I Feel Exhausted...

[threedee]

I had an appoinment today with a GP. I explained that I wanted to make sure I don't have celiac disease because I've been having anxiety, depression, fatigue etc. symptoms for at least 12 years. A cousin from my mothers side is diagnosed with celiac disease and my mom has had all sorts of digestive problems for ages, but has avoided tests (why? I really don't know...). I have negative test results for celiac disease blood tests (taken 1.5 years ago) and I don't have "serious digestive problems", so the GP conluded that I can't have celiac disease.................................

I collected my papers and prepared to leave, but she hastily said she will agree for biopsy because of celiac disease in my family (she had to hunt for a second for that explanation...). We talked about various things and she concluded that I should consider the possibility that there is no diagnosis for my condition. Maybe I am just born this way.

AAAARRRGGGHHH.

I certainly may not have celiac disease and diagnosing me may be beyond her reach, but I am not giving up. I am waiting for the biopsy, then I start gluten free diet regardless of results.

The point of all this: Be prepared with as many arguments as you possibly can when dealing with the first line of medical practitioners. If I hadn't told her about my family medical status there might have been nothing she could have used as a basis for sending me to biopsy, so she would possibly have refused (and wasted my time before I find another more symphatic doc).

Another point: Be prepared to defend your case. You actually might know what is good for you...

threedee

BTW: the reason I am (again) considering celiac disease as a possibility is the new reseach by University of Tampere, Finland that says serum EmA can be negative in some advanced celiac disease cases and also there are other studies that link low IgA to advanced stress (burnout). I think it's possible my previous negative results are partly explained by these two findings (and even if not, I want to be certain).

Endomysial antibody-negative coeliac disease: clinical characteristics and intestinal autoantibody deposits:

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[hayley3]

At least she agreed to the biopsy, even though you almost had to pull her teeth.

I know your frustration. I think doctors take way too many classes in how to detect hypochondria.

I took a test for an autoimmune arthritis and it came back negative and the doctor (rheumie) wouldn't even talk to me after that. He said I definately did not have that disease as indicated by the negative tests, despite arthritis everywhere. I was devastated. Two months later a second set of tests came out. I paid for the 1st set out of pocket so now I can't afford the new tests.

Anyway, good luck on your biopsy!

[threedee]

Wow, I would have assumed your doc would be interested to find out the cause of your arthritis after one possibility is "ruled out"...

Something should be done about the "tests always tell the truth" attitude of doctors. (Luckily not all doctors think like that!)

It's so easy to see how many docs see things:

- they have certain assumption about some medical condition

- they match some of their patients to that assumption based on symptoms patient happens to mention

- they make tests

- they confirm their assumption in some cases, rest are matched to another condition

- cycle repeats

Usually at this point the patient switched to another doc if there is no diagnosis. These docs never get to expand their assumptions, because they don't see what is the "final" working diagnosis.

When someone finally finds out something that explains my symptoms and provides working treatment, I am going to send a polite email to all my previous docs explaining the situation. This way they get a change to expand their view. I wish more people would do the same...

threedee