panicwomble
29-02-16, 11:48
I have been having some issues with TMJ/TMD and have had to refer myself privately to a specialist physiotherapist for assessment and treatment.
I am an extremely anxious person and for my doctor's appointments (unless its a routine visit to the GP), I tend to want to bring a close friend along in order to help me parse and interpret what the doctor says - because I tend to panic and freeze and then interpret everything in the most negative way possible.
For this reason, I asked this specialist before my first appointment if I could bring a friend to accompany me because I was an anxious patient, and the answer came back as a firm "No, we are unable to allow a friend to accompany you." They also said that the specialist would be able to assure and assist me. Pretty unlikely, given that they have NO idea just how I really am with these appointments!
They did not give any reasons for turning down my request. Anyway I went for my first appointment, which was only an assessment, no treatment, and it was a pretty harrowing experience, although the specialist was friendly, I focussed on anything negative that she said, and came away feeling 100x more anxious than ever.
I don't know whether it is appropriate to ask her again, giving my reasons, if I can have a friend sit in with me, because it would help me SO MUCH, or if I should just accept that it isn't ever going to happen???
Panicked
I am an extremely anxious person and for my doctor's appointments (unless its a routine visit to the GP), I tend to want to bring a close friend along in order to help me parse and interpret what the doctor says - because I tend to panic and freeze and then interpret everything in the most negative way possible.
For this reason, I asked this specialist before my first appointment if I could bring a friend to accompany me because I was an anxious patient, and the answer came back as a firm "No, we are unable to allow a friend to accompany you." They also said that the specialist would be able to assure and assist me. Pretty unlikely, given that they have NO idea just how I really am with these appointments!
They did not give any reasons for turning down my request. Anyway I went for my first appointment, which was only an assessment, no treatment, and it was a pretty harrowing experience, although the specialist was friendly, I focussed on anything negative that she said, and came away feeling 100x more anxious than ever.
I don't know whether it is appropriate to ask her again, giving my reasons, if I can have a friend sit in with me, because it would help me SO MUCH, or if I should just accept that it isn't ever going to happen???
Panicked