Anyone Else Hate Non-ADHD Related Doctor Visits?

[mariposa]

Does anyone else hate non-ADHD related doctor visits? As soon as I tell a provider that I take Adderall and Welbutrin, I’m treated as though all my symptoms are “in my head.” I often have to see several doctors before something as simple as a heart murmur or allergies are diagnosed. For fifteen years, despite numerous trips to my dermatologist, I had to appear in public with facial hives that were caused by a food allergy. I finally figured it out myself.

If I try to get a more concrete answer – by explaining more, or asking for more tests – I am treated like an idiot. I’m told to eat better and exercise more. “Drink more water.” I’m a well-educated professional; not a child. I know how to eat properly and exercise. I’m often given this self-evident advice by an obese doctor. I have excellent insurance, so that isn’t it. Yes, I know that people with ADHD can be difficult, but we have a right to due diligence.

[ryoto]

I actually find a lot of doctors like this anyway. Way before having any ADHD / ASD assessments, I found a lump and it took 2 years and it growing and becoming very painful before the collective they of my doctors did anything, it turned out to be sinister but sorted just in time.

I have only found one doctor who really listened and acted swiftly, unfortunately you really do have to be your own advocate these days.

[KIM]

I feel like the Medical Assistant is just gleefully waiting for me to ask for a medication refill for Vyvanse so she can tell me, “WE DON’T PRESCRIBE THAT HERE”.

[marika4057]

I’m afraid I have to agree with ryoto above. I haven’t even told my doctor that another one diagnosed me with ADD. I do take Welbutrin, but they just assume that’s for depression. Maybe that’s why many of them are so dismissive of any of my concerns (that they already consider me a “head case” because I’m depressed.) I’m in the process of finding someone to evaluate my ADD for an appropriate second med, as Welbutrin is a help, but not enough. I didn’t even think about how my regular doctor’s attitude towards me might change once a med that is clearly for ADD starts showing up on my list of medications. He already dismissed my earlier diagnosis, again, by a different dr., of having hypoglycemia by saying, “Very few people actually have that.” That was bad enough.

I guess I’m saying, yes, I do dread seeing any doctor, actually. I’m retired and over retirement age and I’ve been thinking it is mostly that I’m an “old, hysterical woman” in their eyes that they are so dismissive of any of my concerns. But I do remember going thru this when I was in my 20s too and pregnant. I’d bring up a concern, b/c something I read said to talk to my dr. about it and I’d always hear, “That’s normal” back. So maybe our diagnosis (& a few others) does have a lot to do with that dismissive attitude.

And definitely, you do have to be your own advocate. I’ve finally found a dr. that doesn’t dismiss the majority of what I say, but he still was the one who told me I couldn’t have hypoglycemia b/c very few people have it!

Good luck in finding one that does listen. They do exist.

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