Prejudice/dismissal 'it's just anxiety'.

Mental health
1

Hey everyone!

I've had anxiety symptoms for a long time, but more recently I have suffered from panic disorder.

I feel like with CBT, I have really started to get a good grasp of my panic attacks and am more equipped to know when I am having one, and differentiate between panic attacks and other ailments. In short, I feel that I have improved greatly. Diet and fitness makes a difference, too.

I know from experience that with anxiety disorders, it is often a blurry line between physical medical conditions and mental health. Anxiety can cause a range of things from headaches to nausea to IBS to muscoskeletal pain. These conditions on their own can, in turn, cause anxiety.

However, in the last few weeks I have become rapidly ill with very real pain that is not related or linked to my panic symptoms. (My panic attacks barely visit me once a week nowadays). I have excruciating shoulder and arm pain/weakness and really bad digestive pain, as well as trouble breathing.

My doctor, based on my first complaint, seems to think it is a spinal nerve problem(getting tests!). However, each time I develop a new symptom in conjunction with existing ones, or something gets rapidly worse, I am treated like I am a befuddled, uneducated fruitcake, and gently told that it must be my anxiety causing the additional symptoms.

I feel like the doctor has decided what is wrong, and everything I bring up after that point is me being a hyperchondriac. It is frankly a little insulting, as I know my body, I know all the little things it does, I know when it is reacting in anxiety, and I know that this time, something really is not right, and the symptoms are changing. I know I'll find out, but I have a feeling that if I'd never mentioned my anxiety, I might be finding out much quicker and with much less doubt and dismissal.

Which brings me to this:

I feel like now more than ever, when a patient tells of an anxiety history, doctors are a little too quick to dismiss symptoms without real consideration or investigation, simply because a symptom happens to fit into the anxiety category.

On the flip side, I think the heightened awareness of mental illness in medicine is a great thing - but in some cases, it might cause patients who happen to suffer from anxiety to be overlooked, and wrongly dismissed when, in reality, there is something medical that needs to be addressed.

Does anybody else feel like they are brushed aside too quickly, and given a blanket treatment because of their history of anxiety? Have you ever tried going to a new clinic and omitting the fact that you suffer from a mental illness?

Sometimes I feel like I want to hack in and delete all my medical records (I jest).

Xx

2

Hi Vivie... I was diagnosed as being in perimenopause two years ago following a series of panic attacks.  I mentioned my issues with lifelong anxiety to the nurse practitioner.  From that point on, I don't think she heard anything else I said, and I heard her later laughing about me in the hallway with a nurse, saying that it was "just anxiety" in a condescending tone.  So yes, I agree with you about feeling brushed aside... it definitely happens.

3

I was wrongly diagnosed. My doctor thought I was a hypochondriac because I kept telling him I had a thyroid problem. Years later, I have Graves' disease, multiple nodules in my thyroid and I am very sick from it. I am on sertraline for my anxiety and I'm trying to cope with it all. The fact is, if my doctor payed attention to my symptoms instead of my "borderline blood test", I may have not gotten this disease.

4

i am going to reply as the type of person that I am, not to suggest what you should do. I am a strong, in your face person. If a doctor dared dismiss me like that, I would go to another, and not mention anxiety. Again, this is my personality type talking.

Do whatever you need to do to help yourself. I read your post carefully, and believe you when you say you know your own body. I feel exactly that way, and have had to make that point to many doctors over the years. I either convince them, or go elsewhere. When I move, and go to a new clinic or practice, I tell them when making the first appointment that I want a doctor who will listen!!!!!

I was told recently by a doctor that i was my own best advocate. i say to everyone here, we all deserve the best available care, and sometimes we need to move on to get it.

5

So sorry to hear you were treated like that - I feel like there are a lot of other people who get treated with the same dismissive attitude. It actually makes the anxiety worse - feeling like your problems are being completely ignored! Hope you are doing well x

6

Wow, that is so frustrating - totally a case of negligence. It amazes me how many people say the same thing about not being taken seriously because of a mental health issue. Hope that you are coping better with the disease, sending good vibes x

7

I think that's a great way to be - I'm sure your strong willed nature has gotten you results quicker than you otherwise would have. I'll definitely try to be more persistent, I really want to put an end to all the stuffing around! Thanks for the advice x

8

Thanks vivie! I am handling it as best I can. I certainly find this forum great and a lot of comments have helped me. I hope that I have also helped some people on here with my words. Support means everything!!

9

I rarely if ever mention im anxious. If i do i would base it off the ailments i have. Actually after i initially note whatever ails me im quiet and allow the doctor to examine me. Yes you can and do get profiled. I learned that being on the other side of things i worked in a optical store in my teens and the optometrist told me and showed me on the charts where they make little abbreviations.  So i never fell in that trap. There were no computers then to connect everything so i believe you could easy just switch doctors and thats that. Now many unsurance companies and larger unbrella doctors link together via the internet. So my advice is going forward dont mention it all. Dont tally a page long of symptoms or complaints and dont talk to much during the exam. You can note i have the anxiety under wraps everyone goes thru those moments mines fine now. Listen they dont even have a damn clue what these panic attacks even feel like at all anyway. If they did they would hug you upon entering the office for your bravery in even living that way. So this can be undone they look at it as a nutty thing ..say it passed. Whew. Seriously. I have never gone to a hospital in my life for an anxiety attack, mine are different but i do have them no doubt i just know where its coming from most of the time but i know many dont. This info is in your hospital records as well. You do get profiled but it is mandatory by the oath of the profession and insurance rules to run certain tests. So you do get the medical attention you need. When you have an ailment, if you feel it is not from anxiety and yes there are ways to know just note the part part and say what going on with this. They will take from there. 

10

Thanks, Vivie.  I feel awful for anyone who experiences this when seeking care!

11

It may be strong will, but it is also my determination to take care of the only person I will spend every moment of the rest of my life with!!!Really think on that, dear Vivie. It will change your life...for the better.    Big hugs.

12

Cia, you couldn't have said it better, and I need to think on that, too... I take my body for granted.  You'd think that having a chronic illness and going through all I've experienced in perimenopause so far (tons of doctor visits, testing, outpatient procedures, surgery) would have taught me... but no.  But you are right:  I am the only person who is with me for life!  I have never thought about it that way before.  Thank you for helping me see reality!

13

You are very welcome, Elizabeth. If I remember correctly you helped me when i first came to this forum?

I learned that lesson through a story about a man who came from Long Island into Mahatten (long haul) to return $1.19 to a store that had given him too much change. When asked why he came such a long way to return so little, his reply was, " I decided I didn't want to live the rest of my life with a petty thief."  True story!!

14

Yes, we have helped each other.  ðŸ˜Š