Achieving the Correct Diagnosis
This can be difficult, and sufferers often spend several thousands of dollars and several years trying to find out what is happening to them.
Part of this is due to the fact that the sufferers seem healthy to the onlooker, so doctors and family members alike have trouble taking the complaints seriously. This is also aggravated by the fact that regular medical testing doctors may try will fail to reveal Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Environmental Illness, and many other such conditions. This leaves the patient often being disbelieved, or thought of as a hypochondriac, which only adds to the stress and the pain of the sufferer.
People tend to believe the doctor knows everything, and if they say it's all in your head, then it must be. Unfortunately, there are relatively few real hypochondriacs, and there are quite a few misdiagnosed or ignored sufferers of these conditions.
But to give the medical profession its due, the symptoms are so many, and they vary so much from day to day, hour to hour, and person to person, that it can be trying (not to mention confusing), for the doctor to make the right analysis, especially when many of the symptoms can seem like Lupus or other conditions. And no one person can know everything about the human body.
Though medical testing is presently unavailable, doctors can use the "tender point test" to determine if a patient does indeed have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue. Blood tests only determines if the sufferer has conditions like Lupus (which only shows up if you are in flare-up at the time) or rheumatoid arthritis.
How can you (the patient) help the doctor?
First: it is supremely important when making the appointment, and when coming in to see the doctor, to tell the nurse exactly what you are coming in to see the doctor about. Do not be vague, but be brief and precise. If there are several symptoms, tell the nurse that. This allows her to inform the doctor about the reason for your visit, which prepares him in advance to listen to you, and to ask the questions he needs to in order to serve you best.
When you don't inform the nurse, the doctor comes in unprepared, and in the mindset that this is a minor complaint that will only require a few moments. Being human, when suddenly confronted with a patient who has all sorts of symptoms that seems to him to come out of the blue, they react by feeling the patient is only in there for pills or sympathy.
When he goes in with the beforehand knowledge what the problems are, he knows to set aside some time to go through with you the information he needs to find out about. He goes in with some idea of the questions he should ask, and he is mentally prepared to find out what's going on.
Second: consider your clothes and appearance. Yes, you are in pain, you're sick, you feel like something scraped off a shoe, but appearance is still important. Remember, the doctor is still human, and humans make judgements. Someone in grubby clothes, unwashed, with oily hair is less likely to be taken seriously than someone in clean clothes who is fairly well groomed. Besides which, in our grubbies, we're less likely to act like someone who should be taken seriously (being human ourselves).
Also --- smile --- even a weak, "hi, I feel lousy" smile. Doctors see irritable, upset, tense, emotional people all day. A smile breaks the ice, gets the interview off on the right foot. We're all more likely to listen to someone smiling at us than someone who is grouchy or upset. So are doctors.
Third: do not go in with the wrong mindset.
If you go in thinking you know what you have, you won't be open to what the doctor says, and that can be deadly.
Self-diagnosis will make the doctor feel you are either faking, over-reacting, or you are a hypochondriac. (Some of this is because there are people out there who try to get diagnosed with these conditions in order to get out of work, and/or collect benefits they aren't entitled to, which makes it hard for those who are really suffering. Some of it is because there are still a lot of doctors who are woefully under-informed about these conditions, or who do not take them seriously.)
Another wrong mindset is to go in with the preconceived notion that you will not be taken seriously. Subconsciously you may undermine yourself by acting in a way to fulfill that self-prophecy.
So go in with the mindset that the doctor will believe you, and that he will find out what is happening. Go in with the firm understanding that you and your doctor / health-care provider are partners in your health care.
Fourth: bring in a list of the top 10 things that are the worst for you, and include brief explanations (one sentence / 15 words) of how these interfere with your life. (Doctors are trained to analyze things scientifically, and in order of importance. Thus they tend to believe that the symptom you talk about first is the most important one, so always start with that one.)
When you go in, let him know there are several difficulties, but these are the top ten that are the worst for you. Then give him time to read the list. If he doesn't ask you about the items on the list, ask if he has any questions about them. Keep your explanations brief.
If he doesn't ask, and there are things you think he needs to know about the symptoms you've listed, briefly volunteer an explanation.
{Note: Let the doctor know you have the list as a suggestion from "a friend". Many doctors hate lists, they see them as signs of hypochondria, even though they often complain that patients come in totally unprepared. So, explain that the list was suggested so that you would remember the points you came in to discuss with him/her.}
Fifth: keep to the point of the visit. Do not talk about anything that isn't on your list unless the doctor specifically asks if you have other symptoms. You come across as a hypochondriac, if you do.
Also, if you deluge your doctor with too much information, like the rest of us, they can experience information overload, and won't be able to mentally digest all of the information you think is important.
So, keep your points to what you came in to discuss. Don't add anything new. Keep anything else for another visit. It is worth it to make another appointment and come in to discuss anything else later.
Sixth: repeat back what the doctor has explained to you, or prescribed for you. This alleviates miscommunication and clears up any confusion you may have, which saves time for both of you.
Seventh: listen. Pay complete attention to what the doctor discusses with you. If you are having a brain-fog day, ask the doctor to write down any instructions or information so that you will be able to remember it.
Eighth: answer questions.
Come to the point quickly. Be brief. Discuss your symptoms scientifically, not emotionally.
Don't hide anything or hold anything back. A doctor can sense this, and if they think you're hiding something, they cannot take you seriously.
Don't try to justify your symptoms, or get long-winded in explaining them. This will make him feel you are a hypochondraic, or a chronic complainer.
Don't exaggerate your symptoms. Be precise. Doctors are scientists, trained to analyze from precise details. Exaggerations throw them, or convince them you aren't being honest about anything else you are telling them.
Above all, be totally honest.
If you are seeing an alternative health-care specialist, it needs to be known so that treatment and prescriptions are not in conflict.
Remember that herbs are medication, too. They react to other herbs and medications. It is important to tell any doctor or alternative health-care specialist everything that you are taking, as well as the amounts (it's best to keep a list of these things in your purse or wallet at all times for emergencies).
{Note: You should also inform your dentist about any herb or medication you are on. It can interfere with the freezing they will be using, or complicate procedures.}
*If you are on herbs and medications, and are unsure about what reacts with what, ask your pharmacist. (It is also best to stick with one pharmacist, so he can keep track of all your medications. That makes it easier for him to inform you about any medicinal conflicts.)
Finally: remember that the doctor is trained to come to a physical analysis, not to give emotional support, so be reasonable in your expectations.
If you seem emotional, you are less likely to be taken seriously. So be patient, and don't get upset. If you aren't satisfied that the doctor has taken you seriously, with a positive and calm attitude, say,
"Doctor, I'm getting the feeling that you aren't taking me seriously. I know that you are a busy person, and so am I, and I wouldn't waste either of our time if this wasn't a real problem. I want to get my life back on track, so I came here with the faith that you would do everything you can to help me find out what's wrong. If it's that you're not sure what it is, let me know. That way we can both decide where to go from here."
If he/she's simply having a bad day (they're human too), this will help them get back on track. If the doctor still doesn't seem to take you seriously and you think it is because you are a woman (I'm sorry to say, it does happen, and woman doctors do it, too), then go in with your husband, boyfriend, or someone who exudes some authority (not aggression), and have them calmly explain that they know that something is wrong.
What should you expect from the doctor?
You are entitled to know how any medication they prescribe may effect you. If the doctor cannot tell you the side-effects, ask them to prescribe something else.
If it's "something new", ask the doctor how long they have been personally prescribing the drug, and how is it effecting his other patients. Ask for a printout or pamphlet on this "new" medication, on how long it's been tested, and ask for copies of scientific studies or reports he may have on hand. If he doesn't have any of these, chances are it's too new. You have the right to know if you are being used as a guinea pig.
If you find that what you have been prescribed is out of your price range, go back to the doctor and let him/her know. They can prescribe you a less-costly alternative.
Ask yourself if the doctor/health-care professional has done everything possible to find out what is wrong (ie. blood tests, urine tests, the "tender point" test). If not, ask for tests to be done. (And do keep in mind, when they run the tests, this is a difficult group of conditions to diagnose, and doctors can get frustrated when they can't find the answers, and, being human, may find themselves doing the human-failing of blaming --- by coming across that maybe it's all in your head. Don't take it personally.)
If you do feel that the doctor is misdiagnosing you, get other medical opinions. Don't give up. Keep shopping (we do spend more time looking for a good pair of shoes than looking for a good doctor).
Remember --- ultimately, you decide on treatment, but keep your doctor/health-care professional informed of those choices. If you feel that what they are telling you is wrong for you, ask for the reasons behind his/her choice of treatment. If you still feel it's not for you, tell the doctor why. That gives him a chance to find an alternative.
What patients and doctors both should know.
The most common complaints of patients is that they feel they aren't taken seriously, aren't believed, that they are interrupted by the doctor when describing symptoms, they feel they are not being listened to, or they feel they are treated like a number.
Patients need doctors to be thorough, patient, attentive, understanding, non-judgmental, and to respect them. And they want the doctor to be honest if they don't know something, or aren't certain what may be causing symptoms.
Doctors feel that patients are emotional, vague, don't tell them everything, or tell them too much, exaggerate symptoms, self-diagnose. and only want sympathy. They also feel that patients don't understand their limitations.
Doctors need patients to be calm, honest, precise, to answer questions accurately, not self- diagnose, listen to instructions, have questions, be prepared, and not bring up other things (but discuss only what they said they came in for).
Quite frankly, emotion on both sides clouds communication, and hinders a quick and complete diagnosis. The more scientific and brief you can be in your explanation of symptoms, the easier it is for the doctor to figure out what's going on. The more the doctor is willing to look the patient in the eyes and listen, the easier it is for the patient not to feel frustrated and emotional.
Apprehensiveness, fear, vagueness, long-windedness, emotional outbursts, anger --- these may stem from illness and pain, or from shyness, but they are viewed by the doctor as reasons to be suspicious of a patients reliability and honesty.
Both parties need to remember they are there for the same reason --- as a team to promote better health.
Important tips on how to maximize your health care.
Bouncing around from clinic-to-clinic, doctor-to-doctor, or pharmacist-to-pharmacist reduces your chances of finding a quick diagnosis, ads to chances of harmful drug (and herb) interactions, and defeats your long-term health care.
Try to find a good doctor / pharmacist / health-care provider, and stick with them. It takes some work on your part, but it is worth the effort. Too many people wait until an emergency, then just expect the perfect doctor to materialize. We spend more time looking for sports equipment or clothing than we spend on finding a good doctor.
Shop Around! Ask friends what they think about their doctor. Ask nurses. Call Associations and Support Groups (they often hear what members have to say about doctors). Keep a list of doctor's names, and put a check or and X next to their names as you gather information.
If you are looking for a good alternative-medicine health-care provider, make sure that they are properly qualified. What training, certification, credentials, licensing do they have? (See Choosing A Qualified Alternative Health-Care Specialist)
Also, if you have complaints or uncertainties about your medical doctor, check with your local College of Physicians or Medical Associations.
Some important things to keep in mind.
Whenever you have a prescription filled, ask your pharmacist for a printout about the drug. You are entitled to know what it's other names are, possible side-effects, what to take it with, what to avoid taking it with, other drugs and herbs that react badly to it. You have a right to this information, especially since your health could be at stake if you are not informed.
Also, if you are prescribed an herbal formula by an alternative health-care specialist, ask what is in it, how it works, what other herbs, foods, and medications react with it, and how it is to be used properly. You have a right to this information; your health is involved.
And finally, never just take a salesperson's word for what an herb may do. The better health food stores have encyclopedias of herbs that they refer to, ask to see them about the herb you are considering taking. Check out the herb yourself, through the many books on the subject, and on the internet. Don't trust your health to any one source, check out several and see if they all say the same thing. Herbs are natural, yes, but they are natural medicine. Some care should be taken in taking herbal medicines.
Note: If a person or site is giving you information on an herb they are selling, this information may be biased.
When it comes down to it --- our health is in our own hands. To learn is to empower one's self, and ignorance can be deadly.
Note: All information on this site is from reliable and varied sources. It is for reference use only, and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or qualified health-care professional. Nor is it intended for self-diagnosis. If these symptoms seem familiar to you, check with your doctor or qualified health provider. I am not a doctor or health-care professional.
To view my sources, check the BIBLIOGRAPHY.
If you would like information on something you don't see here , let me know, and I'll see what I can find out.
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