Dyspraxic? Signing On With A New Doctor?

Smickan

Hello

My GP's (semi-retired and his son in law) are now collected together in a medical centre with other doctors. Three generations of my family have been under them but since I have been signed off this past year I am getting increasingly frustrated with their responses when I go to see them - EVERYTHING is put down to weight be it short term memory being atrocious to even my hayfever! They also tell YOU what is wrong before you can tell them and it flusters and confuses me even more and I'm really starting to dread going and I keep making excuses to get out of it.

I've thankfully gained a place as a full time student and when I was there I mentioned to one of my old colleagues who I found also signing up about some issues I was a little concerned with and she mentioned that I shared a lot of similarities with her son who had been diagnosed as Dyspraxic at 16. I came home and googled it and the old adage that when you read a medical book you have everything wrong with you came true to life and the more I read the more I identified with it. [Clicky HERE - Red = me]

I have read a LOT about it since she mentioned it and the more I read the more I can see things that really are me! I copied a long symptom etc page into an email and highlighted what I thought counted as me and mum agreed that she saw a lot of it in me too.

Now. The main reason I write this is that I really don't think either of my doctors will take me seriously - they haven't in the past about other things and have dismissed them as nothing and it's stressing me further that I can't go to them and try and get a diagnosis or more before I start my course as I fear they will just dismiss me again and I will be left worrying myself more.

How do you swap your doctors? Can you bypass doctors all together and go somewhere else for a diagnosis?

Thanks

gorgeouslatinrose

Hi there,
Am Dyspraxic myself, so know what its like. As you mentioned you were a full time student, you should go through your learning support system wherever your studying and get them to test you. You can go through doctors but its not as easy, though they can write a letter for you which can help when it comes to exams etc. Whereever your studying, they should be able to test you because its not really something that a doctor can diagnose you with, especially as it does show similar tendencies to Dyslexia. You can have it diagnosed with a learning specialist, but they can be expensive and can cost arround £300! So yes,,, probably better to go through your college or university. As for the doctor thing, you could always ring up and ask to see a different doctor instead, or say that you would prefer to see female doctor or something like that. Hope that helps on dyspraxic issue...am afraid not really helpfull for you where doctors concerned!

Smickan

Thank you, you've been more help than you know

Will wait until I start in September and ask to see the relevant people and have a proper talk - anything rather than see my doctor at the moment.

Thank you again

Titch89

I thought they weren't able to diagnose this type of thing and you had to be referred to a specialist for a diagnosis? Also, attempting to self diganosis isn't a good idea.

belfastgirl23

Would it be worth asking a friend or your mum to go to the doctors with you? If you have dyspraxia then you may have trouble communicating your thoughts when you're flustered. you could write everything down and ask them to step in if you're finding it difficult. I know it feels a bit odd asking someone to come with you but it should be your right....

The other thing to consider is to go in with the broken record technique 'I think I may have dyspraxia and I'd like to be tested please' and just keep repeating it till they realise you're not going to go away without being referred. It can feel a bit embarassing but it is effective

melancholly

i'd second the taking along a parent - i had trouble with my new GP (the old one retired in the same practice) not dealing with a condition for me. the line they used was 'other people have it worse' - well other people have terminal illnesses but that's not really an excuse not to treat any other medical condition! even in my mid-20s i asked my mum to come in with me and the GP had a complete attitude change and i was finally referred to a consultant. it's also helpful to hear from a second person that it's not you being paranoid/over-sensitive, and that they aren't being particularly helpful.

good luck

zztopgirl

I spoke to Mary Colley at Danda earlier this year and she said the only way to get diagnosed is by going to college or uni. I already asked my doctor and my dd's psychologist (me and my children have dyspraxic tendencies) and i am unable to get a diagnosis where i live, even if i did start attending college, so i just have to try and accept it and get on with life. Im told nothing can be done about it even if i do get diagnosed.

Titch89, self-diagnosing isnt recommended, but i assume those with dyspraxia mostly have to self-diagnose before getting their condition properly recognised. Obviously its stupid to go self-diagnosing with other conditions.

Btw, i recommend Mary Colley's book on adult dyspraxia, i already do most of the self-help methods but it may help others with this condition. She also has a checklist of symptoms in the back of the book that could help when approaching a gp.

Smickan

Thanks so much, it's much appreciated

Titch89 - I admit I hadn't heard about it until an older friend mentioned it and said she saw some of it in me and then I came home and googled it and read some stories of those who had it and had had it diagnosed and it was like I was reading about me.

Belfastgirl23 - Thanks, I do that already with writing everything down - to actually get him to take me seriously once I came out of hospital (as the letter hadn't got to them yet and they were sure I was alright despite a chamber of my heart not working correctly...!) I had to write him a letter and poured my heart out into it to tell him how I felt/what was wrong etc and the son-in-law signed me off whereas the older gp had given me what felt like a panic attack and real anxiety as I was sure they were going to send me back when I felt like I could collapse at any second.

The minute I step into the doctors I flail and panic and fluster over what to tell them, stumbling over my words and missing out vital things that I don't remember till I'm back at home and 'safe' (for the want of another word) then I get really angry at myself for not telling them the whole story - so now I spend the couple of days beforehand making a list of what is 'wrong' with me (how I feel etc) and take it in and hand it across so he can read through it (and still tell me afterwards that basically nothing is wrong and it's all down to weight or whatever)

gorgeouslatinrose

Hi there, just to say a bit about dyspraxia. It isnt easy to diagnose and when it is the things that can be done about it are not a lot. I was diagnosed at 15, and told to take fish oil and it improves concentration levels and messages to the brain, and though it took a couple of months to kick in the results were pretty impressive. Sadly ive laxed in taking it as you must take them twice a day, but if you feel that maybe something could be improved it may be worth popping into the local chemist and just asking them about it as they would be able to tell you more and which would be suited for you and your children. I think i take something called effalex which isnt medication, just fish oil and vitamins and you can pretty much buy it anywhere, but it would be worth talking to someone as they would be able to give you more advice. Good luck.

Smickan

Thank you my love - and thank you for the PM xx

jeannieblue

Hi,

I have friends with a lovely little boy who has dyspraxia. Is there any help or back up or advice in this country - does anyone know? I've found organisations in the States - but little found in the UK.