Tips on how to deal with family doctor who doesn’t know anything about ME/CFS
After developing POTS, I had a few bad crashes, and I had to go on medical leave, and mostly bedbound. My family doctor prescribed propranolol (for anxiety), but it disrupts my sleep, so I asked if she would prescribe Metoprolol ER so I don’t get an adrenaline rebound in the middle of the night, and it lowers HR, she said no, because she didn’t believe I have POTS. I said I have Visible, a continuous HR monitor, she said, I would advise against that. And she questioned why I don’t go out all the time. I said because I am trying to pace, and have OI is makes it extremely difficult. The whole interaction made me realize that she doesn’t know anything about ME/CFS, and she asked me to visit her in person to really see that my HR goes through the roof when I stand up. I am really nervous about that visit, because if she doesn’t understand pacing, she’s not going to help me, because then an elevated HR is no problem at all. If I were a doctor, and my patient had an illness I did’t know much about, I would try to learn about it.
I am scared about the appointment, and I would appreciate any advice.