Today’s medical appointment was not perfect, but the doctor renewed all my prescriptions without suspicion.
Unfortunately, I did have the de rigeur panic attack, so I am shaking, blurry, and feel like I’m going to faint.
Still. Good news.
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I also had a doctor’s appointment, and was once again assured that I have the best doctor ever.
Glad that you got the care you needed, if not the best care you could have gotten.
I was reading the Washington Post’s quasi-comparison of McCain’s and Obama’s health plans; McCain’s is sort of like Minnesota’s state-run high-risk insurance pool, while Obama’s is sort of like Massachusetts’s state coverage and mandate. The latter made me think of a friend who live in Mass. and has a combination of long-term, diagnosed and being-treated mental conditions along with physical conditions that seem to crop up at random and mystify physicians. I was talking to her last month about her plans for a different job or maybe going to grad school; she’d like to get out of Mass. both for those opportunities and because the weather exacerbates both mental and physical ills. She told me that she doesn’t dare to leave, however, because she is so fearful of going elsewhere and losing health coverage.
One thing that a federal mandate would do is free her of that fear, thereby enabling her to potentially be more productive (not to mention happier) elsewhere in the country. For some reason I hadn’t thought of that until today. For people with pre-existing conditions, the loss of health coverage, is too big a risk to take, and so they are constrained to stay in whatever job or state will cover them. This seems like it would have a stultifying effect on our economy. I wonder if we will see its effect more and more as fewer adults are married at a young age (meaning that they have neither a parent’s nor a spouse’s insurance to lean on) and mobility increases and job stability decreases.
“I also had a doctor’s appointment, and was once again assured that I have the best doctor ever.”
Sigh.
I want the ability to mix and match various cities I’ve lived in. And one thing I want is the U of I student health center. Grumble.
I’d also take you, of course.
Glad to hear it. Stay strong.
Really glad to hear it. I’ve actually thought of your earlier post several times since I read it. I’m recovering from anxiety and depression related woes myself(I actually had developed phobias about leaving the house alone and even swallowing small pills, irrationally afraid I’d be killed at random by the former or choke on the latter) and have had to do so without my usual wonderful doctor because I moved and have been too scared to suss out a new one in my new town. This is in Canada by the way, I can’t imagine how freaked I’d be relying on the current American system. My heart goes out to you.
I think the hardest part is making people understand that you’re scared all the time of something (or even just at certain triggers) despite all rationality, and that you don’t have much if any control over it. I’ve come a long way but I know that in some way it’ll always be with me. I wish you all the best in your journey.
At the risk of sounding corny, Namaste. ^_^
Glad things went reasonably well and I hope that they get better as you and your doctor get to know and (hopefully) trust each other.
One piece of late and possibly not useful advice given that your main problem is having to move a lot: If you can, always use the same pharmacy for filling prescriptions of any controlled or potentially addictive substance. That way you have a data trail that demonstrates that you use the meds as prescribed, don’t come in every week with a script from a new doctor for the same med, etc. This can be very useful for relieving the mind of a doctor who is trying to make sure that she doesn’t make either of two potentially disasterous mistakes: 1. refusing to prescribe the meds that are keeping a patient with an anxiety disorder functioning and in reasonably good spirits or 2. prescribing controlled substances to someone who doesn’t need them and intends to sell them on the street or have a party with them. Either mistake can kill or cause serious damage which is why doctors get extremely uptight about some meds. (Which is NOT an excuse for refusing to prescribe a needed med or listen to a patient.)
One last piece of advice concerning your next vaginal exam and pap smear: Let your doctor know that you’ve had a traumatic experience with a rough vaginal exam in the past and let her know if there is anything she can do (besides, obviously, being gentle and paying attention to your reactions) to help you feel less anxious during the exam. Would it help you if she explained what she was doing at all times? Warned you of potentially uncomfortable parts (i.e. when the speculum was being inserted)? Didn’t say much but simply worked as quickly as is consistent with not causing pain? If she’s any good, she’ll pay attention to what you say and try to help you as much as possible. If not…well, there’s always moving on to the next doctor as an option.
Me vs Dr L? Dr L all the way.