Warning: strong language ahead.
I have just returned from an appointment with a neurologist. I am very severely affected so had to attend by stretcher ambulance. I have barely left my room for years (only been to the bathroom a handful of times), and haven't left my house at all for even longer.
I survived, so that's the good news. It was also amazing being outside. As we passed through my front garden I was hit with all these smells and sensations that I had basically forgotten existed. During the trip I was watching the clouds overhead and seeing planes go by. It was beautiful - it was like seeing it all for the first time.
The neurologist was, to put it in mild terms, an absolute raging cockwomble. Like a complete and utter dick. I have never met such an arrogant doctor in my life. The first thing he said to me after the introductions was "I don't believe in ME", and the appointment spiralled down from there. He went through all the memes these doctors have: no organic illness, graded exercise, deconditioning. He stopped short of explicitly stating I am a psych patient, but it was implicit in the way he repeatedly stated there are nothing wrong with me organically.
I wasn't even there to talk about my ME anyway. It was a completely different problem I needed to see him about. He gave me a cursory examination then said there's nothing wrong, go do GET. His rationale was that he had never seen my particular symptoms and were not part of any know condition, ergo that means they must exist in my mind.
I made it clear I was dissatisfied with this explanation, and that perhaps the cause might be something novel. He started listing his qualifications and the amount of time he has been practicing as if that made him somehow omniscient. He asked me what I wanted out of it. I said an MRI. He tried to put me off it by saying it would be a stressful experience and if I found that appointment difficult (I did) it would be even worse. I told him I still wanted it. He said "fine", like I was just some troublesome patient and if i wanted to put myself through it then what does he care.
We also had an argument about graded exercise therapy. I said there was no good evidence graded exercise therapy was safe or effective. He told me that on the contrary GET was the only thing we have evidence for. I said no, there is no GOOD evidence. He said we could argue all day about the quality of the evidence, but that we'd just have to agree to disagree. This all took place whilst I was so ill I could barely move.
Once I've gotten what I want out of him I will write him a letter detailing why he is wrong about GET and the nature of ME. I don't expect a reply.
TL;DR: Made an expedition to hospital. Trip was tough but also enjoyable. Doctor was the worst kind of doctor. Stood my ground and got what I wanted anyway.
I have just returned from an appointment with a neurologist. I am very severely affected so had to attend by stretcher ambulance. I have barely left my room for years (only been to the bathroom a handful of times), and haven't left my house at all for even longer.
I survived, so that's the good news. It was also amazing being outside. As we passed through my front garden I was hit with all these smells and sensations that I had basically forgotten existed. During the trip I was watching the clouds overhead and seeing planes go by. It was beautiful - it was like seeing it all for the first time.
The neurologist was, to put it in mild terms, an absolute raging cockwomble. Like a complete and utter dick. I have never met such an arrogant doctor in my life. The first thing he said to me after the introductions was "I don't believe in ME", and the appointment spiralled down from there. He went through all the memes these doctors have: no organic illness, graded exercise, deconditioning. He stopped short of explicitly stating I am a psych patient, but it was implicit in the way he repeatedly stated there are nothing wrong with me organically.
I wasn't even there to talk about my ME anyway. It was a completely different problem I needed to see him about. He gave me a cursory examination then said there's nothing wrong, go do GET. His rationale was that he had never seen my particular symptoms and were not part of any know condition, ergo that means they must exist in my mind.
I made it clear I was dissatisfied with this explanation, and that perhaps the cause might be something novel. He started listing his qualifications and the amount of time he has been practicing as if that made him somehow omniscient. He asked me what I wanted out of it. I said an MRI. He tried to put me off it by saying it would be a stressful experience and if I found that appointment difficult (I did) it would be even worse. I told him I still wanted it. He said "fine", like I was just some troublesome patient and if i wanted to put myself through it then what does he care.
We also had an argument about graded exercise therapy. I said there was no good evidence graded exercise therapy was safe or effective. He told me that on the contrary GET was the only thing we have evidence for. I said no, there is no GOOD evidence. He said we could argue all day about the quality of the evidence, but that we'd just have to agree to disagree. This all took place whilst I was so ill I could barely move.
Once I've gotten what I want out of him I will write him a letter detailing why he is wrong about GET and the nature of ME. I don't expect a reply.
TL;DR: Made an expedition to hospital. Trip was tough but also enjoyable. Doctor was the worst kind of doctor. Stood my ground and got what I wanted anyway.