[forever hopeful]

i need a doctor vacation. i'm tired of all the tests and observations. i'm tired of the doctors going off of a cbc and thinking that it should show exactly what is and isn't wrong. i'm tired of one doctor saying it's this, another saying no it's this and a third saying they are both wrong because it's this. i'm tired of them not realizing that all of this is probably connected and these dead-end dx don't explain things in the big picture. i'm tired of them saying i have fibro when i can't relate to anyone that i know that has fibro. the few symptoms of fibro that i do have, can be explained by other autoimmune disorders. i'm tired of taking three steps forward and two back. i don't need this stress in my life! therefore, unless i develop a new more definitive symptom or i get more sick, i'm taking a break form doctors and their tests/observations!

 

[Raglet]

i hear ya sister, and have been there a thousand times as well.

I just give it a break as far as I can, then go back later.

hang in there, can't say it will necessarily get better but you can pretty much guarentee that whatever is happening now will change. Lupus likes variety in my experience.

cheers

raglet

 

[forever hopeful]

that's how i feel too. whatever, is causing my symptoms will rear it's ugly head in a different way sooner or later. the more symptoms i have, the more likely that the doctors can come up with a correct or more accurate dx. i of course hope that i don't have lupus, but i know that i have something wrong with me. i know whatever it is, that it gets worse every two years or so. i have a strong family history of autoimmune disorders which include: lupus, ms, ra, and psoriasis. these all all within my immediate family (father, grandfather, aunt, etc.). i know that autoimmune disorders are hereditary but they can vary from generation to generation by having a different mutation in genetic coding. so i guess time will tell!

 

[kiaratrak]

Im sorry you feel this way - it can be really frustrating going through all the tests - knowing something is wrong - and not be able to get a definite diagnosis. If you feel you need a break from it all you should take one, its healthy to do so. Give yourself some time to do so other things that you enjoy and when you have recouped your strength keep fighting for an answer.

Good luck with it - take care.

Kiara

 

[LolaLola]

Have a really good rest, then come back fighting!
x Lola

 

[KarolH]

Hi forever hopeful,

I too have basically given doctors a break. My gynocologists office called to tell me I was over due for my pap and asked if I wanted to schedule a appt. I said sure, what do you have open in April 2009? The woman was taken back and asked me why so long out. I told her that I have boycotted doctors and appointments until after the first quarter of the new year.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Needless to say she thought I was crazy and that was fine with me. I understand how it gets old and we all need a break. I am right there with you and taking my break now..............a well deserved one!!!:wink2::wink2::wink2:

 

[cemc]

Can I join you on the doctor vacation? I just had a horrible appointment with GP yesterday where I was asking him what he planned for me now that the rheumie and neuro have both decided there isn't anything they can diagnose - in spite of an enormous amount of symptoms and an extensive family history of autoimmune disorders (coeliac, RA, lupus, sjogrens, crohns, thyroid, probable ankylosing spondylitis, etc). GP basically told me that he didn't want to hear about my symptoms any more because I'd already told him all of them, he didn't want to hear anything about new symptoms, and he wasn't going to make any effort at rationalising my meds to give me better control of symptoms. He also said that I had had every test out (not true, and many tests that should have been repeated have only ever been done once)and he wasn't going to refer me to anyone else. What frustrates me is similar to you, that nothing is ever followed up properly, that every doctor you see has a different idea and negates the previous one, and that no-one looks at the whole picture to see how things relate.

So, its a doctor vacation for a few months, then when I have the energy it will be full on battle plans!

 

[forever hopeful]

i'm so glad that i'm not alone on this theory. it really wears a person down! the last time i went on doctor vacation, it lasted about two years. i still had to see a doctor from time to time for stuff like the flu, but other than that i refused to go.

 

[Katharine]

No forever hopeful, you are definitely not alone - We have all been there and have had to have those vacations.

Just a word of warning - Don't get into the habit of saying "I'm not going to the doc with this new symptom, there's no point". I did that and diagnosis took many years longer than it should have for me. I am convinced that if I had insisted more and had treatment earlier, it would have been easier to control the disease.

hugs :hug:
Katharine

 

[star70]

I understand completely what you are saying! It is all too much and I believe that it would actually be more constructive to actually bang your head against a brick wall!

I have a barrage of appointments coming up in December and I am absolutely dreading it, going through everything all over again and again.

I sometime wish I had a pause button for it all! No such luck!

Star

 

[Maz0252]

I was on a doctors vacation after my last appointment at the hospital upset me so much, but.... had a phone call from my GP's surgery yesterday asking me to go in and see them, so I rolled over and said yes of course.

I will see how it goes on Thursday and decide then if I want to continue my doctors vacation.....

I hope everyone else on vacations enjoy them and make the most of them but (and this is a big but) I echo what has already been said - that if a new symptom pops up or you are really bad then do go back to GP - don't let your vacation get in the way of taking care of yourself.

 

[KarolH]

I sometime wish I had a pause button for it all!

Well Said Star!!!

 

[Moshbydefault]

oh AMEN to that theory

i just am so sick of doctors treating me like a guinea pig!!

 

[Maz0252]

I was on a doctors vacation after my last appointment at the hospital upset me so much, but.... had a phone call from my GP's surgery yesterday asking me to go in and see them, so I rolled over and said yes of course.

I will see how it goes on Thursday and decide then if I want to continue my doctors vacation.....

I hope everyone else on vacations enjoy them and make the most of them but (and this is a big but) I echo what has already been said - that if a new symptom pops up or you are really bad then do go back to GP - don't let your vacation get in the way of taking care of yourself.

Well, I went, I saw, I conquered.....

No seriously, I went back to my GP and ran through how small I'd felt at the hospital and how I wasn't convinced it was fybro.

My GP was as ever a very patient soul and let me rant, he then explained everything about fybro (which the consultant didn't) and said that he didn't think it was that either but hands tied etc etc. He's decided to treat each symptom - one at a time, so we're concentrating on pain first. He has said that he still thinks it's something auto-immune and will keep an eye on me and retest every 6 months. I'm relieved we're not going down the lupus route at the moment and pleased that someone has actually said to me - these symptoms are real and I'm going to treat them.

So - thank you all for listening.

By the way my own GP said I should take a break from tests/doctors etc. He has said to go away, try and enjoy Christmas and then come back for a review in the new year. I did joke with him that I had tried but kept getting summonsed back!!!!:rotfl: