Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health and doctors

I've got the mid summer blues

thankyouforyourconsideration — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:49:13 -0800

Can anyone recommend a Psychiatrist and a Pyschologist (or mental health specialist) in Portland, Oregon? It's for a new bout of depression that seemed to have disappeared for the last six years or so. I would love specific names, as a couple of the resources I've used in the past are full through September and I'd prefer to begin treatment now. As far as psychologist or mental health professionals I'm a girl in mid twenties, and would prefer someone liberal but don't have a gender preference. Thanks!!

I saw a similar psychiatrist post, but there were no specific names given, I'd prefer personal recommendations.

How can I prevent a future health insurance co from discovering a previous dematology treatment and use it for denial of insurance?

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:45:05 -0800

I'm an American without health insurance, who needs (minor) dermatological care... how worried should I be that this will prevent me from getting private health care insurance in a year or so (denial due to prior condition)? And what can I do to prevent this from happening? After waiting for a year, I really need to have a few warts and dermatofibroma taken care of, maybe get a prescription or two. Nothing serious or particularly costly. I'm going to pay cash out of pocket, to a dermatologist or general practitioner whom I haven't seen before. I'm worried that this could be used against me in the next year or two when I will purchase private health insurance ... what should I do to prevent this? Is there a way the insurance company will discover this, etc... ?

Is this something I should worry about?

Serotonin Syndrome after quitting antidepressants?

Clay201 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:30:01 -0800

Could I possibly have Serotonin Syndrome even though I've been off anti-depressants for two or three years? And whether I have it or not, what's the best way to get a doctor to hold my hand while I try the recomended treatment for it; an antihistamine called Cyproheptadine (brand name Periactin) that blocks Serotonin receptors? I've had health problems most of my life, but developed my current set in 1995. At first, I thought it was the flu. Fevers, night sweats, fatigue, constipation and diarrhea. But as those symptoms decreased, new ones arose. I was incredibly tense, agitated, and restless. I felt like I wanted to peel off my own skin. I literally could not relax. It felt like someone had my neck in a vice. When I tried to relax - laying down in bed, comfortable and peaceful - I'd feel a horrible surge of restlessness and agitation. It's hard to describe, but it felt like an electric eel wrapping itself around my spine, delivering a constant voltage. Then, the involuntary movements would kick in. I'd start flailing around, my head jerking to the side, my legs twitching. I wouldn't return to "normal" until I once again tensed up completely. In addition to all this, i was incredibly anxious. I could barely even talk to people. I couldn't do anything. Everything made me freak out.

During and prior to this period, I was on and off anti-depressants pretty frequently. If I took more than a tiny amount, they made me wired, talkative and fidgety. If I took too little or didn't take any at all, I was depressed. So I was always trying, and usually failing, to find a happy medium. I'd take them until I felt better, then stop. A few weeks would go by, I'd get depressed again, and the cycle would repeat.

For the mystery problems, though, there didn't seem to be any treatment. Finally, desperate, i tried a medication that had been prescribed to a family memember; a muscle relaxer called Flexeril. It permanently knocked my restlessness and tension down a notch or two, but my involuntary movements got more frequent (also permanently). Scared and having no idea what was happening, I didn't take any more Flexeril. I did, however, continue taking anti-depressants as before.

I's been fourteen years and, in that time, I've tried countless treatments. Nothing's done much good. I did finally stop taking anti-depressants in 2006 or thereabouts. I went through withdrawal for several months, but when all was said and done, very little was different.

Then, recently, I read a description of Serotonin Syndrome. This disorder is caused by taking anti-depressants or other serotonin boosting medications. It causes fevers, sweating, involuntary movements, restlessness, and dry mouth; all of which I have or have had. (I can't seem to find the links for the following info, but I did read it somewhere on the web). The involuntary movements tend to be in the head and neck, which is where mine are, for the most part. There's a characteristic foot twitch; you bend the foot upwards at the ankle, then push it back down again and the foot twitches repeatedly. My foot does that. The problems are made worse by a number of different neurotransmitter enhancing drugs, including dopamine boosters like Sinemet. Sinemet and others on that list do make my problem worse. The only thing that made it better was, as I said, Flexeril. And it turns out that Flexeril blocks serotonin receptors.

So S.S. sounds like a pretty good fit, right? Only one problem. I just got off the phone with a psychiatrist who was adamant to the point of raising her voice; you just can't have Serotonin Syndrome if you've been off serotonin-boosting drugs for years. I can't find any direct statements to that support this assertion, but it does seem implicit in all the available material.

So, question number one is... Is it possible for me to have Serotonin Syndrome even though I quit the meds a while back? I have been using magnesium and malic acid to keep my mood up. When I was taking a lot of them, I was behaving in a manner that might be considered manic (starting lots of big, complex projects; making overly optimistic plans, etc.). Could the magnesium and malic acid be increasing my Serotonin? It seems terrribly unlikely, but thought I'd throw it out there.

Now, the most popular treatment for Serotonin Syndrome (besides taking away the offending meds) is a drug called Cyproheptadine (brand name Periactin) which blocks certain serotonin receptors. It turns out, you can get this drug legally through pharmacies outside the US. I've already placed my order and it's supposed to be here in about five days.

Ideally, I don't want to just perform experiments on myself. I want a doctor to supervise and be there to take care of me should things go wrong. In addition, I want one who has actual experience treating S.S. But I've been calling people left and right and I just can't find a doc who's both experienced and willing. I did manage to score an appointment with a psychopharmacologist who has actually treated S.S., but he may very well look at me and say "No, you don't have it and I'm not giving you Cyproheptadine. Now that'll be two hundred bucks." (He doesn't accept my insurance and I'm planning to pay out of pocket).

I realize no doctor is going to commit to a diagnosis over the phone. But if I walk into the appointment blind, I've got to to risk a lot of time and money on the (apparently small) chance that he or she will go along. I could end up spending six months and thousands of bucks trying to get the okay for a medication I already have sitting on my shelf. I'm stubborn, but I'm not that stubborn.

If the doc in question were pushing a different diagnosis, that would be one thing. I could look at it and decide whether it was more or less likely than S.S. But none of them are going to offer anything I haven't heard before. So it's a choice between trying the cyproheptadine and possibly getting better or trying nothing (or nothing new) and definitely not getting better. I certainly choose the latter. Besides, even if it doesn't help the problem, it could tell me something important.

So question number two is: How do I get a doc to get my back while I try this medication? I'm open to suggestions.

(Don't try to talk me out of the solo treatment. Yes, I'm sure it seems kind of harebrained to some people. But I have an undiagnosable disorder that makes me miserable twenty four hours a day, prevents me from writing, keeps me from dating, and is slowly trashing my body. I require more and stronger meds for the headaches and am worried about my stomach, my liver, and addiction. I can't take much more of this; I've got to do something. My doctors just look at me and shrug, so it's up to me to come up with the ideas and this is the best one I've had so far. I am more than justified in taking this relatively small risk.)

Why Is Obesity Help Often Excluded By Health Insurers?

WCityMike — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:26:28 -0800

Why do medical insurers treat obesity different than other vices? Not a GYOB (I've got one); I literally don't understand the facts of the situation. What do I mean? A moment's thought yields thousands of examples every day where medical insurers cover medical treatment that helps people recover from the aftereffects of their own choices. Childbirth. Smoking. Heart attacks. Lacerations incurred while drunk. (And accidents caused by drunk driving.) Alcohol and/or drug rehabilitation programs. And so on. We make mistakes with our body every single day, and they incur a medical cost to our body's well-being. Most of those medical costs are alleviated by insurance.

But medical services available to help people recover from the aftereffects of obesity seem to be almost specifically excluded. Nutritionists? Nearly always excluded in every plan I've seen. Physiatrists or sports medicine for medically safe exercise? Ditto. Removal of large amounts of loose skin post weight-loss? Some people have navigated their way through appeal processes into coverage, but it's not covered without great effort and trial.

What puzzles me is that preventative and "repair" treatments has got to be more cost-conscious than paying for heart bypasses, etc., so it makes from the ultimate viewpoint that means the most to these companies, the Almighty Buck.

So what's up? Where am I making the mistake in thinking this through? The pattern seems to have boundaries that are clearly enough defined -- it seems highly, highly improbable to me that this wasn't a purposeful policy decision.

Are sites like Healthgrades worth the money? Are there better ways to research doctors?

Ostara — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:35:53 -0800

I am trying to find an excellent neurologist for my Mom in Omaha, NE. I have been doing research with little success. Are sites like HealthGrades worth the money? Are there any other ways that I can research a doctor's background and perhaps read reviews on them? My Mom suffers hearing loss and headaches and they are both getting worse. She is 60. Her old neurologist is pushing 80, and seems to be just going through the motions or his job at this point.

She needs to find a new neurologist who is very pro-active and systematic in finding out what's wrong. I am trying to do research for her but it seems like every site with actual information on doctors wants me to fork over at least $30 to read a report on a single doctor. I don't mind paying the money if it is actually worth it, so I was looking for some feedback or other ideas on how to research doctors. Thanks.

Help assuage my health paranoia.

elisabethjw — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:27:21 -0800

My doctor has me coming in for a brain CT scan for, what I think, is just a digestive issue. Do I have any reason to freak out? Because I am. For background on the problem, see this question. Blood tests and a sonogram negate any possibility of gall bladder issues, but we haven't gotten any allergy (gluten, sucrose, fructose, etc.) tests yet. After the doctor asked me if I got headaches, I said yes, I do, usually alongside the nausea. But these are not migraines or even bad headaches, usually... they are minuscule tension-y headaches that usually don't even require Advil. I rarely get headaches anyway, but these have never been a point of concern for me.

Anyway, I mentioned that and he wanted me to get a CT, just to make sure it isn't a brain tumor. (Which, he said, was "very very very unlikely" but he wanted to check.) While I'm more than glad to get the CT to assuage any current and future fears, UHHH -- should I be concerned? Ever since I scheduled the appointment I've been worrying. Brain tumors are very rare, right? And tiny headaches and nausea don't usually indicate a tumor, right? This is a one-in-a-million chance, right?

Basically, if you could help assuage my fear that would be super, because I kind of feel like this has suddenly been thrown on me and I hadn't even thought about it before and I don't know if I should really even worry. And googling sure as hell doesn't help.

Can anyone recommend a psychiatrist in New York City who has experience with learning disabilities?

tweebiscuit — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:30:08 -0800

Can anyone recommend a psychiatrist in New York City who has experience with learning disabilities? (As opposed to, say, mood disorders.) There are a few thousand too many for cold-calling to be a useful narrowing strategy. Feel free to e-mail if you'd prefer, of course! Thanks!

Dentist/Doc suggestions in Boston area?

UMDirector — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:34:19 -0800

Any suggestions for a dentist as well as doctor for someone recently moved to the Boston Metro area? (specifically Weymouth/Hingham) but... I am looking for a good dentist in the Weymouth, Hingham area south of Boston...I am obsessed with my teeth so I would consider going into Boston itself for a great dentist. I also have some gum disease issues that are under control but I need to keep an eye on. My former dentist did the cleanings herself, which was awesome, but I don't necessarily expect that. I would, however, like someone who spends more than 30 seconds with a patient. Also would consider any suggestions on a good periodontist.

I am also looking for a general family practice doctor for myself and my wife. Same deal - someone who is not in a rush, actually listens, etc.

Too heavy for Couch to 5k?

aebaxter — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:35:15 -0800

I just had a doctor tell me I'm too heavy to run the Couch to 5k program. Is this really true? I'm 25/F, 5'6, 240 lbs with a sedentary job and no exercise routine to speak of for the past 6 years. About 3 weeks ago, I decided I was fed up and I started the Couch to 5k program at home on a treadmill. I made it through week 3 feeling great, still motivated and really enjoying the challenge. I was also doing lighter walk/runs and weights on the in between days of the program.

In order to work out with a friend, I started running outside at the track. Within 2 workouts running outdoors, I started having crippling pain in my knees. Worried I'd injured myself, I went to an osteopathic doctor. She told me that I was "100 lbs too heavy to be running" and that it was an unacceptable form of exercise for me. She said that "all the extra weight had pounded my knees into a severe sprain." She told me to stop eating too much (without even asking about my diet habits, but oh well) and to stop exercising period until my knees healed, and then to only do low-impact exercise.

I agree that my knees are injured (obviously, the pain tells me that), but is it really that I'm just too heavy to run? Have others been successful doing the Couch to 5k program beginning at a similar weight? Is my being overweight truly the problem, or did I just overdo it by exercising with a bit too much zeal on the off days instead of resting as is recommended with the Couch to 5k program?

Need a couple doctors in Baltimore, MD

Braeog — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:06:56 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good G.P. and Optometrist in Baltimore, MD? I just graduated college and I'm now working in Baltimore City in Maryland, and I could use some help finding a doctor. I wear glasses/contacts, so I'm going to need both a G.P. and an Optometrist.

Any ideas?

Severe neck muscle tension. Botox?

Clay201 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:19:52 -0800

I have intense, constant muscle tension on the right side of my neck. I think Botox will help, but my neurologists think it won't. Either convince me they're right or convince me I'm wrong. Oh, and is the anticholinergic drug I took three days ago making this problem worse? If so, what do I do about it? Background: I have a laundry list of health problems, most of them apparently stemming from fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome. For various reasons, I've recently been focusing on the following issue...

On the right side of my neck, there's a muscle (probably the
sterno-cleido-mastoideus or SCM ) that is at all times contracted, tense, taut, concrete-like, clenched, as if there's
an orangutan on crack yanking on it. If you've ever been extremely stressed and felt tension in your shoulders or neck, it's like that, except about forty times worse. It is intensely aggravating, preventing me from relaxing or sleeping soundly, among other activities. It causes tension in the surrounding muscles and, at times, it generates neck pain and severe headaches. I've tried dozens of treatments: nothing has worked. All stimulants and dopamine enhancers make it worse: caffeine, Ritalin, Sinemet, etc. They cause the orangutan to pull twice as hard.

I can relax the left side of my neck, but then my head turns violently to the right, yanked by the misbehaving muscle. During these movements, my mental functioning is not impaired (well, no more so than normal) and no doctor I've seen has thought this was epilepsy. During these movements, an intensely unpleasant, squirmy, restless sensation travels down my spine. Sometimes my legs and arms will start jerking as well.

I've recently seen two different neurologists regarding this problem. I thought they'd diagnose dystonia, (a class of "movement disorders in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures") but neither did, one of them citing the fact that the aforementioned SCM was not hypertrophied (presumably a diagnostic criteria). And unfortunately, they didn't really come up with any other diagnoses either. One seemed to think there was an outside chance it could be a motor tic. However both did point out that my right shoulder is elevated (something I'd never noticed before) and one of them noted that the back-right side of my neck was hard and tense to the touch.

Dystonia is usually treated with injections of Botox, a toxin that partially paralyzes the problem muscle. At least one of the neurologists is willing to try this treatment, but neither of them
think it's going to work. I'll most likely have to wait at least two or three months for the shot and then, of course, there's the risk of side effects. Oh, and if the first try isn't successful I'm right, how did both of these guys come to the wrong conclusion? What did they miss?

And oh yeah, if my problem isn't dystonia what the heck else could it be? Are there other conditions in which muscles remain in a permanent state of contraction? Or is such a state the very
definition of dystonia?

Part of me worries that during my exams I spent too much time describing the involuntary movements (from where I sit, a very small part of the problem) and not enough explaining the intense muscle tension/spasm (from where I sit, an enormous problem). Perhaps they just never heard me tell them about the orangutan in there, tugging away. I'm prone to give fifty word answers when five words would do fine, ask lots of questions, etc. After listening to me babble for twenty or thirty minutes, it's possible the forest got buried in the trees. Or maybe I explained the muscle tension just fine and they simply didn't believe me. Wouldn't be the first time. I'd talk to them about all of this but I have evidence that they already regard me as a bit of a pain in the ass, a patient who diagnosed himself based on shit he read on the internet and doesn't want to hear anything different. (Certainly I can understand why a doctor would find that annoying). I can't afford to piss these guys off any further, otherwise I'll have to start over with yet another neuro. So before I start asking questions that make it sound like I want to pick a fight, I'd appreciate some advice.

Question #2.

One of the docs prescribed an anticholinergic (a drug that reduces levels of acetylcholine) called Artane (Trihexyphenidyl) . He thought it was worth a try. I took one MG about three days ago. For the first few hours, I thought it might be helping the muscle tension just a wee bit . But then the muscle tension got a lot worse and has remained so ever since. I've read up on the drug, but I'm having a difficult time parsing some of the info. What I need to know is... do anticholinergics ever have a rebound effect? That is, can they trigger an upsurge in acetylcholine on their way out the door? And if they do, how would one deal with such a thing? I know, I know... I should tell my doctor. But I'm ninety percent sure they'll just tell me that this couldn't be a side effect of the drug and make a mental note that I'm even crazier than they originally thought.

Alright, that's everything. I'm happy to provide more details and answer questions and if you have any advice, please feel free to dispense. Also, if you think it's warranted, you're welcome to email me privately. My address is in my profile.

Should I go see Dr. Zizmor, the most heavily advertised dermatologist in NYC?

tweebiscuit — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:18:57 -0800

I still have periodic acne breakouts at the age of 24, and now that I have health insurance I want to see a dermatologist. However, there's a million of them in NYC, and I don't have the time to shop around, so I'm considering going with NYC's most heavily advertised doctor, Dr. Zizmor. Is this a bad idea? Have you or anyone you know ever said, "Thanks, Dr. Zizmor?" (The last line, of course, is a reference to the Dr. Z ad spots that I grew up watching on Long Island during summer reruns of Perfect Strangers and Who's The Boss.)

The reason I'm cautious about picking someone out of the phone book is that, in high school, I had a dermatologist who prescribed me Accutane, an extremely powerful medication that wasn't justified in my case. (It worked, but the next doctor I had was shocked that she had given it to me.) All I want is professionalism and results.

I figure that if Zizmor has been around that long and has had so many patience, that he must be able to successfully treat a simple problem like mine. He was fined a few years ago for not performing adequate histories on some of his patients, but that might not be out of the ordinary for one of NYC's most visible doctors (in the same way that every trendy NYC restaurant has had a bad health report, etc.)

Is this a bad line of reasoning, or is Zizmor worth going to? Alternatively, if anyone can recommend a good dermatologist in NYC, I'd love to hear it.

Good online resource for finding a doctor?

symbebekos — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 13:57:57 -0800

Is there a good online resource for finding a doctor? I'm looking for a doctor in the San Fernando Valley and while I've considered asking friends for recommendations, I'd like to get some higher-quality data if possible. Is there a site that has, along with patient reviews, information mined from the AMA, like commendations or complaints? Ideally I'd like to type in my zip code and insurance company and get back a list of doctors with some kind of intelligently weighted ranking. Does such a thing exist? I've seen vimo.com and a few other places, but they're all kind of lousy.

How do I find the best doctor in a given specialty?

Ostara — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 07:47:34 -0800

How can I fine the best doctor in a given specialty? In this case, I need to find the best eye doctor I can possibly find. My mom had an Ischemic CRVO and lost her vision in her left eye. She's relatively young (late 50s) so this was devastating enough.

Recently, we found out that my Dad has Fuch's Corneal Dystrophy and Glaucoma, likely to lead to the loss of his vision. This is heartbreaking news, especially because my mom depends upon my dad to be "her eyes."

So, I need to make sure that they have the absolute best care that we can get for them. They are in Nebraska, but if we have to travel to find the most competent doctor, that's ok.

I have tried to do research online, but many web sites want you to pay for the full reports on doctors. I was just wondering if there were any other avenues I should explore. Thank you.

Is there a Dr. House in the house?

jeanmari — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:05:16 -0800

After a long battle with mysterious chronic health symptoms, I'd like a "medical detective" to help me get to the bottom of what might be ailing me. But, what kind of doctor do I need? (If you are squeamish, move along...nothing to see here.) Since high school (I just turned 40), I have been treated for this or that separately (depression, hypothyroidism, unexplained lactation while not pregnant...nice, eh?, ruptured ovarian cysts, excessive sleepiness, stress-induced candidiasis, yadda, yadda). I hate going to doctors because I often think that THEY will think that I am a hypochondriac or something.

I am treated by different doctors for different things. I have an OB/Gyn, a general practitioner who I rarely see, and a doctor that specializes in medical treatment of depression.

I've ignored or just powered through the ups and downs of my symptoms for decades, dealing with individual symptoms as they get unmanageable. But now that I have an 8-month old, I'm beginning to think that I should deal with this more seriously. Especially since I'm noticing effects on my health/mood via pregnancy and nursing.

I'd like to have my prolactin levels and my progesterone levels checked. I'm wondering if I have prolactinoma (there is a long explanation for why I think this might be possible) or something wrong with my pituitary.

What kind of doctor deals with this? Who would I look for? Is there one type of doctor that would approach this diagnosis systemically? Or would I have to (please no, please no) see more than one type of doctor?

"Hmm, that's very interesting...or not."

booksandlibretti — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 20:57:31 -0800

How do you get a doctor's attention? I'm having lots of problems with my branemeats. (Briefly: A few years ago, I scored an 800 on the SAT Verbal and today I can't think of the word "pencil"; I'm sleeping about 14-18 hours a day and am always desperate for more; I have a constant medium-level headache. None of this is caused by depression, Munchausen's, or hypochondria. I've had all brain-related tests short of a spinal tap, but the only test with an abnormality was a PET scan, which showed "severely decreased metabolism in the temporal lobe.")

Anyway, I originally went to my GP, who was very sympathetic. I've since been referred to a neurologist (awful), a neuropsychologist (nice), an ENT (neutral), a dentist (neutral), and still more specialists. All of them have said "Yes, this is definitely a real problem," but once the basics were ruled out, all suddenly became disinterested -- to the point where they aren't returning calls because they have nothing to say.

I've had doctors tell me that if I were a child, I'd get the attention I need because I'd be a "cause." Unfortunately, I'm 19 and a very busy college student who is not used to being stupid. I'd be down with taking medical leave next semester or next year if I thought anything would be done with this time off.

To sum up: I have brain problems that need attention, and although most of the specialists I've seen are sympathetic, none are actually interested enough to really help. How do I get my doctors to work towards a diagnosis?

Ask Miss (Bedside) Manners

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 04:47:05 -0800

How do you know when it's time to change doctors? If your doctor says things that worry you, or you feel s/he doesn't listen to you, is that a good reason to look for a new one? Alternatively: how can you (or even should you?) approach your doctor about his/her bedside manner? Here's the thing: I am experiencing a set of distressing symptoms of as-yet unknown cause. My doctor has started the diagnostic ball rolling with a series of tests, all upcoming. So far, so good, can't ask for more on that front. The problem is his bedside manner. I feel like he doesn't really listen to me or hear what I am saying, like he doesn't have time to actually sit down and talk/listen to me during an appointment, and he sometimes discusses things in ways which I find offputting. He seemed surprised and almost disbelieving when I told him I have regular menstrual periods (he asked if I "still" have them, and when I said yes, said "regular ones?" in a seemingly skeptical way), as if someone of my greatly advanced age should have hit menopause by now (I'm 37) - the symptoms I am having are seemingly unrelated to reproductive health. I have lost a fair amount of the weight I need to lose (I'm overweight, not morbidly obese), and he seems extremely focused on my success with this, at (it seems to me) the expense of the other health problems I am having (maybe he's just surprised to have a compliant patient?) - perhaps the menstrual period questions were related to my weight loss, but he didn't mention it. The symptoms I am having are very worrying to me, and rather than reassuring me that we're going to work hard to find out what's going on, or telling me something which lets me know that he understands that I'm worried, he praises me about my weight loss and tells me how great he thinks I'm doing (yeah doc, except for that little "feeling like a bag of crap most of the time" thing, and now, thanks to your "gosh, someone of your apparent age hasn't hit menopause yet" thing, I feel old to boot! Thanks!). Don't get me wrong, I am proud of what I have achieved so far and I do truly appreciate the positive reinforcement, but right now my concerns lie elsewhere and I'm feeling uncomfortable with my doctor on top of feeling uncomfortable about what might be wrong with me. He asks me questions but doesn't seem to listen to my answers, he always seems in a rush to be somewhere else, he's always doing three things at once (taking notes, writing lab requisitions, ostensibly listening to me), he seems less than approachable and I just feel like I want treatment that's more...personal. It's not that I expect him to be my therapist and work on making me feel happy, obviously I care most about his competence at getting to the bottom of my health problems, but I'd like to feel less like I'm getting in his way by being there, and less like the only thing that REALLY matters is that I've lost some weight (important as that is).

I am stressed, sensitive, emotional and worried right now, I know this affects my perception of things. I also don't really want to switch doctors now that I've started investigating possible causes for my symptoms with this doctor, but I am definitely feeling uncomfortable with my doctor's bedside manner, I almost feel as though I should just look for a female doctor to be my PCP in future, or at least a doctor who'll approach reproductive health in a less worrying/more sensitive manner (you mean I look old enough to be going through menopause? Or you didn't look at my age? What? - this is just the one example that sticks out among many). I try to be a reasonable person, and I would like to continue that - what should I do? How should/can I approach my doctor about this?

Doctor visits- how often do we need 'em?

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 20:09:02 -0800

DoctorFilter: Do presumably healthy men in their late 20s get regular physicals? My significant other is in what I assume to be decent health; we eat well and exercise, though our drinking is moderate to heavy. I say "assume" because he hasn't been to the doctor for a check up in almost 10 years, and I keep bugging him to just go and make sure things are working right. As a woman on birth control, I'm used to the annual physical, but I have no idea how frequently men really should be getting check ups. It seems like it would be a really good idea to get one before an entire decade of your life goes by.

Late 20-ish men of Metafilter, how often do you get physicals (especially if there's no pressing health issue that makes you need think "hey, I need to see a doctor")? Is it something that I should continue to nag him about, or am I just being paranoid?

needed: radiologist/neuroradiologist/vascular professional online

mirileh — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 03:35:06 -0800

I am looking for a radiologist (or neuroradiologist) and a vascular professional that answers questions on the web. I have a question about neck MRI and MRA I would like to pose to a radiologist (or neuroradiologist) and another question on cerebral and vertebral vascular testing I would like to pose to a vascular professional (or neuroradiologist).

I've searched and searched and haven't found a forum or a questioning service (or even an email) of any of these kinds of specialists. Could anyone point me to one?

Why do so many doctors smoke?

hsoltz — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 07:31:08 -0800

Why do so many doctors smoke? Doctors know better. They're exposed daily to the physical damage caused by smoking. One of the first responses to any medical issue (on AskMe, in medical publications, on TV, in their offices...) is "quit smoking." Yet lots of doctors still smoke.

This paper [pdf] tries to explain it from a clinical view, but what is your theory? I'm particularly interested to hear from 'the doctors of MeFi.'

Vets vs. Doctors

skallas — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 22:27:03 -0800

Vets vs. Doctors. (more inside) Which group in generally more knowledgeable? Vets have to deal with many types of animals (unless they're a specialist) while a doctor has to treat one kind of animal. Sure there's a huge difference between how people get treated and how animals get treated, but I've always been curious to know if vet school was more difficult than med school. If vets are made of 'sterner stuff' than MDs, etc. Any thoughts?