What do you do when this happens?

Hi everybody,

Does anybody have any suggestions that could help me? Basically, I struggle to make appointments at the doctors and go to the doctors even though I am in pain or forgetting my medication. How do I make the first step? Just the thought of going to the doctors makes me anxious and it is not enough to know that I am in pain and others would not struggle the same as me, they would just go. I just feel that so many people get to the doctors, sometimes with less issues than mine, so what can I do?People tell me - just go. Doesn't work like that.Any thoughts?

Parents
  • Whch bit stops you?   Is it the talking to the GP or the worry about your condition or the actual organisation of the appointment?  Are you worrring about wasting their time?

    I have health problems that fluctuate so I often need to map my health to decide if I'm having a blip or am I getting properly ill and need to see the gp.

  • I have health problems that fluctuate so I often need to map my health to decide if I'm having a blip or am I getting properly ill and need to see the gp.

    Thank you - good question but I am not sure which bit. I think that it is the fact that I do not recognize how bad my health is until I am so poorly I do not manage to even think about doctors. I am fascinated by your comment about mapping your health because my health fluctuates too. How do you do this mapping?

Reply
  • I have health problems that fluctuate so I often need to map my health to decide if I'm having a blip or am I getting properly ill and need to see the gp.

    Thank you - good question but I am not sure which bit. I think that it is the fact that I do not recognize how bad my health is until I am so poorly I do not manage to even think about doctors. I am fascinated by your comment about mapping your health because my health fluctuates too. How do you do this mapping?

Children
  • I agree with Plastic, 1st port of call would be the pharmacist. I'm really lucky as I've found (finally) a really good doctor who understands autism! she is amazing with my son and I (my sons diagnosed and I'm not)

  • If you have regular meds and it's just the dosing varies with health, the pharmacy can do all that for you without bothering the gp.

    I can just wander in, tell them what I need and I get it either there & then or the next day if they need to order it.

  • That is very useful. Thank you for sharing. I will think about how I can be more sensitive to my body. My pharmacist is very useful and I have all my medication in weekly trays so that does help. Lots for me to think about. Thank you.

  • Yes, and the wasting the time bit. Just thought about that. 

  • I'm aspie so I have a log running in my brain combining what physical things have happened, what food I've eaten, any mild changes to my skin, headaches, muscle pain patterns, bone problems, any medication variations etc.  and when linked to the rate of change of my conditions, I can work out if I'm deteriorating, getting better or just the same.

    I don't like wasting the GP's valuable time and, for most problems, my pharmacy will raise a prescription for me so I get what drugs I need within 24 hrs without needing an appointment.

    I have serious ulcerative colitis so from being a bit of a 'health wobble' to ICU is about 4 days so I need to be sensitive to my body.