Re: Left to hang out to dry

[Guest guest]

You might need to be more direct with your doctor

about your problems. Your " message " to him made it

sound like everything was fine and getting better.

I have to be very careful about giving my doctors

mixed messages like " I'm great vs I'm miserable. "

When I am feeling bad I need to say so, very clearly,

and not muddle it up with what is working.

Perhaps you need to try again, and be very clear about

what is hurting and what your concerns are. Don't

start your communication with what is working, just

list your concerns.

Just my two cents.

Hanna

--- T Ford wrote:

> I feel like I was just left hung out to dry by the

> NS that did my surgery. I am devistated right now.

> Since the surgery I have had so much going on with

> me, and he has no answers for me. My internet

> friends have been more helpful. The physical

> therapist I go to has told me that I should have

> been in PT long ago. Since I was not told to go

> right after my accident, he thinks I should have

> gone right after surgery, but the NS did not think

> so.

>

> When I went back there for my follow up appointment,

> my appointment was rushed because he had an

> engagement to go to. I appreciate his schedule and

> I was going to be at the same event that night.

> That night he saw me, and what I am like EVERYDAY!!

> After about 30 - 45 minutes, I cannot hold my head

> up without extreme pain. His office called me at

> 9am the next day and he wanted a CT, but I was

> already on the plane to come home. I had the CT

> done the next day at home. That report was normal.

> Two weeks ago he ordered a flexation X-Ray, that too

> came back normal.. however I question the abilities

> of the X-ray tech and the radiologist. It just did

> not feel right.

>

> I just want to share with you all what made me feel

> this way today... Here is the email that I sent him:

>

> Update:

> Hello again Dr.Xxx,

>

> I thought it important to contact you with the

> latest. I am still using the Home TENS unit and

> have wonderful relief from that. I am also using

> the home traction unit which, again is a good thing.

> However, over the weekend I got a headache, the

> first one since the surgery. I also had a return of

> dizzyness, radiating arm pain on the right side and

> twice I began to faint. The headache is gone but

> the dizzyness is not.

>

> The new physical therapist is great and seems to be

> very knowledgable. I hope he is the answer to the

> stability issues.

>

> That is my update for now. I hope this is just a

> temporary thing and it will go back to what it was

> just after surgery.

>

> Terri

>

> His response to me:

>

> Thanks Terri. Also, the report on your flexion

> extension cervical films came in. They are normal. –

> X Xxx'

>

> That is all he had to say. am I wrong to feel this

> way? Before I flew out there the first time, I felt

> like I was their only patient. I know that is not

> true, but that is the way the staff made me feel.

> Since surgery, I am more of a nusience. I have

> tried not calling just because I did not want to be

> a bother, but when I am worried about something,

> they blow me off. I just want to cry. I don't know

> what to do. Thank you to my internet family for

> always being there for me. I know that I am not

> always helpful, but I try the best I can.

>

> A total side note about my Social Security status:

> The worker called me and told me that I did not

> qualify under the federal guidelines because Dr. Xxx

> noted that I was recovering. He has no idea what I

> go through... ugh. I have been out of work since

> May 2005 because of my pain and crud... and I

> couldn't go to work now even though I would rather

> be working than sitting at home unable to do

> anything. This SUCKS!!!!

>

> What should I do?

>

>

> Terri

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

-unsubscribe

>

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> (Yahoo! ID required)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi guys,,,

Had to agree with Hanna on this...

I was actually " lectured " about it by my surgeon years ago. I have a

tendency ( as I am sure many do ) to downplay my symptoms when talking to

the Dr. so I didn't sound like a " whiner " . This may be a somewhat

commendable tactic but it is counterproductive to getting the correct

care/diagnosis.

Obviously a Dr. must rely heavily on what he/she is being told by the

patient... they are not psychic. <g>Always try to keep the lines of

communication as viable, as possible. Just be as honest/ succinct and don't

sugarcoat what you are experiencing... this is a " good thing " for all

concerned..

Take care,

Sally R... Decompression '91, Hydro, VP shunt, 2 shunt revisions, Feeling

pretty good on NO meds in Bethlehem,Pa

Re: Left to hang out to dry

> You might need to be more direct with your doctor

> about your problems. Your " message " to him made it

> sound like everything was fine and getting better.

>

> I have to be very careful about giving my doctors

> mixed messages like " I'm great vs I'm miserable. "

> When I am feeling bad I need to say so, very clearly,

> and not muddle it up with what is working.

>

> Perhaps you need to try again, and be very clear about

> what is hurting and what your concerns are. Don't

> start your communication with what is working, just

> list your concerns.

>

> Just my two cents.

>

> Hanna

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Sally. Actually, I have very high coping

skills and I have to be very careful when I go to a

doctor to not be in coping mode but to be honest and

factual.

When I first went to TCI, with all the expense and

travel, I was fully medicated and in full coping mode,

so that I could understand and talk to the docs. They

asked questions, which were I think the Karnofsky

scale. I was my own worst enemy.

When we left, my beau pointed out that I had answered

the scale according to my best, full medicated, rare

days, not my usual days. I called the docs back,

talked about it, got off the meds, which was a

cocktail of triptans and very high doses of aspirin.

Off the meds, and trying new ones, I went downhill so

fast it scared all of us.

So, I learned my lesson, not to be in full coping

mode. It took a while not to see myself as a whiner

but to be factual and honest about the problems.

Though my good coping skills get me through the day

and allow me to live an almost normal life, and I am

proud of those skills, I also have to know when to let

them go and not have them in full swing.

Hanna

--- Sally R wrote:

> Hi guys,,,

> Had to agree with Hanna on this...

> I was actually " lectured " about it by my surgeon

> years ago. I have a

> tendency ( as I am sure many do ) to downplay my

> symptoms when talking to

> the Dr. so I didn't sound like a " whiner " . This may

> be a somewhat

> commendable tactic but it is counterproductive to

> getting the correct

> care/diagnosis.

>

> Obviously a Dr. must rely heavily on what he/she is

> being told by the

> patient... they are not psychic. <g>Always try to

> keep the lines of

> communication as viable, as possible. Just be as

> honest/ succinct and don't

> sugarcoat what you are experiencing... this is a

> " good thing " for all

> concerned..

> Take care,

> Sally R... Decompression '91, Hydro, VP shunt, 2

> shunt revisions, Feeling

> pretty good on NO meds in Bethlehem,Pa

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.

http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

[Guest guest]

To all that have answered this question, I thank each and every one

of you. Having your support means so much to me. Yes, I am one with

great 'coping' skills and in most cases that is a 'good' thing.

However, when dealing with a doctor that I cannot see on a ragular

basis, coping my skills are a fault.

I have learned (through all of this) that you really have to be up

front with your doctor and not worry too much about being

the 'whining patient'. This is my/your life and you have to look out

for #1. After reading my email to him again, I can see why he may

think that all is OK. He does not live with me, nor can he see what

life is like for me on a day to day basis. That could also be why do

many doctors in the past thought it wasn't anything big.

Thank you again all who responded. I hope that for the 'newbies'

this can be something to learn from and you do not make the same

mistakes I have.

Regards,

Terri

[Guest guest]

Sorry to be so late into this subject but I did want to add one

thing. I agree that you need to tell you doc what is wrong but I

would also encourage pts to keep a journal of what makes your issues

worse and what makes them better. A lot of times this can be as big

of a clue to the docs as what symptoms you are having. One symptom

can indicate several different problems and the things that make

those symptoms better or worse can give the deciding decision as to

what is causing them in the first place. The way we cope wwith

things can often be the key to finding the intial cause.

Charnel

>

> To all that have answered this question, I thank each and every one

> of you. Having your support means so much to me. Yes, I am one

with

> great 'coping' skills and in most cases that is a 'good' thing.

> However, when dealing with a doctor that I cannot see on a ragular

> basis, coping my skills are a fault.

>

> I have learned (through all of this) that you really have to be up

> front with your doctor and not worry too much about being

> the 'whining patient'. This is my/your life and you have to look

out

> for #1. After reading my email to him again, I can see why he may

> think that all is OK. He does not live with me, nor can he see

what

> life is like for me on a day to day basis. That could also be why

do

> many doctors in the past thought it wasn't anything big.

>

> Thank you again all who responded. I hope that for the 'newbies'

> this can be something to learn from and you do not make the same

> mistakes I have.

>

> Regards,

>

> Terri

>