MythIncarnate
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Still not entirely clear on what the hell my doc is expecting to find, or not find, or observe the change in. It's got me a bit anxious. Really feels like she's been intentionally vauge with everything she has told me (mostly half-sentences involving the word "liver" and "kidneys").
I could press the issue and demand a clear explanation but honestly that sounds at least twice as stressful as having my belly lubed up an prodded for a few minutes. I dunno, just stressing about what it might be. I trust my doctor,; she's not the type to give news - good or bad - unless she's certain, so I'm stuck thinking between "She'll tell me when she's certain it's either something or nothing." and "I have a literal right to know."
Glad I live somewhere civilized where diagnostics like this aren't gonna set me back a small fortune in deductibles etc. at least.
At least I can rule out pregnancy. Probably. That'd be one hell of a miracle otherwise.
Edit: Appointment came and went, made it in one piece and surprisingly on time despite inclement weather and my phone giving bad directions. I'll know the results in... Well, sometime after my doc gets them in a week. Until then... Thanks for all the comments and encouragement and personal experiences. Made me feel a little less alone in the whole thing. I'll post a followup as soon as I know anything. Until then... Stay safe. I'm gonna go pass out for a few hours now.
cutepiku
There is so many reasons. We do it a lot at my work because we prescribe meds that could maybe damage the liver and we want to be careful.
wonderwink
Always ask questions or say you don't understand. When in doubt tell your nurse, our job is advocating for you. We will help you learn y
mrwthisusernameisavailble
Why did you go in the first place? What was your original complaint? It's totally reasonable to ask what they're ruling out. That said,
mrwthisusernameisavailble
some doctors don't tell you unless you ask directly because too many people Google then panic. So there's that. A good doc is direct IMO.
ApronNoPants
You could ask at the ultrasound appt. There is probably info in the scan order. Act like you already kind of know but don't understand.
ILiketodoThingsandStuff
You deserve to know what may or may not be happening to you. By all means, temper your expectations and she may be shielding you from panic.
ILiketodoThingsandStuff
Don't settle for excuses like 'you may not understand the answer.' They are trained specifically to help their patient understand.
BellsTheorem
Being an American living in America on my company's shitty insurance, I would 100% demand why they are scheduling an ultrasound.
MythIncarnate
I 100% understand that.
klean9
Retired internist here. She probably said some medical mumbo jumbo that she felt was a sufficient explanation. Don’t get it? ASK!
ZoidbergIsGreat
Yup, this ^ it can be hard to gauge what patients understand when they just quietly go through the appointment. Ask questions!
eastend666
I just had one - outcome: fatty liver.
BentwanJameson
Same reason I had to have one.
eastend666
What's the solution in your case, if you don't mind? I'm still waiting for a 2nd round of tests before seeing my gastroenterologist.
BentwanJameson
For me, I essentially cut out all alcohol consumption. Liked to drink a lot, but now maybe 2 beers a month. Next step is lose more weight.
TCGView
They absolutely NEED to tell you. Push. Push. And push some more.
florpglorp
Cancer isnt the worst, my doc ordered a MRI for my migraines but it was a brain tumor, removing it helped the pain but I do stillhave cancer
WhistlePig
My dad was scheduled for surgery to remove/identify a stomach mass last week. Just found out they didn't even run a biopsy on the samp. WTF
PeteyVonWho
As an American, I'm not scheduling any procedures until I know exactly why the doc wants it. Also, my anxiety would be through the roof
tiptoeingthru
Little late but... googled for reasons why the ultrasound was ordered. Sharing for awareness
DoofyPoofy
I had an ultrasound to check for a stone, urologist said later that test is bad for identify stones. Did find a cyst tho.
DoofyPoofy
so now i have to get a ct scan.
ropetopus
You don’t have to demand anything, you can just say “I’m sorry, I’m not understanding, what is this test looking for?” 1/2
ropetopus
Most docs want you to be informed and understand what’s going on and what your risks are. 2/2
SSColonelHansLanda
You should ask her, but ultrasound is usually used to look for stones in the kidneys or gallbladder since she mentioned kidneys and liver.
AspenGrey
Reminds me when I was in the ER for low platelets a d the resident comes in. "You have a platelet count of 0! Now, a few things can cause...
AspenGrey
This. One of them is lupus. I laugh, it's never lupus. He's like, haha? (too young?) it's not. It could be leukemia! So I'm like uhhhh?
AspenGrey
And he says "but we tested for that and it's not!" and then says "Or AIDS can cause this!" and I kinda freak out and he's like "oh but we
AspenGrey
Tested for that too and it's not! " So I'm all," Doc, you REALLY gotta lead with the "not", I have no platelets or red cells and my heart
AspenGrey
Rate just went to 215.
Seventytonsofmettle
She is being considerate. She thinks you may have cancer, but she doesn't want to scare you unless she is 100% certain.
MythIncarnate
Several types of cancer do run in my family, along with a clotting disorder and an otherwise-rare thyroid condition. Wheeeeee possibilities.
bingotown
As someone with a benign cyst on my pancreas and benign cholesterol balls in my gall bladder, I hope your ultrasounds come out just as well.
HaveANiceFace
"turns out it was nothing. That'll be $60k"
MythIncarnate
Thankfully not a risk for my Canadian ass.
HaveANiceFace
That is fortunate. Glad you have a Canadian ass
MythIncarnate
It's temperamental and fat, but I really am grateful for it. xD
doubleRapscallion
@OP my doctor did this to me. It was more about ruling out unlikely, but possible heath issues, than trying to find something specific.
nevergoingtogiveyouupnevergoingtoletyoudown
I'd had that. I'd rather a doctor tell me what they suspect might be wrong and want to check to be sure it is or is not that.
RobinCaged
looking more than once is better than scheduling a biopsy after the first ultrasound... so you have that going for you, which is nice.
MythIncarnate
Iif it comes to a biopsy then I'll be straight up demanding a full explanation. But until then... Ultrasounds aren't that invasive.
layinginbedfeelinglikeaquesarito
And also, for the love of all that is, DO NOT GO ON WEBMD. Don’t do it, every time the result is the same “you are already dead.” Just don’t
Blud4BludGod
WebMD, every time: "OMAE WA MOU SHINDEIRU"
MythIncarnate
NANI?!
MythIncarnate
WebMD? You mean Enslaved Hypochondria? lol
Fairemont
The powerhouse of the cell? Wait... no...
layinginbedfeelinglikeaquesarito
pixelsnader
controlsthepresent
This is bizarre. My doctor covers everything with me, goes in depth on results if I want, potential risks, etc. Why wouldn't they tell you?
Kavrae
Rough guess? Prevent the patient from panicking until they get the test to know for certain.
trasneoir
Doc thinks OP is going to stress more if they know what the doc wants checked. Could be right, I guess she knows OP better than we do.
trasneoir
I'm not encouraging this kind of behaviour btw. Unless there's compelling reasons to do otherwise, full disclosure is the better practice.
trasneoir
Obviously OP has every right to know, and doc absolutely shouldn't whithhold if asked directly.
Clockworkdancerobot
Generally I urge people to be their own health advocate. ask doctors why. Be involved in your own health.
slandr
Be informed but the average person makes terrible medical decision based on what they think is “research”
Clockworkdancerobot
I am speaking for people to talk with their doctors, have a dialogue. Not just nodding along.
Xedi22
“So (checking in phone) is it okay I take this new Rx with a black box warning about (my condition)?” “Oops”
Girlie1337
Why are you taking this medication? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What body part was scanned in the MRI? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What kind of doctor is he? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
tomatoboy
^this
Goldensands
You need to take charge of your own health to be sure, but that includes trusting the professional. I see no fault with OPs mindset.
Goldensands
That said, having faith in public institutions.. well it’s easy enough for me, but it wouldn’t be if I was American.
BenderBendingRrrrrrodriguez
My PCP scheduled me for a blood test at the cancer center, I was climbing the walls for days. Turns out, it was because they had the closest
BenderBendingRrrrrrodriguez
hematology lab.... and I had anemia. Not great, but also not cancer. Anyway, OP, it's likely something minor.
tomatoboy
Yeah, and oncologists don’t only treat cancer, because many are dual certified in hematology, which terrifies patients when they get…
LuoBaoen
OMG THIS HAPPENED TO ME!
tomatoboy
…sent to X Oncology or Y Cancer Associates for their hematology appointment for anemia or a clotting disorder.
ShanOfGreenGables
That happened to me. Man, I was concerned…
BenderBendingRrrrrrodriguez
Well, I was definitely not aware at the time, lol
incendras
The doc could say "but not for cancer lol!" . Cripes.
MythIncarnate
Not sure if that is better or worse than hearing a loud bang and "Ooops!" before a surgery.
tomatoboy
Never hesitate to demand information about why a test or procedure is ordered, that’s part of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent
edgareplekjekk
Demanding the information would be of no benefit to op. Just think about what benefit there is of knowing that the doctor wants to eliminate
edgareplekjekk
the possibility of a beginning tumor. OP would possibly loose sleep and be filled with anxiety over the weekend for this. To no benefit.
KawaiiInari
They could also lose sleep over the unknown, and worry for no reason.
edgareplekjekk
Sure, they could.
tomatoboy
And unfortunately, my experience is that when a patient doesn’t have to worry about cost, *some* doctors don’t always feel obligated…
tomatoboy
…to justify the medical necessity of a test to the patient. In which case, the patient should feel free to ask.
tomatoboy
(We see the same thing with doctors in the US when patients have good insurance, don’t read that as an indictment of single payer, it’s not)
Clockworkdancerobot
It's going to depend on the doctor and what group they're part of. A relative was always pressured to get through patients fast.
tomatoboy
Oh absolutely, some places really hammer patients through. And some also pressure doctors to err on the side of ordering extra tests when…
MythIncarnate
My desire to be informed is at odds with the nearly pathological need to not talk to anyone face to face due to social anxiety.
KawaiiInari
I suffer the same, but always feel better if I know the exacts. If you're that anxious, please do yourself a favor and find out.
Spidermonkey969696
I write a list of the things I want to talk about before my appointment and then just hand it to my doctor. It helps for when my panic brain
Spidermonkey969696
forgets everything I wanted to talk about. And it stops the doctor from spending the whole appt on just 1 item, they know there's more.
Beefkins
I love that our hospital has MyChart, as soon as any results are in you get a notification and can go read them.
FloodingWaters
You cannot assume you actually even need the test. Don't treat your doctor any different than your mechanic. Both can drive up their profits
FloodingWaters
by taking advantage of people that don't know better and won't ask questions.
tomatoboy
Oh same. Does your doctor have an email/online portal option for messaging?
TheWayThatIsKownIsNotTheWay
yeah my doctor thought i was quiet till they rolled out the patient doctor messaging app now he thinks im a hypochondriac ?
tomatoboy
I communicate with my doctor almost exclusively through their online portal thingie between appointments.
tomatoboy
That doesn’t bother me nearly as much
MythIncarnate
Sadly not. It's all phone or in person, despite the fact they asked for an email address when I first got set up with them.
oznobz
Pin a note to your shirt. Then the doctor asks about the note. And then you hand the note over. Doing this nearly saved my life.