Blog Post 27: Advocating for Yourself in the Medical System
My story (Anna) of burnout after maternity leave doesn’t quite end there; it took years to recover, and this involved navigating the medical system to help me figure out how to regain my health. Given my Type C traits, it took me a long time to even admit that I needed help. In a classic Type C move, I thought I could just power on through - and so I kept going and going. After a couple of years of enduring chronic sinus infections, debilitating fatigue, insomnia, arthritis, cognitive troubles, and weight loss, I finally woke up to the fact that this wasn’t going to resolve, and I began to address the situation.
Little did I know that many traditional doctors are not equipped to handle chronic conditions like mine. I started with a primary care doctor who told me I was simply stressed as a working mom; he compared me to a woman working for him who was frequently sick due to her young children bringing home viruses. Mind you, my blood pressure reading at his office was dangerously low, my skin was gray, and he could barely get blood out of my veins - but this somehow did not register with him. I left feeling dismissed, hopeless, and questioning my own sanity. Kore has told me that she has heard very similar stories from so many women.
Over the next few years, I went on to see other primary care doctors and specialists: gastroenterologist, psychologist, rheumatologist, chronic fatigue specialist, functional medicine doctor, neurologist, nutritionist, sleep specialist. Some took my issues seriously, others did not. I endured many blood tests, tried prescription drugs, and experimented with alternative therapies like acupuncture and natural allergy elimination. I eventually found a wonderful holistic doctor who wanted to understand the entirety of my health history and respected my increasing desire to use natural methods to improve my health. We have worked on increasing my core body temperature, supporting my liver, aiding digestion, and looking at life from a more spiritual perspective. I have now progressed by leaps and bounds.
What learning can we take away from my experience? Are there any tools that can help others trying to get answers from the medical system? As I look back, here are my big takeaways:
I could have saved a lot of time and money by starting with a good functional medicine doctor. When a doctor is dismissive of your pain or any health issues, it’s best to vote with your feet and move on to someone who takes you seriously. You know your body best!
Self-reflection, while difficult, is critical to understanding why you operate the way you do and why you make certain decisions. Working with a therapist who understands and supports you can improve your health exponentially.
If you are diagnosed with a condition, it’s important to get a second opinion if your insurance allows for it or you can afford it. I spent several years believing I had an intestinal infection, and a routine procedure discovered I did not.
If you are struggling with a chronic condition, simple self-care strategies help a lot: a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet, movement, sunshine, asking for more help, daily journaling, doing creative work.
We welcome any stories you would like to share on this topic - please email us at typectoolbox@gmail.com.