I ran across this article and I thought it was right on target.
Doctors can destroy patients by telling them that a true, physical disease is all in the head,'' says psychiatrist Virginia Sherr of Holland, Pennsylvania...In the Lyme hot zone of Bucks County, she sees a new case of Lyme encephalopathy every week. ``I am a psychiatrist. These are not people who are referred to me because they have Lyme disease - they are sent because they have panic attacks, hallucinations, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. They are in agony - not only neuropsychiatric pain, but physical pain as well. They have never been hypochondriacal in their lives, but that is how they are labeled. They are encephalopathic, but they have been told they are not by physicians who wouldn't know a case of encephalopathy if they fell over it. They are physically sick, but are blamed by doctors who say: `You belong to a cult if you think you have Lyme,' or `You look okay to me.'''
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Unfortunately this is what goes on for about all of us.
My opinion: after we learn what's going on, stand up and tell them the truth. That we're dealing with physical diseases. I now bring brochures with me and give them to the doctor and the staff.
It would be a great idea if we were all to start calling psychologists and psychiatrists to alert them to these diseases, since that's where everyone gets referred to.
I called as many of my prior medical people as I could find when I got my diagnosis. The psychologists I reached thanked me for the information. They had really cared at the time and didn't know how to help me with the pain I was experiencing.
We don't have to remain victims. We can take appropriate action.
Posted by hshbmom (Member # 9478) on :
I was also told that nothing was really wrong and that maybe I had fibromyalgia. This was after I insisted that SOMETHING was wrong. I too would like to visit the idiot Dr that said I don't have Lyme (even with a positive ELISA and one band on the WB) but my concern is this,
I was referred to him by my PCP. When I told my PCP what this guy came up with, he decided to treat me himself for Lyme. I really want to go the specialist and tell him how stupid he is (he said I couldn't have Lyme because there's no Lyme in Florida) but I don't want him to try to slam my PCP for Lyme treating. If I could find a way to "educate" him with out risking harm to my PCP, I'd do it. Any ideas?
Posted by dogmom2 (Member # 23822) on :
Another way it can destroy people is after years of being ignored, insulted, etc. from the medical profession, someone may not get checked for something serious. I know I am hesitant to have something checked because I've heard "there's nothing wrong with you" so many times.
Even now with a diagnosis of ms, and now lyme, some docs still don't take my symptoms seriously(ie my neuro),my llmd does, but other docs don't take him seriously, go figure...
Diana
Posted by justchugginalong (Member # 23309) on :
I completely agree with dogmom2. I know, for myself, I am now very leary of going to any doctor for ANYTHING. The treatment/attitude we get from these doctors can cause a lot of future damage.
Hope I make some sense. I have just experienced so many doctors that only sit back and watch your "pretend suffering" without any help.
What makes me mad the most is that they won't help you, but they want to see you back in 2 or three more weeks (for more money).
I don't think I'll ever feel comfort in any un-LLMD or hospital again.