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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 7:54:35
Uh .. . I went to see my psychiatrist this week for questions that I thought were psychological related. Based on my symptoms, he thought I should go get tested for sleep apnea and an EEG.
The one symptom he really focused on was that I get 'migraines' that affect my cognition and leave me feeling sleepy for up to a week afterwords. The last one left me with blurry vision in my left eye, and slowed reading capacity -- this type of thing has happened before, with a return to slighly lower than my old cognition. My pdoc wanted to make sure these are not a type of seizure.
The thing is, I had an EEG test for seizure last year -- at a different clinic. But I could not fall asleep due to anxiety during the test. The test came out fine.
I am quite anxious about this whole thing. Should I be honest with my dr. about the old testing that was done? I also had an MRI done, which showed nothing significant at that time.
However, the folks at that clinic did not believe my symptomology. I think they could have blown off any minor abnormalities in my test. (No one believed at the time; now, over a year later, and less personally anxious, even my therapist acknowledges there's a 'difference' in me.) And my GP _is_ befuddled some minor abnormalities in my neuro reflexes.
I'm fearful that if I bring up my medical history, my m.d. will blow off the suggestion that I go for further testing. Instead of being used as evidence of a continuing problem and need for testing, my continued symptoms will be viewed as a reason to put me on stronger psych meds.
Should I be honest, or just present these symptoms?
Posted by Miller on July 12, 2003, at 8:13:09
In reply to question abt. should i be honest with my dr.?, posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 7:54:35
I believe you should be honest. But, give him the WHOLE story. Everythng you just wrote to us. The anxiety, the frustration of not being believed, and the continued symptoms. Most doctors realize that even if one facility isn't concerned about a symptom it doesn't mean there isn't a problem. I think he will be supportive and MORE willing to help you.
Good luck.
-Miller
Posted by lostsailor on July 12, 2003, at 8:29:47
In reply to question abt. should i be honest with my dr.?, posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 7:54:35
>>Should I be honest, or just present these symptoms? <<IMHO, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even though we all run the risk of being overloaded with med, at the same time we can't not be honest about your symptoms. I am "assuming," and I may be wrong for my wording/whatever but you know what I mean, that you are totally "out" and maybe bringing you g/f with you to help explain may help. It might be good for advocacy and easing any anxiety.
As for not sleeping and anxiety, I am fairly certain that a sleeping will not throw off sleep test results and I KNOW that if I had to sleep in a lab I would need one.
You are bright and forthright here, be the same in the astute and sometimes condescending world of medicine and HMO's, but don't blow it off. You might even want to summarize it all on paper and rehearse what you want to say or present the paper. I know that totally freaked and knowing I may misarticulate things or forget to say them at all, I have given docs notes and had great results partly due to the part that I can read it later and "see" that I sad all I wanted.
Keep up all your hard work.
Hugs and prayers,
~tony
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 8:43:04
In reply to Re: --books, posted by lostsailor on July 12, 2003, at 8:29:47
tony,
thanks for your message.
>
> You are bright and forthright here, be the same in the astute and sometimes condescending world of medicine and HMO's, but don't blow it off.i get the feeling sometimes that doctors don't want you to be 'too' bright -- if you understand the mechanism that they understand, think _you_ are a hypochondriac, while _they_ are educated.
>You might even want to summarize it all on paper and rehearse what you want to say or present the paper. I know that totally freaked and knowing I may misarticulate things or forget to say them at all, I have given docs notes and had great results partly due to the part that I can read it later and "see" that I sad all I wanted.this is a good idea. i may write it down the latest symptoms, compare that to symptoms and tests i noticed last year.
i guess i just really wanna see what that eeg would say.
* * *
funny, part of what's freaked me out is that i wrote down a lot of symptoms last year when this first came on. after my pdoc's visit recently, while looking for something else, i found that sheet. it scared me to see what i now 'accept' or blow off as a non-serious symptom (short term memory issues, blurred vision, slower reading comprehension), compared to what bothered me then.funny, btw, i brought my gf and friends to my last battery of tests. i think the fact of having a gf was viewed as more evidence of my craziness. and having friends along left the meds convinced that i'm 'codependent' and 'attention-seeking.'
question: why was i getting treated that way? i can't figure out why no staff really seemed to take the time to piece together the puzzle. is it because i may have seemed so anxious upon initially arriving? (and -- aren't they taught to accept anxiety in patients who are facing cognitive changes?)
the one relief out of that, btw, was a nice old neuro i met at the university of chicago, the one who dx'd me with migraine disorder. when my neuro reflexes came back unusual, he said "please. reflex changes are not caused by anxiety. this is not all in your head." it was so relieving to be _believed_.
> Keep up all your hard work.
>
> Hugs and prayers,
> ~tonythx *sniff*
>
Posted by fallsfall on July 12, 2003, at 9:43:00
In reply to Re: --books » lostsailor, posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 8:43:04
Yes. Your doctor can only make good decisions if he has all of the information. Tell him everything.
I also write things down. I either write a list of topics for me, or I type up a page or more. I either read it for my doctor (if I think they need to see the emotion that goes with it), or I let them read it. Writing it down gives you time to remember everything you want to say. When I am sitting in a doctor's office with no notes I only remember 1/3 of what I wanted to say.
I agree with Tony that you need to present the complete story, like you did for us.
Can you go see your old doc at the University of Chicago? Or can you find a neurologist that you can communicate with and trust?
Don't be afraid to push them to investigate things that you think are important. Ask them to explain things (that makes them feel smart) until you are satisfied that they have looked at the things that are important. You need someone (a neurologist) who "owns" your case - who feels responsible for identifying everything that is wrong and coming up with a solution. The lab isn't going to do that.
Good luck!
Let us know how it is going.
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2003, at 11:52:02
In reply to question abt. should i be honest with my dr.?, posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 7:54:35
My usual answer is to always be honest with your doctor. However, I know in my own experience that doctors are influenced by the opinions of other doctors. And that if you don't feel the prior opinions were accurate, it might be best just to start from scratch.
I did that with my current pdoc, and he discovered my cycling tendencies that were totally missed by my prior pdocs. If I had had my charts forwarded, would he have seen me afresh and discovered that? Or would he have just kept down the same disastrous road?
Will your insurance company be a problem? Will they kick up a fuss about duplicate tests?
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 18:15:08
In reply to Re: question abt. should i be honest with my dr.? » bookgurl99, posted by Dinah on July 12, 2003, at 11:52:02
> Will your insurance company be a problem? Will they kick up a fuss about duplicate tests?
I don't think so; last year, I had know insurance, so I had to pay for my tests out of pocket. My concern is if this could be considered 'pre-existing.' But I called them to ask if the procedures are covered, and I believe that they are 100% covered if your dr. calls them to ask for the procedure.
Lucky I didn't have insurance then, hmm?
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 18:17:12
In reply to Re: --books » bookgurl99, posted by fallsfall on July 12, 2003, at 9:43:00
> Can you go see your old doc at the University of Chicago?
Hmm. . . then I can drop by and see Dr. Bob. LOL. Wonder if he's met a board participant yet? I can stop by and say -- I'm taking off the mask! It's me! I'd surely be embarrassed.
Posted by fallsfall on July 12, 2003, at 18:37:03
In reply to Univ. of Chicago -- light bulb! » fallsfall, posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 18:17:12
I definately think you should do it. It would be great to hear what he's like in 3-D.
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 14, 2003, at 20:47:55
In reply to question abt. should i be honest with my dr.?, posted by bookgurl99 on July 12, 2003, at 7:54:35
I'm seeing the guy tomorrow. I've decided to be honest. I'm bringing him a list of symptoms, an abbreviated history (explaining about the last severe migraine, and symptoms, the tests done,and how long it took to heal, etc.)
I've realized that it _is_ important to let him see the whole thing. I'm going to write down on the piece of paper the type of migraine I was dx'd with, so he can consider that -- I'm sure that will help him point me in the right direction.
I also made an appt. to see the guy in Chicago (in 6 weeks) just in case nothing is done here. I'm sure the 6 weeks will fly by.
Posted by Miller on July 14, 2003, at 20:53:55
In reply to Re: decided to be honest, posted by bookgurl99 on July 14, 2003, at 20:47:55
Bookgurl,
I think you made the right decision. I am proud of you. You should feel great about the choice you are making. It takes courage and strength. Please let us know how he treats you. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. :)
-Miller
Posted by fallsfall on July 14, 2003, at 23:32:14
In reply to Re: decided to be honest, posted by bookgurl99 on July 14, 2003, at 20:47:55
Excellent. I hope your appointment tomorrow works out. If not, Dr. Bob --- Watch out!
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