It can be so demoralizing. Some people just don't get it. Age of the patient doesn't matter, young or old - it's totally unnecessary to make such statements.

My PCP told me during an episode of numbness and neuropathic pain that he doesn't think it's MS. I responded with "I don't a flying fig what it is - just fix it." He also said it wasn't possible to walk into his one day and not the next. That remark still bothers me since I am in limbo. I find myself second-guessing my symptoms, even though I couldn't have crawled out of bed.

When I was hospitalized with the first episode of neuropathic pain, bladder/bowel issues the dx was shingles without a rash and the differential dx was hysteria. I was furious! My BP on admission was 200/110 from the pain.

Everytime I want a referral now I simply phone the MS clinic down south and within the hour (honestly!) they fax a referral to the specialist I wish to see.

Of course the letter is addressed to my PCP with a copy to the MS clinic. I think he is starting to get it - lately I have noticed that he has become a little more respectful since my diagnoses from the specialists are not psychiatric - they are neurological.

Funny how such a callous remark can stay with you for so many years - it's traumatizing. Guess we have all had to deal with it at some point. It shouldn't have to be that way.

MsBee,

That VER tech was just plain irresponsible. You are right, everyone has a different course, we are not cookie cutter cases of MS. He/she needed a lesson in compassion and literature about MS. I am glad your neuro took care of the reprimand. That doesn't happen very often!

I am sorry this happened to you. Being DX is scary enough without someone so irresponsible adding misinformation to the mix.

Hello MSBee,
I'm sorry you had such a horrid encounter, but it's everywhere. I am a medical professional myself and have had such ridiculous remarks said to me. I am in the OB-GYN field, and have been for years. My husband and I have been trying (very unsucsessfully) to have our own child. After one of my first miscarriages, I had a resident physician tell me that I "wasn't a nuturing type of woman" and perhaps this was for the best!

If I had been any less of a nuturing type of woman, I simply should have taken the probe sitting on the desk beside me and shoved it up his (well, you know what I mean.... ). I believe that people are often so shook up by seeing young, bright people with a chronic illness, that it effects their brains more than it effects ours. Unfortunately, his won't be the last stupid remark, but you can also learn to speak up for us, and teach others a thing or two about the actual facts and course of MS.

Again, I'm sorry you had to hear this.

All the best,
Chris

Thanks for all your thoughtful responses! Yup-- it was years ago, but I still think of it often enough.Sorry, too, that so many on here have had similar negative experiences with various medical professionals. I suppose all too often we're regarded as just another case number, so what the hell-- they can say whatever occurs to them at the time.Cindy-- Bravo for taking the issue further in your case..this sort of crap can be quite damaging otherwise.Such grossly wrong and unfair assessments can have long lasting implications down the road; esp. if ,for instance,potential employers manage somehow to get hold of what are supposedly confidential records. In my line of work(the film biz) there are quite a few who, while in basically okay mental health, are in psychological therapy(DUH-welcome to Hollywood), but prefer not to claim treatments on their insurance for that reason. I didn't even consider this when I had three weeks of therapy after my mother died in '91..
So far no problems in my case in that regard.. but one can never be complacent.
Chris-- OMG!! That's truly shocking..That resident already had his head up his ****.. no room for the probe there!