Submitted by arianek on Tue, 01/08/2008 - 17:03 –
12 comments
It's 4:39pm as I begin typing this, and I am home early today because I had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. Remember how I said I was going through getting screened for stuff to figure out what's wrong with my body?
My appointment started out like most annoying doctor's appointments do: ridiculously expensive parking (7$/hour because it was next to a hospital), sitting around waiting and wasting time (one hour and five minutes), expecting that I was going to get an even more expensive parking ticket. And then finally meeting the doctor for the consultation.
In case you don't know how a lot of these go when you have chronic health problems, more often than I would like, the doctor is condescending and doesn't listen to a word, only to say that stress can cause a lot of health problems. And of course, when the reply is "Actually, I'm not really very stressed out these days...except because I feel like crap ALL THE TIME", the only response I've ever gotten is a smile, and a nod, and a "See how you're feeling in a few months". That is what highly paid doctors who have gone through years of training say when they have no solutions to offer you. When they know that you've been feeling like crap for years and that a couple months aren't going to make any kind of difference.
And this appointment started out very much the same way...then the doctor asked me about my stress levels, my exercise and sleeping habits, how I like my job. He poked and prodded and the went out to tell his two office assistants to stop yelling at each other (okay, that was a new one). He asked if I'd read much about the conditions he was screening me for--this is a trick question doctors use to see if you're a hypochondriac, by the way--but I am honest, so I said yes, I read the stuff that the ENT specialist gave me, that's why I thought I should be screened.
But this is where the appointment stopped going like so many other ones.
At this point, I can't really remember what he said other than that I should read the stuff on these websites and not let it change the way I was living, since there weren't any medications or anything that I could take. I would just have to live with it, and hopefully it wouldn't get too much worse. He didn't give me any advice on how to manage things, or want me to come back for another appointment (which is one of the main reasons I'm going to go ask for another referral to get a second opinion) because he said there's not much else than what I'm already doing to help.
And that was it. Like everything was perfectly normal. Like it was nothing.
I don't really know how to process this.
Ignore the western doctors
Ignore the western doctors when it gets like this.
With my own condition (which you know about), I started on a vitamin and nutrition regiment a week ago and have felt better, saner, and healthier in the last two days than at any time in the last two years.
Fight the power.
That sucks. I had a room mate
That sucks. I had a room mate in university that had it. Not much in the way of treatment, either -- diet and exercise, and then self dosing with a certain herb to feel better. Hugs your way...
Thanks Boris--I don't know
Thanks Boris--I don't know anyone who has it, so it's kinda weird... Looks like mostly doing all the same stuff I already had to do for the IBS but maybe a bit more hardcore. Thanks for the virtual hugs :-)
geebus. That's sucky as hell.
geebus. That's sucky as hell.
I don't know what to tell you, dearie...acupuncture?
Hugs...
Thanks Amy :-) Yeah, I guess
Thanks Amy :-) Yeah, I guess I'll be doing some more reading and trying to find some new things to try--I feel like I've kind of already tried everything at this point, but will have to just be a bit more systematic at making sure I'm taking care of myself...
Sorry to hear that you are
Sorry to hear that you are struggling on the health side of things Ariane. I actually know a number of people and have some family members who have Fibromyalgia. If you want to talk about things they have done to help ease the symptoms, send me an e-mail.
And a happy 2008 to you - trust me, the best is yet to come!
Ryan!!! Great to hear from
Ryan!!! Great to hear from you :-) Thanks, I might just take you up on that--I think it'll be a while before I can see someone for a second opinion, so it would be great to hear your input!
I'm gonna take your word on 2008, it can only go up! :-)
Oh my, that's quite a thing
Oh my, that's quite a thing to be told.
I would definitely seek a second opinion. It certainly can't hurt (except to be an annoyance of waiting for another hour and risking a parking ticket).
As one who has to put up with the lasting affects of an injury and not having much you can damned well do about, I sure do hear ya hun.
i'm with the clan on the
i'm with the clan on the 2nd/3rd/4th opinion.
From what I've seen about fibro (Go team medical textbooks in my dad's office), it doesn't seem to 'fit' with all your IBS-y/'crohn's-like GI problems. Fibro seems primarily skeletal musculature.
Is it possible to get in to see an auto-immune specialist?
Although, I do have to say one thing about what the doctor said, whether he's right with his diagnosis or not....about the fact that he has all this training and CAN'T DO ANYTHING. Most of medicine is till a huge mystery. Especially when it comes to chemical/nervous messaging within the body. ESPECIALLY to do with the immune system and/or pain. His comment, although horrible and harsh, is frighteningly true in most cases. And for that, I'm so sorry.
......and this is why they should let me into medical school.
x0
@kelly thanks sweetie. yes,
@kelly thanks sweetie. yes, definitely...just one more annoyance, but it certainly won't hurt, and when it comes to ongoing problems, the best idea :-)
@kz yeah...so, i don't talk about it a lot, but my body is really fucked up musculoskeletally too. i am in pretty intense pain pretty much every day. and gastro problems are actually one of the common symptoms of fibro. rheumatologists are really the ones who take care of fibro stuff, and so that's who i have to go through to be screened for it, unfortunately (or fortunately if i find a better one!). And yes, I know, and I was aware of it going in that that's the kind of answer I might get. And yes, they should let you into med school ;-)
[...] and also last week, I
[...] and also last week, I had an appointment with a new rheumatologist to get a second opinion on the diagnosis of fibromyalgia that the other guy gave me, and then proceeded to tell me to ‘just forget’ (after a [...]
Get thee to a naturopath
Get thee to a naturopath pronto!
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