Coping With Welfare Equals Losing 13 IQ Points

[daredtowork]

12. That's another problem

Doctor's have their own political and personal beliefs that intervene in the diagnosis process and interfere with the paperwork of the "system" far too often.

The "system" requires a lot of strict diagnostic coding if you don't want to be continually hung up in appeals and reviews. If you have "vague symptoms" such as pain without a cause that shows up on any of the cheap test panels or fatigue, then prepare to be denied and delayed a lot. Being treated like a malingerer or a hypochondriac will just add to your stress. You need patience and luck to both get to the right specialist and one who is willing to make a diagnosis instead of just prescribing a medication and letting it work while leaving your medical record blank.

Another problem is PCPs who only work with "one symptom at a time" so it takes forever to diagnose complex conditions. In this situation you don't really have a chance unless you come to some crisis that forces the situation. Try to switch the PCP if you can, though, because this one will never recognize or diagnose you're underlying condition.

In the future the medical system and the social system need to be more tightly coupled so doctors fill out medical records in a way that is compatible with what the social system asks for - and so the patient can get to that information easily without having to request an emergency appointment just to get the doctor to fill out a pile of embarrassing paperwork!

A patient should not have to fight to get the diagnosis they need. If the doctor believes the patient is a malingerer, they should step away. If the patient isn't sick, they don't need to be treated. If the patient believes the doctor missed the diagnosis, they should get the immediate chance for a second opinion so they can get their paperwork filled out in a timely manner. That is the world and thinking of a patient who is also in the welfare system and also needs to consider how they are going to avoid becoming homeless while trying to get the medical system to understand their problem.

Just my two cents on that.

Ps. I've heard Gabapentin is actually better than Lyrica for neuropathy, but it also has a lot of provisos. In my view, it's manna from heaven. Try sticking with it! Also, its less addictive than Lyrica.