One other thing I now remember I have done is that when I had an appointment with a new doc or specialist, I have conveniently "forgotten" to bring in my folder with my past medical info that they always ask you to bring with you.

It gave me a way to tell the doc what I wanted him to hear first, before he had the chance to go back and check it out in my record. Was that dishonest? I hope not. I think it's a shame that I found it necessary.

I'm not too good at playing games with people. With me, what you see is what you get. Either we get along, or we don't...but I certainly do everything I can to make relationships good ones...especially doc/patient relationships. I provide all of the information that I can. Everything. If my history turns off a doc, it is better that it is known as soon as possible. Some people say that you should not shop docs. It gives the impression that you are shopping drugs. Well...I DO shop docs...and med relief...but good docs first. Docs are a dime a dozen. Good and caring ones are fairly rare. It is a human inborn defense against the constant pain and tension that comes through their doors. It is something that builds up in them over time. It is a rarity when a doc can shake off the things that affect him, and not allow it to affect how he reacts to the next patient. I understand all of that...but, I also shop when I get a caloused doc.

sally

Sally, I had had 8 neurologists before I get the "right" doctor for me. And the first few appointments, to tell you the truth, was a bit humiliating. And at my hospital, all the medical records are kept electronically, so any doctor could access your whole medical records, related or unrelated, everything. So the hide and seek game just wouldn't be possible. One of my previous neurologist's note made me look like a jerk. So I can't blame any doctor to be suspicious of me. All I could do is to hold my face high, try not to be upset (at least in appearance), and try to look friendly and innocent (i know it isn't easy). I also learned this in a hard way. I knew that all the doctors would read that note, and I knew I have to prove that I'm not what it may appear in that note. my only chance it to give any new doctor a chance. I was also humiliated at first, as i said, with my current neurologist, but, he wasn't cruel, he was fair - considering everything. And with time I grew to trust him as he grew to trust me.

That is a wonderful story about patience. I think we are all learning that one with chronic pain. Thanks.....sally

We can be so overwhelming to our docs, that our charts become unmanageable. They don't remember what they did from one vsit to the next,or who else we saw, or what tests they ordered.

So, I find that keeping my own chart, and bringing it to apopintments, really relieves them and takes the stress off them.

I know I post about the site I made all over the place here, but it's really worth a look. Essentially, it's spreadsheets that organize over time what has been done and keeps the results trackable. We can carry them from one doc to another and keep them updated. By hand, by computer, it doesn't matter.

They can be pesonalized. Once you get the hang of using them, you can move around what's important to you and get rid of the excess I've listed.

Fporinstance, if you go to the site www.lizajane.org, you'll find lists of tests. Well, if you're not having them all, or just some, you can copy and paste to a form that works. You can even upload them, so if you forget, you can printt hem out last minute, or give the link to the doc.
Yuch, I just tried to copy examples of uses of these here, but the formatting was lost. Anyway, they do work. Anotehr time, I'llf igure out how to share the format here.

Anyway, this is just to give examples of another way to grow the doctor patient relationship by becoming his helpmate and organiznig your chart for him. Everyone who has used it has reported back to me good results.

And, all lab tests are YOUR properly. You have the right to request copies of all reports every time you leave a doctor's office. They do like it when I bring the results of the tests the last doctor did.

babbling, waiting for sleep.

Hopefully not too off topic.

So, please look: www.lizajane.org
Remember, the charts were initially geared to helping peole tell their doctors what tests were needed to idagnosis neuropathy. But they go well beyond that. Keep track of meds and reactions, keep track of trends of results, your mris, CTs, whatever.

Good luck,