I have an appointment with my doctor in about a month for a physical. A lot of things have changed in the last year that I want to discuss with my doctor. I also want to talk to her about a lot of problems I have been having with depression and anxiety.
I am wondering if this is something I need to mention when making the appointment? Do dr's anticipate exrta time for these types of things with their patients? I am sure she will have some questions for me as well, to try to figure out what's going on, and I am just wondering if we will have time.
2006-09-19 07:34:51 · 7 answers · asked by misscongeniality711 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
i just went through the exact same thing at my last physical a few months ago. I needed all of the regular 'check-up' stuff done, but I really needed to get my anxiety under control and it was the first time I'd ever mentioned it being a problem to my doctor so I was a bit worried about time as well.
My doctor is a great guy and never rushes any of his patients. Yes, that can mean that a couple of his next patients end up waiting a bit longer, but most doctors plan catch-up breaks in their days to help aleviate that and make up for a couple of extra long appointments in their day. My mom is a nurse and has always encouraged me to take whatever time I need with my doctor and not feel rushed. Taking care of you is their job, not a favour and they owe you their time.
I was actually shocked at how quickly our discussion about my anxiety went. Just have some examples of what makes you particularly anxious/depressed and how you feel at those times (ie. rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, confusion, trouble getting out of bed) as well as what you may have tried to fix the problem on your own (yoga, meditation, etc). That made my appointment really efficient and there was no argument from my doctor that there was a problem (he's known me for years, which probably helped too).
Make sure that your doctor also takes your blood pressure because it is almost always elevated when people are anxious, which will just help to show your doctor that you really are having physical problems with your anxiety. He/She will likely also order a bunch of blood tests to see if there are any hormones or anything out of whack that could be contributing to the problem.
I left the office that day after being with my doctor for about 40 minutes and we really had dealt with everything that I felt was necessary. With the new medication that he put me on (Paxil -it's worked great for me!) I had to go back for short follow-up appointments every three weeks for three visits and then every six weeks for three more visits just to make sure that I'm getting the most benefit out of the medication.
If you are still worried about time - call the office and ask how much time your appointment is scheduled for and let them know your concern and they will work it out for you. Don't let your appointment be one more thing to worry about.
Wishing you the best!
2006-09-19 07:58:32 · answer #1 · answered by ms_know_it_all 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A doctor should expect to go through any changes in your life during you physical, especially a general practitioner. In order to make better use of her time, write everything down and try to organize those thoughts, and be sure you write down her answers. You may also want to give the receptionist a "heads up" that their have been some changes in your life that you want to discuss. The doctor will absolutely appreciate this, and if they do not get a new doctor! Your doctor may also recommend a specialist for some of your anxiety/depression issue, in fact, she should. If at anytime, you are uncomfortable, seek another doctor and a good guide is the book "Healthcare for Less" by Michelle Katz. I purchased a copy when I needed to switch health insurance and it has saved me a ton of money. I also noticed a guide of questions to ask your physician that may be very helpful to you before your appointment. This way you will not leave anything out. You can purchase the book for about $15 at Barnes and Noble or order it for $10 on www.amazon.com.
2006-09-19 09:04:12 · answer #2 · answered by Michelle 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a YEARLY appointment ?? You meet and consult your doctor once a year ?? Funny. That also means you are fit and hale and hearty and are not undergoing any medication. It is probably the appointment date that is triggering you into imagining you are having some problem with your body. A Family doctor prefers at least a visit a week/fortnight or max one month to keep track of the health of the patient. If you really want to find out..Take a second opinion.Get immediate appointment with some other local Doctor.
2006-09-19 07:52:20 · answer #3 · answered by Haresh Punjabi 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you want to be sure that you have time to discuss those issues, be sure to mention it to your doctor or the receptionist/aide who takes the appointment. Most doctors nowadays are doing all they can to handle their patients as quickly as possible so they can get to the next one, and they're really doing a disservice to their patients. If you don't bring this to the attention of your doctor before your appointment he/she might not have enough time to discuss it with you thoroughly and may require you to come back for another appointment (which is a load of bull)...
2006-09-19 07:44:00 · answer #4 · answered by sarge927 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you should be able to address it with your doctor during your appointment. To keep things confidential, I wouldn't mention it when making the appointment itself. If you have Kaiser, you can make an appointment with the psychiatry department directly and everything is seperate from your main medical file for confidentiality. Otherwise your doctor may give you a referal, or prescribe a medication for you themself. I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist though so you two can analyze what is causing the anxiety and try to tackle it together with some non-prescription avenues.
2006-09-19 07:44:02 · answer #5 · answered by GirlUdontKnow 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your time is precious too so don't feel like the doctor shouldn't take time for you. Make a list of questions that you want to ask the doctor and bring it with you when you go. The doctor will make time for you. If not, find a better doctor.
2006-09-19 07:42:47 · answer #6 · answered by Lov'n IT! 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
doctor, doctor am i able to have 2nd opinion? of path, come again the following day! doctor, doctor i've got broke my arm in 2 places properly do no longer return there back then! doctor, doctor, anybody keeps ignoring me. next please! doctor, doctor I’ve lost my reminiscence! while did this ensue? while did what ensue? doctor, doctor anybody thinks i'm a liar i'm no longer able to have self belief that!
2016-10-15 04:21:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋