I had to share this with you guys as only you could understand.
I have recently moved to a new state and am in the processs of setting up my new medical team. First visit with PCP went great, I really like her and she seems very thourough. So, against my better judgement, I agreed to see the staff neurologist as she reccomended rather than an MS specialist. Lessoned learned.....
After the normal initial completing of paperwork, talking with the nurse, handing over films and records, then waiting awhile, in pops a head, quickly stating I'm Dr. X, what diagnosis do you carry. To which I replied (even though this was firmly established prior) I am not currently diagnosed. Away goes the head.
Ten minutes or so later, in comes Dr. X, appearing a little scatter brained. Oh well, smart people sometimes have quarky social skills, no big deal. She leaves the room several times, in and out, just gets up and goes, once swearing under her breath as she forgot something.
So after a few very general questions about family history, she starts hounding me about how many pregnancies and miscarraiges I've had (I've had neither). Then agains asks about the same regarding my mother and then my aunts.
Finally she gets to a little bit od neuro stuff, asking a very generalized question about what's been going on with me. I barely responded when she started asking so is that when the tingling started, I never said anything about tinging in this part of the body we were discussing. I told her I was treated with steroids the last flare I had. She went on a bit of a rampage on how bad steroids are for long term use and that I shouldn't be on them for this. I told her that I was not on long term steroids, I was given a medrol pack for the flare. Oh, she says, as long as it's only one time a year. (I know this is probably not coming out as weird on paper as it was in person, but hold on, there's more)
So then, she asks if I've had an LP, yes I have, ONLY one? she asks, really emphasizing the word ONE. I questioned this and she said when you are not diagnosed you need to have several LPs to figure out what's going on. Oh, I said, we'll see. At this point we are maybe into the appointment 5 minutes or so, never having really discussed any of my history with the exceptions of generallities.
Next question...Have you seen a pshyciatrist? No I said. To which she responds all of your symptoms are anxiety related. I looked at her and smiled realizing this was going to be an interesting appointment.
She then started the exam, focussing on my eyes first for which I have just finished seeing a Neuro-Opths in my last state, followed by the opth in this state, a retinal specialist and an eye movement specialist, diagnosing my issue with double vision, but not the smudge I see. She told me oh, you have a retina issue. No, I said, I saw a retina specialist and had a laser retina scan done, my retina is in perfect condition. My double vision is being caused by a nystagmus, no one can identify the cause of the blind spot. She didn't like being corrected. I want to see all of the records she says. I told her the drs I saw (Most of which are in her computer, just look it up) the rest I have already given to her. I said it's in the package I gave you.
The after some other crazy stuff she has me stand (I'm in a paper gown by the way), in quick succession about 3 times she asks, do you have any peircings, tatoos or scars, not allowing me to answer, all the while pulling up my gown in several directions, touching, prodding, and then pulling down my panties from the back. This lasted maybe 10 seconds, to quick for me to really react to how uncomfortable that was.
A few more rapid quick tests, as if she was competing to see how fast she could go through the neuro exam, she tells me I can get dressed now. I said ok and looked at her expecting her to leave the room so I could dress. She gave a really cold look and demanded get dressed now, never leaving her chair.
Now I'm dressed, knowing this appointment was a huge waist of time. She says I think I know what's going on with you. Now I'm thinking, she's going to redeem herself, she may be a little gruff, but hey if it gets me answers, I'll take it.
She said she was going to order some blood work, beleiving that maybe I have a latent virus that perks up every once in awhile and make my immune system go haywire. Ok, I'm thinking, wouldn't it be great if this is what's going on, you know I really don't want MS.
Then, just as she finishes saying this, she looks at me and say you have somatization disorder and you are doing this to yourself. After calmly asking her questions specificlly relating to my symptoms (that we never really discussed), I got a big ole lecture on it. I gave up at this point and just let her hear herself talk, took her blood work order, then left the room.
When I got home, I looked up the ICD codes and blood tests that she ordered. One of her ICD code is a narcartic drug use code...I don't take any opiates, narcartics, nothing but Lyrica and I'm on a small doseage at that. (I am on LDN and can't even take opiates if I wanted to). And one of the blood tests is to check for long term and current use of morphine, opiates, etc. I am not happy that now in my medical file it says I am a drug user. I know that once I take the test and it comes back negative it will prove I don't use drugs, however, this code will always be there and not everyone wll search for the test to see if it is true or not.
She did however order some very pertinent tests, which I will gladly donate for, but I will never return to this doctor again. I just hope whatever she writes in her report, which I will get a copy of, will not reflect badly to my new PCP.
I have recently moved to a new state and am in the processs of setting up my new medical team. First visit with PCP went great, I really like her and she seems very thourough. So, against my better judgement, I agreed to see the staff neurologist as she reccomended rather than an MS specialist. Lessoned learned.....
After the normal initial completing of paperwork, talking with the nurse, handing over films and records, then waiting awhile, in pops a head, quickly stating I'm Dr. X, what diagnosis do you carry. To which I replied (even though this was firmly established prior) I am not currently diagnosed. Away goes the head.
Ten minutes or so later, in comes Dr. X, appearing a little scatter brained. Oh well, smart people sometimes have quarky social skills, no big deal. She leaves the room several times, in and out, just gets up and goes, once swearing under her breath as she forgot something.
So after a few very general questions about family history, she starts hounding me about how many pregnancies and miscarraiges I've had (I've had neither). Then agains asks about the same regarding my mother and then my aunts.
Finally she gets to a little bit od neuro stuff, asking a very generalized question about what's been going on with me. I barely responded when she started asking so is that when the tingling started, I never said anything about tinging in this part of the body we were discussing. I told her I was treated with steroids the last flare I had. She went on a bit of a rampage on how bad steroids are for long term use and that I shouldn't be on them for this. I told her that I was not on long term steroids, I was given a medrol pack for the flare. Oh, she says, as long as it's only one time a year. (I know this is probably not coming out as weird on paper as it was in person, but hold on, there's more)
So then, she asks if I've had an LP, yes I have, ONLY one? she asks, really emphasizing the word ONE. I questioned this and she said when you are not diagnosed you need to have several LPs to figure out what's going on. Oh, I said, we'll see. At this point we are maybe into the appointment 5 minutes or so, never having really discussed any of my history with the exceptions of generallities.
Next question...Have you seen a pshyciatrist? No I said. To which she responds all of your symptoms are anxiety related. I looked at her and smiled realizing this was going to be an interesting appointment.
She then started the exam, focussing on my eyes first for which I have just finished seeing a Neuro-Opths in my last state, followed by the opth in this state, a retinal specialist and an eye movement specialist, diagnosing my issue with double vision, but not the smudge I see. She told me oh, you have a retina issue. No, I said, I saw a retina specialist and had a laser retina scan done, my retina is in perfect condition. My double vision is being caused by a nystagmus, no one can identify the cause of the blind spot. She didn't like being corrected. I want to see all of the records she says. I told her the drs I saw (Most of which are in her computer, just look it up) the rest I have already given to her. I said it's in the package I gave you.
The after some other crazy stuff she has me stand (I'm in a paper gown by the way), in quick succession about 3 times she asks, do you have any peircings, tatoos or scars, not allowing me to answer, all the while pulling up my gown in several directions, touching, prodding, and then pulling down my panties from the back. This lasted maybe 10 seconds, to quick for me to really react to how uncomfortable that was.
A few more rapid quick tests, as if she was competing to see how fast she could go through the neuro exam, she tells me I can get dressed now. I said ok and looked at her expecting her to leave the room so I could dress. She gave a really cold look and demanded get dressed now, never leaving her chair.
Now I'm dressed, knowing this appointment was a huge waist of time. She says I think I know what's going on with you. Now I'm thinking, she's going to redeem herself, she may be a little gruff, but hey if it gets me answers, I'll take it.
She said she was going to order some blood work, beleiving that maybe I have a latent virus that perks up every once in awhile and make my immune system go haywire. Ok, I'm thinking, wouldn't it be great if this is what's going on, you know I really don't want MS.
Then, just as she finishes saying this, she looks at me and say you have somatization disorder and you are doing this to yourself. After calmly asking her questions specificlly relating to my symptoms (that we never really discussed), I got a big ole lecture on it. I gave up at this point and just let her hear herself talk, took her blood work order, then left the room.
When I got home, I looked up the ICD codes and blood tests that she ordered. One of her ICD code is a narcartic drug use code...I don't take any opiates, narcartics, nothing but Lyrica and I'm on a small doseage at that. (I am on LDN and can't even take opiates if I wanted to). And one of the blood tests is to check for long term and current use of morphine, opiates, etc. I am not happy that now in my medical file it says I am a drug user. I know that once I take the test and it comes back negative it will prove I don't use drugs, however, this code will always be there and not everyone wll search for the test to see if it is true or not.
She did however order some very pertinent tests, which I will gladly donate for, but I will never return to this doctor again. I just hope whatever she writes in her report, which I will get a copy of, will not reflect badly to my new PCP.
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