Being a patient and HCP

[LadyDoc1]

Hi all, wanted to ask for experiences others have had of being both patient and HCP.
I’m Medical, recent op for prolapsed lumbar disc. I’m finding being a patient difficult, not maybe not for an obvious reason! I feel like whenever I seek medical attention that the automatic assumption is that I either know exactly what is wrong and have a definite plan of action in mind (I just want to be the patient!!!!!) or even worse, that I’m hysterical, a hypochondriac or exaggerating.
I’m in hospital just now recovering from lumbar discectomy. Prior to op had been in a great deal of pain, unable to stand fully erect, reduced to hobbling less than 30 metres with a stick, up 3 times a night crying with pain.
It started in Spring, gradually worse. Several GP appts, was ‘reassured’ repeatedly until I snapped and said I would self pay private. Large L5/S1 prolapse, here I am now, post op I’m pleased to say much better.
At every single turn I’ve had to fight to be listened to, feel anyone I’ve interacted with has downplayed my symptoms, everything has been a battle.
In fairness most of the nurses have been lovely, although post op I could tell they were thinking I’d manage on low dose analgesia. That was until they actually saw me howling and sobbing trying to turn on my side to get to the edge of the bed to try to stand to go to toilet. Then thankfully the morphine came out. Surgeon told me yesterday I’m probably on too much analgesia despite not examining or watching me try to mobilise at all.
Is this just a female patient experience that feels worse because I’m in the trade? I’m non clinical now, but I’m sure I never talked down to people like this!
Feeling fragile, not up to typing it all out but I’m horrified how dismissive people can be, it’s left me hoping these people get a taste of how it is to be a patient one day.
Similar experiences? AIBU to expect to be listened to?

I was a patient in my own hospital. Having a very new treatment. It was quite useful as the ward staff didn't know the protocol for the drug I was having. I ended up asking for the bags of Saline for the flushes and putting them up my self, as they really had no idea. Fortunately I was only the third person to have that particular treatment. So I mentioned it to the specialist nurses who made sure staff were aware of the correct procedure.

I am an HCP and recently went through a load of (unrelated) healthcare issues .

If I'm a patient I tend not to say I'm a NHS member unless I;m asked .
I prefer to experience the other side of the coin, partly (selfishly) to brush up on my own patient contact .
How they speak to me , do I like it , do I resent being spoken to like that etc.
TBH , my own health issues are nought to do with my clinical field so it really is 'my life in their hands' .

I am really patient when someone is trying to get a needle in me , I have the shittest veins . I do state this when I put my arm out , I think they see it as a challenge then they admit Oh yes , your veins are rubbish !

I have had to go to emergency twice since being a HCP. I have found that the doctors and nurses are actually more informative if they find out that you are ‘one of them’. In my experience as a nurse and as a family member of a patient I have found that any more complex unresolved health issue is usually minimised by doctors. Some of them are remarkably rigid in their thinking. Whether this is because of their training or because of frustration with the worried well I do not know. I used to work on a post op ward and had to call a surgeon because the patient was still in agony despite having all the analgesia that was charted. He actually shouted down the phone ‘...and what do you expect me to do about that? There’s no reason he should have this much pain!’