Is anybody scared of Doctors?

[Gilly 1086]

I haven't been to see my GP in over a year, I should. I've stressed over my stomach again for weeks, indigestion, heartburn, nausea. Struggling with those 'what if it's C?' thoughts I may just need to alter my gerd meds but my fear of going is holding me back. The fear that it could be something bad, that they might send me for another endoscopy. Talking to joy about my back and neck pain today, I should go to see my doc about that, but again the thought makes me too nervous.

I think I know why, for me going to the doctor means I'm sick, cos of the years of Crohns its so ingrained in me that a visit to the doctor means I'm sick. I just realised how stupid that sounds, of course you're sick if you're seeing a doctor. Or 'think' you're sick. What I mean is for me, it was serious illness, and often another trip to the hospital, and the memories of that are so strong. Am I making sense? I don't have the same problem seeing my gastro at the hospital for check ups, its just my GP. It's not even the same doctors practice so its not the memory of going to the same building.

Am I just scared of the unknown? the what if its something bad? and cos of my history I have memories of being sick turning into something bad? Is anybody else scared to see their doctor?

[kjscrafts 1]

I also have a fear of seeing the doctor, although more so the dentist. I am also afraid of what tests they might refer me to do. I had not been in years, but went to a new GP last October due to toe numbness and a spot on my scalp that had been getting bigger. I ended up refered for a painful nerve test that said everything was normal while I still have the toe pain and numbness that is random and not associated with anything in particular. I also ended up with a dermatologist referral that I thought was just to have the spot looked at, but suddenly turned into them biopsing it right then and there and I almost passed out. It was also painful for almost two months and came back as nothing. I mean it is good it was nothing, but I hate extra pain.

I guess for me it is an aversion to the pain, such as I refuse to go to the dentist because I know they will say I have cavities and last time I had any filled he drilled too far and hit a nerve causing quite a painful experience when the cavities do not bother me at all. However, sometimes I get really bad pain and I should probably get my wisdom teeth removed, but I am afraid of the whole lecture of caring for my teeth when it seems to come down to genetically having bad teeth.

Also, all the lack of actual diagnosis and my experiences with psychologists/psychiatrists just pushing drugs that make me less able to function has led me to mistrust doctors in general. I know it is irrational to generalize so much and actually from the one appointment I did get the impression my new GP is willing to explore all options and flat out said she is not into prescribing meds for anxiety until other options are tried. I still do not like the idea of going even for a check up, though.

[Gilly 1086]

Oh don't mention the dentist lol I used to be petrified of the dentist. I've recently overcome that fear though. I hadn't been for years, through fear and also shame. My teeth were so bad, years or vomitting and reflux had ruined my front teeth, and yes the longer I left it the worse I got. My own fault, but in my defense I was often too sick to be able to even contemplate going to the dentist. My gastro doc bugged me to get them fixed, because I take immunosupperssants and they worried about infection. This of course motivated me to get them seen to. So I got on a waiting list, waited over a year for a dentist and finally got an appt in June of last year. I was petrified of course but I was determined to do it. I told my dentist of my fears and my anxiety and they were absolutely incredible! Talked me through what they were doing, gave me gas to calm my nerves and after several appointments I was done. And now I can smile and not feel ashamed of my teeth

[sphinx 0]

Would it be worth seeing if your doctors surgery could offer something similar? Do they offer phone consultations? If they do I would suggest contacting the practice manager and explaining your fears and why you have these fears and that you would like lots of reassurance and control and get them to set you up a phone consultation first. You can then go over things with the doctor and the doctor can explain everything they might need to do and why and possibly sort out an appointment time where there will be little chance of unnecessary waiting, they might even be able to have something for your anxiety on hand if it got too much.

[Gilly 1086]

I have a phone phobia sphinx, especially when its important. But you're right, I need to explain. I guess there's an element of embarrassment. I always felt when I have gone about symptoms they think I'm wasting their time, probably paranoia.

[panicstricken 4]

I haven't been to the doctor in a few years. I try to avoid the doctors office at all costs. I only go if it's a life threatning ordeal, otherwise I just try to deal with the situation myself. I think this started when I was a kid, I remember going to the doctors office and getting shots. That painful memory has haunted me to this day, and I can't bring myself to step foot in another doctors office.

Eventually, I will end up going to the doctors office because you can only deal with problems on your own for so long. I have a bad feeling he/she will tell me I've come down with something they cannot treat. That would be just my luck that I catch a rare disease. Anytime I go to the doctors office I have a little bit of anxiety, my palms start sweating in the waiting room.

Everyone is staring at you trying to figure out why you're there, it makes me feel so uncomfortable. I can't really bring myself to go on a regular basis like I should, but I might look around for a doctor to get a checkup. I have to face my fears sometime and I think today is the day to do it.

[sphinx 0]

I have a phone phobia sphinx, especially when its important. But you're right, I need to explain. I guess there's an element of embarrassment. I always felt when I have gone about symptoms they think I'm wasting their time, probably paranoia.

ah. that doesnt help does it? How about email - could that be tried - I wouldnt know as I have never run into that issue.

[Gilly 1086]

Good for you panicstricken!!!

[Gilly 1086]

ah. that doesnt help does it? How about email - could that be tried - I wouldnt know as I have never run into that issue.

Hmm im not sure sphinx, but I'm going to just make an appt, panicstricken has inspired me

[sphinx 0]

Thats cool. Like always I wish I had a magic wand to make it all right - or was a film director able to grant perfect experiences . Take little steps and get there one day at a time.

[panicstricken 4]

Hmm im not sure sphinx, but I'm going to just make an appt, panicstricken has inspired me

Thanks Gilly, we all have to be strong and this forum provides us a way to do so. I wish you the best of luck with your appointment, and I know everything will be fine.

[Gilly 1086]

Thank you both and you too panic!

[mrsalphabet 4]

I have a fear of meds, but not of the Dr.s. I always feel better after I talk to the Dr.

She is so patient with me and she puts my fears of health anxiety at ease. She understands my problems and is honest with me, but she also listens. I had a Dr. that brushed me off for so long. I never felt like he listened to me. I felt like he was rolling his eye's the mintue I left the room kwim?

[SEA81 2]

I am so glad you posted this. I am afraid too! I just know she's going to tell me I have everything in the world wrong with me. I think it's made worse over the last two years - my mom has been diagnosed with a couple of not so great diseases, so now I associate the doctor with her being sick.

[Gilly 1086]

I have a fear of meds, but not of the Dr.s. I always feel better after I talk to the Dr.

She is so patient with me and she puts my fears of health anxiety at ease. She understands my problems and is honest with me, but she also listens. I had a Dr. that brushed me off for so long. I never felt like he listened to me. I felt like he was rolling his eye's the mintue I left the room kwim?

I do indeed mrsalphabet!

I am so glad you posted this. I am afraid too! I just know she's going to tell me I have everything in the world wrong with me. I think it's made worse over the last two years - my mom has been diagnosed with a couple of not so great diseases, so now I associate the doctor with her being sick.

That is just what has happened to me too, Mum got sick. Triggered me badly.

[sphinx 0]

So much depends on the skill of the doctor - a good one will listen and make you feel better even if they dont do anything else. I was so lucky to have an excellent GP when I was going though my initial fibro problems - test after test was coming back normal and I was getting uptight about was I imagining things - my GP sent me for more tests and said to me "come back when the results are back even if they are negative because I know something isnt right and I will get to the bottom of it". I hate to think what difference it would have made if I had had a doctor who insisted the results are normal there is nothing wrong with you.

[kinser 3]

I think my husband has a fear of doctors - he never goes unless he's in excruciating pain. He is constantly guessing about what ailments might be brewing in him, so I believe he is especially fearful of bad news. It doesn't help that he is a smoker and a drinker, and he knows that he should be taking better care of himself. It's frustrating, but there's nothing I can do - he's an adult, and I can't force him to go.

My dad would not go to the doctor, and it wasn't until my stepmom noticed some obvious symptoms that she made him an appointment and he finally went. He found out that he had advanced prostate c*****. Prostate c*****, for those who don't know, is one of easier c*****s to treat IF you catch it in an early stage. Well, my dad ignored his symptoms so long that doctors have temporarily treated it, but expect it to return in his body somewhere within the next couple of years.

[shaun 6]

Fearing a visit to the doctor is very common, especially among men. Women are generally more open to seeing their doctor. Men bury their head in the sand and hope the problem will go away. They feel scared and embarrassed about certain health problems.

I wouldn't say I fear my doctor, but I don't enjoy the experience. I only see the doctor if I really have to. It's strange because I didn't mind seeing the doctor when I was a kid, it was less threatening, and the tools used by the doctor seemed cool.

[char2011 1]

I get really scared when I need to go to the doctors because there is always a chance you wil find out some really bad news. I think that it's really bad but sometimes I feel like I'd rather not know if there's something wrong with me as it seems less worrying that way. I think the fact that sometimes it feels like doctors baby you and I really don't like that.

[sphinx 0]

I think for those whose fear is related to something serious being found they should focus on the earlier serious things are caught the easier and more likely they are to be cured.

Take the woman with a lump in their breast or the man with a lump on their testicle - if they go to their doctor the very minute they discover these things there is an excellent chance of making a full recovery. If they are nervous and take a couple of weeks to pluck up the courage they still stand a good chance of recovery – however if they are scared of visiting the doctor, and scared it might be serious, and put it off and off and off the chances are when they finally do get to the doctors it is far, far too late.

So maybe people being who are scared of doctors and scared of it being serious if they try repeating to yourself “if I go now it won’t be serious, if I wait it will.” “Going now stops it being serious” might help.

[arctic 0]

I always postpone visiting the doctor's office. I feel I need some laboratory workout but I feel that if something has been found, its more of going to be asked to stop eating this or that. I have a forward thinking that I can do things like that even without consulting them. Maybe the reason why I have this kind of reluctance is that I fear to be told what the problem really is. I have a feeling that if my condition will be diagnosed, it is going to get worse with my worries.

[char2011 1]

I do get very scared to go to the doctor if I feel there will be something wrong me. I don't know it's just my instant reaction to prefer to not know what's going on but deep down I know I need to go which is what always pushes me to go.

[kingusama92 0]

I used to be scared of visiting the doctor.

There were issues with how my personal experiences were with my doctor. He wasn't the most welcoming men and my parents never switched out from that particular doctor. So, I grew up having the same one.

Recently, I made the change and have my own preferred doctor. The experiences have been much more pleasant and I can say that I am not as scared as I used to be in the past.

[Jen2012 1]

I am terrified of going to the dentist and also going to the doctor. I havent been to see a doctor since July 2011 when I had my gallbladder removed. I dident want to go then and also burst on me. The dentist I just dont like. I just had to get all of the tops removed in Feb of this year. It was horrible. They dident put me to sleep just gave me some meds to relax and stay calm. They also numbed me. About 2 in the moring I woke up with blood every where and I kept passing out. I am anemic. I almost died. :/

[sphinx 0]

The irony is that if we are scared of going in case its something serious so we leave it and it is something serious it then turns into an emergency so our contact with the doctor is distressing and probably painful - which just reinforces the idea that visiting the doctor is unpleasant.

I know some vets have a thing with animals where the animals are taken along when they dont need treatment and are just allowed to explore the room and be fussed and treated so they don't associate the vets with nasty things. My local hospital does the same thing with children needing planned surgery - they get to visit the ward, and play rooms, and theatre, meet the staff, play with some of the instruments etc about a week before so when they actually go in for their operation they feel its familiar and they know people.

I wonder if it would be worth doctors surgeries looking at introducing something similar - say a once a month tea party so patients nervous of doctors can visit on a social basis and have a cup of tea and biscuits with the doctors and get to see them as social human beings - does anyone think that would be useful?