Cardiologist Visit: Good News!

[PuppetPup]

Ok, so I just got back from the cardiologist. I have been having heart palpitations throughout all this and my internist wanted to specifically check that out. Long story short, I have less heart palpitations than your average person, and the ones I do get are nothing to worry about. Good news, right?I then, in passing, tell her about how I have been having neuropathy like symptoms in my hands and feet lately. I had had this before when all this started for my just under 2 years ago, but it went away and now has come back. She said I should lay off any supplements and see what that does. Ok, I will give that a try. Then she asks if I have been evaluated for MS. I say, "yeah, I have been to a neurologist, he took and MRI of my brain and c-spine, and there were no lesions, so I think I'm good." She says, "yeah but it can take some time to diagnose MS." WTF!!! Why do doctors say that crap?I am pretty sure I don't have MS, the two neurologist I saw pretty much blew that off, but her comment got me thinking again. I really hate this game.MD

 

[TwitchyMD]

Because it is true and it is their job to provide you with the information. You should learn what "lege artis" means in medicine. MS can take years to diagnose, based on the lesion severity and location etc. If you do not like the answers, ask a plumber. Sorry, being a neuropathologist myself,this really got me upset.What kind of question is that, really? You think we say things like that just without any reason?!

 

[Gloria123]

I can totally see both sides here. I agree, doctors shouldn't hold anything back that they might suspect or something they know to be true.But, I understand MD's frustration. The point is, she's a cardiologist - not a neurologist, and his neurologists didn't pursue MS, and probably for good reason. They would know more about MS than a cardiologist, that's for sure, and she didn't know the full clinical picture. When I see a general doctor for example, I don't always trust their opinions on areas that aren't their area of expertise (for example, my son had a cold sore - and the pediatrician gave him antibiotics for something viral, because she thought it was a bacterial infection, despite my telling them my husband had just had a cold sore. The dermatologist took one look and said, "that's a cold sore").But, MD - I hope you realize that your neuro knows best with this one. If they didn't want to keep checking you and following up with you re: MS, then they don't suspect that you have it. And, they see people with MS all the time, whereas your cardiologist does not. But, your cardiologist was probably just trying to be helpful.Mitra

 

[christinasgirl123]

A cardiologist is not a neurologist. This docor knew you are already seeing a neurologist and it is not her specialisef profession. She should know that as a cardiologist her knowledge about MS is less than that of your neuro. It is one thing to give inormation that is asked for, or to scare people just to show, how " smart" you are.

 

[BFSDiner]

Im not going to read the first post because I got this ominous feeling that it was going to screw me up in the head by putting unhealthy ideas in there LOL! no offense muppet. But i know Chrissi's posts are safe so I came to read hers.Just to back up what Chrissi said - I've already seen 4 Neurologists who laughed me out of the room regarding ALS and MS .... but when i went to see my Oncologist last week, he wouldn't shut up about ALS. For the first time I was the one sitting there saying "no no no ... haha no no dont worry no".He even looked for an "ALS Panel" when he was ordering my bloodwork. Man .. .i wanted to tell him to drop it and move on. Fortunately I walked out of there stable, mentally. If I didn't have 10 months under my belt with ALS fully ruled out, that might have ruined my day.But like Chrissi said .... specialty really is relevant in situations like this. -Burger-