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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Women and medicine: unconscious bias

53 replies

Ekphrasis · 01/06/2018 10:06

Quite literally the story of my medical history, that of my sister and my elderly Aunt that I know of to name those closest to me.

www.bbc.com/future/story/20180523-how-gender-bias-affects-your-healthcare?ocid=ww.social.link.facebook

OP posts:
GibbertyFlibbert · 06/06/2018 12:25

"Doctors in training are brought into a culture that falsely believes women exaggerate and men try to put on a brave face - add a racial and class based lens on that and it gets much worse. "

Add a trans or intersex history to that list and getting treatment can become almost impossible.

Roomba · 06/06/2018 13:14

I have pelvic girdle pain for nearly 7 years now but it's almost impossible to get proper support for treatment

Oh god, yes - I hear you! I have suffered terribly with PGP starting when I was 19w pregnant with DS1. So just over 13 years ago. I am still suffering pain every single day and night of my life due to PGP. I must have had scores of GP appointments during that time. I have been told over and over again that "it usually resolves after birth". Indeed, but 'usually' inherently that means that sometimes it doesn't resolve! I just get surprised expressions, shrugs and as time progressed sceptical faces. Along with the either lightly hinted at or just outright blunt accusal of being a drug seeker. The entirely of my treatment has been a stretchy belt, referral to 2 courses of physio (that made it 100x worse) and mild painkillers (wouldn't want to actually treat my pain now, would we, steady on...)

My ex developed lower back pain during all of this - he was referred for a scan by his GP after the first apointment. Scanned within 2 weeks and surgery offered within 6 weeks. Fixed. And he got decent painkillers!

I was far more incapacitated and in more pain than he was at the time. I could barely walk and would wake every 30 mins all night long due to the pain. But a\ll I got was a sympathetic shrug and 'it's one of those things, it's very common in women...' Sadly, this also meant that my ex then decided that clearly I was massively exaggerating how bad my PGP really was. I was obviously a lazy cow who was pretending to be in pain for sympathy - if I actually had a problem I'd have been referred and operated on ASAP just as he was! AngrySad

Roomba · 06/06/2018 13:20

I should say that for all I know, I have been lazily misdiagnosed years ago. I could have spinal or pelvic problems requiring surgery. Or a tumor (probably not, I'd likely be dead by now). 13 years. It is much improved over the last couple of years, but this thread has made me so angry I may well lodge a formal complaint while it's on my mind...

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