Where was my notepad, eh?
What's the second worst offense you can make when you go to the doctor, in my opinion? Asking a question and not remembering the answer! I recently committed this, not once, but twice - once with my pulmonologist and again with my rheumatologist. Here's what happened -
Last fall, I started experiencing a sort of tingling in my left leg for about 10 minutes after I exercised...it wasn't very bothersome, and there was no pain involved, so I just dismissed it. The tingling persisted, and it started to happen at random times during the day, although it did seem to be linked to times when I had been sitting for an extended period of time. I happened to see my pulmonologist about 2 months after I noticed the tingling, so I thought I'd ask him. He assured me that it wasn't a blood clot (given the location of the sensation), and figured it was more like a pinched nerve. He also said to make sure I mentioned it to my rheumatologist, and said that maybe, if the feeling persisted, I should see someone. Now this is the part I do not remember...the kind of doctor I'm supposed to see! I can't recall whether he said my PCP, a chiropractor, or maybe even a neurologist. I can always call him, but ugh! I never do this. I think it was such a minor issue in my mind, I just wasn't focused on the answer.
The worst part, of course, is that when I went to my rheumatologist, I asked the same question, but again, spaced on part of the answer. He agreed that it could be a pinched nerve, that it wasn't indicative of a clot, and that, yes, exercise as well as prolonged sitting/crossed legs
could exacerbate it. The part I can't remember? What he said I should do to alleviate it!
Seriously - I must be losing my marbles. I'm pretty sure that in both cases, I was so concerned that either doc would think it was a blood clot, that the moment both of them dismissed the idea and they uttered the words "pinched nerve", I thought, "Whew! No clot, only a pinched nerve. Thank goodness!", and then I failed to listen to the rest of what they had to say.
That's what I get for putting away my notepad too early, huh? If I had had it out, poised and ready to go, there's no way I would have missed their comments. Oh well. I've learned for the next time. Good news is that the tingling has disappeared. Cross your fingers (or maybe not - as it could cause a pinched nerve!) that it won't return.
Oh, and since you may be wondering: what, in my opinion, is the worst offense you can commit at the doctor's office? Not asking the question at all!
Last fall, I started experiencing a sort of tingling in my left leg for about 10 minutes after I exercised...it wasn't very bothersome, and there was no pain involved, so I just dismissed it. The tingling persisted, and it started to happen at random times during the day, although it did seem to be linked to times when I had been sitting for an extended period of time. I happened to see my pulmonologist about 2 months after I noticed the tingling, so I thought I'd ask him. He assured me that it wasn't a blood clot (given the location of the sensation), and figured it was more like a pinched nerve. He also said to make sure I mentioned it to my rheumatologist, and said that maybe, if the feeling persisted, I should see someone. Now this is the part I do not remember...the kind of doctor I'm supposed to see! I can't recall whether he said my PCP, a chiropractor, or maybe even a neurologist. I can always call him, but ugh! I never do this. I think it was such a minor issue in my mind, I just wasn't focused on the answer.
The worst part, of course, is that when I went to my rheumatologist, I asked the same question, but again, spaced on part of the answer. He agreed that it could be a pinched nerve, that it wasn't indicative of a clot, and that, yes, exercise as well as prolonged sitting/crossed legs
could exacerbate it. The part I can't remember? What he said I should do to alleviate it!
Seriously - I must be losing my marbles. I'm pretty sure that in both cases, I was so concerned that either doc would think it was a blood clot, that the moment both of them dismissed the idea and they uttered the words "pinched nerve", I thought, "Whew! No clot, only a pinched nerve. Thank goodness!", and then I failed to listen to the rest of what they had to say.
That's what I get for putting away my notepad too early, huh? If I had had it out, poised and ready to go, there's no way I would have missed their comments. Oh well. I've learned for the next time. Good news is that the tingling has disappeared. Cross your fingers (or maybe not - as it could cause a pinched nerve!) that it won't return.
Oh, and since you may be wondering: what, in my opinion, is the worst offense you can commit at the doctor's office? Not asking the question at all!
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