Last week an A&E doctor said ‘theres nothing wrong” in his words “Im busy, I have sick patients to see”. There’s a frustration when you appear to look ‘well’ and doctors don’t understand your condition, BUT being a woman makes it even harder

Here’s some things doctors have said:

“Have you thought about starting a family to take your mind of it?”

“You’re in your 40’s now, so you’re probably heading into the change....it will just be hormonal”

“Do you think you’re one of those women who tend to be over emotional about life? ”

“You seem to have a lot of unexplainable symptoms at the moment.... do you think you’re over thinking things?”

“If you’d have had children, you probably wouldn’t have time to be sick!”

For years, whilst trying to get diagnosed, doctors would try to think of every other explanation possible, before actually listening. Too often women are dismissed as being dramatic or hysterical and it’s certainly all to easy to blame those pesky hormones!

It took me years to get properly diagnosed, and whilst I appreciate rare conditions can be difficult to pinpoint, my general experience has been one of discrimination and ignorance. Even now with a solid diagnosis, I still battle to be listened to.

And so, it leaves me wondering....would that male A&E consultant have dismissed me so flippantly if I’d have been a dude?

I refused to leave btw. Turns out I have spinal cord compression making my autonomic dysfunction significantly worse.

Waiting to see spinal surgeon.