My Symptoms

[Richie]

Hi all, I wonder if anyone can help me.

Over the last 3 weeks or so I have had a permanent mild headache (pain is coming from the very top of my head) and I am feeling very dizzy and light headed at times. I have never had this before and its worrying me quite a lot.
     I had to go to the doctor recently to speak to him about my Seborrheoic dematitis so I spoke to him about how I'm feeling at the moment and mentioned the symptoms I have as above. He said my heart, blood pressure and ear canals are all fine so he sent me for blood tests to make sure its not anything more serious.

I am currently waiting for my blood test results and I am losing a lot of sleep due to worry. I am an otherwise fit and healthy 25yr old and I really can't understand this. Some people say its stress related as I am living with seborrheoic dermatitis and haven't had a day off work for 8 months apart from weekends.

I have always worried too much about things which doesn't help but its hard when my body seems to be telling me someething is wrong.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Richie.

[Richie]

Well I just had a phone call from my surgery to say they want me to see my doctor tomorrow at 10:20am to discuss my blood test results. Now im really worried cos it must be rare for a surgery to do that and get me in so soon.

Fingers crossed

[totalfolly]

Richie, I know it's hard not to worry, but ... try not to worry.    Please let us know what the doctor says.

totalfolly

[AndyBruceWillis]

Could be anything Richie. Try not to worry too much and let us know how you get on?

[anthropositor]

When a doctor has something important to tell you, perhaps he should simply tell you in as upbeat terms as possible and then give you an appointment to cover in detail what needs to be done, and why.  Much better than having you worry yourself sick on top of whatever else is going on.  Good luck to you.

[LIGA girl]

When my doc told me I had my disease, he told me over the phone and said "there's lots of information on the Net about it"....  I don't think that was very good medical practice at all.

Let us know how you get on Richie. I am thinking of you.It is very difficult you are in that position. 

[roni]

got my fingers crossed for you Richie 

Let us know how things go 

[Richie]

I'm happy to sya that I'm perfectly healthy My cholestrol is fine and all other tests came back all clear. Mr ESR is a little over normal which means I have inflamation somewhere in my body from my head to my toe nails but its nothing to worry about, its probably my SD.

I am probably getting headaches and feeling dizzy because I have been stressed out and worrying a lot lately which doesn't help. But now that I know I'm healthy I can stop worrying and the headaches etc will go away

Such a relief!

[LIGA girl]

Any idea why he asked you in to the surgery then, Richie?

[Richie]

He said he couldn't discuss the results over the phone but wanted me in to see him as soon as possible to stop me from worrying etc. Im glad he did it that way to be honest, even tho I didn't sleep much last night.

[totalfolly]

I'm so glad to hear everything came back fine! 

He said he couldn't discuss the results over the phone but wanted me in to see him as soon as possible to stop me from worrying etc.

This sort of thing happened with my daughter, too.  Apparently doctors are very reluctant to discuss test results stuff over the phone.

totalfolly

[LIGA girl]

I'm glad to hear it is all fine too, Richie. But you'd think that he could put your mind at rest by sayiing all is fine but I need to talk to you in the surgery tomorrow, rather than doing it the way he did ....

Apparently doctors are very reluctant to discuss test results stuff over the phone.

I wonder why TF? Are they afraid they are talking to the wrong person and giving away confidential info?

LG

[totalfolly]

Apparently doctors are very reluctant to discuss test results stuff over the phone.

I wonder why TF? Are they afraid they are talking to the wrong person and giving away confidential info?

It may be that or it may be that face-to-face is less likely to be misinterpreted.  Or maybe there's something else.  To me, a general "nothing to be worried about" over the phone wouldn't hurt anything and would be a huge relief.  We waited over a week for my daughter's appointment, and were a wreck by the time we got the news that she was fine!

Come to think of it, I had a similar situation myself over test results.  I was required to come in so the doctor could talk to me about my results, and really there was nothing to talk about.  Everything was fine.   

totalfolly

[LIGA girl]

Come to think of it, I had a similar situation myself over test results.  I was required to come in so the doctor could talk to me about my results, and really there was nothing to talk about.  Everything was fine.   

that's weird.. though I think docs over there are more mindful of litigation than here.

The doc told me the way he did because it was the day before Good Friday, just before Easter, and I needed treatment urgently, so he faxed me the script I needed for dapsone. Then I had to go all over the place trying to find dapsone as noone had it in stock.... still, it was not good to be told that way and I was never told the full story about the disease or its treatment by that derm.

[AndyBruceWillis]

Thats a relief Richie. So glad your OK

[anthropositor]

Hmmm,
Let me see.  You were perfectly healthy as far as the doctor could tell.  Yet you were summoned to the office.  I wonder if you would have been billed for a phone call.  I'll bet you will be billed for the office visit (or the government health service or an insurance company will be). 

Naw, that couldn't have anything to do with it.  Must be the doctor just was concerned that you might not be able to take the shock of being perfectly healthy as well as you could take being frantically worried until you got to his office.  The shock of finding out that one is entirely healthy... I just don't know if I could take it!

But Ritchie, I am confident that you are going to adjust to being healthy just fine!  Congratulations.
Anthro

[itchychick]

   So cynical, anthro!  But you are right.  My doctor's done the same thing to me, but I bully the secretaries into telling me what's going on and then I decide whether to go in or not (this only works with my family doc)...

Ritchie, I am glad it was nothing serious.  Sorry you had a scare.

[LIGA girl]

Yes it is easy to be cynical in this situation .... glad it has all worked out fine for you, Richie. Itchy's tactics may be handy next time ...

[Richie]

Got a problem anthro? I was just asking for advice as I was really worried  I can't expect people to understand how I was feeling but it seems like ur having a go at me for just being relieved at being told im healthy? Maybe I'm wrong...

It's over and done with now anyway.

[anthropositor]

No Ritchie, I don't have a problem with your reaction in this situation at all.  When a doctor summons you to his office to get the information, it sets off some alarm bells.  It would with me too.  If there was a hint of irritation here it was about the doctors choice to make you wait for good news, not you.  The way you were feeling was perfectly appropriate and understandable.

I am certainly glad you are doing well.