On the odd occassion when I have seen other GP's at my practice or OOH doctors. I have explained what is wrong and then had the doctor turn around and say well what do you want me to do about it? I normally have two responses depending on the situation it either ""Your the doctor you tell me"" or ""I would like to be prescribed x or have y treatment"".
Just wondering when other people have come across this what their reactions have been to this type of comment...
Hi Malawi2,
As a person with 'non-classic' asthma I have become more assertive over the years. In my 20's, (I'm now 49) I used to listen to what the GP said and as everything 'appeared' normal, went away with nothing only to come back in a few days much worse and I used to have frequent chest infections.
Since my 30's, I would ask for prednisolone every summer and they always looked relieved that I knew what worked for me. I am even more confident now after all of the thorough tests I had over the last 2 years and my GP has me down now as 'difficult to control' asthma so if I were to see any other GP I believe it will be much easier.
Saying all of this, up until this last 2 years I used to feel much more anxious whenever I had to go for my asthma but since all of the tests and since hearing of other 'unusual' asthma people on here I feel less worried and isolated.
Hehe, apologies for the long reply.
Yes on both counts Malawi.
If I'm a bit confused I'll say what do you think but if I've got a good idea of what's going on I'll say what I need.
I generally dislike this question, as when I hear it I always feel it has the undertone of 'why the hell are you here?' This may be because either:
a)I don't know and like people have said I was actually wanting them to tell me - I'm not one to follow orders meekly but I do want expert advice in this sort of situation especially as like JF I'm 'difficult or non-classic' or
b) Often when I do venture an opinion as to what I'd like in reply to this question, I get pretty much slammed down for it and it makes me wonder why they bother to ask. I've had this when being asked what I think is the problem (I said 'well, I thought it was asthma', told 'well, it isn't' - so you bothered to ask me that why, if you're so sure what it is or isn't?!), and when saying 'well I'd like x sorted if I can', have basically been told that any sort of intervention is unnecessary (this has been with another issue as well) and they're not going to do it - again, why bother asking me if you already know and you're going to dismiss anything I say?
ggrrr. sorry for the rant but I've only ever been asked this really by doctors who in all sorts of ways have not been the best; they seem to have been the ones who are dismissive, don't listen and have fixed ideas that I can't change no matter what I say. My GP does ask me what I'm after, but he does it in a very different way and doesn't make me feel like I'm being ridiculous for even asking; even if he can't do it or doesn't agree, we have a discussion about it and often come to some kind of solution.
I hated it when i was asked that and due to my answer of 'this is the problem and how it is affecting me' being repeated (as had stated what was wrong at the begining of the consultation) then him asking 'what do you want me to do' again, i then said ""Your the doctor who has been to uni to study medicine and gets paid a fortune to tell me whats wrong and try to help me or if you dont please send me to see some one who does know what is wrong"". Have to say he has never asked me this question again!
Well done Meghan!!!
I am very impressed with that and would have liked to see the Dr's face 
Ive never had what do you want be to do? said to me but over the past year i've had alot of conversations with my GP's that go ""I can't do anything else for you what dose of steroids do you need?"" or ""Im sending you to get checked out by the hospital doctors."" then I'm being discharged 2 weeks later still not 100% then im ill again a few days later & back in hospital 2 weeks after that.
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