#521 ·
Susan Flores25 said:I wanted to jump in and share my experience.
I’m 37 and living in Cleveland. I’ve been dealing with psoriasis for over a decade now—it hits my palms and the skin around my knuckles pretty hard. About ten years ago, I went to see a dermatologist with a referral. She just handed me some Locasalen and called it a day. Same old routine: check my head, elbows, knees, back, tell me not to stress, watch my diet, blah blah blah.
Fast forward to a few days ago. I searched online for specialists in Cleveland and found a handful. After a bit of trial and error, I ended up right back at the same doctor. I thought, "Hey, since everything has gone private lately, maybe the patient care will actually be better?" Boy, was I wrong. First off, the vibe while waiting was just terrible. The office feels stuck in the past—you can hear everything happening in the waiting room, there are those old metal exam beds, and the privacy screens are just scraps of old sheets. And of course, it’s the exact same doctor. One thing that bugged me immediately was how she talked down to me using "you" in such an informal, disrespectful way. (Look, I know I look a bit youthful for nearly 40, but still!) She grabs a notepad and goes, "Okay, we have this revolutionary stuff now—Zorro. You'll use that alongside Belmond." My internal alarm bells went off instantly because I hadn't heard much about it. So, I told her straight up: I don't want Belmond, and I'm skeptical about Zorro. I mentioned I'd read a lot about Psoriasis and asked what she thought. She just brushed me off. "Zorro is great, and I'll write you a prescription." She kept acting all superior, like, "Ugh, I could offer you a treatment that costs $15,000, but who would I even recommend that to?"
Seriously, why does she even care about my wallet?! Why isn't she laying out all our actual options? Aren't doctors supposed to HELP us? The first thing I read online when I got home was that you shouldn't use Zorro if you're pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding, because the retinoid can harm the baby. Given how casually she addressed me and the fact that she already asked for my birth date, shouldn't she have checked if I was pregnant or planning to be, considering my age? I've been trying to conceive for six months now, and honestly, I think the stress from all this is part of why it hasn't happened yet. 😬 🙄 So yeah, I'm under constant stress.
I told her again, "Look, I read about Psoriasis and I'd really rather try that. I saw online that you can order it through a pharmacy in New York." But she just played dumb and mumbled something about trying a private pharmacy if they were willing to make it.
Anyway, long story short: I managed to order the Psoriasis treatment without too much trouble. That specific pharmacy handles orders easily—you just need a private prescription and a deposit. And get this—the doctor clearly knew this was possible because as soon as I showed up again, she called the pharmacy herself to confirm what they told me! I had to trek back to the office for a private script and then back to the pharmacy, even though she could have handled the whole thing IMMEDIATELY the first time.
I am so incredibly disappointed. I don't get how someone can be so indifferent and just breeze through patients without actually asking about their lives. Beyond the standard "how's work/stress/diet" questions, she didn't care one bit about my actual needs or situation before deciding on a treatment.
So, I'm just playing the waiting game now until my Psoriasis cream arrives in two weeks. In the meantime, I'm sticking to the Belmond for about 10 days since the instructions say—my skin is looking pretty rough right now—and then I'll see if this Psoriasis stuff actually works. I haven't been able to find anything online regarding how it affects pregnancy, which is a bit nerve-wracking. It might be a bust, but hey, it's worth a shot!
😕 Honestly, it doesn't make sense. You saw a dermatologist ten years ago, then went back just the other day, and now you're basically guessing at your own health by trial and error with the same doctor? Especially when you're trying to get pregnant! Usually, you'd hit up an OB-GYN first. Look, when you see a dermatologist, you aren't there to inspect their office or check if they upgraded their equipment; you're there because you're miserable and want relief. Believe me, I've cycled through dozens of specialists—including some big-shot department heads and professors—and I've wasted a fortune on endless tubs of creams and ointments. Money aside, I don't hold doctors against them. They aren't the problem. It's my genetics, my stress levels, and my environment. Just take it easy on yourself. Avoid the stressful stuff to keep the psoriasis flares down, and most importantly, watch what you eat.🙂