"Hypochondriac" - Anyone called that?

Nodzy · Post by **Nodzy** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:22 am

I'm just wondering if anyone, or how many people, may have been viewed as, or called a 'hypochondriac" while suffering undiagnosed with OSA/SDB. Or, if that occurred even after being diagnosed and in treatment.

It seems that the affliction is still so generally downplayed and broadly misunderstood that most people have little or no concept of the life-threatening potential of OSA/SDB's widespread negative effects on the body.

The truth is, among doctors and RT's, many think that marginally to completly compliant therapy will heal or substantially correct all of OSA/SDB's damage other then the ailment itself. I am appalled at the general lack of understanding about OSA/SDB amongst a broad range of medical professionals.

Nodzy

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:25 am

Nodzy,

Unfortunately, from what's been posted on here, that seems to be a common experience (even if that specific label wasn't said out loud), and mine is included.

When the source of a patient's symptoms is not readily diagnosable, and the symptoms seem all over the board, never resolving and ever evolving, the patient begins to fit the textbook descriptions of one whose illnesses are of psychiatric origin.

While there is plenty of info out there in the medical literature about effects of sleep disorders, it is not yet mainstream or in the forefront in physicians' diagnostic toolbags. I believe that day will come, but change is not swift.

Even after diagnosis, having a patient be intricately involved in their treatment is contrary to what's been the norm, and patients who question the medical professionals are stepping on toes and get a "reputation" of sorts. Only one who has suffered the effects of sleep disorders can truly understand the desperation to "get it right" once they see a glimmer of hope. I think that desperation has in the past caused me to handle some physician interactions from a more emotional place than was conducive to resolution of the problems. Maybe because I feel better I am able to instead be more matter-of-fact.

Living down the label doesn't come easy, and may require switching to a physician who can look at you in an unbiased manner (although changing doctors is sometimes considered doctor hopping and seen as a negative). While I hate getting any negative diagnosis, I must admit I've been a bit smug about having my symptoms substantiated.

Kathy

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:35 am

I wasn't ... I was just viewed as a tired lazy old fart

msheda · Post by **msheda** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:50 am

DreamStalker wrote:I wasn't ... I was just viewed as a tired lazy old fart

Hey, I resemble that remark!

Actually, I was starting to apply that label to myself. Is this really serious? Should it be ignored? As having gotten used to feeling crappy for so long, what's a new symptom now and then?

I have been seen as:

Just too tired... not enough sleep
Just too Stressed
Just too high of Lipids
Just too depressed
Just too manic
Just too snorey
Just too fat
Just too lazy
Just too in denial

As having:
CFIDS.. no wait.. CF, no wait, Depression, no wait Manic Depression, no wait Metabolic Syndrome, no wait....

Ok, I will accept the Manic Depression label since the drugs help me feel what I think should be normal.

Definately have been feeling better since I started XPAP.

ZZZzzz · Post by **ZZZzzz** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:54 am

Yes Yes Yes.

Yes I am.

I can be fine for years but then... sheer terror.

Had an attack three months ago.

-Bev

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:02 am

Yes. My mother is convinced I'm a hypochondriac. My doctor has another word for it. I can't remember. Something about being overly sensitive to multiple triggers. It's not hypochondria, though.

Though both my Mom and my doc agree that my health will magically become excellent if I'd lose 75 pounds...

Now, as to anyone calling you an "H" word Nodzy, I said 'HEART-THROB', silly, not Hypochondriac.

Huggers,
Babs

cajapato · Post by **cajapato** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:12 am

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My mother is convinced I'm a hypochondriac. My doctor has another word for it. I can't remember. Something about being overly sensitive to multiple triggers. It's not hypochondria, though.

Babs,
Would it be multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). The theory behind the disorder is that vague symptoms such as fatigue, depression, memory loss, headaches, confusion and difficulty concentrating are triggered by either one large chemical exposure such as a pesticide application or low-level exposure to everyday chemicals in the environment. But so far, science hasn't been able to link the causes and the symptoms that patients describe.

Maybe not, but I was reading about this earlier and saw this thread.

I had quite a time getting diagnosed since I have OSA and MVP. Not the most valuable player but the mitral valve prolapse. Lot's of symptoms accompany that. I was looked in the eye and called a hypochondriac by a lot of military doctors. Even ones at Bethesda. Anyways, all is under control now.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:38 am

Sort of but not quite. Not as clean as MCS. I've known some MCS sufferers.

It's closer to a liver disfunction. I react weird to all sorts of things, not just chemicals.

Cheers,
Babs

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:23 pm

Giggle. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh at a hypochondriac label. It just brought back memories.

I developed Crohn's disease in 1975, had a resection in 1978 and enjoyed a 20 year remission. Then after a whiplash in 1994 sleep problems began, and by 1998 the Crohn's returned. My family doctor of many years died. So there I was doctor shopping in the midst of a Crohn's flare, 3-4 years of no sleep, etc. Having been Dx'd and my resection at Mayo Clinic, MN and two wonderful family doctors die on me over the course of some 30 years or so I KNEW what a good doctor was and refused to accept less. So I was doing a LOT of doctor shopping!!

I finally encountered one pulmonlogy/allergy specialist who whipped out his pocket tape recorder for dictating his notes and right in front of me in the exam room proceeded to dictate his notes of our visit which included: "Patient is a doctor-hopping hypochondriac complete w/a notebook full of previous exams, procedures and labs .... "

I whipped out my wallet which was about the size of one of those hand held tape recorders and said as if dictating: "This exuse for a doctor is obviously an egotistic male chauvinist who doesn't bother to listen to a patient, ask any relevant questions or look at previous medical records and history before deciding he doesn't want to be bothered ...." and then walked out.

I was impressed tho w/his use of his hand held tape recorder to dictate his notes with the patient present. It made me think of the doctor who had said he dictates his notes after every third patient. Which do you think would USUALLY give the most accurate dictation of the patient visit?? So, even tho that specialist was a jerk, he still did provide one GOOD idea and I've mentioned it to my family doctor, my gastro and my endo. My sleep pulmo always allows enough time between patients to dictate his notes before seeing the next patient so I haven't mentioned the idea to him.

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:41 pm

In mid 2006, just before getting diagnosed with severe sleep apnea I had a doctor tell me point blank that I was a hypochondriac. He said there was NO way that I was having all those symptoms. That list turned out to be almost every symptom of sleep apnea.

Even now after having a diagnosis, and having a wonderful initial response to CPAP I still run into doctors who don't believe me or think its all in my head.

Its unbelievable that doctors are so ignorant about sleep apnea. I simply don't understand it.

SisterShotgun · Post by **SisterShotgun** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:42 pm

I was told I was depressed or anxious or it was all in my head..I would love to shove my sleep study in the faces of the doctors who said this to me

I would love to say HA you were Wrong!!!

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:53 pm

Me and my internis had quite a battle when he told me that I might have sleep apnea. He insisted that I have a sleep study and he was right. Let anyone call me whatever they like, just as long as they call me to eat.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:07 pm

well when you look that it takes the avg. person with OSA about 7 years to recognize the symptoms of OSA (which are many when you think about it), you are almost hypochondriac by the time you get the diagnosis. So if it took you 7 years to develop all the related symptoms it can take half as long to get rid of them once you reverse the effects of OSA.

A lot of that is simple anxiety. Increasing Vitamin B Complex vitamins can help with that. On the flip side a toxic level of those same B vitamins can cause the same anxiety so you want to be aware of that.

I suggest a good quality multi-vitamin (theragram M is pretty good). About the only thing I worry about is a stroke (since I've had 2 already) and I take a 325 Ecotrin for that daily, so I don't even worry about that any more. CPAP and Ecotrin works for me (and a bit of Lisinopril for hypertension).

papoose · Post by **papoose** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:19 pm

My doctor called me "hypervigilant," which I think amounts to "hypochondriac." When I asked for a diagnosis rather than a label, he said that I had "somatoform disorder" and handed me a print-out from a physician's website. I was to read it and see if I could identify with the symptoms and profile. I couldn't relate to it, so I asked my husband what he thought. My husband's response was, "This is NOT you."

I should have left that doctor then, but I decided to stick with him because I was desperate for a primary care doctor that I could depend on, and this one had a good reputation. (Prior to this, I was a patient in a large practice that simply could not hold onto its doctors. In 10 years, I got 8 "dear patient" letters from primary care doctors who found it necessary to move on. So I sought out an older, stable doctor who had his own practice.)

Because I was type-cast by this doctor, he didn't take any of my complaints seriously. Each time I questioned him, he insisted he knew my "type," and told me more than once that he had two degrees from Harvard! I suffered five more years before he finally (and reluctantly) approved a sleep study for me. And when the results came back, he was clearly uncomfortable telling me I had severe OSA. After that, it took nearly a year to get treated. I think he may have been embarrassed, and just wanted me to go away.

Since I began treatment, he has become more responsive, has been able to link my prior complaints to OSA, and admits that he doesn't know enough about OSA to answer my questions. (He referred me to a pulmonologist.) In the end, I doubt this doctor will mistreat another patient as he did me, but it sure wasn't worth what I went through.

Perchancetodream · Post by **Perchancetodream** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 4:01 pm

Not by a doctor, but that may be due to the rotation of Navy doctors in and out of our local base hospital. None of them got to see me long enough to call me a hypochondriac.

But I thought I was which was almost worse. The doctors would treat a specific symptom but never look for an underlying cause. I couldn't let go of the thought that all of the symptoms were related.

The diagnosis of OAS came as an incredible relief!

Susan

Mask

"Hypochondriac" - Anyone called that?

"Hypochondriac" - Anyone called that?

Hypochondriac

Yes

Patient Labeling