Ridiculed by doctors office with still no answers...

[elle123]

I posted earlier that I had gone to the Neuro for my feet tingling and he sent me for blood work. First I have to say that the Nurse came in first to do the prelim stuff and I had to have the dreaded conversation of I have Health anxiety blah blah blah and it took her a few minutes to digest that and then during the exam she just randomly laughs and says Ive never heard of health anxiety (as if I was completely stupid and childish) and then proceeds to ask is health all you worry about and I said no I'm pretty high strung and she said then you dint have health anxiety. I was so frustrated as if I didn't feel dumb enough from her laughing. When I finally get to see the Neuro he does the standard exam and then asks me how my mood has been lately and tells me that the nervous system is a powerful thing and stress can do a lot to someone. So the I felt like she had told him what I said and he was writing me off as "one of those anxiety crazies". Anyway one of the tests I had was a cardiolipin and I believe an ANA along with a bunch of other ones. A few days later they have another nurse call me and obviously they told her I have health anxiety because she was pretty much talking to me like I was a toddler and tells me that the cardiolipin test came back and needed to be retaken. Then she just keeps saying its only one test honey, but when I asked her what that particular test was for she said I needed to talk to the doctor like I was dying tomorrow. So I am left wondering if anyone knows if a cardiolipin test is the same thing as the ANA test. I believe I saw both listed on the blood work order as if they were separate items but I am not sure if that's what I saw..any help would be soooooooo appreciated.

[silentsufferer]

you know... i can't answer your question at all. But I want to say good on you for being brave and going to have tests and admitting to HA. I can't even tell my psych I have it, I just chickened out and stopped going. Unfortunately there are many things in this world which people don't seem to understand unless they have experienced it.

hugs. I'm sure everything will be fine :)

[hypo]

I did a quick google and it looks like cardiolipin antibodies can be found in people with some types of autoimmune diseases and people with vertebrobasilar insufficiency which means a problem with blood flow to the brain (fixable and probably not your problem anyways).  It seems like it is the type of test which can often times be inconclusive which is probably why they want to redo it if it were positive then I don't think they would want to retake it, it would just be positive.  As far as the attitude within the office all I can say is that EVERYONE has some struggle in their lifetime-whether it is an addiction, depression, anxiety, or whatever, the fact that some people need to judge the struggles of others only points out their lack of experience in life and inability to empathize with anyone but themselves and I'm sorry that you had to deal with it.  Wishing you the best :)

[sixpack]

Hi elle

I'm sorry the nurse laughed.  Of course you have Health anxiety.  You probably have anxiety in general but it manifests itself with your health.  Anxiety has a great way of using health issues (or perceived) to use as a cover for other things going on in our lives.  Yes, she did tell the doctor.  When you tell the nurse things at the beginning of the appointment---why you are there etc---she marks it in your record.  That way the doc knows what to expect/look at when he/she comes in.  The last time I went through my neuro issues, the doc knew I was squirrely before he walked into the room.  I talked to his wife on the phone the day before and she told him.  Again I 'm sorry the nurse laughed that was inappropriate to say the least. 

Anti-cardiolipins.  Yep I tested positive for them back in '96.  Basically it is a antibody (protein) found in blood.  It can vary in levels.  If a person has high quantities of this antibody the person can have issues with clotting--as in clotting too much.  However in order to be diagnosed with it a person has to have repeat blood tests over time---like 8wks or so apart.  I was tested for it because I had repeat miscarriages.  During my 3rd pg, I tested positive.  My ob/gyn prescribed taking a baby aspirin to prevent clotting.  In cases where a person has a substantial issue other meds are used.  Well as I said, you have to have repeat + tests to be diagnosed with this.  When I was pg with my 4th (97), we had moved so I had a new doc.  She tested me for the antibody again and it was negative.  So I don't have this antibody.  So this is why you are being tested again.  Although from what I've read, there needs to be some time between the tests to get an accurate reading.  If you have this antibody, a daily baby aspirin is often enough to prevent any issues.     

[marc]

The bedside manner of certain doctors and nurses could use improvement. When I was in the height
of my HA, I went to the emergency room and they all blew me off like I was taking up their valuable
time. Needless to say they appeared very uncaring and I have never been back to that hospital or any
doctors associated with that hospital ever since.