[raspberrytorte]

I get so anxious about calling. Usually I just don't call and wait until my next appointment, but my next appointment isn't until the end of october.

I don't want to call and bother her and potentially just sound like a big baby. I downplay the way I'm feeling all of the time. My husband doesn't understand why I do that because how can she help me if I don't tell her everything.

I'm just having so much trouble with my anxiety right now. She knows that. We're working on it. I just don't want to come off as a whiny baby!

Anyone else downplay the way you're feeling with your pdoc? Anyone else hate calling?

[Azvixxen]

Always. I wait for my monthly appointments because I still am under the delusion that if I can act like everything is fine, then everything is fine.

Oh the anxiety...

[raspberrytorte]

I do that too. And I ignore how I'm feeling, but I ended up bawling last night because I couldn't ignore the way I was feeling anymore!

[Azvixxen]

We, and I say we because I know I'm guilty too - have to realize that our support systems (including pdocs) cannot help us unless they know what is truly wrong and when. I am trying to keep a list with days and dates so I can just be like "Here, this is what I go through" because I know sitting in his office I am just going to smile and be like "No, I'm okay" while the tears come to my eyes. So frustrating. Maybe notes will help?!?!

I hate calling a doctor- all doctors. I feel like what you said, a big baby. When I'm really sick, I don't call until it gets really bad, but then when the appointment comes around, I'm feeling better and the symptoms are fading off, the samething happens with the pdoc. One time I started cycling bad, so I called, then it stopped, then I get the look- the "what are you doing here wasting my time then you big baby" look. It's embarrassing. I'm afraid I'll end up dead because I'm scared of looking like a hypochondriac. I just wait for my 3 months appointment and stay away from my GP. I already told my pdoc about my dissociative issues and I got a blank stare and a "so, I'm just the pill pusher" attitude. It's all enough to just quit.

[LettinG0]

I tend to down play my issues as well and tend to use the "I'm fine" reply. I wonder why it is so hard for us to just be honest and use the support system that we have? I don't think I feel like a big baby, I think I just "keep up the front" even with my pdoc....

[vjdragonfly]

I always get super anxious about calling the pdoc. I think I'm just overthinking my emotions or I'm just mistaking normal moods (ones other ppl would go through in given situation) for signs of a mood shift.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I cheat. I call and leave a message when they aren't open and her secreatary passes it on and my pdoc either emails me, calls me back or has her secretary call me. My pdoc says this is fine so it's what I almost always do. I can email my pdoc but if I need to be sure she reads it I still have to call and leave a message for it to be pointed out to her as something important b/c emails sometimes get lost in the shuffle with her.

[vjdragonfly]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

I cheat. I call and leave a message when they aren't open and her secreatary passes it on and my pdoc either emails me, calls me back or has her secretary call me. My pdoc says this is fine so it's what I almost always do. I can email my pdoc but if I need to be sure she reads it I still have to call and leave a message for it to be pointed out to her as something important b/c emails sometimes get lost in the shuffle with her.

Wish I could email my pdoc. It would be so much easier to explain what is going on. When i get on the phone I get flustered and forget things that need to be said. I'm better when I can think things out. I should write things down before I call, but then I feel like I'm am taking up too much of their time. So I try to summarize and just feel like a fish out of water.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I think she was very happy to be able to email with me because when I was leaving phone messages I had a lot of trouble focusing on what I was trying to say. Now that only happens if I'm manic and even then I try really hard to keep the emails to the point, even if it takes a couple days to write it. Of course sometimes I get hypomanic and think I need to tell her things in way too much detail that she probably doesn't need to know. But she's never said anything so I guess she's willing to live with that. What IS hard is when I am bad like now I am emailing more frequently and she is less likely to react when she sees my name because I keep emailing, even though sometimes it is because I'm supposed to. I think she often reads and then doesn't answer those ones. Which is ok. I could still reach her if the information was important.

[WorkhorseDVM]

I do the same thing. Wish I could email. I call her nurse. I am afraid if I tell her what is going on with me I will end up in patient again. She really is a good doc and is cool, reminds me that she, T, my spouse, and me are a team. I do trust her to do what is best for me, but am afraid that could mean the hospital again. Do not see her til end of Oct.

[raspberrytorte]

I wish I could email my pdoc too.

[gina_re]

I felt the same way. But it wasn't until recently try that I really needed him. Luckily their office has upgraded their office and now I can send him messages online. It made it so much easier to leave a quick note instead of having to call and risk sounding whiny or not being able to get through. But I definitely feel your hesitation.

[Nimitri]

Yeah, you are afraid that the doctor is going to be exhasperated of you, that you are taking time from his life, his family and his problems for what amount to free service and you feel guilty and angry with you because you are not so bad or it's just a normal attack and you are drowning in a glass of water.

I got a major crisis this last week and took me everything to call to my psydoc but I ended hanging at the last minute. Thankfully he called me and put me to rest

[~Christina]

Nope doesn't faze me at all. I spent my life working for Doctors, maybe that is why I have no issues, I am not intimidated at all, I have no problems being Proactive.

You pay for there advice and knowledge.

[BipolaRNurse]

I hate the phone anyway so calling my pdoc's office is always difficult for me. I do have a way to contact him through the patient portal, but if it's urgent (and if I'm desperate enough to call, it's urgent) I have no choice. Otherwise I just wait till my appointment.

[BastetsMuse]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

Anyone else downplay the way you're feeling with your pdoc? Anyone else hate calling?

Yes, and my pdoc has told me and told me that if I think I need to call, to call and make an appointment to come in. Not to delay. So I try to listen to that and ignore the part of me that thinks I'm being whiny or foolish.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I admit I'm one of those annoying patients that calls for the littlest problem. I also work in the medical field so that makes me a bit obsessed about my meds ect. And if they don't call back, I reschedule my spot to a sooner time. I only do this if something is wrong with my meds of course. I see it as, they're there to help and if a patient is experiencing difficulties in there meds, it's probably safer to address it rather than wait that few weeks.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GemmaTeller]

I hate calling the pdoc over the phone. The couple times I have, it has been hard to get a hold of her (phone tag). I am not very verbal when it comes to trying to describe what is wrong with me, meds, etc. I don't like talking over the phone. I am from the school of "suck it up" until the next appt, because sometimes the issue is resolved or subsides in the interim. Sometimes not and I get the "why didn't you call me" lecture. I guess I am also always fearful of her wanting me to be hospitalized. I have only gone once over the years and that's because I was dealing with a trifecta of issues. I swore I would never go back. So I am afraid if I call her, it is going to be deemed really serious and she'll want me to go in. Bad association.

[xxblackrosesxx]

Yeah! I really hate calling the mental health team as they always seemed like "oh here we go again" as I rang them 3 fking times for my care coordinator. I gave up in the end and she finally phoned me up. Sigh

Not at all ... my pdoc is great and always calls back on the same day. Sometime within the hour! I don't need to call him often now as I see him every month...but I needed to reach out when I was first diagnosed (after being misdiagnosed by my GP) and very unstable. I remember apologizing at one point for taking his time and he said he had/has all the time I need and that he is there for me. I'm fortunate. Been under his care since my bipolar diagnosis and never switched docs.

[BipolaRNurse]

I got lucky like that with my first and only pdoc.