The Frustrations Of Modern Health Care

Up until the last few years, I have never had health problems.  The one (premature ovarian failure) I have now is not serious or life threatening.  However, the side effects of this condition are annoying and on a day to day basis impact my life (Hell-o hot flashes in the middle of a July heat wave).  And lately have been causing moodiness and exhaustion that is both unexplained and infuriating since I have been on the same meds for months now.  Why the change?

The first action that should come to mind is to go to the doctor, right?  And that very thought crosses my mind and then I consider how most visits to the doctor go. 

Doctor: “Hi, what can I do for you today?” 
Me:  “I have been experiencing X, Y and Z”
Doctor:  “It’s most likely due to your hormones.”

And that’s about the size of 5.2 seconds the doctor actually spends talking to me. No options, no solutions, no answers and in about 50% of the visits, contradictory information from a previous visit. 

So you will forgive me when my first response to a new symptom is not to run to the doctor.  I think my time is better spent on the Internet reading blogs on completely unrelated topics.  Wait, is denial a symptom?

The whole process has been a series of peaks and valleys.  The peaks occur when a solution is presented and then appears to work.  The valleys when the solution is no longer working because low and behold a new and exciting symptom such as the clusters of migraine headaches and accompanying gut wrenching I just got hit by a bloody truck exhaustion of late.  It’s all kinds of awesome, let me tell you.

I am not a moody person.  I am normally upbeat, full of energy and good to go.  Lately, not so much and the worst part is that I seem to barely have the energy to do the basics.  As such, any thought of actually trying to find a solution is too daunting.  The sheer will it would take to pick up the phone and call the doctor’s office and explain why I need to come in is more than I can bear.

It feels like I have to do the work to fix this, not the doctor.  I have to be the one to make suggestions that um, maybe some tests should be run or better yet, maybe I should see a specialist.  And I am a chartered accountant who is clearly unqualified.

And I am just tired.  So if I stick my head in the sand and wait, it will all just go away, right?

Original post to Canada Moms Blog.  Kami also whines over at Kami's Khlopchyk