stuff I’ve tried.

At that point I looked up the doctor on the Internet (cuz once again, I didn’t do that before the appointment - just found someone listed in the insurance book and got an appointment). He has two reviews but one is quite telling:

“don’t worry” turns malignant
by rcraig
March 23, 2006

The doctor saw my mother for a new mole that she was suspicious of. He told her “Don’t worry”. She trusted him and followed his instructions, and didn’t worry for months and months. I wish he had told her what to watch out for while she wasn’t worrying, as it turned out to be malignant melanoma.

* Cons: poor instructions, laisser-faire attitud

Can we say FIRED!?

Time to get a new doctor. I don’t play around anymore. I fire them left and right these days.

Dear Doctors,

Yours Truly,
zept