Episode 242 – Medical Gaslighting – When Doctors Dismiss Your Symptoms and What to Do About It

Dr. Deb 0:00But the doctor told me it was just anxiety. Three days later, I was in the emergency room having a heart attack. For eight years, they said my symptoms were depression. Turns out it was Lyme disease. These people weren’t crazy. They weren’t overreacting. They were right all along today on Let’s Talk wellness now. We’re exposing the dangers the reality of medical gaslighting and why it might be happening to you right now. Welcome to Let’s Talk wellness now, the podcast where we uncover hidden truths about the healthcare system and empower you to take control of your health. I’m Dr Deb, and today we’re diving into something that affects millions but is rarely discussed openly, medical gaslighting, when healthcare providers dismiss your symptoms and make you question your own reality. Have you ever described your symptoms to a doctor, only to be told it’s all in your head, or maybe you’ve been prescribed antidepressants when what you really needed was further testing. Perhaps you’ve been told you’re too young or too healthy looking to have something serious, maybe. Well, medical gaslighting isn’t just frustrating, it can be deadly. According to a study published in the Journal of women’s health, women are 50% more likely than men to receive an incorrect initial diagnosis after a heart attack. For black women, the number jumps to 75% today, you’ll hear from real patients who fought for years to be believed. You’ll hear my professional insights as a naturopath, along with evidence based data and powerful patient stories, and most importantly, you’ll discover exactly how to advocate for yourself in a medical system that often prioritizes efficiency over accuracy. You see, this isn’t just another medical horror story podcast. By the end of this episode, you’ll have concrete strategies to ensure you never become another statistic in medical gaslighting epidemic. If you’ve ever felt like the medical system was working against you instead of for you, this episode might just save your life or the life of someone you love. So grab your favorite cup of tea or coffee, settle in, and let’s talk about the complexities of medical diagnosis and the journey to finding the truth. So what the heck is this term medical gas lighting anyway? Well, it comes from a 1944 film where a husband manipulates his wife into thinking she’s going insane. Medical gaslighting happens when healthcare providers make you question your own experiences through dismissal, minimization or even blame. It sounds kind of like this. Your laps are normal. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re probably just tired. Try to get more sleep. You’re too young to have that condition.

Dr. Deb 3:39Women, your age, hear this again? Women your age often get anxious about their health. Have you considered therapy? These dismissals aren’t just frustrating, they’re dangerous. Now let me share some shocking statistics a John Hopkins study published in the BMJ quality and safety found that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, and misdiagnosis plays a major role when it comes to cancer. Specifically, the statistics are alarming. Studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology show that approximately 12% of cancer patients are initially misdiagnosed for certain cancers like lymphoma, sarcoma and melanoma. Misdiagnosis rates can reach up to 44% According to research from the Journal of the American Medical Association, even more concerning a 2020 JAMA Network open study found that one in five patients seeking a second opinion at a major medical center received a substantially different diagnosis that changed their treatment. Treatment plan entirely. The average autoimmune patient waits four years and sees five doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis. According to the American autoimmune related disease Association, the diagnostic journey for specific conditions is even more troubling. Multiple Sclerosis patients typically wait an average of seven years from symptom onset to diagnosis, with many being told they have psychiatric issues or stress. According to a 2022 study in the multiple sclerosis journal, Parkinson’s disease, patients often experience a two to three year delay in diagnosis, with up to 25% initially misdiagnosed with conditions like essential tremor or stress related symptoms, as reported in a 2021 study published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease. Lyme disease patients face some of the longest diagnostic journeys, an average of 1.9 years. I’m going to say that’s incorrect, because the clients I see are much longer than that, sometimes five to 10 years. And many of these visits, according to the Journal of Medicine, five healthcare providers before a correct diagnosis. My clients that I see are closer to 50, with many being labeled as having chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, according to research from the International Journal of Medicine, women, you get to win on this one,

Dr. Deb 6:43women are diagnosed with anxiety and depression at twice the rate of men, even when presenting with identical symptoms of physical disease, as found in a landmark study of the New England Journal of Medicine. Behind these statistics are real people whose lives have been forever changed by medical gas lighting. Now I want to tell you a story about Sarah. She spent six years being told her debilitating fatigue was just depression. I couldn’t get out of bed. I had brain fog so bad I couldn’t remember my address. Every doctor I saw prescribed antidepressants or told me to exercise more. One even suggested I was enjoying the sick role. Finally, a rheumatologist tested me for Sjogren syndrome, an autoimmune disease my labs came back with some of the highest antibody levels she’d ever seen. Six years of my life gone, all because no one would believe me. Sarah said,

Dr. Deb 7:51Sarah’s story isn’t unique. Let me share another patient’s experience. This is James, who was 42 when he first noticed a slight tremor in the right hand. James says my primary doctor told me it was an essential tremor and probably stress related. When I mentioned that I was also experiencing stiffness and balance issues, he suggested I try yoga. It took three years in a chance appointment with a neurologist who specialized in movement disorders to finally get my Parkinson’s diagnosis. He says by then he had lost his job because people thought he was drinking and he lost work due to his unsteady gait, those years of dismissal cost him his career. And then there’s Lisa, whose symptoms of Lyme disease were dismissed for nearly five years. Lisa says the joint pain started after a camping trip, then came the debilitating fatigue and the cognitive issues. I was diagnosed with, everything from fibromyalgia to depression. One doctor actually said chronic Lyme disease doesn’t even exist. It’s not real. She had another doctor tell her that Lyme doesn’t exist at all. All of this when she just simply asked to be tested for Lyme, because her symptoms started after a camping trip, when she finally found a Lyme literate doctor, her test came back positive, five years of her life spent in bed, unable to function, told it was psychological. She lost her entire 30s to medical gas lighting. These patient stories break my heart. They highlight how different conditions face unique challenges in the diagnostic process, but there’s a common thread medical. Dismissal that costs years of life and well being, not to mention 1000s of dollars. But what’s causing this widespread problem? Let’s explore these underlying factors. Medical gaslighting isn’t usually malicious. Most healthcare providers genuinely want to help. So why does this happen so frequently? Well, it’s the seven minute visit. The average primary care appointment lasts just 18 minutes with only seven minutes of actual doctor patient interaction, complex system, symptoms can’t be properly evaluated in that time frame, and the insurance model allows you to discuss one symptom at each visit. I’ve actually had clients tell me that their doctors have stopped them after them talking about three symptoms because it’s not allowed inside the healthcare system, they would have to make another appointment if they want to talk about more symptoms than that. Now, as a naturopath who specializes in complex chronic illnesses, I’ve seen this firsthand. I had a colleague once share with me, we’re working in a broken system. Doctors are expected to see 25 patients a day, document everything in real time, and somehow provide thoughtful care. Medicine has become a conveyor belt when faced with complex symptoms that don’t really fit neatly into a diagnostic box. It’s faster to attribute them to stress or anxiety than to dive deeper. It’s not defensible, but it explains why good doctors sometimes make terrible mistakes the elephant in the exam room. Well, research consistently shows that medical gas lighting disproportionately affects certain groups, women, especially those of reproductive health concerns, people of color, particularly black women, patients with obesity, who often have all of their symptoms attributed to their weight, and patients with existing mental health diagnoses, ultimately, the GET OUT OF diagnose free card for many doctors. So I want you to hear Marcus’s story. He’s a 32 year old black man whose appendicitis was repeatedly dismissed as drug seeking behavior. Here’s a story. I went to the ER with the worst pain of my life. The doctor barely examined me, asked if I needed something for pain, and sent me home with a diagnosis of constipation. I returned 12 hours later in septic shock. My appendix had ruptured. Later I saw my chart for the first time, and it said I was drug seeking and dramatic. I almost died because of their assumptions. Marcus’s story is unfortunately, not unusual. It happens more often than we think. Medical education focuses heavily on common condition...