Does it hurt behind your eyeballs when you pee? I've been doing some reading on how doctors handle patients whose symptoms they suspect are psychogenic (because someone mentioned conversion disorder here).

Well, to be fair, those aren't questions they ask patients with suspected psychogenic disorders; they're questions they ask patients who they think are faking. I also found out: never, never, never bring a teddy-bear into a medical setting.

Anyway, the "psychogenic" diagnosis terrifies me. I think I have escaped it for now--by the itch of my teeth--because my latest SFEMG was so clearly abnormal. But I have a weird gait ("I've seen 800 myasthenia patients in my career, and not one of them walks like you") that comes and goes. I lurch around but don't fall. I'm also seronegative. These factors, without the objective medical findings, would seem to make me a prime suspect.

In spite of all this, the closest I got, before the positive SFEMG, to a hint of "this may be psychogenic" was one doctor who asked me if I was depressed and stressed. He was very delicate about it ("I just need to be sure I'm not missing anything"). But I've been taken seriously by everyone.

Like I say, being diagnosed with a psychogenic illness is my worst nightmare--worse than ALS and such (I know that this is silly of me, but there it is). So when someone here posts that a doctor is suggesting it, I am heart-broken on his or her behalf. I think that we must underestimate how important good support is--from loved ones, and from medical people.

I'm not sure what exactly my point here is. I guess I just want to say, to those of you who are getting these suggestions and yet who keep going, and persist: you're my unsung heroes. Really. Keep fighting.

Abby

Abby, My teeth don't itch but I do smell something fishy.

I think your point is clear and well said.

I have seen this "tactic" too many times lately with patients. This gets doctors off of the legal hook. If they can implant doubt into a patient's medical records, then if the patient finally gets diagnosed and wants to "sue" the doctor who didn't do everything to help them, then the doctor can "prove" that it was oh so hard to figure it out. They will, at all costs, not be open to any lawsuits, no matter how much it hurts a patient.

They are trying to force the hand of politicians to pass legislation that makes it impossible for them to be sued. Well, if they make a mistake - over and over again - they should be held accountable. Meanwhile, we patients suffer for years on end trying to get help.

Yeah, this is my hot doctor button.

They all sound a bit paranoid to me.

Annie