Let's face it, some people probably think you are kooky and that your symptoms are all in your head, which we know some are actually in your head! We know that it's not fair!! However, it's part of the ball game. I bet somewhere along the way, you have met a doctor who, although he or she appeared to be sitting there carefully nodding politely while you were explaining your loooooong list of symptoms, was mentally counting all the way that you seemed nuttier than a Chinese chicken salad!
For myself, I usually have to bring a typed list of symptoms to doctor appointments, otherwise, there is no way that I can remember them all. I sure that most all of us have to do that. Since one main symptom is forgetfulness and fog that is a necessary tool.
We know that a lot of doctors can have big egos. Right? Dr. Katinka Van Der Merwe writes about that. She also talks about what she describes as, "high maintenance patients." But it was kind of interesting reading about her explanation from the doctor's perspective. Some times the lists may raise red flags for doctors. When a patient whips out the list, the doctor may think, "oh no, here comes another hypochondriac in the door!" Oh, boy!!!! It is interesting to think about the other side of the coin!! But how on earth could someone remember everything to tell a doctor without writing it all down?! It would just be a bunch of gobbledy goop! It's a ridiculous conundrum!
Furthermore, when patients do not get well, doctors many times may blame themselves, even though we are not aware of that. We know how hard autoimmune diseases can be to 1) diagnose, and 2) treat. On the other hand, doctors may blame the patient, maybe without even realizing it.
Furthermore, patients might be blamed if they are suspected of have psychological or physical symptoms with voluntary control/external incentives. Blah blah blah In other words, fakers. A few rotten apples can ruin the situation for the legitimately sick.
What makes it even more crazy is that if symptoms are shifting around all over the place, (You may have low back pain one day, pain in feet another day, bladder problems!) pain is hard to gauge and in what areas.
More recently, Dr. Manuel Lavin at the National Cardiology Institute of Mexico used a special technology known as heart rate variability analysis to demonstrate that the multisystemic symptoms of fibromyalgia (i.e., pain, insomnia, numbness, and tingling, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.) are in fact a result of a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The automatic system regulates body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, bowel and bladder tone. Your nervous system may be on the fritz!
So of course that all affects our treatments! It can be much more complicated than even first thought. We can never get enough information.
From Me to U!
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