Today marks the 1 year anniversary of such sudden, severe abdominal pain in the middle of a lecture that I left class and laid on the floor of my office, screaming. Went to the ER where a male resident examined me and said that sometimes women have 1/5
abdominal pain and that maybe I should get on birth control (reader, my record said I was already on bc). Was then visited by the male chief resident who apologized for not being able to help but suggested I see a gynecologist and that I go on birth control (eye roll). 2/5
Called multiple gynecologists and could not get an appointment for weeks. Pain continued. Over a month after the ER visit, I saw a male gynecologist who suggested that I change my birth control so that my body can reset (???) and perhaps I will no longer be in any pain. 3/5
Finally managed to see a specialist (female), got properly diagnosed & received proper treatment. No, the ER is not equipped to handle every issue &, of course, not every male provider would have reacted the same. 4/5
But, until I found my specialist, I felt vulnerable and dismissed. Health care providers make women (& POC, LGBTQ+, immigrants, people who use drugs) feel like this all the time leaving so many without care. #healthcareforall now. 5/5
