I rarely need to go to the doctor. However, when I do, I’ve almost always researched my symptoms and possible medications for what is wrong with me if it is something simple or something I’ve had before. I need to mention that I deal with medical issues on a day to day basis as I’m a medical malpractice attorney so I think I have better knowledge of medicine than your average Joe. I have no problem with the doctor testing me to make sure that what I believe I have is, in fact, what I have.
When I go to the doctor, if I know what I have; I tell him. Plain and simple. For instance: ‘Hi doctor, I need some antibiotics for this nasty sinus infection as I have pressure under my cheekbones and my mucus is green…usually a Z-pac works for this.’ or ‘Hi doctor, I have a UTI; last time I had this you prescribed Levaquin.’ For many years this always gone smashingly well for me since I had a regular doctor and he knew me and my medical history and the tested accuracy of my statements.
Well, now I have a new doctor and I’ve been seeing him for about 2 years. He HATES it when I self-diagnose. He never listens my diagnosis of what I think is wrong with me or what medications have worked in the past for that issue. I have tolerated him since he works in my building and I really haven’t needed him for much.
However, last week I went to see him for some anxiety medication. I used to get 5 very low dose clonazepam a month for my PMS symptoms. They worked wonders. I haven’t needed them for a while as I’d been on the pill which works wonders for PMS but not for my sex drive. So I’m off the pill again and need a little help getting throught the rough patches…I’m a VERY high strung person. Well, Mr. doctor went WAY the hell overboard and tells me that it would be ridiculous for me to be put on the clonazepam again despite the fact that it really helped. No, Mr. Doctor prescribes me freakin PROZAC. Mr. Doctor decides that after a 5 minute conversation with me that I have PDD (pre menstrual dysphoric disorder) and I need to be on freakin PROZAC every GOD DAMNED DAY OF MY MENSTRUATING LIFE due to the 2 days every month I get tense. I calmly explained that I did not think it was PDD and that I wanted no part of being on Prozac for problems w/ 2 days a month. He told me to try it or there would be no further relief from him.
My questions are this:
How many of you self-diagnose?
Do you think I self-diagnose too much?
How would you handle this most recent problem?