Tired of the gaslighting

Posted by cwitton1 @cwitton1, Jan 5 8:24am

I am done.
No more doctors. They’ve gaslit me, passed me off, placated me with unnecessary tests, tried detrimental drug therapies. No more “specialists” who pass you along to the next because it’s “not my job”. They straight up don’t believe anything I say. I am done. This journey that started in 1989 with a case of mononucleosis has ruined my life. I am done chasing answers and being mentally traumatized by doctors’ lack of empathy or concern. I am tired of reading my after visit notes and finding errors- things we never discussed or blatant lies about being examined. I am sick to death of being told it’s just anxiety manifesting or my brain tricking my body to make it *think*there’s pain when “there isn’t”. There is pain. A lot of pain, and I do not wonder at all why people with autoimmune disorders or chronic conditions- chronic pain patients, take unthinkable measures. News flash:NSAIDS don’t do squat for pain. They only wreck your kidneys and liver. What I have learned in the last 35 years is you can trust no one but yourself. Doctors are not there to help you. Doctors are there to make money and feel important about themselves. Doctors refuse to tell us, “I don’t know.” I’m tired, and it’s become more of a self preservation technique to just walk away. No more visits. No more medications. Whatever will be, will be. Call me a quitter. I don’t care. We were brought up to think if you’re sick, go to a doctor and they will help you get better. If your pain is new or gets worse, go to your doctor. They will figure out the cause. This is bs. No one’s going to help you. No one’s going to believe you. You will begin to question your sanity and eventually come to the conclusion that you’re on your own. The power dynamic in medicine is huge. They may have paid for an education, but I am not stupid and I know my body. This is me, finally defeated, jaded and hopeless. This is me accepting that this is how the rest of my life will be, forever. It’s not an exciting, rosy prospect. This is me, and I am done.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.

cwitton1 | @cwitton1 | Jan 7 1:32pm

I wanted to add, I’ve just started low dose naltrexone. Does anyone have experience with this? I don’t have an opinion yet.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jan 7 1:39pm

In reply to @cwitton1 "I wanted to add, I’ve just started low dose naltrexone. Does anyone have experience with this?..." + (show)

Some members have shared their experience with low dose naltrexone in the following discussion:
--- Success with low dose naltrexone for Autoimmune disorders: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anyone-familiar-with-low-dose-naltrexone/

There are quite a few different discussions on LDN that might also be helpful:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/?search=low+dose+naltrexone

Lara K | @larak | Jan 7 3:42pm

In reply to @rwinney "More power to you! Keep fighting the good fight for yourself and not only recognizing the..." + (show)

Sure! I have started several balls rolling. I had surgery to repair 3 suture site hernias, one quite large, down the middle of my abdomen. The hope is that I can improve my body mechanics and relieve some back and joint pain with PT.

I just started on Ozempic and Weight Watchers to start taking off some weight. I know that will be helpful. Even if it doesn't relieve pain, it will still be easier to get around.

I take very basic supplements: multi, fish oil, fiber, & calcium. But am hoping a functional medicine doc will have more guidance. On diet as well.

I'm very tired of hurting and the fatigue.

gigi4 | @gigi4 | Feb 1 8:52am

In reply to @cwitton1 "I wanted to add, I’ve just started low dose naltrexone. Does anyone have experience with this?..." + (show)

I took LDN for a period of time. Having Hashimoto's for years, my doctor tested me for antibodies attacking my thyroid and recommended LDN. I'm now off it and I've decreased one dose of one of my thyroid meds. No side effects while on it.

cwitton1 | @cwitton1 | Feb 1 9:00am

In reply to @gigi4 "I took LDN for a period of time. Having Hashimoto's for years, my doctor tested me..." + (show)

Did you find it helpful at all? Did your pain decrease?

gigi4 | @gigi4 | Feb 1 9:11am

In reply to @cwitton1 "Did you find it helpful at all? Did your pain decrease?" + (show)

I did not experience any pain from Hashimoto's - low thyroid and an autoimmune condition. LDN is an off label use for my condition. The LDN helped rid me of the antibodies attacking my thyroid - this is a very simplistic explanation.
Google LDN and you will find a lot of information about its uses. Inflammation is a major, major cause of many symptoms. It's important to get to the causes of those symptoms and treat the cause not just the symptom. Treating the symptoms gives you relief but once off the meds treating symptoms, symptoms invariably return. I went through that with my digestive issues before changing doctors multiple times and finally being tested for the causes - SIBO, parasites, fungal infection - and treating me based on these causes.

gretchencox1111 | @gretchencox1111 | Feb 1 12:37pm

This explains EXACTLY how I feel. I’m so tired of being tired. I. So tired of being unheard. Where do we go when we are out of options???

busyyaya | @busyyaya | Feb 2 8:15am

In reply to @larak "Sure! I have started several balls rolling. I had surgery to repair 3 suture site hernias,..." + (show)

May need D3 and K2-MK-7 to absorb the calcium into bones. If you’re obese and have joint pain you probably have some osteoarthritis/DJD going on.
Good job getting weight down as VERY stressful on joints

cwitton1 | @cwitton1 | Feb 2 8:20am

In reply to @busyyaya "May need D3 and K2-MK-7 to absorb the calcium into bones. If you’re obese and have..." + (show)

Neither of my drs will let me take K2. I was told there’s not enough scientific evidence that it’s needed to absorb D3 into bones 😑

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Feb 2 8:29am

In reply to @cwitton1 "Neither of my drs will let me take K2. I was told there’s not enough scientific..." + (show)

You might want to discuss this research with your doctor.

"Gigante et al. (Gigante et al., 2015) studied the effect of vitamin K2-7 (with and without vitamin D3) on differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) obtained from bone marrow. Vitamin K2-7 enhances the process of gene induction of osteocalcin that is initially influenced by vitamin D3. It was observed that vitamin K2-7 has an effect on genes involved in cell growth and cell differentiation which included growth differentiation factor-10 (GDF10) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). In addition, co-supplementation of vitamin K2-7 influenced vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFA) induction along with its receptor fms-related tyrosine kinase 1 (FLT1); FLT1 plays a role in both angiogenic and osteogenic processes. Co-supplementation of vitamins aided in bone-healing process by modulating the expression of genes involved in both mineralization and angiogenesis. Considering genes involved in bone formation and mineralization, vitamin K2-7 enhanced vitamin D3 gene induction of osteocalcin. Hence, co-supplementation strategy has the potential to help in better development of bone and reduce bone-related disorders."
--- Molecular Pathways and Roles for Vitamin K2-7 as a Health-Beneficial Nutraceutical: Challenges and Opportunities: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9237441/

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