Monday, September 27, 2010

Why I have difficulty believing that a visit to the Dr. is nothing more than a waste of time

I guess I should qualify that. Kids get sick and should see the doctor. The doctor can generally make them better. Bones get broken and the doctor fixes them. People are in terrible accidents and doctors can sometimes perform miracles. Brain tumors and cancers? Ditto. Doctors are fantastically skilled miracle-workers, have no doubt.

So when I woke up on Thursday with incredible dizziness that I had never experienced before, I wasn't quite sure how to handle it. Stuffy nose? Familiar territory. Headache? Psh. Achy body? Fever? Chills? Who hasn't been through that. But dizziness? With no alcoholic consumption involved? I was rattled.

The dizziness continued throughout the day until a wonderful suggestion by someone with chronic ear infections. Sudafed. Apparently this would help drain my Eustachian tubes and stave off the symptoms until I could see a doctor. As an ear infection novice, I learned that inner ear infections are terrible terrible beasts that don't hurt until they HURT. So my advisor recommended that I still see the doctor. Which I did. I actually looked up a GP, made an appointment and everything. Look at me grow!

Uncontrollable dizziness is not something you mess with in my world. We like control in my world. And if I can't stop the dizziness, not even by concentrating and forcing myself to walk in a straight line? Rattled.

The Sudafed worked miracles. By the time my doctor's appointment rolled around on Friday, I was just starting to feel the deep down cottony effects of the Sudafed wearing off. Thankfully, the dizziness had not returned. I got to my appointment on time, got a thorough check-out by the doctor, and voiced my concerns and what drove me to visit. My blood pressure was checked, checked again, and checked again in a variety of positions. Perfect.* My ears were checked. And checked again. My breathing was listened to. Finally it was determined that I had a minor ear infection, but nothing that would seem to cause dizziness. Diagnosis = uncertain. I was given antibiotics, had blood drawn (over STRENUOUS objections. I had just had blood drawn by another doctor three months prior!) and told to visit again in a week.

It took me about 24 hours to fill my prescription, but fill it I did. (The pharmacy on a Saturday afternoon is a WHOLE 'NOTHER blog.) I even remembered to take my gigantic pink horse pills as prescribed.

So then why on EARTH did I wake up this morning feeling like I got hit by a truck filled with snot? Seriously, it's like the antibiotics only made the snot monster in my head ANGRY and he is now exacting his revenge on my sinuses. I feel WORSE now (albeit, sans dizziness) than before I went to the doctor.

At least this stuffy head/headache/raspy throat/no voice thing is familiar territory? Bright side? Maybe?

I'm still disturbed by the memory of the dizzy. And I guess I would feel better if an actual cause for the dizziness was given. Or if I didn't feel like a Mack truck ran me over last night. I've heard arguments that a visit to the doctor is about confirming peace of mind. That at least it's nothing serious. But I got an uncertain diagnosis, so....

Sigh. Just consider this my yearly I-am-sick-so-I-shall-whine post. Only this time I spent money to go to the doctor first. At least the blog when I get my bill should be fun, yes? I already feel sorry for the doctor that I will see again on Friday. Pity him, my friends.

*Take THAT all of you "you shouldn't eat so much salt, Emily" people!

7 comments:

Abra said...

Yeah so based on what you just wrote I would diagnose you with allergies or a sinus cold - you were dizzy because your sinuses were congested and it caused you to feel off balance because all the fluidness in your head that helps you figure out up from down was out of wack. You are now draining said sinus congestion so you feel worse but you are actually getting better.

That'll be $120 please :)

Oh and the anitbiotics you are taking are actually just sugar pills :)

Screw vet school - I'm applying to med school - I'm already half way there :)

zlionsfan said...

remind me again how much your health insurance costs.

Unknown said...

This was your first visit to the GP? They need time to build a history to be effective. The more you go the more the doctor understands how your body works. It is not a waste of time.

Kat(i)e said...

I know I'm getting sick or allergies are coming when I feel dizzy. Dizziness for me is always the 2 day precursor to something miserable. Sounds like your taking after me ;)

Anonymous said...

I woke up one time with the room spinning around me, but worse if I was on my left side. I wondered how people who get the spins when they drink could stand it! Luckily I didn't have to go to work that day, I wasn't sure I could drive. Late afternoon when it was still happening but not so bad I took myself to the dr and they FREAKED OUT, thinking I had had a stroke! That was a bit nerve wracking. The tests were all negative and I forget what he said it maybe was, some inner ear, not enough hydration or something. But it went away and never came back.
(Stub)

punkinmama said...

Dude, I can't believe you went to the doctor. No, seriously, I can't.

I got that dizzy out of the blue thing a few years ago (sometime after Punkin was born, but not like immediately after). I went to the doctor and he gave me a prescription for some drug that helps you stop being dizzy. It worked with one pill. I still have the rest of the pills somewhere in my bathroom cabinet. You should have called me first! (If not for the pills, at least for a recommendation on a better doctor!) ;)

Oh, and I do generally agree that doctors don't know what the heck they are doing 99% of the time.

Anonymous said...

Pregnant?