Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS).


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Old 12-22-2011, 04:11 PM #1
Lagr Lagr is offline
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Default Advice needed: How to get "psychosomatic" label off my medical record

Hi there. This is my first time posting although I've been reading for several months now. Quick background - I sustained a concussion in August while playing ice hockey. I'm currently in month 4 of pcs with just a bit of improvement from the beginning. Most bothersome symptoms are nausea, dizziness, trouble staying asleep, exertion headaches...all the classics. I'm not on any medication.

Today I saw my 3rd neurologist. I wasn't totally satisfied with the pcs knowledge of the previous 2. Luckily, I think this third one will be able to get me on the road to recovery. My problem is that the neuro that I saw today pointed out that my previous dr. listed in my medical file that some of my symptoms may be psychosomatic! This is so not the case and even my current doctor agrees.

Question is, how do I get this removed from my old file? Is this possible? I left a message with the Dr. that gave me that label, but I'm not sure what to say to him when he calls tomorrow. Well, I should say I don't know how to state my case nicely. I really did not care for him and now that I know he put that in my file makes me very upset to say the least. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Old 12-22-2011, 04:55 PM #2
ginnie ginnie is offline
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ginnie ginnie is offline
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Default Hello

I am glad you came to Neuro talk. I know all about labels that doctors can put in your files.
I would ask that particular doctor tomorrow matter of factly to remove that statement from your records, as your others have indicated that your mental state is not a part of your physical symptoms. He can say "no", so you have nothing to loose by asking him straight out to do that.
I have many things on my records not so nice. "difficult patient" I walked out of a hospital once, I dumped a physician, refused medical tests. I even went to the doctor with my best friend and come to find out she labels me a lesbian. Real nice huh? I got those records and was horrified to be labeled as such when she just met me! She didn't know squat about me or my personal life yet she felt she was justified at putting that in my records. Well most of this garbage stays in my records, and to tell you the truth I don't care. I am sorry that you got that said about you. You didn't like him any way, and perhaps he didn't like you eithor so he put that in there as he didn't really know what was wrong with you. Doctors sometimes feel superior to others.
If this happens to stay on your records, please don't be too upset. the doctor you know now, who understands what is wrong with you, will ignor what the other said. My current physicians have read all about me I am sure, yet they are warm and compassionate and certainly have help me out. They never held anything against me, and treat me with the utmost respect.
stay with the good Docs. that do help you, and go forward and get well. I wish you all the best, and hope that doc will do what you ask. ginnie
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Old 12-22-2011, 07:59 PM #3
Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
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Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
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Default

Lagr,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

I understand your predicament. With my previous health care plan, I was a "thick file" patient, meaning I had been seen many times. This was true but justified by my tendency to get hurt pushing the limits with my work. After asking to see a different doctor for a second opinion about my concussion problems, I got listed as somatoform. It is similar to psychosomatic except not psycho oriented directly.

Somatoform properly defined in a medical situation means a symptom that is real to the patient but cannot be directly diagnosed nor confirmed. The psychology definition is the symptoms are all in the patients head.

Unfortunately, many use the term carelessly as in your case. The neuro you saw is likely of the biased point of view that all concussions that do not cause a loss of consciousness heal within a short period of time.

When the neuro calls back, you need to be very firm with him. He needs to either remove the term completely or change it to simply somatoform or better yet, idiopathic. Idiopathic means he does not know what is causing the symptoms. You may threaten complaining to the Medical Board of Neurology if he is board certified.

This is a common problem with neurologists. If they can not image it with CT, MRI, or EEG, it must not exist.

The second problem you have is regarding treatment. There are no treatments for Post Concussion Syndrome. There are meds and treatments for some of the individual symptoms.

Exertion head aches are your brain telling you to not exert so hard. So, you need to take it easy and rest your brain and body. You need to stop all caffeine and alcohol. Eat healthy and get started on a vitamin and supplement regimen to help your brain cleanse itself of the toxins left by the concussion.

A B100 complex, some additional B6 and B12, Omega 3's, good mineral supplements (calcium and magnesium plus all the trace minerals) , and all of the anti-oxidants. It will take a few months of this regimen for your brain to purge the toxins and start true healing.

And, STAY OFF the ICE. Your brain needs at least a few months of being completely symptom free before you even consider putting your brain at risk. Read up on Sidney Crosby and the other NHL players struggling to get back on the ice.

This may be your first BAD concussion but as a hockey player, it is definitely not your first concussion. Plus, you have sustained an untold multitude of sub-concussive impacts that cumulatively, do far more damage than a single bell ringer concussion. You brain has become sensitive to impact. It will likely be sensitive the simple hard body checks that rattle your helmet (sub-concussive impacts).

So, getting psychosomatic off your medical record is a small issue compared to how this concussion will effect your future hockey play.

Please be good to your brain. It is the only one you have.

My best to you.
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"Thanks for this!" says:
ginnie (12-22-2011)
Old 12-24-2011, 08:52 AM #4
Lagr Lagr is offline
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Thank you for the advice. Long story short, the doctor said he cannot change a medical record because that would be against the law. Ugh. Didn't have the energy to argue with him yesterday. I'm so glad I found a new neuro.
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Old 12-24-2011, 12:44 PM #5
Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
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He may not be able to change the record but he can add/update to the record with a correction stating " I may have overstated when I suggested psychosomatic in the record of 'insert date' Future health care providers should consider my psychosomatic comment as off hand and not a confirmed diagnosis."

Or something similar.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lagr View Post
Thank you for the advice. Long story short, the doctor said he cannot change a medical record because that would be against the law. Ugh. Didn't have the energy to argue with him yesterday. I'm so glad I found a new neuro.
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Old 12-24-2011, 01:24 PM #6
ginnie ginnie is offline
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Default hi lagr

sorry he said he could not do the record change. I hate labels too. ginnie
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