jumpwomble
08-11-12, 10:11
Just thought I'd post in greater detail about my ENT appointment a few days ago. By the time I went, my symptoms had cleared up but I decided to go anyway since I'd already secured the appointment and I was also scared to death that the symptoms would come back (humming noise, some hearing loss in left ear). My GP had already told me it was just otitis externa, inflammation of the ear canal, and prescribed ear drops but after finishing the course, I had a bad day of symptoms returning but they gradually resolved a day later. I was in two minds whether to go along to this private consultation or not as it would cost me and I was unsure whether he could detect anything or not, but decided it was best to go for peace of mind.
I'd been nervous about this consultant because the last time I saw him many years ago, he had been spectacularly dismissive and not in the least bit sympathetic or reassuring. This time it was the same. :ohmy: Since my symptoms had resolved, he could see nothing wrong with my ear. He just took notes and made a poor attempt at casual chit-chat. He didn't even try to explain why I had the recurring symptoms until I pressed him and then he gave me a possible explanation as to why the symptoms took some time to resolve. He also expressed some surprise that my ear was relatively clear of debris, which can often result from infection. He also made some other casual remarks that I have now forgotten, since I was pretty nervous. It's possible some of those remarks, in hindsight, might have been reassuring, but I can't recall them! :( I didn't have a friend in with me after all, I brought one along and let her wait in the waiting room.
Then he said, since I said I was having a "good day", he would send me for audiology tests for my hearing, just to check the state of my hearing and my middle ear. I was a bit annoyed by this because as a private patient, this would cost me a fair bit extra, but I went along with it... He murmured that it would form a good "baseline" record for my hearing. Well I did the tests and everything was perfectly normal. When he looked at the results, he didn't even deign to see me again, just got his secretary to wave me away after charging me a big bill for consultation!
Anyway the way the consultant dealt with me was pretty bad, for someone inclined to have somewhat obsessive anxiety thoughts, one could interpret what he said as him wanting to get some results in case I returned to him with recurrent hearing loss in the future. He didn't reassure me of any conclusions, he was just very dismissive. A friend told me I was just reading WAY too much into what he'd said, but of course, once it has been said, it is difficult for me to get it out of my mind. :(
Anyway I'm upset at having had to pay for the extra test, as well as wondering WHY he ordered them in the first place... was he just being careful/thorough, or was he also trying to add a few extra quid to my bill since I was seeing him as a private patient?? I hate to be so cynical but it was what it felt like... :weep: Or did he order them because he thought it was possible it wasn't just a simple infection?
Someone please tell me I'm being over the top here.
I'd been nervous about this consultant because the last time I saw him many years ago, he had been spectacularly dismissive and not in the least bit sympathetic or reassuring. This time it was the same. :ohmy: Since my symptoms had resolved, he could see nothing wrong with my ear. He just took notes and made a poor attempt at casual chit-chat. He didn't even try to explain why I had the recurring symptoms until I pressed him and then he gave me a possible explanation as to why the symptoms took some time to resolve. He also expressed some surprise that my ear was relatively clear of debris, which can often result from infection. He also made some other casual remarks that I have now forgotten, since I was pretty nervous. It's possible some of those remarks, in hindsight, might have been reassuring, but I can't recall them! :( I didn't have a friend in with me after all, I brought one along and let her wait in the waiting room.
Then he said, since I said I was having a "good day", he would send me for audiology tests for my hearing, just to check the state of my hearing and my middle ear. I was a bit annoyed by this because as a private patient, this would cost me a fair bit extra, but I went along with it... He murmured that it would form a good "baseline" record for my hearing. Well I did the tests and everything was perfectly normal. When he looked at the results, he didn't even deign to see me again, just got his secretary to wave me away after charging me a big bill for consultation!
Anyway the way the consultant dealt with me was pretty bad, for someone inclined to have somewhat obsessive anxiety thoughts, one could interpret what he said as him wanting to get some results in case I returned to him with recurrent hearing loss in the future. He didn't reassure me of any conclusions, he was just very dismissive. A friend told me I was just reading WAY too much into what he'd said, but of course, once it has been said, it is difficult for me to get it out of my mind. :(
Anyway I'm upset at having had to pay for the extra test, as well as wondering WHY he ordered them in the first place... was he just being careful/thorough, or was he also trying to add a few extra quid to my bill since I was seeing him as a private patient?? I hate to be so cynical but it was what it felt like... :weep: Or did he order them because he thought it was possible it wasn't just a simple infection?
Someone please tell me I'm being over the top here.