The Dino-Aspie Ex-Café (for Those 40+... or feeling creaky)

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...lurking and learning...

Hello, people! Had my doctor's appointment today. Was in there for nearly 2 hours. I won't complain about my doc, though - he's one in a million. He takes the time to go over lab work, explain things, and never gets impatient or condescending. Plus, he talks medical lingo with me, instead of dumbing everything down. He knows about the AS, and doesn't force handshakes on me, which I really appreciate. He had a student with him, though. I tolerate them because I was a student once, and I understand they need the experience. But I won't tolerate nonsense.

This student asked me a few questions. One thing led to another, until she tried to push some new anti-depressant med. I told her that my depression is pretty much under control, and that I didn't need medicating. Because of the fibro, I dislike being drugged in addition to the fibro fog. She event tried to say that my fatigue came from depression. I was trying hard not to get angry. I told her that I've suffered from fibro and chronic fatigue for ten years, and while it's depressing, I am certainly not in need of meds for my mood. She tried another tactic - said that this new med helped with pain. Nothing, absolutely nothing that I've tried in the way of medications, has outweighed the annoying and sometimes alarming side effects in exchange for dubious relief of pain. I also mentioned that I had AS, to explain why I wasn't looking her in the eye while talking.

I must say, though, that approaching the half-century mark in age, has made me a lot more assertive with medical personnel. After a while, you come to realize that its your body, and you have the right to choose your treatment, and not be a human guinea for whatever silly pills they decide to trot out.

Harz--

I go through that every once in a while when some noob tries to get me to try a new anti-depressant. I am off of them, and I don't want to mess up my perception of current illness symptoms.

One anti-depressant did help with back pain, but I didn't notice anything else--like anti-depressant effects. It didn't help with any other pain, and at over two hundred bucks a month, it ain't worth it. There's better pain relievers that are cheaper.

R.

I have found that aiming for sufficient, restorative sleep will in itself, cut down on pain. Also, pain levels pick up when temperatures drop. I've noticed more pain for the past couple days because we had a light freeze. I have to find the humor in this: When I told that noob that my depression decreased when I came to terms with my AS diagnoses, she seemed uncomfortable. I guess my rebuttals weren't in her script.

Happy 666, for those who pay any mind to that sorta stuff.

DeaconBlues: "Admiral Heinlein" - too good.

Those three numbers (666) look like some kind of fun ride, for some reason. Something with wheels.

Oh what the heck, I'll post on page 666. My luck can't get any worse than it was today. Hartz, good for you standing up for what you believe. Young doctors think they know everything.

So do old doctors. And middle aged ones. They learn it in a class in med school called Thou Art a God Among Men 101 (prerequsite: Omnipotence 102 or permission of instructor)

Gotta put my mark on 666!


Merle

Thank you, blessedmom. My teenage girl doesn't use this term.