Im a little mad

[Lisa]

And really I shouldnt be, but I dont like people in my business. So last I was in the hospital for a video EEG. My mom sees my neruo for her ms. They : including his nurse have a good ole chat about me. How my neurologist doesnt think I should live on my own, and how he cant believe I have kept a job w/ all my deficits. So my mom is freaked because I just bought a house, and she thinks I will lose it. Nothing has changed except she has heard the things I choose not to tell her. Then today my neuros office called and said my mom had told him I was still driving and he absolutley doesnt want me to drive. And to top it off my mom has been talking to everyone about my epilepsy, and seizures, and brain damage. I dont think its anyone business. What ever happened to hippa? This is the first time my neurologist has ever made a point about the driving.

[Bernard]

Depending upon how strongly you feel about this, you should talk to the doctor or a lawyer about the Hippa violation to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[Meetz1064]

stepped over the line, unless you had asked him to.

Unless something GOES WRONG, and the emergency contact needs to be notified (and I assume this is your mother) then and only then is your doctor supposed to say anything TO THAT PERSON. But NOT to the extent that he did.

You need to inform him how upset you are. Then, I would look for another neurologist. Obviously he can't be trusted. And, I'd pick up a phone, and ask a lawyer what to do, too.

As for your mother....that is a toughie. You WILL have to sit her down at some point in time, and make it known to her that you ARE doing all right--for now. That if you NEED help, YOU will ask for it. But until then, YOUR problems are YOUR business, NOT the rest of the town's. You DO realize and appreciate her concern, but the neurologist was OUT OF LINE. So was the nurse for that matter.

Until you change neuros, and talk to a lawyer, do stop driving, otherwise, he may force your hand, and revoke your license...he DOES have that power unfortunately. However, you do have a pretty strong case against him.

Do pay a visit to the EFA site for legal advice........http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org. Hopefully that should be of some help.....

[alivenwell]

It sounds like your mom is a source of stress. Is there another neurologist and public transportation available to him/her as well as your employment? Would a coworker give you a ride to work?

My mom used to tell all my teachers about epilepsy. The day after parent/teacher conferences felt kind of weird.

My son had to provide written consent for me to see his medical records.

[Ann T.]

And really I shouldnt be, but I dont like people in my business. So last I was in the hospital for a veeg. My mom sees my neruo for her ms. They : including his nurse have a good ole chat about me. How my neuro doesnt think I should live on my own, and how he cant believe I have kept a job w/ all my deficits. So my mom is freaked because I just bought a house, and she thinks I will lose it. Nothing has changed except she has heard the things I choose not to tell her. Then today my neuros office called and said my mom had told him I was still driving and he absolutley doesnt want me to drive. And to top it off my mom has been talking to everyone about my epilepsy, and seizures, and brain damage. I dont think its anyone business. What ever happened to hippa? This is the first time my neuro has ever made a point about the driving.

Lisa,
Hello. I can understand your anger. She's not respecting your rights. Does HIPPA apply to family members? Since you see the same neurologist, I wonder if it might be easier for your mom to schedule her appts on different days from your appts? Better yet, maybe find separate neuros? ~Ann T.

[Lisa]

I really like my neurologist, and maybe he saw no harm since she is my mom. He has no idea my mom is crazy, and loves to tell people (family and friends) how bad off I am. But thats the thing I have ropugh patches, but im doing OK. I do know all the reasons not to drive, but in reality I have to drive. To get to work, and to the store. There is a bus but there is a 4 mile hike, and mutiple tranfers, and I keep getting lost. I just dont like being talked about!

[MichelleMC]

I really like my neuro, and maybe he saw no harm since she is my mom. He has no idea my mom is crazy, and loves to tell people (family and friends) how bad off I am. But thats the thing I have ropugh patches, but im doing OK. I do know all the reasons not to drive, but in reality I have to drive. To get to work, and to the store. There is a bus but there is a 4 mile hike, and mutiple tranfers, and I keep getting lost. I just dont like being talked about!

Lisa,
I can see why you are upset. Your neurologist doesn't know your mother like you do, so he needs to follow the HIPPA laws. I just had to sign a release paper for our primary physician to talk to my husband about any concerns. My husband has yet to sign a release paper. It's harder for him to get over to the office. Anyway, when I went to my primary care doctor a little bit ago, he was asking me about my husband, and I was uncomfortable because I didn't know for sure if he should be talking to me about that. Then when I signed my paper I asked if my husband had and they looked and he hadn't. I just don't understand some doctors. Don't they realize they can get in big trouble. I'm sorry Lisa about your mother being a source of stress. I would hate to know that someone is talking about my condition to people.

[RobinN]

My son fell off of a 40 ft cliff and the hospital was not allowed to call his parents without his permission. Your doctor broke a law... sad to say, but this is why the cost of care is so high. Insurance and malpractice...

[Lisa]

OK now Im angry. My neuros office called today and the assistant was asking me how I was. I knew her ever since I used to fix machines for the hospital. Anyway she said well I gues we wil see you oct 27. I said uh I dont think so I thought it was like the 30 or 31, she said no. OK i forget and mess things up all the time. So I happen to be talking to my mom and said my appt was earlier than I thought, and she said Oh I changed it dr wants me to come to your appts. NO NO NO abso lutley not. I am having a little talk w/ him I know she is my mom and we have a great relationship, but she has toooo much time on her hands and loves to yack to everyone. I wouldnt be suprised if the mailman knew.

[jgbmartin]

Your mom sounds like mine....which is why she is one of the people I have decided not to tell about my seizures!

[Nancy]

Oh (((Lisa))) what a big mess you're facing. Your mom sounds like she has taken over with your neurologist's permission and encouragement.
It IS against the law but ..........

[skillefer]

Welll, unless your mom has legal paperwork like a conservatorship, she isn't supposed to have any access to your neurologist or anyone else that might have confidential information like that. If I were you, I would go into my neurologist's office and remind him about patient confidentiality. And the fact that it has been breached in your case. If you really wanted to, you could sue his socks off. Or, you could just tell everyone in his waiting room that he loves to talk about his patients to other people. That should send them looking for another neurologist. Patient confidentiality is confidential. He had no right to tell your mom your medical info without your permission or with you there. Of course, your mom freaking out isn't exactly helping....so I'd also point out to him that thanks to him, you now have more stress in your life because your mom is now freaking out and that it's straining your relationship. What he did was against the law. Also, sit your mom down and calmly tell her that you are a private person and that you really don't appreciate her discussing your medical condition with other people. Also, tell her that the reason you haven't told her everything that the doctor has said in the past is because you were afraid that she would react the way she did. Instead of coming to you and trying to calmly discuss what the doctor said, she freaked out and started talking to other people about your medical condition.