I went to aheart specialist because my internist reccomended it. He says "tell me about yourself".. So I explain my medical conditions and symptons im having, he cuts me off and says "No i want to know about your personal life, what do you do"? He asked me "are you divorced"? I said no Im a widow, he says "have any children"? I said yes 2, he says "how old'? I say 20 and 22, he says "are they successful", I say "yes", he says "oh so you live alone", I said no "they live with me"
He gives me a puzzled look, and was waiting for more info then questions me about ever being in a hospital
Is this normal?
2007-07-27 05:02:00 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
Not sure but I believe that he was looking for stress in your life, and he was probably trying to make a connection. DOnt think that he was hitting on you
2007-07-27 05:09:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't pick up the phone to the medical board just yet....this is totally normal, and I'll tell you why.
All too often I think patients come to see us Post-grad guys/interns/physicians and those that are pulling call for the night and they are like "I have/my internist says, I have a problem...fix it." Now, keep in mind, we don't know you from Adam (or Eve, I suppose) all we get is your intake chart which tell us the bare minimum (age, weight, height, pulse, bp, etc.) So, at this point, we know you're at the hospital and that you're human...and at this point, breathing...and what you're complaint is (not to have a negative connotation)
But you are a patient, an individual...you don't only exist on a single plane that is the examination room, right? You have a life outside of the office door, a car to get into, a home to walk into, with kids, a husband, a dog, a fish, and a gopher in the backyard you can't seem to get rid of (don't ask me how I know) so it's necessary for us to ask certain questions about that life outside for a couple of reasons:
1) People that are in good health have good things (stimulus) in their lives. They have friends, they are successful, they have a generally happy outlook on life, but even people in good heath get sick, right?
2) Sometimes the stimuli in our lives causes us to, or contributes to us to getting sick...ever hear the phrase "Must be somethin' in the water..."? Same idea. Your physician's puzzled look was a matter of semantics that got crossed...in his opinion, your kids being 'successful' meant that in his mind, they shouldn't still be living with their mother...but I digress.
The question about whether or not you've ever been in a hospital (which I noticed you didn't provide an answer for) is due to one of a couple of things 1) When you came into the office, the PA ran some tests on you that seemed to point to a serious cardiac ailment and the Cardiologist was thinking about admitting you, or 2) A history of past hospitalizations for the same condition recognizes a pattern that may not be apparent in that little intake chart you filled out in the waiting room...
Doctors nowadays have like five minutes of allowable face-time with a patient before it's on to the next one...I know, f*cked up, but that's how it is these days. The system of one-on-one patient/doctor relationships disappeared long, long ago and it's not going to be fixed in the forseeable future.
But it's in that five minutes that we are supposed to gain knowledge of your entire lifetime, heath and life outside of our office...and oh yeah, then fix the problem you came in with originally.
If you're uncomfortable with the questions being asked (and I don't think this doctor was being obtuse by any means) simply say so...there is no harm setting limits with someone you don't know yet. You do it all the time normally, don't let it cease just because someone wears a stethescope around their neck.
I hope you find good health in whatever your ailment happens to be for which you saw this doctor for.
-jmb
2007-07-27 06:32:27 · answer #2 · answered by jmb 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes heart disease is very often related to personal stress. main causes of this are kids and relationships. ( if your kids were out of the house then you would be thinking less about them so less stress, if you were divorced or widowed again if it was recent more stress.) Stress on the heart can cause plaque to break loose from the artery wall and cause stroke or heart failure. also, heart disease is very much based on you family (hereditary) if your family has a history of heart disease then you maybe at a greater risk for it. This maybe why he proceeded to inquire about you're time in a hospital. As for the puzzled look after asking about your children's success he may just have found that they are successful yet live with you as being peculiar but i wouldn't worry about that . good luck and get well.----------------oh and hot-rod who answered stupidly ur and idiot and never answer another question again
2007-07-27 14:24:50 · answer #3 · answered by rob3776 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of the medications prescribed for various heart conditions can cause people to be fatigued, or increase bleeding risk greatly. It is also important is some case to judge what type of support a patient has at home.
Level of home activity may also help provide clues as to what the cause of a problem really is.
2007-07-27 10:23:06 · answer #4 · answered by heartman1122 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those are the kind of questions a good doctor asks. And the reason he gave you a puzzled look was that most adults don't still live with their parents, especially if they are "successful" and make enough money to live are their own.
2007-07-27 08:46:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, he/she is trying to establish your life style, any possible stress factors, anything that may give he/she insight as to your physical problem(s). I can only ask you this, if certain other questions were not asked, what would you think of his/ her lack of interests regarding your history?? Sometimes, the smallest bit of information,can lead to a significant diagnosis. Perfectly normal questions.
2007-07-27 14:01:51 · answer #6 · answered by Ruth 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes that is pretty normal. He is trying to figure out what kind of life style you have. My husband has a heart Dr and he was asked these same questions and I asked why.
2007-07-27 05:06:18 · answer #7 · answered by JS 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I once had doctor that asked personal questions and wrote them on my file, so that he could chat as if he remembered me. I found him out when he somehow got my husbands details and my details mixed up started saying things about my husbands life! It was funny because my husband (now ex) was 10 years older and his parents were almost 20 years older than my parent. lol! The doctor was asking about my mothers hip replacement (My mom was only about 40 years old) My husbands mother had HER hip replaced. At least he didn't mix up OUR medical histories! I was very embarrassed for the poor guy, but did call him out on it. Of course in your case the doctor may have been attracted to you. You never know. :)
2007-07-27 05:19:53 · answer #8 · answered by Lora 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That can be yes and no,
the doctor has to ask questions about your health situation and how its affecting your health. But he does not have the right to ask questions like if you are married or divorced, same thing about the children. I am sensing the doctor is trying to make a move on you. Watch yourself be careful.
Neither does he have the right to cut you off when you are answering questions. It is good you explain your medical condition this is to determine what medication to give you if need be.
2007-07-27 05:13:13 · answer #9 · answered by sweet_blue 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋
All seem to be pertinent questions for a Cardiologist. The heart effects all things / all things effect the heart.
I received similar questioning in ICU.
2007-07-27 12:55:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋