Apt tomorrow and I always do this

I have my 2nd rheumy apt tomorrow and for some reason I always downplay my sx's when I'm at the doctors office. I don't know if I'm afraid of not being taken seriously or what but I do this almost everytime. I need help with this b/c I really need to feel better. I have two kids and a husband and I feel like I am totally useless (I know I'm not but I feel that way a lot). I have breakthrough days were I feel great (but they are few and far between). I want to feel like that all the time. I know that's how I am supposed to be feeling. I wrote down all my sx's I've been dealing with and thought I would just tell him I tend to downplay stuff. Anyone else do this? If you don't do you just poor your heart out or what? I know I'm not dying but I am miserable.

I used to be like that, but I realized that they only know what you share. If you say you are doing well, or that meds arr making you feel better, that’s what they hear…you may be having a good day that day…but remember to sharr how you are feeling the other days as well. Also mention anything odd or new that you notice, because that may help them know if you arr having a reaction to the meds or need a different med. Don’t be afraid to share eh
at you’re feeling. They’re there to help you get better. they will think your symptoms are at bay if you say you’re good, when they may be ablr to do more for you. Its so easy for us yo put up a front and say were fine when we’re not so people don’t make a fuss, but the reality is that you need to be honest with yourself and your doctor to get the best care possible for you. :slight_smile: We’re all here for ya and we all want to get better. Let your dr help you :slight_smile: they will do all they can for you. I hope you get some relief soon. :slight_smile:

Thanks. My husband got so irritated the other day when I told him I was going back b/c I didn't tell him how I really was feeling the first time (when I got diagnosed). He was wondering if I just wanted to give him some money that day for the heck of it.

I totally understand! Every time I go I become emotional and cry, but I downplay my symptoms. Finally, my husband asked to go with me. When I was being asked about symptoms, I responded, then my husband asked if he could speak. He gave a more realistic picture of my day to day living. Now my docs know that I'm and "under-reporter." I think that they consider that moving forward when I describe how I'm feeling. Maybe your husband could go with you.

I have a habit of doing the same. It helps to bring someone with you who will keep you honest. :) I actually have a friend who will go with me to appointments sometimes and if I start downplaying things, will give me a look and I correct myself. LOL It helps to write it all out in detail and give the paper to the doctor.

My husband is just starting to see what I'm really feeling. I think before I got a diagnosis he thought I was just a complainer. He never said that but he would say things like it's weakness leaving my body and never really seemed that concerned with my symptoms. He makes jokes about it now which is fine as long as I know he believes me. I'm okay with him joking around as it lightens my mood but it used to make me mad when I thought he didn't understand. Not sure if I want him coming with me yet=-) He's a great husband and father he's just really old school. He hardly ever goes to the doctor. He's coming around though;-)

Yeah I have my list ready so I won't do that this time.

nym said:

I have a habit of doing the same. It helps to bring someone with you who will keep you honest. :) I actually have a friend who will go with me to appointments sometimes and if I start downplaying things, will give me a look and I correct myself. LOL It helps to write it all out in detail and give the paper to the doctor.

i just reread my post-- sorry about the crazy typos.. i was on my phone at a restaurant waiting for lunch but i wanted to reply. :) i agree about the list as well. there were so many things going on before my diagnosis and i was having severe brain fog/exhaustion and i knew i'd forget to tell the dr a lot so i wrote everything out in a timeline and he said it really helped. you could also buy a lil notebook and keep track of what you feel each day.. just where the pain is, energy level, and a pain scale of 1-10.. i know that some days i feel pretty good and some days i feel horrible and if you catch me on a good day, i will seem like i am fine all the time. so it's pretty easy to forget the bad when you feel good! :) yes, the meds are scary at first... but the possibility of not being able to move joints at all is scarier. we've all been where you are. reluctant to give in to this crazy disease. i am not that sick. i can get rid of this. it will go away soon.. but in a short time, we realize that unfortunately this bugger has other plans for us. i hope they get you some meds that give you some relief soon!

The others are right, it is so easy for us to downplay at the doctors office becuse we have plenty of practice every day with everyone around us. I found that last appt I had, I took in my daily journal for 2 weeks and that helped him to know more of what was happening. I just explained that I needed to do this because I have a tendency to downplay and to just live with what happens. He didn't read every single page but did scan all of them.

how did today go?

it went really well. he gave me prednisone to take for 3 days and said depending on how i feel on it will determine what type of medicine he will put me on. he said he thought i had some rheumatoid arthritis starting to evolve. (i think) he said if the prednisone works then he will put me on something like embrel... if it doesn't then he would put me on something else for tendinitis??

natalieb said:

how did today go?

Glad to hear it went well!

thanks!

MMG said:

Glad to hear it went well!