Prompt: Read the following Illness Experience Blog from the Internet and then reflect onall questions presented as they apply in an essay format):+What stands out about this particular patient's experience?+What most surprised you?+Is the description representative of what you thought the experience would be like?+What would you like to ask the blogger if you could? +Why?What Did You Say? Comments from DoctorsAbout My Chronic Illnesses14th July 2022Have you ever had a medical professional gaslight you? Put you down? Criticize something youhave said? Or simply dismiss your concerns about your health like they were nothing? Yes?Then you are not alone. I cannot tell you the number of times this has happened to me and whilstsome of these comments I have been able to put down as one of those things, others left mereeling.So in this week's blog post I thought I would share some of these statements with you. This isnot to slate the medical profession because for the most part they do a fantastic job, this is purelyto demonstrate how destructive dismissive words can be.So let me begin...If you are feeling depressed, then why don't you look at the Christmas tree lights?Now, this first remark was said to me I believe in good faith, however it felt extremely rudewhen I was sat in the GP's surgery at the time talking about my depression/anxiety recovery.Predominately because it felt like my mental health issues were being discussed like it wasnothing, like they could be turned on and off like a tap from doing something as simple aslooking at pretty lights. No productive advice was given alongside this, just embarrassment frommyself for talking about it in the first place.You have taken up an appointment/I don't know why you are at this clinicI have actually had these two sentences said to me more than once after being sent to variousclinics in search of my chronic illness diagnoses. Whilst I understand this can be frustrating tothe consultant you have been sent to if they feel like are in the wrong clinic, to say you havetaken up an appointment is unacceptable. Just because my conditions didn't necessarily match upwith their expertise doesn't make my conditions or symptoms any less worthy of investigation,and by saying this it made me want the floor to swallow up like I should be apologizing forwasting their precious time. Critiques on my appearanceI haven't pinpointed a specific observation on this, however over the years I have had manymedical people mention my appearance in a patronizing tone. How is this relevant to my health -I have no idea. The worst was probably a consultant who made a point of telling me I had a halfclosed eye (similar to a lazy eye), to which I listened to him eagerly thinking it was linked to mycondition, before a wall of silence. He was merely pointing it out like I had never used a mirrorbefore because he felt like it. I was hoping to leave with a diagnosis or at the very least advice,and instead I left with a complex.Most women would be grateful they are bleeding lessMy periods have been a source of many an issue for a very long time now with one of the firstchanges being in my menstrual flow. When I went to my GP she told me I should think myselflucky and that most women would be grateful. Never mind all the other symptoms I had or thefact I was only in my twenties at the time and I was concerned they would stop altogether. Shesent me away pretty much telling me to get a grip and here I am 5/6 years later waiting to see angynecologist because being grateful and thinking myself lucky has left me potentially veryunlucky indeed.I am the doctor, not youThis beauty of a reflection came from my former neurologist who refused to listen to myconcerns about being diagnosed as epileptic. I didn't match the criteria or have the relevantsymptoms and my scans were relatively normal yet he was convinced my episodes were epilepticseizures. When asked questions he told me he was the doctor not me and that he knew what hewas talking about and I didn't. I got a second opinion and in my first appointment was told Ididn't under any circumstances have epilepsy. A few appointments later I was diagnosed withTourettes; something my former neurologist could have diagnosed if pride hadn't stood in theway.Here we have it, five of my most scathing comments from medical professionals. The sad thingis I have many more as I am sure others do too. The general theme I feel from these remarks is asense of being negatively judged whether it is from my personal appearance to my physicalsymptoms. The underlying feeling I got was I was time wasting, that it or maybe more accuratelyI wasn't worth the respect of proper answers, that I should get on with things.Like I said at the start this isn't always the case there are some amazing health experts out therewilling to listen, to care and to advise. I am living proof this is the case as I wouldn't be sittinghere now with the diagnoses I have otherwise. However, words have power and we should all bethinking how we use them regardless of what profession we are in.Sarah xx

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Prompt: Read the following Illness Experience Blog from the Internet and then reflect on all questions presented as they apply in an essay format): +What stands out about this particular patient's experience? +What most surprised you? +Is the description representative of what you thought the experience would be like? +What would you like to ask the blogger if you could? +Why? What Did You Say? Comments from Doctors About My Chronic Illnesses 14th July 2022 Have you ever had a medical professional gaslight you? Put you down? Criticize something you have said? Or simply dismiss your concerns about your health like they were nothing? Yes? Then you are not alone. I cannot tell you the number of times this has happened to me and whilst some of these comments I have been able to put down as one of those things, others left me reeling. So in this week's blog post I thought I would share some of these statements with you. This is not to slate the medical profession because for the most part they do a fantastic job, this is purely to demonstrate how destructive dismissive words can be. So let me begin... If you are feeling depressed, then why don't you look at the Christmas tree lights? Now, this first remark was said to me I believe in good faith, however it felt extremely rude when I was sat in the GP's surgery at the time talking about my depression/anxiety recovery. Predominately because it felt like my mental health issues were being discussed like it was nothing, like they could be turned on and off like a tap from doing something as simple as looking at pretty lights. No productive advice was given alongside this, just embarrassment from myself for talking about it in the first place. You have taken up an appointment/I don't know why you are at this clinic I have actually had these two sentences said to me more than once after being sent to various clinics in search of my chronic illness diagnoses. Whilst I understand this can be frustrating to the consultant you have been sent to if they feel like are in the wrong clinic, to say you have taken up an appointment is unacceptable. Just because my conditions didn't necessarily match up with their expertise doesn't make my conditions or symptoms any less worthy of investigation, and by saying this it made me want the floor to swallow up like I should be apologizing for wasting their precious time.