Real-Life Medical Horror Stories Women Had To Endure That Will Make You Lose All Faith In Modern Medicine
It's scary how things like this can still happen in this day and age. Simply appalling.
The idea that healthcare could be subjective is something that would never cross your mind if you are a man. Women are treated much differently than men when it comes to pain.
For instance, one study found that women are less likely to be given opioid painkillers than men in the emergency department after reporting acute pain. Dr. Kelly Brogan, a psychiatrist and women's health expert, emphasizes, "The systemic bias in pain management often leaves women undertreated and misunderstood." You can find more about her insights on her professional website, kellybroganmd.com.
A Redditor who goes by the username u/Ancient-Abs recently had an IUD inserted, so she decided to share her personal experience with the r/TwoXChromosomes community, a subreddit intended for women's perspectives. The title of her post reads: "Why are many gynecological procedures done without pain medicine?".
In her post, she detailed how women are discriminated against when it comes to receiving medical treatment, as well as the constant gaslighting, denial of therapy, and even misdiagnosis. She then goes on to share her personal experience and how she was denied pain medication, ultimately leading to complications afterward.
She received many interesting replies, mainly from women sharing the horrible experiences they went through after having medical procedures done. These women are shedding light on a difficult topic that is not talked about enough, and they deserve immense respect for doing so.
Here's the original Reddit post by u/Ancient-Abs:
RedditOP wondered how such things are permitted and asked about a way to change it.
RedditOP then urged the community to join her in writing a letter to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
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She then provided a template for anyone willing to participate.
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Here's the template that OP made for the community:
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She gave them a piece of her mind and absolutely nailed it!
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This gaslighting should come to an end.
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End the torture of women. Well said.
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Many members of the r/TwoXChromosomes community related to OP's post and decided to share some stories of their own:
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It doesn't last long, but it still hurts nonetheless.
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Passing out in the elevator after a procedure.
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"The pain was unbearable, and I felt violated."
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The pain is as serious as it gets.
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Getting bullied by your physician.
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More and more bullying followed the initial interaction.
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It's always important to get more than one opinion.
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It's really hard to self-advocate when you're on the spectrum.
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Things need to change as soon as possible.
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It should always at least be an option.
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This user also had a terrible experience during an IUD insertion.
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They prefer full anesthesia over prescribing one pain pill.
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Things can always go this smoothly.
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Passing out on the table from the pain.
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Women should be prepared for the worst. Anything can happen.
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You're basically not supposed to scream...
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Are women seen as tough or subhuman?
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"I pushed everyone off me and had a panic attack."
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Men and women don't receive the same treatment.
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"I was dizzy, seeing spots, and heavily sweating."
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This should always be an option for gynecological procedures.
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It's not just a pinch; it's much more than that.
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Physicians should start listening to women when they report that they're feeling pain. Being told that it's impossible for you to feel pain when you're already in excruciating pain will definitely make your blood boil even more.
Several options should be offered before gynecological procedures so that women can prepare for the worst-case scenario if they wish to do so. Women are not superhuman; they also endure pain just like men.
It's sad how many women have gone through these traumatic experiences. Things should change as soon as possible because it's starting to get ridiculous. We will look back one day at these medical horror stories and wonder how on earth we ever allowed such practices.
