GoogleNoMore
23-08-12, 23:36
I went to see a new doctor today (we just moved here), and I dreaded the thought of having to go through the whole history of not only my health but my health anxiety as well. The symptoms I was feeling, however, needed to be checked out.
To my great relief, he is a patient, kind and understanding doctor. He listened to the history, asked pertinent questions, and then asked what I was feeling at that very moment. Finally, he asked me what I felt I needed him to do, to reassure myself. He did all that and more.
He explained I am in no danger of the condition I thought I had, what he felt happened to me to cause these symptoms, and then we had a big talk about the important link between mental and physical health. He, too, is an advocate of CBT with regards to HA; in fact, he sees many cases in the course of a week, and applauded my efforts to help myself. He offered other tips and suggestions he thought may come in handy in the next little while, and encouraged me to keep my next appointment with him (made before this last bout of HA) so that he could see how I was doing and feeling, and that if these symptoms kept up, he'd check further.
I will admit that I still have some of the symptoms, but not to the degree I had before I saw him. I know this is due not only to his reassuring diagnosis, but to the fact he treated me with dignity and respect, and did not automatically prescribe a pill as he pushed me out the door.
All this to say that there are doctors out there who "get it", who want to help, and have some worthy suggestions. What a wonderful thing to experience today!
To my great relief, he is a patient, kind and understanding doctor. He listened to the history, asked pertinent questions, and then asked what I was feeling at that very moment. Finally, he asked me what I felt I needed him to do, to reassure myself. He did all that and more.
He explained I am in no danger of the condition I thought I had, what he felt happened to me to cause these symptoms, and then we had a big talk about the important link between mental and physical health. He, too, is an advocate of CBT with regards to HA; in fact, he sees many cases in the course of a week, and applauded my efforts to help myself. He offered other tips and suggestions he thought may come in handy in the next little while, and encouraged me to keep my next appointment with him (made before this last bout of HA) so that he could see how I was doing and feeling, and that if these symptoms kept up, he'd check further.
I will admit that I still have some of the symptoms, but not to the degree I had before I saw him. I know this is due not only to his reassuring diagnosis, but to the fact he treated me with dignity and respect, and did not automatically prescribe a pill as he pushed me out the door.
All this to say that there are doctors out there who "get it", who want to help, and have some worthy suggestions. What a wonderful thing to experience today!