What's Wrong with Me? The Frustrated Patient's Guide to Getting an Accurate Diagnosis

Terms of Use......Page 3
Want to learn more?......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
Acknowledgments......Page 7
Introduction......Page 9
Authors\' Note......Page 13
Part 1 Becoming Your Own Medical Detective......Page 15
1 The Diagnosis Dilemma......Page 17
The Critical Proportions of the Diagnosis Dilemma......Page 18
Why Doctors Can\'t Always Make the Correct Diagnosis......Page 20
What\'s the Answer?......Page 21
Factors That Can Affect the Diagnostic Process......Page 22
Reasons for Hope in the Midst of the Diagnostic Dilemma......Page 32
2 All About Mystery Maladies: A New Mind-Set......Page 35
How Do You Get a Mystery Malady?......Page 36
Diagnosing Your Own Mystery Malady......Page 40
Keeping an Open Mind......Page 42
Becoming Your Own Medical Detective......Page 45
3 The Eight Steps to Self-Diagnosis......Page 49
Tips for Doing the Eight Steps......Page 50
Step One: Record the Exact Nature of Your Symptoms......Page 51
Step Two: Think About the History of Your Mystery Malady......Page 54
Step Three: What Makes Your Symptoms Better (or Worse)?......Page 55
Step Four: Do a Family Medical History and Determine If You Have or Had Any Blood Relatives with a Similar Problem......Page 56
Step Five: Search for Other Past or Present Mental or Physical Problems......Page 57
Step Six: Categorize Your Current (and Prior) Significant Medical Problems by Etiology......Page 59
Step Seven: Investigate Your Lifestyle and Belief System......Page 66
Step Eight: Take Your Notebook to Your Physician and Get a Complete Physical Exam......Page 69
4 Creating a Proactive Partnership with Your Physician......Page 71
Unique Needs of the Mystery Malady Patient......Page 72
How Do You Find Such a Physician?......Page 74
Your Role in Creating a Proactive and Productive Relationship......Page 81
5 Medical Detective Work on the Internet......Page 87
Before You Start......Page 88
Just Like the Public Library......Page 90
Second Opinions......Page 91
Nine Questions to Ask Yourself When Doing Internet Detective Work......Page 93
Possible Pitfalls in Internet Detective Work......Page 97
Conclusion......Page 100
Part 2 Diagnosing Your Mystery Malady......Page 101
6 Are You Tired and Aching All Over?......Page 103
Case Study: Ellen......Page 104
The Importance of Sleep......Page 113
Conclusion......Page 114
7 Is Something You\'re Ingesting Making You Sick?......Page 117
Case Study: Dr. Pitman......Page 119
Case Study: Rosalind......Page 124
Conclusion......Page 126
Lynn\'s Story......Page 129
More on Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Vulvodynia......Page 141
Conclusion......Page 142
9 Is Your Weight Problem Really Diet-Related?......Page 145
Case Study: Ruth......Page 146
Case Study: Pedro......Page 154
Case Study: Lincoln......Page 158
Conclusion......Page 160
Case Study: Maria......Page 163
Case Study: Leonard......Page 171
Conclusion......Page 175
11 Do You Have Unexplained Back, Neck, or Joint Pain?......Page 177
Case Study: Brad......Page 178
Case Study: Anna......Page 183
Case Study: Marjory......Page 185
Exploring Other Causes of Unexplained Pain......Page 186
Conclusion......Page 187
12 Could Your Symptoms Be All (or Partly) in Your Mind?......Page 189
Case Study: Gordon......Page 190
Conclusion......Page 198
Case Study: Jessica......Page 201
Case Study: David......Page 208
Case Study: Lourdes......Page 210
Case Study: Justin......Page 212
Conclusion......Page 214
Part 3 Living With Your Mystery Malady......Page 217
How Pain Works......Page 219
How to Live Well Despite Your Pain......Page 222
15 Understanding Your Feelings About Being Sick......Page 231
Know That Your Feelings Are Normal......Page 232
Acknowledge and Accept Your Illness......Page 233
Finding and Maintaining Hope......Page 234
Recognizing Self-Destructive Attitudes and What to Do About Them......Page 235
Constructing Positive Attitudes......Page 239
16 Finding Health in Mind and Spirit......Page 245
The Meaning in Illness......Page 246
Courage First......Page 248
Finding Meaning and Purpose Through the Three Gs......Page 249
Case Study: Dr. Rosenbaum......Page 252
Final Thoughts......Page 263
Tips for Doing the Eight Steps......Page 265
Step One: Record the Exact Nature of Your Symptoms......Page 266
Step Five: Search for Other Past or Present Mental or Physical Problems......Page 267
Step Seven: Investigate Your Lifestyle and Belief System......Page 268
Step Eight: Take Your Notebook to Your Physician and Get a Complete Physical Exam......Page 269
Appendix B: Useful Websites......Page 271
Notes......Page 277
Index......Page 283