Re: doctors....

Timothy M. Faber (TMFaber(AT)ij.net)
Thu, 09 Oct 1997 22:50:04 -0400

As an RN and a son (14 months) with TM, I say dump your PMD (primary
medical doctor). He may be listening, but he isn't hearing you. Chances
are, he's out of his league. TM is rare enough, he may not be all that
comfortable with your diagnosis. Stick with your neurologist - this is
their area.

PS: I had a lousy day if I sound rough on the PMD.

At 10:53 PM 10/8/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi all:
>
>I had my initial TM attack on Labor Day Weekend. I have only written to the
>list a few times.
>
>I saw my primary care physician yesterday for the first time since seeing the
>neurologist and he basically brushed me off and discounted my symptoms. He
>has always been a great doctor before and I am so upset with him now. I
>can't understand why he would act like this toward me. When I told him about
>my difficulty walking, he said I needed to walk more for exercise. When I
>told him about the trembling in my arm, he ignored it. He also wanted to
>prescribe fenfluermine (spelling?), the part of Phen-Fen that is still on the
>market. I guess he feels all of my complaints will go away if I lose weight.
> I told him that I wasn't interested. He said he was surprised at the
>diagnosis of TM. I told him the neurologist talked to me about the
>possibility of having MS. He was quickly heading out the door, turned and
>frowned at me, then said "I know, I read his notes. It doesn't fit the
>pattern." And with that he was gone. I can't believe he dismissed me like
>that!
>
>The neurologist called me yesterday and I told him about my current concerns.
> He decided to schedule me for an MRI. He said we may have to go ahead and
>do a lumbar puncture after that. I really do want to find out exactly what
>is causing my problems. But, on the other hand I am afraid to go on. Does
>that even make sense?
>
>This is such a scary thing. How do you all cope?
>
>Sharon M.
>
>
Timothy M. Faber
Faber Desktop Solutions
TMFaber(AT)IJ.net