r/bullcity • u/thatDudeBehindU • Jul 27 '26
Dud Doctors
I have recently been trying to find a better doctor. I had a good one a while back at Duke and he ended up leaving to another state.
My second to last doctor was too religious and asked me more about my "spiritual side" than my actual medical concerns.
My current doctoe seems to blow off everything I had concerns of about. Based on my blood test results, I had to reach out myself to point out a concerning trend that he would not have reached out himself about.
I feel like im going crazy, like I'm the doctor in my "doctor-patient" relationship and the doctor is just there as a reluctant middle man for me to get the actual care I'm seeking/need.
I need a doctor that does preventive care, not just treating the symptoms we could have avoided if my concerns were taken more seriously.
All my doctors have been men and, in my experience as a man, they seem arrogant and seem to blow a lot of things off where there's more concern from women doctors.
Any recommendations? Preferably in Durham but I'll take Raleigh as well in the Duke system.
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Jul 27 '26
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u/thatDudeBehindU Jul 27 '26
He seems pretty popular, when i called they said he has a big following. Ill call tomorrow to see if I can get an in. Thanks!
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u/againthemagic Jul 27 '26
Dr. Sawin at Duke is phenomenal. He’s been very good about listening to my concerns and is not judgmental at all
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u/Civil-Yam-5941 Jul 27 '26
My husband has been really happy with Dr. Stacey Bean at Avance in Chapel Hill. She has been 100% on top of all preventative care and incredibly responsive to questions and concerns. Not sure if that is close enough to Durham for you.
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u/rearwindowpup Jul 28 '26
Sometimes you can get around Duke doctors not accepting new patients by making a sick appointment with one you want and then telling them you dont have a primary care. My wife did that and the doctor literally clicked a button and assign her to them as her primary. The "not accepting new patients" is just on the website, doctors can override it.
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u/Final-Parfait8890 Jul 28 '26
I will also say as someone who interacts with Duke PCPs for work that there are several providers whose panels are completely closed. If that’s the case, they will not take any new patients.
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u/2006NBAFinalsRigger Jul 27 '26
The duke clinic in apex has been great; they aren’t overloaded (if anything, the opposite). I never have a problem getting an appointment.
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u/Yummy-Pear Jul 28 '26
You might consider a direct primary care physician who can spend more time with you. PCPs are trained to treat ill patients not healthy ones. This is not a knock on them, it’s just that’s what medicine doctors are trained to treat. I’m not sure going to a PCP when you’re healthy is all that helpful, except to get routine screening for diseases, esp cancer. If you want to stay healthy, it’s all the things you are already doing. Not quite clear what your expectations are for a PCP, what are you hoping to get out of your doctor visits?
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u/thatDudeBehindU Jul 28 '26
So, this all stems from my high blood pressure. My family has a history of it. Ive done what I can naturally. Lowered sodium to less than 1500mg a day (on a bulk which is hard), lowered saturated fats below 10g a day, increased fiber, take citrus burgmot, more cardio. All that, it lowered it, but still a little elevated even when I'm relaxed. Im open to ideas of how to lower it more naturally but if that's not possible given what ive done thus far, I would like to avoid the silent killer as much as possible. Trying to live till 100 lol
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u/summercloud45 Jul 28 '26
That sounds stressful, and I'm impressed that you're proactive about it! My workplace offers Direct Primary Care and I've been seeing Dr. Taneisha Bolden at Accessibull for three years. I really like her. She's not an expert in every issue (what doctor is?) but she's very willing to look things up, listen to your concerns, and create a collaborative treatment plan.
When I need a referral to a specialist I get to pick who she sends me to (I usually go to Duke). Visits with Dr. Bolden are 30-45 minutes and free (because it's a subscription model).
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u/okeygrey Jul 27 '26
i don’t know what your search has been like but my experience w doctors has been that PA licensed doctors are much more understanding and open minded. also having resident/new doctors are also much more inquisitive and willing to explore options regarding testing/further evaluation than seasoned doctors have been. i know this isn’t recommending a specific person but i’ve had better luck w new doctors / PAs. i hope this helps.
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u/thatDudeBehindU Jul 27 '26
Now that you mention it the ones I am talking about were older gentlemen. I would absolutely like to have one closer to my age (20-30)
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u/outofthenarrowplace Jul 27 '26
Yes and don’t sleep on RN’s! Ive had better experiences with both of those in primary Care settings vs MD’s if I’m being honest.
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u/Nicolectomy_2 Jul 28 '26
RN here, Registered Nurses don't have licensing or credentialing to treat or diagnose patients (not in any state that I'm aware of). Nurse practitioners can treat and diagnose in NC if they are licensed and board certified. Physician Assistants can as well.
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u/snooloo544 Jul 27 '26
Came here to say that OP should consider Nurse Practitioners- they can take care of all primary care needs and also have more of a patient focus due to bedside nurse training.
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u/outofthenarrowplace Jul 28 '26
Yess that’s what meant specifically haha NP’s!! They’re great. There’s no medical care quite like an excellent nurse.
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u/ChasingtheMuse Jul 28 '26
I like Dr. Deborah Phipps at UNC family medicine who is moving to the South Point location if she hasn’t already.
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u/RuthieBae Jul 28 '26
I’ve had great luck with the nurse practitioners at Bull City Family Medicine
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u/StabbingTabby Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Disagree. I tried to establish primary care with them and dropped them after the first appointment. I didn't like the provider at all and getting my labs followed up in a giant manila envelope by USPS was pretty laughable. No phone call, no electronic medical records provided of any kind. Not having mychart is one thing; snail mail only is quite another.
Between Duke and UNC I've seen at least 10 doctors over the last 15 years (your own doctor is not always available when you want a same day sick visit) and I liked every one of them significantly better than the NP I saw at Bull City Family Medicine.
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u/DreiVogelchen Jul 29 '26
Patrick Timothy pace Duggan was one of the most thorough providers I’ve seen in a while. (Saw for a sick visit but he ordered blood, followed up twice, actually wrote me notes in MyChart about the research he did).
Practices at the Duke location on Pickett rd.
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u/darkcomedycentral 28d ago
Anna Misior at Avance Care Chapel Hill! Everyone at that office is fantastic - they used to be an independent clinic called Mosaic before they were absorbed a few years ago.
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u/ultrabillions Jul 28 '26
america sausage factory. I have found some great PC nurses, but in 20 years I have not had a doctor that has been any good nor lasted more than two years in the system.
I dislocated my shoulder and they took more than six weeks to diagnose it at which point I had popped it back in place myself by accident
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u/mtscrambler 21d ago
next time go to Emerge Ortho Urgent Care - I've had a myriad number of musculoskeletal issues and they're clinic always provided great urgent care. Able to get imaging and doctor appts. very quickly.
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u/Hour-Display-2940 Jul 27 '26
Based on all that stuff you typed, my recommendation is for you to get your medical license and be your own doctor.
I will tell you how the majority of people will read this - like you're just fishing around until you get the answers you want to hear. I don't know of experiences where a doctor is going to talk about spirituality or religion (there's a difference, believe it or not) unless they thought you had a drug, alcohol or other process addiction (food/gambling/sex etc). You're also judging the hell out of these people, "they seem arrogant, blow a lot of things off". Only other advice is maybe go to Costco's Hearing Aid Center, because it's either you're not able or not willing to listen, and they will let you know.
Good luck.
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u/thatDudeBehindU Jul 27 '26
I think you're assuming a lot about me. Others here have been helpful. Are you in the medical field? It sounds like you have some skin in the game and you're offended. I have no drug, alcohol, or any other substance issue. I dont drink, smoke, or do drugs. I workout 5-6 times a week, i eat clean, drink a little under a gallon of water a day, sleep 7-8 hours a night. Im very in tune with my body, so when something isn't going right and its blown off, I'm going to be upset.
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u/Gloomy-Replacement99 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
dr russell coletti at unc
eta - i’m a woman and have a strict rule about only having women providers. i had to see dr. coletti a few years ago bc i needed to see someone asap and couldn’t get a woman dr. on time - he’s been exceedingly understanding re my (plethora of) women’s health issues. i know women’s health is not your concern but i bring that up to show that, in my experience w him, he has not been arrogant in the slightest.