Re: Examples of how to communicate to doctors (non-sarcasm) (was: sarcasm)

[Guest guest]

Here's what I did when I got my new OS. I said, " This has been going on for 5

years, with me getting shuffled around all over UCDMC and not getting any help,

and if I don't get help soon, I'm going to cut my leg off at the knee because I

see these people running and playing football with fake lower legs. " I'm not

kidding. I said that. Of course it would depend on the doc's personality how

he took that, but mine took it to mean I really wanted to get my knee fixed.

I also said that although I was 61 (and I think he's also around 60, so he knows

it's not old), I wasn't ready to become an elderly invalid and was NEVER going

to give up and get into a wheelchair. I wanted to get back to hiking and I

wanted to be able to go to the gym and do aerobic stuff because I was forced by

my knee to be inactive and I'd gained weight and the inactivity and fat were

going to shorten my life.

Maybe if I'd said all that to my original OS he'd have taken me seriously too.

Ann

Examples of how to communicate to doctors

(sarcasm)

> I said I wasn't getting any sleep and was really worried. I'm being

told I shouldn't have spoken up about how much pain I was in. Now I'm

kinda wishing I hadn't because I still have the pain and have no doc

at all.

[i started writing this with the intent of being funny and sarcastic,

but find that I've been completely serious and mean every word...]

Also, while it is COMPLETELY NORMAL to get worried and depressed when

you have severe knee problems that just don't seem to get normal, if

you express this to your doctor, there is a good chance he'll focus

on " treating " your worrying, NOT the real problem.

==

DON'T SAY: " It's painful and this has gone on long enough that I'm

really worried if I will ever get it to go away. I'm so worried that

it keeps me up all night.

SAY: " It's so painful that I have trouble sleeping. "

(Of course if you focus on the pain too much they'll end up giving

you heavy-duty pain-killers that you don't need...)

==

I think one my problems is that it wasn't painful enough for me...My

observation is that some doctors seem to favor treating pain over

trying to restore function. And if it doesn't hurt, there isn't

anything urgently wrong. In other words, you get more help if you

say " it really hurts " then " help me try to get my knee back to

normal. "

===

DON'T SAY: " My knee is OK right now, but there is a tight spot right

here in my calf--it'snot painful, but it keeps coming back and when

its there my IT band gets tight and thats when my knee starts feeling

tight. Can you refer me to a specialist? "

SAY: " My ankle and calf really hurt. Also my IT Band and knee hurt.

This is really effecting my life and makes it difficult to do

exercise. It really hurts and I want to get it back to normal "

[Guest guest]

>>>>>>>>Here's what I did when I got my new OS. I said, " This has

been going on for 5 years, with me getting shuffled around all over

UCDMC and not getting any help, and if I don't get help soon, I'm

going to cut my leg off at the knee because I see these people

running and playing football with fake lower legs. "

My Mom hiked up Half Dome about a month after having a knee

replacement. The day before the operation she hiked up to Kearsarge

Pass (high Sierra pass) and back--she figured that since she was

getting a new one she could just as well " use it up. "

She had a hip replacement (her second hip) done a few weeks ago and

is now walking five miles a day, which is more exercise then I get. I

think she has a high pain tolerance level.

[Guest guest]

May I ask how old your mom is?

Ann

Re: Examples of how to communicate to

doctors (non-sarcasm) (was: sarcasm)

>>>>>>>>Here's what I did when I got my new OS. I said, " This has

been going on for 5 years, with me getting shuffled around all over

UCDMC and not getting any help, and if I don't get help soon, I'm

going to cut my leg off at the knee because I see these people

running and playing football with fake lower legs. "

My Mom hiked up Half Dome about a month after having a knee

replacement. The day before the operation she hiked up to Kearsarge

Pass (high Sierra pass) and back--she figured that since she was

getting a new one she could just as well " use it up. "

She had a hip replacement (her second hip) done a few weeks ago and

is now walking five miles a day, which is more exercise then I get. I

think she has a high pain tolerance level.

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[Guest guest]

About how to talk to a doc.

They sometimes listen when your pain

affects your sleeping. So, if you are having

trouble sleeping because of the pain, mention that.

I think they care more about that than if it hurts

during the day.

Also, if it affects your work performance in some way,

it would be a good concern for your doc.

Like if your have a more physical job, compared to

a desk job. Heck, if your work performance is really

crappy, you could be in danger of loosing your job.

One thing I try to remember when seeing my regular

GP. Is to only see him for one thing, at most 2.

Generally when there is only 1 topic things go much better.

When you try to cover 2+ items, well, you start getting

the whole hurry business going on. It just seems I

get better attention when I go in with 1 problem.

May not be all the case, but it seems to work out better.

Connie