G'day Ryota, What a blow to find a doctor with that attitude!!! Unfortunately, many of them feel that way although they might not say so. It is ignorance on their part. They believe they know about TM but don't really have a clue.
It is up to us to take charge of our own health and to choose our doctors wisely. I know it's a pain but keep looking for a doctor you at least have a decent rapport with and who is willing to learn from you. I'm not sure how long ago you had your tm attack so it's hard to judge what progress you might have made, if any. I have no medical background but am a tm veteran of 10 years +, I have belonged to this list for most of that time but rarely post these days as I find it difficult to help new members now. I don't need to because the group is still strong and so many people step in. I don't know how helpful this is but once I got used to the idea that this would be my life from now and it wasn't going to kill me (probably) I just settled down and worked with and around it rather than fight it. You will feel so many different "little" things and eventually one would hope you will be able to just shrug and say "there's a new tm thing". Sorry to go on so much, there is just so much information and all of it different for each of us while being similar. Feel free to email me if you would like some more of my ramblings :) I'm also on Facebook, where I am Gillian McMorrine Clark Gilly from Australia tm 21st August 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: Ryota Nishino To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2011 7:03 PM Subject: [TMIC] How to 'educate' medical professionals about TM and a few related questions Hi there, The last few emails from Janet et al seem to suggest the importance of educating your main doctor. They may be idiots to some. But they have the power to give you the meds you need. When I developed TM in New Zealand, I had good doctors there. Coming to Fiji (got a new job) I recently went to the one the locals recommended as the best-in-town. I saw this doctor to seek advice on a few matters. a) sleep disorder due to suspected flashback of Christchurch earthquake and b) my legs are feeling weaker. I was hoping to get a referral to specialists at the hospital. The doctor knew TM but he said it would heal on its own accord, and told me that I was becoming too sensitive and drawing my own attention inwards. He suggested I cultivate in social life and I was hypochondriac. He might have a point. But I am not sure if he can be the judge of my personality. I kind of shrugged his comment off, but deep inside I was bleeding and angry. Yes, changing to another doctor is an option. But it's useful to have someone remind me of my character flaws; illness can have a didactic aspect. But surely there would be doctors who can put the same point across in harmless ways. So here my questions to fellow TM fighters: 1) How best can one educate your doctor about TM? 2) Is TM a more of a mind-over-matter illness? 3) Has TM changed your personality, self-esteem and social life? Awaiting your responses, Cheers, Ryota
