This is the correct amount of effort for a thread like this.

Test one thing at a time. It feels slower and it is the only way to learn anything.

You are not imagining it and you are not being difficult. Document it and take the document in.

An inconclusive account is useful if it stops the next person mistaking a story for a controlled comparison.

Written confirmation email after every phone call. Cheapest insurance there is.

This is the correct amount of effort for a thread like this.

Ask for the longer appointment slot. Ten minutes is not enough for a complex history and pretending otherwise wastes both your time.

Bring a list. Embarrassment makes everyone forget things, including you.

Bring a list. Embarrassment makes everyone forget things, including you. Same for me with hydrocodone, unfortunately.

You are not imagining it and you are not being difficult. Document it and take the document in. How long have you been on lidocaine patch?

Is a baseline blood test really necessary before starting something like this?