[BrazenApogee]

Am I the only one who has this problem?

I have not completed a physical with a doctor for as long as I can remember. Every time I try a new Primary Care Provider, we only get part way through the physical, and then I freak, then they ask me questions and diagnose me with PTSD. They tell me to get therapy. Then they never call me back in, ever.

So, regardless of the fact that I have health insurance, and have seen many different T's since I was 12 (the current one I have seen for 2+ years), I do not actually get health care because I can't get through an exam. Doctors seem to be afraid of me. Like my history makes me a monster or something.

How on earth can I ever fix this?

[Amyjay]

Why do you have to have a "physical"? I have never had one. Sometimes I have been asked if i want one and i say no thank you. I still get health care when I need to see a doctor whenever I am sick. Can you just say you don't want a "physical"??

I'm a survivor of medical torture. I avoided non-pdoc-doctors for a long time and had panic attacks when I had to see my pdoc. I still don't like going to the doctor, but I do go when necessary.

I "got over it" when I was so depressed I didn't care anymore about anything, including my fear. Then I had a lot (51) ECT treatments, which sort of worked like exposure theray, I guess, teaching me hospitals could be safe and don't necessarily equate.. well, what I went through.

It does have a name, by the way - iatrophobia.

[Gus1234U]

[i·at·ro·gen·ic
īˌatrəˈjenik/
adjective
relating to illness caused by medical examination or treatment.]
wikidicci

geesh, do i relate to this one~! my docs are basically either incompetent or uncaring. i have to manage my own health care, researching and requesting tests or meds. i don't take any psych med except valium for PTSD and restless legs, but the last MD. told me he wouldn't continue to see me unless i kept going to the Pdoc~ O.O (idiot, he was no good, in any way.)

i was disabled by treatment at a public MH clinic, 12 docs each prescribing their fav med, stronger than the last, because my "symptoms" (read: Side Effects) kept getting worse. they gave me significant brain damage, i'm still recovering 25 yrs later. i don't think i even envy people who do get help from Pdocs and psych meds, i hate them so much.

people need to know to watch out for incompetent docs and meds that cause nasty side effects... some of those can become permanent~

[BrazenApogee]

Yeah, I think the fact that I haven't been put on meds, and not had complications due to meds, is a plus from being afraid of doctors. Sometimes I am envious of others who have had the benefit of meds, and I do wish I had them when I am really bad and can't function, but seeing how they sometimes hurt people makes me relived I have been able to try to heal without them.

I guess, part of the reason this all bothers me the most is that I feel so inferior to all the people who see doctors on a regular basis. I have the insurance, I have for many many years. When things get serious, I do force myself to go if it is an emergency, but I am left out of any preventative care.

I feel like the doctors are afraid of me when they find out my history. I don't know if I would be able to just say I don't want a Physical, and still be treated when I get sick. Instead, I just try not to get sick.

I guess, I just feel this would be one thing that might make me a "normal" person. I want to try to figure it out.

[JessHarpGirl]

I haven't even made an attempt to do a full out exam in 11 years ever since I stopped the Pill

[BrazenApogee]

I know part of my problem is a bad experience with doctors I had when I was younger. I understand they needed to get evidence for court, but they could have treated me better. So, I know from this, part of my problem is that I don't know what will happen. I think if I knew, I might be able to make me self go through it.

I have tried asking people what a Physical entails, but everyone is vague. I have tried to look it up, and all I've found is vague info. How might I fix this information deficiency?

Those of you who have not had a full physical, yet still see doctors, does that work? Are there doctors that are understanding about these things? If there are, how does one find an understanding doctor?

[Amyjay]

I never disclose my abuse history to anyone but my psychologist. I go to the doctor when I need to but i always know exactly what i am going for and what i need the doctor to do for me (usually for scripts). I only let the doctor interact with my body in ways i am comfortable with and for all else I just say no thanks. I still get the health care i need.

[BrazenApogee]

Still trying to brainstorm my problem, and fix it somehow. What about case management? I've avoided the thought of having to tell a complete stranger about my problems, but if I can't find a good doctor who isn't afraid of someone with a trauma history on my own, perhaps someone who is trained to help others find the help they need would help. Has anyone used a case manager?

[HD7970GHZ]

Hi Brazen,

I am sorry this has been your experience.

Some physicians are not trained in mental health and so will refer you to others. I am not exactly sure what the system is like where you live, but usually in my system we are assigned a Family Doctor and that family doctor refers us to professionals like psychiatrists if we are needing help in those areas.

Have you ever had a definitive answer as to why you are treated then dropped? Are you 100% sure it is due to your trauma / mental health issues?

Thanks,
Hd7970ghz

[BrazenApogee]

I wrote my current doc (as I haven't changed, or found a new one yet) a letter, and he replied that I had to have a physical in order to get services. I've been trying to find out ever since what a physical really entails, as I don't know and my not knowing makes me feel more anxious about it.

[LostOnTheTrail]

I'm not sure whether this will help, but I found this overview of physical exams that seems fairly thorough.

Annual Physical Exams: What to Expect

[Fuzzybear]

I too have a fear of doctors. I got very physically sick years ago and couldn't get to the doc about my problems.....I would go double the years between pelvic exams because they are horribly emotionally painful. My friends and family hounded me non stop to go to the doc and I was so sick I finally did. It's very hard for me to go, I struggle so much each time but I try to force myself because it's so important, especially for women. I'm so very sorry you suffer this. Please get some help.....see a few doctors to find one who you feel less uncomfortable with and maybe be upfront with them about your phobia. If they have good bedside manners, they should at least TRY to put your mind and body at more ease. (((Hugs)))

[BrazenApogee]

Thanks. I think a big part of the fear could be alleviated if I knew exactly what was going to happen. The bad experience I had with a doctor(s) was mostly things happening that I couldn't control and didn't know about before hand. They told me it was going to be one thing, but then the doctor went and got more doctors and it turned into a horrible thing, and I was the thing, a no thing, an object of examination, not a person. I was too young to stop it. No one helped me. Now I'm an adult and I just want to be healthy and happy like other adults. But, as soon as they hear about my past they look at me and treat me differently. I'm not allowed to be person. WHY? I don't understand.

Can you maybe make an appointment to talk about the physical, wherein the doctor explains what he's going to do, and then actually have the physical at the next appointment (a short while - say, a week or something - after the first)?

[BrazenApogee]

Originally Posted by Breadfish

Can you maybe make an appointment to talk about the physical, wherein the doctor explains what he's going to do, and then actually have the physical at the next appointment (a short while - say, a week or something - after the first)?

I don't know. Is that allowable? When I wrote him the letter, he replied that I had to have a physical, and should just make and appointment. I've been thinking about changing Primary Care doctors to someone who will work with me, but I don't know yet how to find a doctor who will.

[Pennster]

Originally Posted by BrazenApogee

I don't know. Is that allowable? When I wrote him the letter, he replied that I had to have a physical, and should just make and appointment. I've been thinking about changing Primary Care doctors to someone who will work with me, but I don't know yet how to find a doctor who will.

If you are in the US, you could try looking up doctors on Angie's List or one of the other review sites. A nice doctor makes a big difference. You could also make an appointment with a doctor to ask for certain things to be done, without a full physical. I have had a blood workup done, for example, without a full physical.

I had a lot of doctor-related trauma in my childhood, so I relate a lot to this question. Another thing that has helped me a lot has been yoga - thought at first it was very difficult for me to tolerate because when I started for the first few times, sitting on that mat reminded me of sitting on an exam table. Getting over that has been really helpful to me, and has made dealing with doctors easier.

[BrazenApogee]

thanks for your suggestions.