Does anyone ever choose not to go to the doctor?

[supermom]

2 weeks ago I had an episode of vertigo. I went to my GP who confirmed as much. After that appt all my symptoms became worse. I was refferred to an ENT who looked in my ears and gave me a hearing test and said that I was not experiencing true vertigo and that these symptoms of static vision, walking on a boat and tinnitus are vestibular and to see a neuro (I suffer from migraines). Both Dr's have said that it's not a brain tumor (which is my fear right now). So my question is does anyone not go to the Dr? I'm thinking about not going. The last few days I've been feeling slightly better. The balance seems to be getting better. My main issue is the ringing and pressure in my ears. IDK. I'm just tired of being passed along to other Dr's.

[Fishmanpa]

It totally depends on the symptoms and severity.

Here's an example. A couple of years ago, I woke up with the nodes on the right side of my neck all swollen and hard. Being a H&N cancer survivor, I was a bit freaked out! I immediately called my team and went the next day to the hospital where they did a stat CT. Fortunately, it turned out to be reactive and as the days went on, the swelling resolved and a full blown virus came on.

Another example. A few weeks ago, I started having pain in my right wrist. Within days it was excruciating pain. No panic, just a wrist brace and ibuprofen. I'm quite sure it's tendinitis. I could have called the doctor but It's resolved for the most part and I have a routine visit with my GP in a couple of days and I'll have him take a look.

Long story short, if you know what it is and what it isn't and you're feeling better, then it's a personal choice to continue to pursue what you already know.

Positive thoughts

[PASchoolSyndrome]

I tend to want to go to the doctor for every little thing. I'm fortunate in that where I work and what I do I have unlimited access to medical professionals.. however most are still in training and while it's good practice for brains, I'm not an actual patient that can have tests and diagnostics ordered. My personal insurance doesn't allow me to be a patient as much as my HA wants me to be.. which I guess is a good thing in the end!

[supermom]

I guess it's just I KNOW I have anxiety which can cause all sorts of symptoms. It's like the chicken or the egg. I just feel like we get the run around and sent to specialists and no real answers. It's almost like why bother.......

[BazB44]

American healthcare is too expensive for me to be going to the doc every time I have a symptom. I went to school in Canada, grew up in Italy, and lived in Australia for a few years.....those 3 nations have universal care. If I lived in a nation with universal care, I would go to the doctor every time I twitch probably lol. But I rather save the doctors for those who NEED them, so until something really bad happens to me I probably wont go to the doctor.

[LF87]

I think it's good to resist going to the doctors for every little thing. It helped me get over my health anxiety a few years ago. The psychologist at the time told me to stop behaving as if I were unwell, such as going to the doctors. I stopped going and didn't go for about 2 years. Because there was no real reason to. As HA sufferers every twinge we're straight there, which I think perpetuates the belief we have something wrong. X

[Capercrohnj]

American healthcare is too expensive for me to be going to the doc every time I have a symptom. I went to school in Canada, grew up in Italy, and lived in Australia for a few years.....those 3 nations have universal care. If I lived in a nation with universal care, I would go to the doctor every time I twitch probably lol. But I rather save the doctors for those who NEED them, so until something really bad happens to me I probably wont go to the doctor.

The wait times are pretty long in Canada so I doubt you'd run to the doctor every time as you'd have to wait up to a year to get in with a specialist, especially if non emergency, and weeks for non emergency go appointment

[bingjam]

Im one who never ever goes to the doctors about anything... think inwent just once about my heart but other than that I'm literally to scared to go! Always worry they will tell me what I have is terminal and there's nothing they can do for me... so in the back of my mind im sort of thinking of its something super bad id rather not know if that makes sense?

[Toaster]

I used to fear the doctor due to my heart rate and blood pressure when I was nervous. I was prescribed propranonol for my anxiety and now I'm a lot calmer.

I always go if I think I have something legitimate to look at. I have really good health insurance, but I still try to not use it.

[unsure_about_this]

I would live at the GP pratice if I could. I swapped one of the GPs round as one of them told me off for checking too much

[NervUs]

I avoid the doctor deliberately. I find it just fuels HA.

I only go if it is really obviously serious or, if I've given it time to get better and it's getting much worse. (That one never really happens). Otherwise, nope.

[Sixpack]

I am far enough along in the "I know your lying anxiety punk games " that I know what stress/anxiety are capable of that I tend NOT to go to the doctor. I mean things have to be pretty darned significant before I drag my arse in ;). Having said that I do go to all my annual things and I do go to all of the specialst's for things I actually do have. Other than that--aches/pain-- no I don't. Now my eldest is severely disabled. All of her issues do stress me out a lot more than anything going in my body, haha. And I actually have junk doctors care about in me. Which I find annoying, lol. An example. My retina specialst had to talk me into some test last time because I thought it was a waste of time. :ohmy: Back to my daughter--- I am always fretting about her. Worrying about whether I am doing enough, what is going on with this, that and the other thing. Part of the issue is she is non-verbal so it is harder to know if something is really wrong or not..

So long story short---too late, :doh: , I tend to not go much for myself. I take a much more of a wait and see approach and less of a knee jerk one.

[Sphincterclench]

I guess it's just I KNOW I have anxiety which can cause all sorts of symptoms. It's like the chicken or the egg. I just feel like we get the run around and sent to specialists and no real answers. It's almost like why bother.......

I tend NOT to go to the Dr for most things for this very reason as well as a very real fear they will just look at me and know I am dying.

[Weasley123]

I'm terrified of dr. I'm 39 in 2 weeks and fear started 3 years ago. I'm scared blood tests will show disease. I also get high bp at Dr. I'm on bcp so I go to gyno for that. Always scares my bp will be sky high but that Dr gets I have ha. I did get a mammogram wheh I felt a lump bytes I don't plan on getting screening Ones. I also don't really plan on cholesterol checks either I wouldn't take stations regardless

[katniss]

If you have a referral then why not get it checked? It will give you some peace of mind and maybe even help treat your vertigo.

There is nothing wrong with choosing not to go either. Just as long as you control your anxiety and accept that it's just vertigo and nothing insidious. I do think it's an inner ear balance issue, which is one type of vertigo. And this time of year is pretty bad for vertigo. Hope you get well soon

[ErinKC]

I rarely go to the doctor for things because I think it just feeds my anxiety. At the height of my anxiety about 2 years ago I went to my doctor once and urgent care 3 or 4 times. I had neuro worries as well and actually made an appointment against my primary's recommendation and ended up canceling it, realizing it wouldn't help me. It never made me feel better to see doctor after doctor and nothing was wrong with me (which I knew deep down). Now, I go to my yearly check ups at my primary and OBGYN and see my dentist every 6 months, so I can feel confident that I've been checked out appropriately. I went once last year for a bad, long lasting sore throat I thought my be strep, but that's it.

I've mentioned this on a few other posts, but one thing I do if my anxiety is creeping back and I get a weird symptom that I start obsessing over is to add a reminder to my phone for 2 weeks to check in on the symptom. If it's still there or has gotten worse I will call the doctor. I've never had to call the doctor because every weird feeling I have has always disappeared on its own before the 2 weeks.