Oc health/Atos appoinment

[lolabolla]

Hi everyone,

I asked my manager to refer me to our occupational health dept. My company uses the dreaded Atos for referals. I had my appointment on Wednesday morning which lasted for 2 1/2 hours, my lovely son who is home from uni accompanied me too.
Well the doctor was a lovely lady but.............even though my doctors/neurologist have diagnosed CFS/Fibrommyalgia and I have a referal to a clinic in Sheffield, she is of the oponion that I have hyperventilation syndrome!!!!
Initialy, my first telephone appointment with her went along the same lines. She decided by asking me a few questions over the phone that it was hyperventilation syndrome and not CFS or Fibro. During my appointment with her she used her laptop and an application on it to ask me questions which she said all pointed to this diagnosis.
Apparently I will be cured in 12 weeks simply by buying a book which she has recommended and following the therapies in the book.
She will be writing to my employer and advising them of the prognosis and the help and guidence which they should offer me in the time being.

I had a parathyroid removed in September 2010 which was diseased. Hyperparathyroidism symptoms are much like Fibro, pain, fog, ibs etc., I was told after the surgery that everything would get back to normal within a couple of months, it's 12 months down the line and I still have the same symptoms, only worse now. It seems to be pretty obvious that I must have had CFS/Fibro all along, but this Atos Dr reckons it's this hyperventilation thingy.

Any thoughts anyone? I have the feeling this Doctor has her own agenda!

[meyer12]

I cant belive she has said that! For 1 she is going against a Neurologists diagnosis..somone who will be considerably more qualified than herself, and shes going against GPs and anyone else who has said its fibro/cfs. I would go to the GP and tell them what the outcome of this medical was because they may be able to issue you with some kind of statement pointing out your true diagnosis. I personally dont trust atos one inch. Are you sure the woman you saw was infact a doctor? Makes me mad! lol.
If you dont choose to argue her report, i suppose it will be obvious that she was wrong when you are still suffering symptoms in 12 weeks hahaha! your company will have to pay for another medical.
Sorry about the rant. Hope someone gives a more helpful reply soon

[lolabolla]

She asked me to hold my breath and told me that if I couldn't last longer than 30 seconds it is diffinately hyper thingy, I only managed 17 seconds. She said that because I take smaller breaths this leads to her diagnosis. She also asked me to see my GP with her findings.

[lolabolla]

Forgot to mention, she was a specialist NURSE apparently.

[*Lisa*]

OMG!!

Right , you have to contact your GP/consultant of this!... she is a *nurse* not a consultant and CANNOT go against a consultants/GP diagnoses let alone by looking symptoms up on net

Also i would go higher and contact this nurses manager asking if she has the authority to change your diagnoses (think not!) and complain!!

[denys]

Agree with the others she isnt qualified to make such a diagnosis, Asthmatics cant hold their breath for longer than 30 seconds does that mean they have been wrongly diagnosed too?????????????????????

[lolabolla]

I have just phoned Atos to check on who saw me on Wednesday. They told me that I have recieved the 'Bespoke Service' which was tailor made for me (I feel so special) NOT.... I also enquired as to how qualified was this person to change my diagnosis and whas told that she is an occupational therapist, do they usual diagnose?

[denys]

NO they dont thats even worse than a nurse specialist

[*Lisa*]

[*Lisa*]

[*Lisa*]

Occupational therapists aim to help people who face everyday challenges due to mental, physical or social disabilities. They help these people to engage in purposeful activities or occupations to promote, regain or maintain health and well-being. They work with children and adults of all ages, whose difficulties have been present since birth, or the result of an accident, illness, ageing or lifestyle.

Occupational therapists devise treatment programmes to increase their clients’ ability to carry out activities or occupations independently, and with more confidence. Treatment programmes vary greatly according to individual needs and may involve environmental modifications or special equipment. Occupational therapists review treatment periodically, evaluate progress and modify the treatment as appropriate.


hope this helps

[lolabolla]

You guys make me giggle I've just recieved a letter today (see my other post) stating I will be having a home examination. I applied for DLA ages ago and guess what? that will be with Atos too, bet it's not the 'Bespoke Service' provided by my employer and Atos. I can't wait to compare the two reports when I receive them.
I've just phoned the Help line to ask when the visit will be as I am still working (struggling to work). They said they will call me back within the hou................heah yawn

[tonydin]

from wikipedia
Many people with panic disorder or agorophobia will experience HVS. However, most people with HVS do not have these disorders.[1]

[edit] DiagnosisHyperventilation syndrome is a remarkably common cause of dizziness complaints. About 25% of patients who complain about dizziness are diagnosed with HVS.[4] The gold-standard diagnostic technique is to have the patient breathe rapidly for two minutes. This will trigger the symptoms and convince the patient that overbreathing is responsible for the symptoms. This test can only be performed at a time when the patient is not already experiencing symptoms.

[edit]

THIS is a ridicualas situation did she perform the dx technique above , shallow breathing i belive is part of fibro the above mentions no syptoms of pian so i take it your pian free and just suffering from dizzyness.

she was being piad by your company and was told to give a answer that is good for them , see youir gp and get it sorted out its a load of rubbish in my opinion
good luck
tony

[lolabolla]

Thanks for your reply tony.

I told her my arms, back, hips and right leg, shoulders, arms and hands have continual pain, more so when resting. Numbness and tingling pins and needles in hands, etc Not sleeping, usually awake every hour at least. Everything I told her about ie, IBS, muscle twitches, memeory fog/loss, spasms, dropping things, clumsyness.......oh the list is endless. Told her I have to wear my nickers inside out because the seams hurt me, wearing my bra hurts me, my clothes make my skin sore and also light and chemical sensitivity.
She put everything down to hyperventilation syndtome. As I mentioned earlier, she had already said on a telephone 'meeting' with me she thought that that was what was wrong with me because all my symptons say so!!! and she kept going on about this ' Dinah Bradley ' and to read her books on self help
I feel such a fool because I was almost believing what she said, she was so nice, so understanding and sympathetic.
The only test she did was asking me to hold my breath, which I managed for 17 seconds.

[Ldyalb]

Oh. Em. Gee.

Definitely speak to your GP - has your employer already asked your GP for a medical report on you? My old company asked for my medical history from my GP (I insisted he only spoke about the Fibro and relevant stuff, he initially included a letter from my Rheumy which delved in to childhood medical problems and listed every condition I'd been tested for in my life and found to not suffer from, as work already openly called me a 'hypochondriac' I felt this would make the situation worse'). Their policy was only to send people for a private medical if they felt the GP's medical was inaccurate or failed to give enough information. Do you know if this is the same with your employer? I'd double check the policy with HR, if you work for a decent-sized company they should have an intranet page with all policies available for you to view.

Even if your employer hasn't I would ask your GP to write to them, stating categorically that you have Fibromyalgia/CFS and DO NOT have this hyperventilation thing. I'd also ask him to remind them he is significantly better qualified to assess your medical condition than an Occupational Therapist, and that this is also the case with your Neurologist.

It seems highly convenient that a non-qualified medical 'professional' paid by your employer to assess how ill you are has decided you don't have the serious medical problem GPs and Consultants have diagnosed you with, and that you will, in fact be cured in 12 weeks if you read a 'self-help' book

I smell a MASSIVE rat.