I had to pinch myself while walking back to my car, that's for sure!

Ya know, I really think it's because he's such a young doctor. (Doesn't look a day over 22, but he must be near 30, since he's finished his residency.) He apparently hasn't yet seen so many patients that he's bored of the recitation of symptoms--he hasn't yet "heard it all," doesn't yet have a dismiss-the-anxious-female speech memorized so well he could say it in his sleep.

And he seems far too young to tell someone old enough to be his mother that she needs to chill out and "let it go." That's what I'm counting on, anyway!

I also think it helped that I brought no notes (either mine or other doctors') except my internist's last two years of notes, which have NOTHING except metabolic stuff; a list of my medications and the reason I'm taking them; and a copy of my audiogram showing my hearing loss.

And they didn't give me a history form to fill out--he just asked me some questions and typed them into the computer. Thus, the topic of neurological symptoms never came up. I did say I'd seen a neurologist, but only in the context of discussing my dizziness and hearing loss, so the word "MS" was never mentioned. Perhaps that helped him to not see me as the stereotypical Deluded Woman Who's Convinced She Has MS [sigh]. He just took everything very nicely in stride. I was really impressed with him.

The last time I had a very young family practice doctor (when all my symptoms started), she was interested, sent me for referrals--but she turned out to be a bit of an airhead, and lacked coherence and confidence. This guy has both.

BGB--wow! You lucked out with your doctor, too! Just goes to show that stereotyping doesn't work (i.e., not all old docs are behind the times and cynical.) Wunderbar! (Although sorry to hear your neuro appt. today wasn't all that great...bleah.)

THANKS to everyone who replied. It's so nice that people here understand exactly how this stuff makes you crazy.

Nancy T.