warning: exceptionally long comment ahead

It is absolutely terrifying growing up to realize that the medical safety net doesn't exist for a lot of people (whether it be ignorant, incompetent doctors, or insurance issues) before the horrid 'obamacare' started /s I did not have any insurance because medicaid covered very few people in my state, after it started, I finally got medicaid (which ugh, isn't very good in itself still but at least it's something) and was able to have my first IUD ever

my IUD fucked with my vagina, I got my first yeast infections ever, I got five in a row, it was terrible. they kept prescribing things that didn't work, eventually I got bv with a yeast infection (god help any guy who reads my comment history) - worst thing ever. Men are lucky yeast infections are rare, we have a perpetually wet area on our body we have to deal with, it is quite inevitable for a lot of us - itchy hot crotch fire doom

I have seen posts on this very sub about women who have yeast infections for years. years.

I met a girl on this sub who has an illness that causes chronic UTIs, that she may have until the day she dies. Doctors have disrespected her, completely dismissed her, implied she was insane, and even at one point caused her severe pain and trauma while prodding her because they didn't believe she was actually in pain.

I have learned that all of this does not just apply to this issue. I have had extreme issues regarding physical and mental health with all types of doctors. I truly believe we have progressed in medicine in miraculous ways, but in many many ways we are still struggling with frankly, horrific misdiagnoses and complete neglect and people ignoring their patients.

My mom had bunyon surgery when she was 21 (she says that's the biggest mistake of her life) the doctor was incompetent and shattered her bone, fragments are still there to this day. it causes her pain all the time. she cannot walk. she cannot exercise at all except for swimming. her body is falling apart in many ways, and insurance hardly covers any of it. she is constantly stressed out about the money which I feel makes everything worse. on top of all of that, she is in pain all the time (she had two different surgeries trying to fix the foot, she has been to innumerable podiatrists, tried every type of shoe and arch support out there) and the doctors treat her like a drug addict so they often refuse to give her the pain pills she needs (meanwhile my doctor freely gives me any meds, it is the luck of the draw. I even had to give her my meds at one point...I have a chronic illness so I'm way too familiar with the medical system at a young age)

they wouldn't even give her low doses of tramadol, when she is in legitimate, chronic physical pain that harms her life and debilitates her everyday. that is unjust and cruel. our medical system makes unjust and cruel decisions every single day.

if your doctor sucks. do everything you can to find a new one. don't trust bad doctors, I would go so far as to say: for a lot of things, don't trust any doctors, research everything. find out what other people are saying online, what treatments they've found (this is what finally cured my yeast infections!! reddit :) not doctors...and I haven't had one since that year, two years ago, and my IUD has been perfect periodless heaven ever since)

medications and even antibiotics should not be taken blindly, any pills going into your body or any treatment for your health should not be unquestioned. it is okay to be active in your health and demand someone listen to you if you know there is a problem that is not being taken care of. make sure you completely understand your treatment and try to get the best treatment possible, and hopefully you can find a good doctor who will respect you and cares about your health (so many doctors seem so arrogant and apathetic to their patients.)