Sad But True!

pmcall · Post by **pmcall** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:10 pm

I know lots of docs are clueless, but some are not. My sister's a neurologist. When I told her I'd been diagnosed with sleep apnea, she told me she routinely has folks coming in complaining of what seem to be neurological problems -- and when she tries to refer them for a sleep study, because their symptoms indicate that's the likeliest answer, they storm out of her office. So patients can be clueless, too.

yasulh · Post by **yasulh** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:22 pm

Babette wrote:Ya' know, I agree with all the other posters here. But I also have another thought.

I was watching "The Doctors" today over lunch, and there's this new fancy laser procedure to save someone's hearing, and as they were demoing it, I suddenly realized if I had a hearing problem, my doctor wouldn't know this, and would just prescribe me a hearing aid, because that's what he knows, and he has to know SO MANY THINGS ABOUT SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

Which is why my father is no longer a GP. He specializes in one tiny area. And that takes all his time to keep up with. BTW, he's in Cardiology.

I sympathize with both sides. Thankfully Dori knows where to go to get better advice. And that poor man who doesn't know anything about sleep apnea - well, let's hope he keeps up with the stuff he really needs to know - Cardiology.

I guess the lesson for me is to not expect one person to know everything about your health care needs, and to be an informed consumer in all the areas of your health, and to go seek advice from multiple sources for your multiple problems.

Hugs to all,
B.

This is an important point. We are often at the mercy of our training. I am a licensed counselor with a doctorate in psychology, and I can tell you that I never heard anything about the connections between sleep apnea and mood until I started researching sleep apnea on my own after my diagnosis. Now I have to wonder how many clients I saw over the years with mood and sleep symptoms needed to be referred for a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea! Of course, now I am on a mission to educate other mental health providers about this condition!

Muse-Inc · Post by **Muse-Inc** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:01 pm

yasulh wrote:...now I am on a mission to educate other mental health providers about this condition!

Good for you! The more docs aware of the seemingly unrelated symptoms associated with SDB, the better for all of us! Now, gotta figure out how to get the clergy aware of these symptoms.

DaveL · Post by **DaveL** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:34 pm

OutaSync wrote:
DoriC wrote:...."Then you should go back to your equipment provider and have them show you the right way to fit a mask"!

That doctor is clueless. ARen't you glad that you found us, instead of having to rely on your equipment provider?

Bev

What a pleasure reading your comment. I visited my DME about 220 days ago. Another bad experience.Asked her if she had a sleep study..she had not. And she couldn't wear a mask longer than 20 minutes. My sleep specialist tells me 15 apnea events an hour is a pass. I told him that if I had to wear the darn thing I wanted a cure. No response.

I need a new sleep specialist, and a new DME.

DaveL
Mississauga Ontario.

raggedykat · Post by **raggedykat** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:56 pm

I will have to ask my friend at work what happened with her dad. He was going to call his DME and demand a new machine because he was getting rain out. He just started with cpap.

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:58 pm

Hey Dave, if you can remember that you visited your Dr exactly 220 days ago, then your cpap therapy must be working!

BTW, I worked in the medical field for 25years in the administrative end but with lots of doctor/patient contact so I know both sides of this very difficult but rewarding profession.

desert rider · Post by **desert rider** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:23 pm

Muse-Inc wrote:
yasulh wrote:...now I am on a mission to educate other mental health providers about this condition!
Good for you! The more docs aware of the seemingly unrelated symptoms associated with SDB, the better for all of us! Now, gotta figure out how to get the clergy aware of these symptoms.

It was my diet doctor who urged me to get the sleep study. Actually it was on an appointment when I wasn't there that he urged my wife to urge me...

He's a lifesaver.

karessamom · Post by **karessamom** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:42 pm

My clinic actually has an RT dedicated to mask fit and problems. I thought it was wonderful.

Sad But True!

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