Women can face particularly frustrating experiences when discussing their health with a doctor. Their concerns about pain and reproductive health may not always receive the attention and understanding they need.
Worse, they may even deal with insensitive and inappropriate responses. And if you’re wondering how bad things can get, here are some stories shared in a recent Reddit thread.
These accounts only prove that not every medical professional deserves to keep their license. If you have similar experiences you want to share, feel free to do so in the comments below.
#61
Not said but on my first gyn appt at 16 the (female?!!) doctor put the salad tongs in me, opened them, and left the room. I started yelling after 1/2 hour and she rushed in and just clamped them shut real quick and left without removing them. Like less than 30 seconds. It pinched me real bad and i kept screaming until they came in and FINISHEd the whole thing. Without apologies.
The patriarchy would fall right down if women really weren't as evil and patriarchal as men.
I hate doctors.
The patriarchy would fall right down if women really weren't as evil and patriarchal as men.
I hate doctors.
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3points
#62
When I told my GP I had been short of breath for 4+ months, started out hearing crackling sounds when I laid down at night, which progressed to where I coughed up a clear bubbly phlegm any time I tried to lay down and had to start sleeping upright.
“**Well you did gain 10 pounds since I saw you last year! You need to work on losing weight.**”
Two weeks later I got admitted to the ICU with congestive heart failure on my 24th birthday. That ten pounds was built up fluid on my chest because my heart wasn’t able to pump properly so more and more fluid just kept building up. I very nearly lost my life and still 4 years later struggle DAILY with everyday tasks because my heart is bad. I’ll have to have a heart transplant at some point in my life without a doubt. Got an ICD in my chest that’ll need replaced every 7-10 years. I’m going to be living with this for the rest of my life. And my life expectancy has decreased significantly.
I try to have a little grace and say maybe my GP missed it because who expects a perfectly healthy 23 year old to get heart failure? But like. Honestly. When you google “crackling sounds when I breathe” like the second thing it gives you is heart failure. The first is pneumonia. My GP told me to eat less.
Also the same guy who refused to send me for a scan when I had a kidney stone that wouldn’t pass because he thought I “might want kids someday and the scans could hurt my fertility”.
“**Well you did gain 10 pounds since I saw you last year! You need to work on losing weight.**”
Two weeks later I got admitted to the ICU with congestive heart failure on my 24th birthday. That ten pounds was built up fluid on my chest because my heart wasn’t able to pump properly so more and more fluid just kept building up. I very nearly lost my life and still 4 years later struggle DAILY with everyday tasks because my heart is bad. I’ll have to have a heart transplant at some point in my life without a doubt. Got an ICD in my chest that’ll need replaced every 7-10 years. I’m going to be living with this for the rest of my life. And my life expectancy has decreased significantly.
I try to have a little grace and say maybe my GP missed it because who expects a perfectly healthy 23 year old to get heart failure? But like. Honestly. When you google “crackling sounds when I breathe” like the second thing it gives you is heart failure. The first is pneumonia. My GP told me to eat less.
Also the same guy who refused to send me for a scan when I had a kidney stone that wouldn’t pass because he thought I “might want kids someday and the scans could hurt my fertility”.
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3points
#63
Had severe acne and was going through the process of getting on accutane.
Because I had a history of depression I was required to talk to a therapist.
During my intake the topic turned to my bf at the time and I told the therapist that he was very jealous and controlling. She told me “well once you clear up that acne then he will really have something to be jealous about” bro.
Because I had a history of depression I was required to talk to a therapist.
During my intake the topic turned to my bf at the time and I told the therapist that he was very jealous and controlling. She told me “well once you clear up that acne then he will really have something to be jealous about” bro.
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3points
#64
Me - in approx 2002 suffering from an ED and a crippling anxiety disorder seeing my (male) GP at 24 because my heart palpitations were keeping me from sleeping and I was legit scared o was going to lose my life. My hair was falling out everywhere. I was 5’9” and somewhere between 110-115 when my normal weight was still a very lean 135.
“Wow. You look fantastic. Still single? You’re in NYC now, right? My brother is a photographer there and does very well for himself.”
He gave me his brother’s number and no referral for any of the issues I can in for, other than the advice to “take a few days off and get a massage to relax a bit.”.
“Wow. You look fantastic. Still single? You’re in NYC now, right? My brother is a photographer there and does very well for himself.”
He gave me his brother’s number and no referral for any of the issues I can in for, other than the advice to “take a few days off and get a massage to relax a bit.”.
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3points
#65
Wasn't so much what he *said,* but when he did some testing on me and it was negative, i asked him if i could possibly have a particular disorder I'd recently learned about. he literally just laughed in my face, then moved on like I'd said nothing, and gave me a lecture about not using screens or eating anything for at least 4 hours before bed, even if that meant i couldn't do my homework (i was in high school at the time), and sent me on my way.
anyway, I'm now diagnosed with that thing i thought i had and doing much better thanks to treatment, but i had to drop out of school and lose the first half of my 20s to struggling to even work part time jobs before i got there.
honorable mention to the (FEMALE!!) OBGYN who told me i wasn't actually experiencing cramps when not menstruating, and that the pain was in fact my IBS, and I just couldn't tell the difference bc they're both in my belly.
anyway, I'm now diagnosed with that thing i thought i had and doing much better thanks to treatment, but i had to drop out of school and lose the first half of my 20s to struggling to even work part time jobs before i got there.
honorable mention to the (FEMALE!!) OBGYN who told me i wasn't actually experiencing cramps when not menstruating, and that the pain was in fact my IBS, and I just couldn't tell the difference bc they're both in my belly.
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3points
#66
My male ob told me my weight gain during pregnancy wasn’t all baby. And even when I measured 46 he wouldn’t induce. I ended up having a 12 lb 9 oz baby and lost 33 pounds in the hospital. When I next saw him I told him it was all baby.
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2points
#67
“ oh you’re here for pimples! No, you’re here for bronchitis. Tell you what I’ll give you small antibiotic after you finish it’ll make your skin look beautiful.”.
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2points
#68
Years ago an older male gynecologist suggested I should start having babies because his wife is spending too much on his credit cards. He said the laughingly.
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1point
