Why Do My Symptoms Go Away Once I Arrive At My Doctor's Office?

Maybe you’ve had a horrible week, but by the time your therapy session rolls around, you feel fine. Or maybe you’ve been feeling sick at home, but once you walk into your doctor’s office, all those symptoms disappear.

Going to see a health care provider while you’re not actually experiencing otherwise bothersome symptoms can be challenging. What if your doctor doesn’t believe you? What if they can’t adequately treat you?

These concerns can be even bigger for people with long-term health conditions.

“Unfortunately, many individuals with chronic illnesses may feel the need to amplify their symptoms to ensure they are taken seriously by health care providers, a phenomenon often driven by the fear of being dismissed or gaslit,” said Matt Glowiak, a clinical faculty member at Southern New Hampshire University’s mental health counseling program.

He’s heard numerous stories in which patients are misdiagnosed or dismissed because their provider can’t discover the root cause of their problem.

“This vicious cycle continually negatively impacts the mind-body-spirit pathway, worsening all aspects of health,” he added.

These situations can leave us with a host of feelings, from confusion to irritation to worry. Why does this happen? Should you just cancel the appointment? Here’s what could be going on:

Symptoms naturally fluctuate.

The fact you happen to feel better at the doctor’s office could be a coincidence. “In some moments, symptoms may present as quite severe, while in others, they are seemingly dormant or non-existent,” Glowiak said. “This is completely normal.”

Thankfully, health care providers do (or should) understand this. “Symptoms may come and go, and we can’t expect them to commence on command just because we are