Do you ever feel that you have to "fight" to be heard by your doctor?
Advocacy can sound like a public act, but sometimes it's as personal as fighting to be heard and taken seriously at your doctor appointments. Does anyone else fight to be heard with healthcare professionals?
Absolutely. So many people in this community have experienced the struggle to be heard and taken seriously by healthcare professionals.
We even have several articles about that, like these two: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/good-doctor-please, https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/dismissive-doctors, and many forum discussions.
I have personally never found a doctor who takes my IBS seriously, so I just try to find solutions myself.
Have you been able to find a healthcare professional who actually listens?
Karina (team member)Absolutely....."it's just a disorder not a disease" If I hear that one more time I think I may come unglued.
I'm so sorry. 🙁 Have you found any doctor who doesn't dismiss you like that? Karina (team member)
I haven't had that experience because I was diagnosed by a gastroenterologist, and I don't bring it up to my primary care doc. After I was diagnosed, I have treated myself all these years. If I did bring it up to my primary, I know he wouldn't dismiss it, he's not like that. So I guess I'm lucky. I'm so sorry you and have been shut down by healthcare pros. What happened to 'do no harm?' Dismissing a patient's symptoms can do just as much damage as the 'the disorder.' Ugh! Hugs, Kim Kim, Seen a specialist I never seen before in same clinic. Went in to talk about my gallbladder that is functioning at 1%. And to see if that has anything to do with my IBS C. He never spoke to me he talked softly to his medical asst. To where I could not hear what he was saying and pointing to the test results from a ultrasound of the gallbladder and the Nuclear Scan. He said the surgeon will explain it all to me. At that time I thought if he is that kind of Dr that it was probably best he did not discuss the results with me. Cause he did not care enough to talk to me. Surgeon was no help other than I do not need gallbladder removal. I go see PA in same clinic I like her real well. To let her know about that Dr. And see what she can tell me about the tests. That’s the first experience I have ran into with a Gastroenterologist.
I'm so sorry you had such a terrible experience with you Gastroenterologist, I don't understand why he wouldn't talk you and explain everything. I absolutely hate it when doctor's don't take their patients seriously and act like we wouldn't understand it anyway...
I hope the other practitioner will be able to help you with that and talk through the test results. Please keep us updated!
Karina (team member)
I found one doctor at a clinic who took me seriously, but she left the area. I still go to the same clinic but have not gotten a doctor who believes yet.
My primary doctor told me too many people have used IBS as a reason to get out of Jury Duty permanently, so the courts are not taking it seriously anymore, at least in my area. Leave it up to someone to screw up things for everyone.Oh wow, I can’t believe people would do that! It’s terrible that doctors don’t take IBS seriously, that makes it so much harder to deal with… Some community members have had success with naturopathic doctors, I’m going to link two articles for you: 1) https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/good-doctor-please, 2) https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/naturopath-experience, in case you’re interested in trying that in the meantime. I hope you’ll find a good doctor soon. Karina (team member)
