Dr. Bazan update...

[Natalie06]

My MD is off for a month and the covering MD, also a DE/Corneal specialist, outright refuses to prescribe Azasite. His objections are based on the fact that all the articles and studies about Azasite's effectiveness for MGD/Bleph were written by MD's with a financial interest in the company.

So, I am going to stay on the minocycline but cut it back to every other day, at least until my own MD returns and hope for the best. Lid scrubs, hot packs and tears have never been enough to control the intense itching and burning and I simply can't work under those conditions.

So while Azasite may work well, getting a prescription for it may be challenging for many of us.

Natalie

[Justin]

Thanks for the update.

If there is not a safety issue for him(you), and it is just solely an effectiveness issue, tell him not to worry. Nothing else seems to be working and you would like to try it. Ask him what the harm in that is. You might tell him you have been hearing positive results from people who do not have financial interest in the company and you are willing to assume any risks. People like this rarely listen to logic as sound as that, but it might pay off to bring up this point. You are going to learn a lot about him from his answer and I'm interested to hear what he says!

[Natalie06]

Thank you, Dr. Bazan...

I will try again but I am really tired of having to argue with MD's and getting the reputation of being a "difficult" patient. Seems to be the story of my life.


But I will let you know if he changes his mind. I strongly suspect he will simply refuse and tell me to wait until my own MD is back from her vacation.

Thank you again for trying to help. Eventually, I will prevail and let's hope it works.

Natalie

[Justin]

Remember the most successful patients often have doctors who work with them together. Don't worry about getting a rep as a difficult patient, he is a difficult doctor. Its also a matter of perspective. I would not think you were a difficult patient at all.

[Natalie06]

Remember the most successful patients often have doctors who work with them together. Don't worry about getting a rep as a difficult patient, he is a difficult doctor. Its also a matter of perspective. I would not think you were a difficult patient at all.

If only all MD's were like you. Having suffered from an enigmatic, poorly understood disease like endometriosis for most of my adult life, it was the specialists from hundreds and even thousands of miles away that took the time, answered my questions (emails even) and treated my knowledge with respect and appreciation. The MD's in my own backyard just dismissed me for years. It kind of wears a person down to have to fight this battle each and every time and always feeling like you are some kind of nutcase. Do they teach this method in med school or what?

So I always appreciate meeting an MD who has a different mindset. Thanks again.

PS: to be fair, I do find the newer generation of MD's are much more open to patient feedback and suggestions and am now planning to have most of my care assumed by physicians under the age of 30.