what to expect from specialist and the emotional side
hi, some of you may remember my post "crohns disease, colon cancer or something else?" (i was experiencing blood in the stool and a few other symptoms). well tomorrow i have an appointment with a specialist i was referred to and i was just wondering what sort of things they will do? will they do a blood test, anything invasive? i havent experienced any bleeding since going to the dr however, so is it still important i follow through?
i was also hoping some of you could help with the emotional side of all this, parents especially. it has been almost a month since i first saw a dr about it and still havent been able to tell my parents (i am a very independent 17 year old but im 17 all the same). i just dont feel comfortable discussing personal issues with them and im afraid my mother will get extremely upset as she lost her brother to a digestive disease and her father is headed the same way. i have only told 2 of my closest friends that i am ill and im just not getting the support i need. honestly i am scared ****less about going to the specialist tomorrow, how do you all get the courage to walk though that door?
thanx all,
too many questions
sorry just wanted to ask something else although this probably needs to go on another board, i have recent mark on my wrist that was unfortunately self inflicted, is it likely that i will be questioned about this?
thanks again
Last edited by toomanyquestons; 06-21-2006 at 01:41 AM.
Reason: another question
Re: what to expect from specialist and the emotional side
Normally a specialist will talk to you about what you have experienced - more than likely they won't do anything right then besides blood work possibly. He/she will talk to you about possible test they might want to run and what they consist of. I wouldn't really worry too much about it.
Why did you cut yourself? Because you are worried about your health? If you feel like doing that again please get help - everything will be fine.
Re: what to expect from specialist and the emotional side
hi, thanks for the reply, thats put things into perspective a bit more then.i cut myself because i was in a bad state of mind. it was not purely because i was worried about my health but it was a contributing factor, it is not the first time either. i have this thing about blowing things greatly out of perspective! it will probably end up being nothing to dramatic in the end anyway, i hope!
Re: what to expect from specialist and the emotional side
Hi ! a felxible sigmoidoscopy is where they insert a camera into the rectum, with you under sedation, and follow up through the bowel, taking tiny pieces for biopsy and generally having a look round. It's NOTHING to worry about, honestly. It's very similar to a colonoscopy and the worse thing about that was the inferred "indignity".
Its a diagnostic procedure and just because they might do biopsies doesn't mean that they think it could be something sinister - more often than not, it's done to rule it out. The bleeding could be something as minor as a small internal blood vessel rupturing, which they can do!
There should not even be the slightest discomfort let alone pain.
It must be a very worrying time for you but the best way to fight your fear is to get as much information from your Dr as possible - at least that way you're brain won't be in overdrive wondering " what if it's this - or that ".
Is there another family member, perhaps an aunt, or a college tutor you can confide in?
Short of that, keep posting on here and I'm sure that even if we can't offer medical advice or knowledge we can be supportive in other ways such as understanding your fear and reassuring you.
My very best wishes !!
Quote:
Originally Posted by toomanyquestons
well i saw the specialist today and she couldnt tell what it is and i now have to schedule a sigmoidoscopy (sp?)
Re: what to expect from specialist and the emotional side
thankyou very much for the replies, keep them coming they help me to realise this isnt such a big thing!
i have never sought help about cutting myself, i just dont think i could face counselling and as good as my friends are at listening theres nothing they can do anything to help so i just confide in myself, obviously it doesnt work but i just want to deal with finding out wat is making me ill first. its not like i am doing it every day it just seems like i have these days where i get so depressed it isnt funny and everything builds up on me and because i cant cry cutting myself just seems like the only way i can get some form of release. anyway back on topic now
from what i hear the procedure is pretty straight forward and complications are rare which is reassuring but im more worried about what it could be and i guess ill just have to try hard not to think about it till i actually know what it is and can tell if its worth worrying about or not coz i would feel stupid to get myself so down about this and then find out it was like the most minor thing possible lol
how do you tell your close relatives though? i still havent told my parents and i dont know why, i think its just coz i have grown so emotionally distant from them that makes it hard, but what do i say just something like i had to see the dr coz i was sick and she wants to do a test in hospital to find out what it is? or do i owe the more detail?
thanx for reading this take care all
Re: what to expect from specialist and the emotional side
When are you doing for this procedure?
I would try not to think too much into anything until you find out the results - I know thats probably easier said than done but everything will be okay.
Do you have someone to come to the hospital with you or would this be your parents? I would tell your parents exactly like you said, approach them and tell them you were sick and went to the docs and they are wanting to perform a procedure to make sure everything is okay. I'm sure they would want to know and I think its better to tell them before than after. The longer you wait to tell them the harder it's going to be. IMHO
