Last year, I experienced for myself how black women are ignored and gaslit in health care. My grandmother and mother dealt with chronic illness for as long as I can remember, so I’ve always had a front seat to the treatment they have received. However, it was still shocking when I experienced it for myself.
December 2022, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. Hashimoto’s disease is an immune disorder where the body creates antibodies that attack the cells of the thyroid, which causes the thyroid not to be able to make enough thyroid hormone. Months before December, I had done the usual blood work after an annual exam and my Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels were two times higher than the normal range. I contacted my doctor and was told I had nothing to worry about. In the months following, I started to experience fatigue, no matter how much rest I got, severe depression, sensitivity to the cold, dryness of the skin and hair, pain in my neck, and symptoms I couldn’t articulate until now. It wasn’t until about September, that the depression and fatigue became so severe I could barely leave the bed. Finally, I started missing periods, which is not normal for me, and knew something was wrong.
At first, I called my ob/gyn and told her I had missed 2 periods and was starting to worry. All I was told was to continue taking my birth control as prescribed and to schedule an appointment, which wouldn’t be until January. Since the symptoms were worsening by the day, I scheduled the appointment but also sought answers elsewhere– the primary care physician who had ordered my blood work. Like my ob/gyn, I wouldn’t be able to see my PCP in person until January, so I scheduled a virtual appointment, at this point I wanted answers now.
On the call with my PCP, I told her all the symptoms I was experiencing, how they were getting worse, and that I was missing periods. I was told that I was stressing too much and that this is what was causing me to miss periods and to schedule an appointment with my ob/gyn. The symptoms continued and again I missed another period. At one point my body was feeling so tired and in pain, so I went to urgent care. Of course, they didn’t help either and just told me that I was pregnant, despite a negative pregnancy test, and that there was nothing they could do for any of my symptoms.
I was becoming desperate for answers at this point. I was so depressed, my symptoms were getting worse, and my grades were tanking. After much googling and help from my mother and boyfriend, I took a look again at my blood work, my TSH levels being this high had to mean something, so I scheduled another virtual appointment with my PCP. At the visit, I told her about my blood work and she finally agreed that my symptoms were unusual and that the TSH levels could possibly lead us to answers for why I was having them and she ordered blood work for my thyroid hormones to be looked at. My TSH levels were two times the normal range and my Thyroperoxidase (TPO) antibodies were more than 5 times the usual range.
At the next visit with my PCP, I was told that because my TSH and TPO antibody levels were high, I more than likely had an autoimmune disease level called Hashimoto’s disease and I was prescribed medication.
After being on the medication for a month my symptoms had already started to get better. At last, I was being listened to and getting answers and solutions, but after how long and how many times being told I was stressing out about my condition and that there was nothing that could be done. Why did I have to tell my doctor my blood work was off and that it should be looked into when she is the one who signed off on it?
Looking back on this whole experience, it makes me think what if I had a condition that was life-threatening and was ignored that many times? It honestly hurts my heart how black women are treated in health care. We deserve to be listened to and for our issues to be taken seriously. I hope that one day it truly reaches a point in health care where black women and their health issues/concerns are listened to and taken seriously.
Unruly Bodies 
It’s beyond shameful that black women have to fight this hard to receive the healthcare that they deserve. I don’t understand how people decide to be doctors but be conditional by who they want to give healthcare to. I am really sorry that that was your experience.
I am truly sorry to hear about the challenging and distressing experience you had with your health care journey. It’s disheartening to learn about the dismissive attitude you encountered and the struggle you faced in getting the proper attention and diagnosis for Hashimoto’s disease. Your story sheds light on the systemic issues that black women often face in healthcare, where their concerns are not given the attention and consideration they deserve.
Your resilience and determination to advocate for yourself, even in the face of repeated dismissals, are commendable. It’s unfortunate that you had to persistently seek answers and bring attention to your abnormal blood work before receiving the diagnosis and treatment you needed. No one should have to endure such frustration and anxiety when seeking medical help.
Your story serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for change within the healthcare system. Black women, like everyone else, deserve to be heard, understood, and taken seriously when it comes to their health concerns. I hope that sharing your experience will contribute to raising awareness about these issues and ultimately lead to a more inclusive and equitable healthcare environment.
Wishing you continued strength on your journey to better health, and I sincerely hope that positive changes can be made to ensure that all individuals receive the care and respect they deserve in the healthcare system.