Feeling Always on the defense

[jhop]

Just got back from pain doc that I’ve been waiting months to see for excruciating pain in my neck orofacial and upper thoracic and one of the first questions she asked me after me disclosing some of my mental health history and functional diagnosis since I knew she could see it in records was “do u believe you have a life threatening illness that no ones been able to figure out yet” and I was fuming inside as that’s code for are u a hypochondriac just look it up on Wikipedia under illnesss anxiety disorder or neuro symptoms and she asked me did I look up conditions on the web etc - I was like just give my a pain plan. I get it I have anxiety and I have pain, but I am not imagining excruciating pain day in and day out. Can you just focus on your job and help me get out of pain. If this doesn’t work I am going to give up on conventional medicine can’t do it much longer with these docs I now have such fear of the health system and having to defend myself I have ptsd from all these docs questioning my sanity

[artmom]

I completely understand your feelings. This very common attitude of drs makes it very hard to be anything but defensive. And who the hell doesn’t google nowadays? Especially those of us who are given an fnd dx and told there’s nothing more that can be done. I’m so sorry this has happened especially after waiting so long for the appointment. Very annoying.

[Bailey09]

Hi jhop, I understand what your saying it's annoying my doctor is exactly the same I just hate going to appointment s now

Take Care x

[JustDomUK]

Hey there

Don’t be defensive you have nothing to be defensive about.

If she thinks you have hypochondria then she will treat you for it. And unless you have hypochondria it will be doomed to fail. When it fails then it will have been proven you don’t have hypochondria and that can be on your notes for good.

I hope it goes well next time.

Dom

[eviedotty]

I totally understand how you are feeling especially where pain is concerned...not sure if you are into documentaries on the tv but I have seen a few now related to pain meds so I speak to what I have heard...myself I have 2 very painful conditions and having had pain meds for long term became worried that if things got worse I would have no where to go to get help for the pain and secondly I became worried about what the pain meds were doing to me.

It was on this basis that I started to look at stuff that would as the documentaries call it...turn down the heat''''on the pain and for me that worked. Doesnt mean that I dont take pain meds any more but things like a weighted blanket has been amazing...hot and cold pads...splints which are suited to dystonia to straighten joints and supplements like turmeric for inflammation type pain...glucosamine for joint pain and an exercise program that was worked out for me by a physio...

I do hope that you find something that suits you and makes you feel better but we all need to be aware that there is a thing or promotion or whatever they call it! which essentially is about how many pain meds are being prescribed and there is concern now about becoming addicted to prescription drugs and so not giving you pain meds may not be a personal thing but a protocol thing for your surgery

my own GP will do a repeat prescription for heavy meds then every time without fail give me the addiction lecture and every time he does this I will looked worried and make out like I am worried and ask him to check my prescribing history and its like 10 tablets and around every 8 to 10 weeks like OMG its these tablets or an ambulance I seriously dont need the lecture...

[jhop in reply to eviedotty]

Thanks so much yes I actually don’t want any pain meds but possibly some nerve injections

[eviedotty in reply to jhop]

please do let me know about the nerve injections...I was at the orthopaedic physio this week and to jump to the relevant bit for this conversation he was amazing and spoke about something he called facet joint therapy...now I have dystonia and in the beginning I had this physio who did massage and manual traction that was really helpful and for health reasons I had to take a break then was told this treatment was no longer safe for me...I had breast cancer and the worry was that a rogue cell could be activated and grow another tumour...when I explained the work this physio did he called it facet joint manipulation and is now going to actively see if he can find a therapist for me. He tells me it would be private as the NHS dont do this...but going back when I did get it done as a maintenance package I only needed it done every 6 to 8 weeks so I will keep you posted. it was about keeping nerve healthy and free from being pinched...

[DNE92 Moderator FND Hope UK]

And you're accused of using Google. I know someone who doesn't have FND, went to their doctor and the doctor googled their symptoms to find some suggestions 😯