How do you get doctors to listen to you?

I have physical signs and my bloodwork reveals something isn't right. I'm having some other tests done, but because of insurance, they have to be done in a certain order and it takes forever. Months between. And in the meantime I keep getting more depressed because I'm in so much pain. Something or a few things aren't right.

What I'm experiencing is ruining my life.

Yet my brand new primary says, "I'm not worried about it."...

Wtf does that mean? I'm worried about it! I have almost no quality of life left and I get blown off?

How do you get docs to listen to you? How do you get them to care or do something? It's in black and white that my body is fighting itself. You diagnosed me fibromyalgia and said too bad.

I don't want to fall apart. I'm young and my son is young and I don't have any help at all. Why won't anyone take me seriously?

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iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

I don’t know how it works in the US but my doctor will just send me to specialists if I need them. With the insurance and having to wait for tests, also you have to be in your network.

There are so many barriers. Is there anyway you can see a different doctor?

SW-User

@iamonfire696 This is the 5th primary I've had in a year. They're terrible. They referred me to a different rheumatologist, but they can't see me until the end of the year.

Part of it is where I live. Very gentrified beach area that has tripled in population in 5-10 years. Even to get the ultrasound on my neck takes months. And I'm struggling to breathe 😂 Then the PET scan will take another few months, and I've already had cancer. They should of given me the PET last year, but nope.

I don't understand tbh. But nobody has ever listened to me. Not until it gets so bad I'm in the ER. But they've known about my body fighting itself for years and years. Why won't someone help? Why do they keep saying it's nothing? When it clearly was and is?

And if I cry and get frustrated they act like I'm a nut job and I need psychiatric care. But I'm literally just SO tired of being tired and in pain. I hate my life. I hate existing and that's not me.

iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

@SW-User that’s terrible, I thought health care in the US was supposed to be quicker if you were insured? You should have had a
PET scan.

You are having issues breathing because of the swelling in your neck and they are not helping you?

I had to bed my doctor to refer me to the Cardiologist now without having my holter monitor done because I keep having SVT episodes and can’t do that test until June 2 and if I don’t have an episode in the 48 hours I have it then I have to do it again.

It’s so frustrating. I hope someone will listen to you 🩷.