not believing what my Dr told me

[cattia]

I went to the Dr with my whole list of symtoms; the most worrying to me is buzzing nerves in my left arm and leg, ocassionally spreading to the right hand side but mostly on the left. This is not a generalised buzzing, these are spcific nerves that I can feel shooting and tingling if I hold my arm and leg in certain positions. The Dr asked me loads of questions and said that this is not presenting like anything neurological and that if I went to a neurologist they would not think the symptoms I have are serious enough to warrant an MRI. He thinks I have a pinched nerve, but I don't see how a inched nerve could cause symptoms in my arm AND my leg on the same side. One or the other I can see, but not both. He also said the fact that my symptoms come and go from day to day shows that they are not neurological, but surely people with MS and even cancer have good days and bad days? I felt better for about half an hour after my apointment, but now I am back to not believing the Dr again and thinking the worst. Why would a person suddenly develop so much nerve damage for no reason?

[maggiejan]

I am with you on this one! Having been to see my doc several times petrified that I have cancer (ovarian), she keeps telling me that I am fine and just anxious and low - offers me Citolopram (got the unopened packe in my drawer) and sends me on my way.

I am back there tomorrow having just been ill for past three weeks with diverticulities (apparently) to review where we go from here.

It is so hard to be taken seriously by the docs when they know that you are anxious about illness because, it seems to me, that this then becomes their reasoning for all your symptoms!

[wotcanisay]

how much as it is hard to believe(trust me i been there) but you got to remember this.
these's male and female doctor's have spent year's at uni, and treating people.
they know the sign's, just like vet knows when a pet is ill by just looking at them, most doctor's can tell the sign's

[sb001f8994]

Ive found that gps on the whole are ok but you get a few that dont seem to take anxiety seriously or it may not be their field and dont fully understand. My doctor keeps trying to force feed me prozac, which Im refusing. He thinks because I cant get out I must be depressed, nothing further from the truth...IM JUST FRUSTRATED I CANT GET OUT AND GET NO HELP FROM HIM!!!
I can understand your frustration at your doctor, if your symptoms persist I would visit again and ask for a referal, demand it!
Take care,

[blue moon]

FACT.....Doctors do make mistakes in their diagnosis,I went years feeling ill,headaches,body aches and pains a general feeling of being unwell,after many trips to my doctor he told me I was suffering from H/A and Generalised Anxiety,so began a round of medication that really did not help.I have since seen another doctor who referred me to an endocrinologist,who sent me for number of tests,I have Hyperparathyroid and Lupus.I am having an op to remove the parathyroid next week and start taking medication for Lupus tomorrow.I am now off all SSR'Is and now have peace of mind knowing I knew all along that it was not all anxiety,the pain caused the anxiety in my case,so I suggest maybe see another doctor.
Petra x

[xfilme]

i totally agree with maggiejan.... my doctor blames every symptom on anxiety because i used to suffer health anxiety. I dont bother going anymore. Ive studied so much due to their lack of support that on most occasions these days when i do bother to go, i actually tell the doctor what i am suffering from, what i need and they just agree. gp's are exactly what their titles stand for 'general' practitioners. They have a little knowledge on lots of things, but no real knowledge on anything specific... I dont know what has happened to doctors.. there seems no passion in it anymore. most of the time they prescribe drugs without even knowing for sure they are treating the right problem. My doctor refused to feel a lump inside my mouth last time i went in and asked to look instead. I told her it wasnt visible and had to be felt and she just said no.... what kind of a crazy world are we living in?

[anthrokid]

Cattia,

I know it's a hard to accept when I doctor tells us it's just anxiety and nothing else because the symptoms we have are so horrible and scary! I've had the buzzing nerves and stuff and it comes some days and goes others. You need to remember that whilst doctors do sometimes make mistakes, they are generally right in their diagnosis. They've studied in depth all the possible symptoms a person can present and what they mean in different situations. I know it's hard to believe them when it feels so terrible, but generally they are right. If you really don't think he's asked enough questions or looked into it enough go and get a second opinion :) That usually reassures me. My old doctor (who had been my family doctor since I was 5) didn't think my symptoms were anything to worry about, but they were horrible and terrifying. When I got a second opinion I was still told they weren't anything dangerous, but she gave me lots of explanations and did some tests and scans to ease my mind because she thought it was important for me to see that there was nothing wrong. You may be able to go to a different doctor, explain your anxiety about these feelings, and like my new doctor, they may be very helpful and do everything they can to ease your mind :)

[cattia]

Thanks guys, Aimee your advice makes a lot of sense to me. I know that Drs make mistakes sometimes, I have known a few people who have had serious illnesses that were missed by Drs for a long time, but at the end of the day, if you have a serious illness, it is going to get diagnosed in the end because it is going to get so bad that you can't miss it. That thought weirdly gives me some comfort, strange as it sounds. I have made another appointment with a different Dr on Monday to get a second opinion, if she agrees with my own Dr then I have to accept the diagnosis. Doubting Drs is all a part of the obsessive thinking after all. Thanks guys.

[cornishmaid]

am in the doubting doc situation at the min ,posted couple days ago had been to doc he thought had swelling behind my eye,so sent me hospital,saw another doc he didnt think was anything to worry about ,then saw another and he thought was swelling behind n both eyes, saw opthamologist who scanned all back my eyes and whatever else they look for and thankfully all was fine.i spoke to my doc again after and he said even tho him and another doc thought they seen swelling,they are only general practicioners the opthamologist is the specialist in that area and she would have picked up on anything bad ,mind sorta put at ease for now anyhows