I don't want to continue seeing a pediatrician. What do I do?

by Stephie189

Question by : I don't want to continue seeing a pediatrician. What do I do?
I'll be seventeen in a few months, and I've been going to the same pediatrician since I was a day old. I hate it. I'm the oldest one there, and when I go in for a physical, I end up catching something because of all the snot-nosed (literally) little kids there. All my female friends go to general practitioners. Not only that, but I feel like my doctor isn't addressing any of the issues I'm worried about. My friend has PCOS and I'm showing a lot of the same symptoms, but my doctor won't address it when I bring it up. So I'm dealing with the pain. I'm also pretty concerned that I'm slightly anemic, and my doctor said that my iron level was considerably low, and the blood was drawn right BEFORE I menstruated. She also said I seem a little vitamin D deficient. But what does she do about it? Nothing. About a year ago, I had some pretty bad anxiety from school and issues with my friends, and started feeling burning in my stomach right after I ate. I had done research (and being an aspiring doctor) I decided I had a peptic ulcer. After a trip to a gastroenterologist, -which I was surprised my mother let me go to- it was confirmed and I was put on Nexium for the pain and prevention. The gastroenterologist said I could go to my pediatrician at any time from then on, and get refills. So after a few months, I was less stressed and stopped taking the pills, but kept some on hand for spicy foods or when I knew I would be stressed. This past summer, I needed some pills before school, and when my mother called my pediatrician, she refused to give me any without seeing me. I had a lot of AP projects going on before school, and I wasn't going to take the time out of my schedule to do something so pointless. So I've suffered through on OTC meds thus far.

I've tried telling my mother that I don't feel like my pediatrician is addressing my needs, but she just says 'she knows what she's doing.' I have moods swings, and episodes of mania and depression, but my mother says it's what every normal teenager goes through. Somehow, I just don't think so.

I think my mother doesn't want me to leave the pediatrician because it means I'm growing up. But I just think it would be better for my health if I went somewhere else. I'm sluggish and weak all the time unless I get a women's one-a-day in my system for a few days, but my mom frowns upon me taking them since I'm not a woman, I'm a child. But she won't let me take only the vitamins I need over the counter, either, because one of her friends hurt her heart with iron. But the difference is that she was in a hospital, receiving medical-grade liquid iron. And the doctors overdosed her. And she says for vitamin D all I need is sun. I went out all summer, and still show heavy signs of anemia. What do I do in the winter? And the suspected PCOS hurts a lot, I feel almost inflamed on the inside sometimes. And it's been very hard to lose weight. I've exercised, joined curves, and I do yoga and strength training at home. I NEVER eat junk food, and I drink only water & organic unsweetened soy milk. I've been this way for two years, and my doctor still says I'm technically obese. Muscle weighs more than fat & I'm actually to the point of having abs, but I have DD cups that weigh a lot.

Recently, my mother HAS said she'll ask for a recommendation by my pediatrician, but I have to have a physical from her first. Because my insurance requires one every year, apparently. I'm unsure of whether it's the insurance company or my mother who requires one each year. My mother also has started saying that the only other doctor my insurance will cover is a man, and he'll have to do a full "grown up" physical, as she calls it. She's trying to scare me out of leaving. I hate going there for physicals, because I guess they're used to dealing with small children, who are usually less than honest. So I'm asked the same questions over and over. "Are you a virgin? Are you sexually active? Do you plan to be? Have you had sexual intercourse with a male? A female? Have you ever had oral sex? Manual stimulation? Are you positive?" By the end, I'm just glad they're gone. And then there comes the breast exam. Fun. None of my other friends have had to get one because their doctors trust them when they say they check themselves each month. I check myself twice a month while in the shower, and I still have to have it done. Were I going to an OBGYN who didn't treat me like a child, I wouldn't mind it. But I'm not.

So my question is, should I press this issue for my health? Or just suffer through another year until I'm eighteen and go wherever I please for a full physical before college? I suspect psychological problems as well, but what am I to do? I always thought leaving the pediatrician should be the child's choice,

Best answer:
I will tell your mom that you want to go to a primary doctor now. You are going to be 17 and you are told old for a peds doctor. I switch to a regular doctor at age 14 because I felt uncomfortable going to a peds doctor.

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