Early last year, I went to the ER multiple times. I could barely stand, breathe fully, think straight, eat (ended up losing 20 pounds in 1.5 months from only being able to eat bread), and was constantly on the verge of fainting. #PatientsAreNotFaking

All the color would be drained out of my face by 2pm every day. My belly and body ached with the worst pain, along with my fibromyalgia pain. At these visits to the ER, they would treat me like I was faking it all & like I was crazy & like I was on drugs. #PatientsAreNotFaking

They always did tons of tests on me and would only tell me my white blood cell count was high, but that was probably from the stress of being at the ER. I got to the point I nearly blacked out and realized something was wrong and I wasn't crazy. #PatientsAreNotFaking

I go to my primary doctor who didnt think I was faking, thankfully, but he didnt seem troubled by anything I told him. The last ER visit finally gave me a clue to what was going on, but it was the nurse that told me in that "oh by the way" last minute voice. #PatientsAreNotFaking

He said I was "probably" anemic because my hemoglobin was at 8 (it's supposed to be at least 12 in women). I didn't even know what anemia was. I told my doctor and he said he didn't know what could be causing that. I started having fevers and chills, too. #PatientsAreNotFaking

But my doctor wouldnt send me to a hematologist to find out more. After 12 years with this doctor, I switched to another doctor and he got me straight in to a hematologist. Finally, he told me the cause of my issues. My iron levels were at almost zero. ZERO. #PatientsAreNotFaking

I was suffering from extreme iron deficiency anemia & needed iron infusions. The hematologist said I was lucky that I didn't end up needing blood transfusions. He also showed me how the ER doctors made record of my low hemoglobin but none ever told me of it. #PatientsAreNotFaking

All the tears I cried because no one would believe me about my symptoms and that I could have gotten even worse than I was could have been spared had any of the doctors believed me. I even lost my job from missing so much work from being sick. #PatientsAreNotFaking

I was depressed and beside myself constantly while not being believed or helped. Medical staff need to treat EVERY patient like that are a close family member or friend, not just another patient faking symptoms. #PatientsAreNotFaking