https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/aussie-woman-reveals-endometriosis-nightmare-that-nearly-took-her-life/news-story/995b73d567edd3fa5c8e363e0a496afe
Here we go again, ignorant misogynistic pricks of doctors. I just wonder how they treat their wives if this is how arrogant they are with female patients. Excruciating pain like this must be horrendous and on top of that dealing with insensitive arrogance as well. My heart goes out to these women, and I thank my lucky stars that I have never had this terrible misfortune. It is patently obvious to most women that we really don't have much body autonomy and never have.
Why do we have to justify wanting a hysterectomy? We aren't doing it for shits and giggles for heaven's sake. It is about being able to live pain free and also not to be forced into breeding against our free will. Most men are sympathetic to the suffering of their wives, mothers, sisters and women in general. So why is it that the medical industry is still in the dark ages? These are allegedly very well educated men after all.
With all the lip service in the media and promising to do better yet nothing changes. Don’t mistake me for being a misandrist, I am definitely not, I just don’t tolerate arrogant pricks. I am blunt because I have had to deal with the same shit myself, and at times have taken my husband into the doctors surgery with me. Women seem to be needing a 'handler' when they go to see some male doctors about serious health issues; to get someone to vouch for their claims to be in pain, when clearly aware that something is wrong in their bodies. Since when did this seem acceptable?
Up until the 1970's in western nations a married woman could not even go on the pill unless her husband gave a doctor permission to give her the prescription. Single women were not permitted to have this contraception. That is something people my age and younger have never had the indignity of experiencing.
On a similar vein, I have suffered constant breast pain from fibrous, polycystic breasts most of my adult life and do you think one of these male doctors would listen to me, no bloody chance. One idiot told me that I needed to have a baby, I kid you not. I was 23 years old suffering daily pain and discomfort for three years at this point. This doctor said this was my body telling me it’s time to have a baby. Sure it is, just chain me to the kitchen sink too mate.
I had a full time job, single and I was not interested in having a family yet. Not to mention the males in street or in the workplace commenting on my boobs all the time, despite the sexual harassment laws in place. Can you blame me for being blunt with pricks?
My breasts were engorged looking and the heavy weight of them along with the pain was part of my everyday life. Not one bloody doctor could explain why this was happening let alone fix the problem. Just take vitamin b6 and b12 supplements and you’ll be right. I did as they asked and it made absolutely no difference whatsoever. I returned to the doctor and it was a shrug of the shoulders and that was it, doctor after doctor.
One sympathetic female doctor told me to take Evening Primrose oil capsules along with the vitamin b6 and b12. This did nothing to stop the pain, but my breasts went up from a C to an D and then DD and then E size, which is a side effect of taking Evening Primrose oil long term. This, I only found out after going to see a naturopath for help. I took this EPO for about a year or two straight before I was informed about the side effects because I didn’t know about the side effects, until I met this naturopath.
Now I was 5 foot one and a size 10 UK/AUS clothes size, so I was not overweight. Eventually I had to have breast reduction surgery at my own expense after having two babies, aged 29. The problem still remained for years only to start to improve in my 40’s. I still had pain and discomfort but not as severe as it was when I was in my 20’s and 30’s. I had ultrasounds and mammograms throughout this time also, and I can tell you mammograms should not be used in this context because the pain was unbearable and the risk of ruptured cysts is high. An MRI is more appropriate for breast screening especially thick dense fibrous polycystic breasts like mine.
The results of these scans could only inform the doctor that I had multiple cysts but other than that I was left to my own devices. Year after year of nothing but shrugging their shoulders. At no time was I given the opportunity to see a specialist in regards to my condition either. I was just left hanging with no answers.
The only time that I had any pain relief was during pregnancy, but by the time the babies were born the pain was back and intensified. It is pretty obvious to most women who have health issues like endometriosis, hormonal disorders' and polycystic breast disorders that doctors don’t have any understanding about or know how to treat the conditions. Nor do they have any sympathy judging from the reactions of male doctors to this very day. I put this down to the way that they are trained and the male dominated culture within the medical profession.
