medical history bad

[tsharrard]

I have my first visit to rheumy tomorrow. I made a document of my medical history, I look back,, and wow! I have been sick since 2002. I am planning to take this with me tomorrow to get to the bottom of all this. For years I have been given a diagnosis of all of this as being caused by stress and anxiety. I have tried antidepressants, not to say they didnt work as far as helping me keep a clear head when I was having an excaserbation of some sort. Being ill does effect how we feel mentally. I am scared of going thru another series of tests only to be told they are inconclusive or that I am the picture of health according to the blood work. It is not that i want any thing bad to be wrong,, its that i am sent home still feeling the way I do and then feeling that i am a mental case. Wish me luck tomorrow.

[Scottietottie]

Hi Teresa 

Wishing you all the best for tomorrow.

I think symptoms diaries are a good thing. If the history is all there - it's reasonable to say to a doc "Look - this is NOT all in my head! I need to feel better than this or I need to know why I'm feeling like this and whatever my blood says - I need something to alleviate these symptoms!"

let us know how it goes.

Take care - Scottie 

[JannaLee]

Good luck tomorrow, my dear!

Scottie is soooo right!

I've read (on reputable sites) that Sjogren's sufferers commonly have depression and anxiety!

And hearing that you are "healthy" when you know you are not, would certainly make it worse!

Janna

[SeaBreeze]

Good luck tomorrow, I hope you have a 'positive' experience with the doctor.

[Chana M]

Hi Teresa

Wishing you good luck for tomorrow.  I've had a couple of thoughts about how to approach your appointment tomorrow, based on my experience with various doctors.  Hope they are of some help:

Have a short sentence ready to answer any opening query from the doctor.  Sounds obvious, but I've been thrown by a doctor's simple question such as 'How are you?'.  I realised that answering 'How do you think I am?' was probably not going to be too productive!!  You could offer a simple overview of the range of symptoms you've experienced, how they vary in severity and duration, plus how long the whole situation has been developing.  Practice the sentence so it's ready when needed.  Scottie's idea about a symptom diary is really important - maybe you could highlight key words in your notes?

If I were you I wouldn't start by talking about how this has made you feel, or utter the dreaded word 'depression'.  This doctor may not be one of those who labels women, but why risk it?  You could even consider not mentioning it at all, but just talk about physical symptoms.

I read somewhere - probably from someone wise on these message boards! - that it helps to imagine leaving the doctor's office feeling pleased because you've had your key question answered.  Then you work back to think what that might be.  It could simply be starting afresh with a full range of blood tests; or a referral to a specialist; or to try Plaquenil or Prednisolone to see if you can be diagnosed that route.

We'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

Chana x

[DesignerS]

Chana, I agree.  When I first saw my Rheum dr., I never mentioned the words anxiety or depression.  I wanted to start from scratch without a label.

Good luck with your appointment!  Stay strong, you know how you feel.

Designer

[Patze]

Hi Teresa,

Let me also wish you good luck for tomorrow and please let us know how the appointment goes!

Take care -

Patze