Doctors

Doctors........ It's so hard to get a good one.

I had a great gastroenterologist when I was first diagnosed with Crohn's, Professor Gleeson, who unfortunately retired about 2001. Since then I hadn’t met my new specialist only a series of minions of hers. Until this year 2017 and when I met her I cheekily said “It’s nice to put a face to the name”. Hehe

However in 2012 when I was there the doctor asked if I was stressed or worried about anything and I mentioned that I was getting married the following year and was nervous about the day and my urgency issues. His answer to me a thirty odd year old woman was "Why don't you wear an adult nappy (diaper for any Americans out there)". I was disgusted. Where was his empathy or caring? I said nothing and got up and left.

When it comes to my Fibromyalgia I met one lovely rheumatologist whose name escapes me right now, he was the one who told me I had Fibromyaglia. After that I saw a rheumatologist that spent the whole appointment turned with his back to me typing on his computer. The next time I went I asked to see someone else and was sent to the rhemy nurse instead and the following time I saw someone else and she handed me a prescription for Lyrica and said we don't need to see you back here anymore. So yea so helpful.

I then had a conversation with a girl I used to work with who had been diagnosed with Fibromyaglia but then she saw a different rhemy and got a different diagnoses and was doing much better. So my husband and I figured what the hell, its worth the money to find out (this doctor was private) lets get a second opinion. Lovely doctor but unfortunately after new tests my diagnosis was the same..... Fibromyalgia.

Then there was my neurologists. After 4 years being on the waiting list in where I live in Ireland I was offered the opportunity to go private at the expense of the HSE (Irish Health Service) Unfortunately this meant I had to go to Belfast for tests and to see my neuro......... 4 hour round trip and then usually I had 4 minutes with him when I saw him but he was nice and he listened and explained everything. However after a year I was “discharged” from him and had to wait again (I wasn’t told this when I was offered the Belfast thing) but not quite so long. 18 plus months later I met my new neurologist who started me on my fifth drug for migraines which isn’t working might I add. In fact it’s making things worse.

Finally (for now as I get to see a Urologist soon) there is my GP, general practitioner for those who dont know :)

I will start with one time I was there my own doctor was apparently "not available" so I saw a locum doctor. All I needed was a prescription filled so I wasn't too worried and after waiting an hour in I walked to the office.

Told her the problem that needed my Xanax .25mg prescription as well as a couple of ther meds. She asked what it was for and I told her it was a new treatment for my fibromyalgia that I am trying.

As soon as I mentioned fibromyalgia she seemed to change completely, her body language change and she looked me up and down and asked "Well who diagnosed you with Fibromyalgia" as if I had just decided myself I had it. I explained I'd seen not one but two separate rheumatologists who'd both diagnosed Fibromyalgia. Even after me explaining everything I was doing to avoid taking opiates, which actually have never worked for me, she still refused to write my prescription.

I left the office and asked to speak to one of the receptionists quite angry at this stage and fighting angry tears. She was very helpful and told me my doctor was indeed there and I could come back in 45 minutes to see him. I did and then waited another hour to see him........ He did finally fill my prescription after a lot of "warnings" re the usage of Xanax but had no problem prescribing me various opiates, which never worked.... I have a love/hate relationship with him. He is an older man, was my grand dads doctor.

On the one hand he is really good when it comes to my Crohn's stuff and seems to trust me to know how I am feeling and if I need a short high dose of steroids to stop a flare getting a hold he’ll prescribe them. At the same time he was the doctor I was seeing for three years while my Crohn's got worse and went undiagnosed.

However when it comes to my Fibromyalgia I feel like he looks at me like I am exaggerating or a hysterical woman. Tells me I should strive for "normality" when this is my new normal.

That's not me giving in, it's be being realistic and changing my expectations of "normal".

He doesn’t seem to understand that at all that you can be in that amount of pain and still function, to be frank somedays I wonder that myself.

Id love to have a Gp who listened to me and didnt dismiss me so often. 

Ive meet more unhelpful doctors than helpful ones, much more and I think that is a absolute shame. People who are seeing any kind of specialist are clearly in need of help. So help!

Kayt Dec2017