Published on 12, July, 2020
How do people deal with hospital appointments? I don't have much experience with them but they make me really anxious. I've been referred for a few since a doctor's appointment on Friday. I'm really worried because I don't know exactly what will happen or where to go etc. I'm also worried they are going to find something wrong so anxiety is through the roof at the moment. I also hate being touched so this isn't helping as I know they will have to touch me in order for the appointments to go ahead. I've got the dates for 2 of the appointments but there is also a 3rd. It should come through on a letter but I get worried that it won't come and I'll miss it but I feel silly ringing up to ask. It hasn't been very long I realise but the doctor did say the appointment should happen within 3 weeks. I also will have to ask for time off work which I hate. The whole thing just makes me feel physically sick. Does anyone have any good strategies for dealing with this stuff?
Do you have an alert card? I have an extreme sensitivity to flourescent lights. I also don't like being touched, I'm not too bad if there is a context to it though such as a doctor's appointment. If there isn't a context I can be pretty nasty.
I've found that when I present my alert card they are pretty accomodating on the day. Last time I went they found me somewhere to wait without the lights, my X-ray was called quickly, and they asked me if I was OK with being touched. Surprisingly prepared for Autism, quite refreshing!
As for appointments I always need a pretty long advance, say a month or so to prepare myself, I'm pretty much agoraphobic, so it always helps to have advance. If it gets sprung on me I do find it daunting.
One thing I don't worry about is if they find something wrong. They are as likely to find it's nothing to worry about, and if something is making me feel ill, I will be on the way to getting it sorted.
As for ringing them to ask, why not? That's their job. If they think I'm silly, it really doesn't matter. I don't know them and they will have forgotten my name within the hour. If you are polite, and not ringing 3 times a day, you will be the least of their worries. They deal with total arseholes, and pests. A polite phonecall probably is a good thing to them!
Hope you have an easy time of it all. Remember you'll probably be better off at the end!
Thanks for your reply. I've been so recently diagnosed I haven't even had the report yet so I don't have anything to tell them I'm on the spectrum.
I can like you say deal with being touched in context when they examine you etc but this has only ever been for a few seconds. But I think with the nature of the appointments it will be significantly longer than that. I will tolerate it but it just makes me so uncomfortable. I'm worried about one in particular as it's an ultrasound and I don't like the idea of that jelly stuff they put on you.
I know I'm probably over thinking the whole thing but I just hate not knowing exactly what to expect.
Hi Binary. I got told off by the Physiotherapist because I flinched when he touched my ankle lightly. After that I got the impression he thought I was exaggerating the pain I am in.
If I get a diagnosis I am going to explain my reactions to being touched at my next appointment. Also, if diagnosed, I am going to ask for a letter I can use while I am waiting for the report to be written.
That sounds like a great idea. I've just had to change dentist. My old one left. I'm not very keen on the new one. I don't think I could discuss anything like that with them unfortunately.
I have an agreement with my dentist - if they do any work other than a descale, I wear in-ear headphones up loud so I can't concentrate on anything - she taps me on the shoulder when she's done.
I can manage the dentist because I'm used to them and I know what to expect. Although I hate some of the noises. I think I've just had so little to do with hospitals I get more worried.
Last year I had a terrible toothache and had to see an emergency dentist. He could see I was anxious and explained what he was going to do. Then while he was treating me he said things like "I'm just removing the old filling" "the drilling may sound a bit strange but it's perfectly OK" and "this will only take another ten seconds". I said to him afterwards how I noticed my anxiety reduce because I was given information and reassurance.
I'm sure the people writing your report could send a short statement for you to use as necessary. Last year I went for 2 courses of preventive Radiotherapy for a benign condition. I was generally OK except when one of the machines broke down and there were long delays. I had only got a couple of hours off work and I ended up getting so upset they had to take me into a side room. I now realise this was probably a meltdown.
A letter is a good idea. If I'd had the report back I'd ring the gp and ask for their help but until the report comes back there's not much I can do on that front. I find it really hard to tell the doctors whether something hurts or not when they press because it just feels weird. I can cope with it for a short time. I'm just worried how long these appointments will take.