Communicating concerns with doctors

[concernedmom111]

I have a lot of concerns for my 18 yr old daughter (headaches, seizures, cognition, short term memory, gross motor movement etc.) How should I bring up concerns without seeming to be "overbearing" I want to know the most effective way to communicate it all to dr. without having them lead to wrong diagnosis. Is writing it down BEST...or is the order of symptoms important. How do I shorten facts without overwhelming stories?

[concernedmom111]

Thank You for your response and to clarify ...to 'diagnose'...means for neurologists to record or see a seizure for themselves. This is the problem we have. they treated her with Topamax...once she was at a high enough dose. ALL seizures quit...then while on meds (NO seizures) they did 2 EEGs within one week. both normal. There for ,Doctor patted her hands firmly onto my daughters hands pressing them firmly on her lap and 12 inches from her face and eye to eye said..."YOU need to get it through your head...you are NOT having 'seizures' " My daughter was already accepting the idea of them possibly being pseudoseizures...and we started seeing psychologist. She discharged ALL her meds including lifelong meds for headaches/migraines.
Since this time, she has had one BIG headaches and repeated seizure 1-6 daily. She cant be left alone...ever. And she has made several falls...has had seizures on ambulance,(which dosent count for eye witness (diagnosis)etc. Wish has taken us to seeking 2nd opinion with support from primary care physician. I just don't want to overwhelm my frusutration to a new doctor and lead them the wrong direction. Do you believe I should just right facts that are my concern...ALL facts(simple) or simply right words that simply point out symptoms she has? Thank You again. I know its a lot? Have you personally been through this or someone you love? etc?

[ggreg]

If  your daughter has not had her seizures diagnosed, for there are a whole lot of different kinds, then that should be your number one priority to bring up with the doctor.  If she IS already being treated by a medication, then those can cause the short-term memory loss and sleepiness.  Also, if she's still having sezures despite medication, she apparently is not getting enough or needs a diff medicine.

The whole picture is bothersome, just from reading the words you wrote down here, so if you want to be brief, write down those words and hand them to the doctor.  He will ask you some questions, and you can give short answers, unless he asks you to explain further in some manner, and then you can give him an example.  Now, if she IS on medicine for seizures, next to the list of problems she has, you could put out beside seizures....treatment dilaudid, or whatever her medicine is.  If you have any notion as to what you think it is, at the very top put what you think with a question mark, like ...tumor?  I hope that helps to organize your thoughts.  Just put down a list, a title with question mark, and any meds she takes for her various problems, if any.