Fear of doctors...Anyone?

[Iseesky]

I've never really been fearful of doctors, but since my old doctor (who was SOOO nice!) moved away a few years ago, I haven't been able to find a new one. I've had to rely on the doctors in the local walk-in clinic. They aren't as friendly and I always feel like I'm doing them a huge disservice by going in (even though I only go in when I absolutely must...).

I find it very difficult to talk to them. I feel like it doesn't matter what I say, they're going to just write it off anyway. Just being in the room with them intimidates me.

With that said, I need to get a blood test. For the past few months I've been getting unexplainable bruises all over my legs and I don't think it's wise to ignore it any longer.

The blood test also worries me, but I'm more worried about having to go in and tell a doctor at the clinic that I want a blood test.

Anyone have a fear of doctors? Do you avoid going completely? Do you take a friend in with you?

 

[Kiwong]

yes, I have white coat hypertension, in a big way.

 

[kihira]

I'm ok with doctors, NOT with blood tests

 

[Kathryn.fr]

Dentists scare me.

 

[coyote]

i like nurses

 

[Kiwong]

Cardiologist assistant with spiky hair.

Blood pressure recording 200/100.

 

[NickyNacker]

I'm about as bad with Doctors as I am with anyone. It's just worse because the anxiety and fear keeps me from saying things or asking about things I need to about my health. So I always end up leaving without talking about something important and don't get help I could possibly get. :/
Happened just yesterday when I went to get meds.

 

[Panther]

yes! i had a skin infection a couple of years ago (sorry too much info lol) and i let it get reli bad because i was so nervous about going

 

[snowcream]

I avoid them at all cost; they scare the hell out of me
I make sure I take my vitamins daily to try and not get sick =D

 

[mikebird]

Not scared that a doc might have a poke around and investigate me or ask me personal questions (when was your last movements)?

But specialists have taken my life away. I was a guinea pig for them to test things on me, and all fascinated by my condition (immune system) when I was little. I was always full of needles. It's not right when you put several large catheters / canulae into both of a young person's arms, hands and legs all the time. I had bottles and bottles of... haemoglobulin (commercial name: Sandoglobulin) put into my veins, which never worked, and they just kept doing it! And a list of more than 10 things I can't be bothered to remember. I spent months (away from school) in wards they tried to put me in appropriately, such as for kids with leukaemia.

This is not meant to be a dark topic. I'm laughing. You gotta be positive and have a giggle when things are a bit grim.

I'm glad that was over when I decided to move to a different town, and have a much better life.

When younger than 10, growth is important. My two brothers were 6ft+, and I ended up less than 5ft, a short ass, shorter than Michael J Fox. Too much prednisilone - a kind of steriods, on 2 year periods makes a person a real runt, when you're supposed to be growing.

I turned down an operation to take out my spleen 3 times, because they couldn't agree on any likeliness of success anywhere as good as 50%. Eventually I gave up and agreed to it, as they never stopped pestering me about it, for their research interests. It happened, and made everything worse, to this day! No option to replace an organ. I find it all quite funny and interesting. I have to take penicillin every day for the rest of my life, and a lot more.

I have a set belief that most specialist docs (not GP) are after money and having their white papers published, such as experimenting on people when they're dead, or still alive, for any reason; if I was in that business, I'd do that, too. Patients don't matter. Just human flesh to use. They primary role is to smile at patients and say "we're here to help!"

 

[mikebird]

Oh yeah!!

Sexy nurses to spend time with. Along with the profession, you can't have interpersonal relationships with the people you deal with every day, and that's your obligation.

Makes sense.

Oh dear

 

[mikebird]

Dentists scare me.

Only the tools do

 

[Seri]

I don't really fear my doctor, he has a nice easy-going personality, but I don't really like having to go and see him either.

He knows I have SA and he tells me to go out and meet people... I understand that he's just trying to make me a normal member of society but I don't think he quite gets how much I dislike interacting with people. I try to offer up new bits of information to help him understand, but he just keeps harping on with the same old tune.

And I intensely dislike the idea of anything involving surgery or tests beyond something like a simple blood test.

 

[Lost Girl]

I fear male doctors. There are lovely and thorough male doctors at my local that I only see if accompanied by my manfriend, every other time I see the female doctor who doesn't do her job right or ever leave me feeling like I was looked after :[.

 

[Beatrice]

Doctors

Nope. I rather enjoy physical examinations, especially if the doctor is a young decent-looking male (well, duh )

haha

 

[kilojoule]

I think what mikebird said pretty much summed it up

Sorry mikebird you had to go through all that

 

[LadyWench]

Definitely. Doctors and dentists scare the crap out of me. I'm a hypochondriac, so I tend to assume the worst. If I go in for a regular check-up or something simple, I panic. It's just an automatic response, I guess. I've been this way since I was a small child.

The ironic thing? I want to be a doctor. :/

 

[chrisjurban]

not quite as bad as you. but yes, i am afraid to call them (that's more about anxiety with phone use) and when i'm in a room with them i'm afraid to tell them what i want treatment-wise (issues with setting personal boundaries).

 

[ChrystaR]

I hate doctors and fear them as well.

I've had a lot of bad experiences with doctors. Unfortunately, my health is not that wonderful, and I go to the doctor all the time. I usually come home with no answers, no help, upset or angry. I've cut back going because my family can't afford it.

The last time I went in to try and get put on a new medication and get my antidepressants upped, I went to my GP that I had never seen before. I usually see the Nurse Practitioner (who is female). The GP is male. I am far more uncomfortable around male doctors than female, I always try to get a female if I can.

Anyway, he was of NO help and I left his office crying. He asked me if I have ever been on a date, and when I said 'no'. He said 'no?' like he was in disbelief. Then he told me my problems (severe fatigue, SA, blah etc.) would be fixed if I went out places and went on a date.

Yeah, that'll work.

I have several times had trouble with my neck. My neck will make a grinding/crunching noise and then I can't move my head very much at all because it hurts really bad. (I believe it's from vertebrae displacing.) I then have to go to the chiropractor. I've been to two different ones, both male. I managed to make it through, but it was always very uncomfortable because it involves a lot of touching. One of them would have me lay down on the table and he would wrap his arms around me, bringing his fists together on my back, and then push his body against mine, and his fists against my back. Plus, I have big breasts, so they would kinda push against him I really didn't like that. I liked him though, so it made it much easier than if I hated him.

Oh, and I really hate dentists. I haven't been to one in three years (when I had my wisdom teeth removed). They are always judgemental, not to mention shoving their hands in your mouth, with a big light shining on your face. Plus, I really hate the smell of the plastic, the toothpaste, I despise the feeling of the suction, the gritty paste..... and oh god, I have to stop, I am making myself sick. ::

 

[Seri]

ChrystaR, that GP sounds just like mine. Thinks socializing and being 'normal' is the cure to everything *eyeroll* Maybe it's something they learn in GP-doctor school? I had to figure out that I had IBS on my own, all my GP did was tell me to try new foods all the time and eat things even if I don't like them *grumble* Ignoring the fact that my IBS gives me nasty reactions to things a lot of the time.

Ahem, anyway. Have you tried going to counselling of some sort? (can cost a lot but sometimes you can get help with the cost) Since GPs are general they don't tend know the specifics and may not handle things, especially mental disorders, in the right way. While there's no guarantee that a counsellor would be better (you'd probably still be pressured to socialize more, but often they'll try to ease you into it step by step) they do have a bit more knowledge and GPs will often defer to what the counsellor thinks or suggests.