I decline to answer stupid questions

[Misanthropical]

I went to my family doctor because my feet and calves were twice their normal size and the surgeon said it had nothing to do with my surgery even though it happened days after the surgery.

Anyway, since I go to a teaching hospital I run into students a lot. The student walked in looked over at me and started asking me a shitload of questions that had nothing to do with what I was there for. Mr. Mis and I looked at each other with that "is she serious?" look.

She then asks me if I wear glasses. I always have glasses on unless I'm in the shower or sleeping since I can't see without them and yes, I was wearing them when she walked in. I didn't answer her question since stupid questions give me a headache. She finally looks up and sees on my face....GLASSES! Ugh!

I tried to lighten the mood by asking if she was getting graded on the questions she asks. She looks at me like she just swallowed a bug and says "NO!"

She then walks out and starts talking about me to the head doctor. I walk out and tell them both I am right here, I can hear them and if they have any relevant questions they should ask me.

She still gets the "swallowed a bug" look when she sees me in passing since I refuse to see her if I need an appointment.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

That seems to be the thing to do, now, ask patients asinine questions.

I went to a new dentist (who I still see, they're fine...they've just fallen victim to this dumb trend) who handed me a questionnaire that had increasingly idiotic questions on it. When I got to (and I swear I'm not making this up) "Do you want the best care available or do you just want to get by" I got mad, wrote "Seriously? Is sub par care actually an option in this practice?" And turned it back in. I answered no questions past that one. I was done.

Nobody said a word to me about it. And they stopped insulting my intelligence after that.

[Sparky]

IShe then asks me if I wear glasses. I always have glasses on unless I'm in the shower or sleeping since I can't see without them and yes, I was wearing them when she walked in. I didn't answer her question since stupid questions give me a headache. She finally looks up and sees on my face....GLASSES! Ugh!

One time I came down with a respiratory infection while visiting my inlaws. I would have just toughed it out but since I was five months pregnant, I though it safest to see a doctor. I was not exactly "out to here" but I was wearing maternity clothes. The first thing the doctor asked me was weather I was on birth control pills.

I thought that took some kind of award for failure to observe, but your story beats mine by a mile.

[Sapphire Silk]

We ask more and more screening questions, and most of them are legit questions that help identify risks.

However, medical professionals often feel just as stupid asking them as patients feel insulted being asked.

For example, to ask a patient if they feel safe in their current environment is awkward to ask of someone in the ER having an asthma attack.

But that question . . . really takes the cake.

Nursing students are often quite literal in their approach to things. She probably WAS being graded on asking those questions.

And talking about you behind your back is a risky thing to do. Glad you called them on it.

[Misanthropical]

She wasn't a nursing student, she is a student doctor. None of her questions had anything to do with much. I understand if someone asks me if I feel safe in my own home since I'm sure there are women that don't and wouldn't say anything if not asked.

I don't get why nurses ask me if someone had hurt me in front of the person they would assume had hurt me, even though Mr. Mis wouldn't dream of hurting of me. I have never heard anyone ask him that same question.

[Bardmaiden]

I don't get why nurses ask me if someone had hurt me in front of the person they would assume had hurt me, even though Mr. Mis wouldn't dream of hurting of me. I have never heard anyone ask him that same question.

Which they should as domestic abuse goes both ways

[Dips]

That's something student doctors are expected to do as part of their training.

But you have every right to say no to having a student doctor particpate in your treatment.

Just politely ask him to leave or ask the staff to make a note on your chart to the effect that you don't want medical students asking your questions.

I've done this. It was 2AM and my son had just been admitted after an 8 hour stint in the ER.

Medical student thought that would be a dandy time to practice taking detailed medical history.

The nurses smirked a little when I politely kicked him out of our room. He looked a little butthurt; I could live with that. I considered it part of his medical training.

Not that I refused it all the time. Kyle's cardiologist was always training future pediatricians on how heart murmurs sounded. Hearing a murmur like his in a newborn could save a life so I never said no to having them listen to Kyle's heart as long as Kyle was OK with it. And Kyle enjoyed the attention, especially if the doctor was a pretty female and made a fuss over him.

[LillFilly]

Hmmm, my dentist did pose to me the question of whether or not I wanted full treatment or to just 'get by' but that was after giving me the diagnosis on a few problems, what the trouble-shooting would involve, probable cost and possible consequences.

[Teskeria]

I love answering stupid questions. (I do wear glasses) for example, to the question do you wear glasses I would answer 'brown' (actually in some lights they are purplish brown). when they look up confused, I look all innocent and say 'I know you looked at me when you entered, so unless you are blind, you saw the glasses, so I figured you are colorblind and wanted to know the color.'
I also love when I can see the big notice of ALLERGIC TO and they ask if I am allergic to anything. I answer 'lots'. Then when they ask what, I ask them if they forgot how to read and helpfully point out the nice list. (Note: If they ask If I am allergic to anything besides a, b, c on the list, I answer properly. I ensure that list is correct everytime I talk to my doctor, as I once had something disappear from it.)

[Misanthropical]

Teskeria I have an allergy listed on my chart to something I'm not allergic to and I tried to point it out, but it keeps ending up back on my chart. Mr. Mis is allergic to that medication, so maybe someone put it on my chart by mistake and now someone thinks when it's removed it was removed in error and put it right back on my chart.

I had a doctor ask if I was allergic to that medication and I told him "I hope not, since I have been taking it for over a month now" Last time I was there, guess what was listed as a medication I am allergic to? UGH!

I found out a few years ago I was allergic to a different medication when I started having uncontrollable muscle spasms and twitching. Do you know how hard it is to sign a consent to treat form when your arm spasms away from the paper you are trying to sign so something that should only takes a few seconds takes minutes? The doctor told me he never heard of anyone having that reaction to the medication I had taken. Guess what is listed as a possible side effect to that medication now?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

It really irritates me that most of them act like your chart is full of kryptonite and rat poison.

Why do they even keep a chart? They never seem to want to look inside it.

[Teskeria]

Misanthropical - excellent points, but if the list is large enough for me to read it, with my bad eyesight, from 5' away, at least they could pretend to do so. of course I admit to being a 'female dog' sometimes.

[Seshat]

Whenever I'm getting an antibiotic, I always 'remind' the doctor I'm allergic to penicillin. I do this even with my wonderful, amazing, trustworthy, fantastic GP (general practitioner. Family doctor. Primary care provider. whatever).

Why? Because antibiotics in the penicillin family are the antibiotic of choice. First-choice, first-line antibiotic, and it's almost automatic for doctors to prescribe a penicillin derivative when they're prescribing a basic, broad-spectrum antibiotic.

The thought process seems to be 'broad spectrum antibiotic -> penicillin derivative' without going past 'is patient allergic?'

So far, I've never had a doctor be annoyed by that. Scott (wonderful-doc) tends to say 'oh yes, thanks' and double-check what he was doing.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Sometimes people wear glasses as jewelery or accessories.
However, that thing winding back on the OP's chart again and again is a bit much. And there are people out there stupid enough to go back on birth control when they are pregnant (ie know they are and can see that they are). Vanishingly few, but still.

[Teefies2]

Me: in the labor & delivery room, having been admitted there by my doc, clearly in labor (i.e. moaning screaming etc.), not to mention out to HERE fat in my stomach area, but no where else.
Nurse: Any chance you're pregnant?


HUH? Ya think?