Heart disease in women often goes undiagnosed, as well. This is what happened to my mother. She had been complaining to her doctor of terrible heartburn for months. He gave her several prescriptions for the heartburn. Finally, she had a moderate heart attack and wound up in the ER. Turned out she was in need of a quadruple bypass and had advanced colon cancer and was severely anemic. She died a few days later. She was 67.
Illnesses present a little different in women and sometimes doctors put too much emphasis on women’s emotions in illness. I still find it incredible that someone can need a quadruple bypass and it went unnoticed. He must never have done any tests on her, or I am sure her severe anemia would have been revealed.
However, I will say that my mother found a doctor who told her what she wanted to hear: you’re just fine. I went with her to the doctor’s office once, right before her heart attack, and after he told her she was fine, I mentioned that she seemed very breathless lately. She got upset and as we left the office she told me she would never bring me to the doctor with her again. I doubt she had ever told him about her colon cancer symptoms, which she hid from everyone.
Ladies, make them test you thoroughly. It’s worth the embarrassment. My mother should have lived another twenty years with her children and grandchildren.
It's the damnedest thing I have ever seen.
My wife and I have been married for 30 years, so I know her pretty well....I think...LOL. I usually go with her to the doctor now, because I discovered that she was entirely uncommunicative when it came to describing her symptoms. I could actually do a better job of it, and at least help with the diagnoses.
Many doctors just do a crap load of tests and some just give out a tranq or pain pill and tell the patient to come back when they can present their problem better.
I’m very sorry about your mother. Thanks for sharing your story. It may save a life.