SuicidalDream
Member
- Jun 1, 2019
- 44
I have lupus and it's making my life very difficult. The rheumatologist who diagnosed me refused to prescribe anything other than plaquenil, which I tried and can't take because it interacts dangerously with lithium. He has repeatedly included inaccurate details in my visit summaries and chart. He tries to attribute my symptoms to depression and is dismissive of evidence to the contrary. He told me that I should check in with him annually but that I do not need treatment. I believe he is prejudiced against me because of my history of mental illness. I told my psychiatrist about this and he agrees that my concern makes sense. I want to find another rheumatologist but I'm afraid of encountering the same issue.
I have encountered several medical professionals (doctors and nurse practitioners) who were quick to attribute my lupus symptoms to anxiety or depression, and more who made bullshit assumptions based on my mental illness diagnoses and their own idiotic interpretations of things they never asked me to clarify. The arrogance and dismissiveness I have been met with when I tried to seek help was probably why it took so long to get the lupus diagnosis. I thought this diagnosis would make it easier to get doctors and nurses to take me seriously, but it doesn't seem to have helped much with that.
I had to give up on college (yes, again) because even one online class with no set meeting time was unmanageable due to my symptoms. I can't work. I can't think of a job that I would be able to reliably do in my current physical condition. Exercise causes my symptoms to worsen, so I don't know how long it will take to improve my overall health.
How do I find good doctors? How do I sift through all the arrogant shitheads without destroying my mental health? I've made so much progress this past year in overcoming depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. I don't want the process of dealing with a series of shitty doctors to erase the progress I've made. My anxiety is getting worse again, and my depression is starting to come back.
I have encountered several medical professionals (doctors and nurse practitioners) who were quick to attribute my lupus symptoms to anxiety or depression, and more who made bullshit assumptions based on my mental illness diagnoses and their own idiotic interpretations of things they never asked me to clarify. The arrogance and dismissiveness I have been met with when I tried to seek help was probably why it took so long to get the lupus diagnosis. I thought this diagnosis would make it easier to get doctors and nurses to take me seriously, but it doesn't seem to have helped much with that.
I had to give up on college (yes, again) because even one online class with no set meeting time was unmanageable due to my symptoms. I can't work. I can't think of a job that I would be able to reliably do in my current physical condition. Exercise causes my symptoms to worsen, so I don't know how long it will take to improve my overall health.
How do I find good doctors? How do I sift through all the arrogant shitheads without destroying my mental health? I've made so much progress this past year in overcoming depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. I don't want the process of dealing with a series of shitty doctors to erase the progress I've made. My anxiety is getting worse again, and my depression is starting to come back.
