I had three PCP doctors prior to my current one, from 2014 to 2021. When I complained to them about my slew of fatigue, focus, pain, and infection issues, they all decided it was because I was fat. It was cancer. Years and years of undiagnosed, untreated cancer, totally unrelated to my weight.
They might have been physicians’ assistants 🧌
It took 4 er visits for my gallstones to be diagnosed for the same reason - and also my bottom surgery. Doctors refuse to actually treat fat patients.
I am so so so sorry you were not listened to like this. I can relate, but it was only months of my symptoms and complaints being ignored before my cancer was finally diagnosed. Are you getting treatment now? I hope so, and that you are finally on a journey back to health.
After two years of chemo and radiation, I'm currently in remission... and working to recover from the (sadly fairly normal) long-term side effects of the chemo and radiation. And the cost. I'm trying to recover from the cost.
Btw I don’t think I asked, what kind of cancer did you have?
Rectal, with a slew of complications that had me unable to be treated with the normal standard of care. Leading to the long chemo and radiation times, rather than surgery.
Goodness gracious. And all because they didn’t catch it earlier. How infuriating. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I hope it will help others advocate more ferociously when they suspect something is amiss.
Oh my goodness. I’m so happy to get you’re in remission abut I’m sorry you suffered side effects from the chemo and radiation. I get it. Chemo messed up my digestive system. Radiation destroyed my skin. And the cost…omg. That’s like insult to injury, right?
I avoided going to the doctor in favor of self-medicating a lot of problems because I didn't have insurance and was afraid I'd get yet another doctor saying "You're too fat. Lose weight. That'll be $300." Now I'm on dialysis.
❤️
Told it was sciatica. Did the PT, did watchful waiting for years. Then I suggested a MRI. It was a rare spinal cancer. See profile photo. I was also told I could not inherit this cancer. I did. My mother had it before me.
I'm largely convinced at this point that, with the exception of a few obvious physics issues from increased mass, being fat is only ever a symptom, not a cause (and not always even a problem). We need an overhaul of the medical field, to eradicate fat prejudice and start getting better information.
Got told I needed to "walk more" after showing clear signs of POTS. Less than a month prior, I had walked fifty miles in five days for the hell of it. Turns out, I have POTS. Wanted to huck that tiny cardiologist into the woods. Three decades of that shit.
I used to walk 3 miles a day every day until suddenly I couldn't. Gained a bunch a weight told I needed to lose that weight and I would be good. Turns out I have psoriatic arthritis, PCOS,and my spine needs screwed together from top to bottom.