I saw the dermatologist today, and somewhere between the exam and the small talk, she asked about my antihistamine intake.
This launched me into my usual explanation: I take pretty high doses, based on an understanding between me and my primary care doc that I probably have some kind of mast cell disorder. It’s notoriously hard to test for, and confirming it wouldn’t really change my treatment plan—so we just sort of… treat it.
Her immediate response?
“Oh, COOL!”
And I was right there with her:
“RIGHT?! It’s SO cool!”
But let’s be honest—most patients aren’t like me. If you’re not 100% sure your patient is a fellow health or medical nerd, it’s generally best not to respond to their weird, uncomfortable, or mysterious condition with unfiltered enthusiasm. Unless the condition involves, say, the magical ability to change your eye color at will, a little empathy—or at least a neutral “huh, interesting”—goes a long way.
~Assisted by a very agreeable robot (ChatGPT) who knows how to make awkward medical anecdotes sound cohesive.