#this post brought to you by my rheumatology visit yesterday

[mynnthia]

hot tip for getting doctors to take questions about diagnoses you’re suspecting seriously: say your friend/family is worried, and told you to ask the doctor about [disorder]

doctors like to feel smart, and may look down on patients who they regard as “hypochondriac” who spring up too many diagnoses without “adequate proof”. you also have to describe how your symptoms are inhibiting your ability to function “”normally”” (in abled standards)

so for example, rather than “i believe i have fibromyalgia because i experience a lot of physical pain and exhaustion”

you could say “i’ve experienced a lot of physical pain since i was in elementary school, which has gotten worse over the years, and inhibits my ability to do things like exercising. i’m also tired all the time and it makes it hard to do work and stay employed. my friend is familiar with fibromyalgia and said i should look into it, but there’s a lot of information so i don’t really get it, could i ask you about it doctor?”

and after they explain, they might talk about your symptoms matching up. if not, you could ask them “do you think it’s possible i might have it? my friend is concerned and wants to know”.

they might say it’s possible and bring up testing for it, or suggest an alternate possible diagnosis. either way, thank the doctor and tell them you’ll let your friend know.

#this post brought to you by my rheumatology visit yesterday #and made while waiting for a dif doctor in the waiting room. i’m BORED #mynn.txt