Lise (and her doctor) worried that her symptoms were all in her head.
Transcript
But men – when they go and complain – right away they go ‘okay let’s take this – you’ve got all the symptoms but for a woman, it’s not. For a woman, they come up with everything. Your weight, your age, your hormones. Everything they come up with, that they wouldn’t come up with for a man. And then we’re looked at as complaining. And because we put the symptoms aside and because we you know care for everybody else first, we’re worried that we’re complaining. We’re worried that it’s in our head. We’re worried that we’re making it all up and that we’re not going to be taken seriously. And then when we do go to the doctor, we’re not taken seriously so then it just reinforces that it’s all in our head.
More from: Lise
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- Mental Health & Emotional Support – LiseLise says there's nothing out there for mental health for women with HF or their families.
- Stigma & Gender Bias – LiseLise (and her doctor) worried that her symptoms were all in her head.
- Coping Strategies – LiseLise uses meditation to manage pain and anxiety.
- Coping Strategies – LiseLise adapted her approach to exercise and works within her limitations.
- Mental Health & Emotional Support – LiseLise has always had psychological services upon receiving a heart failure diagnosis.
- Finding Support – LiseLise describes how her sisters' medical expertise lead to her being taken seriously.
- Impact on Daily Life – LiseLise made modifications to her activities to continue living life to the fullest.
- Diagnosis – LiseLise had classic HF symptoms but it took over a year to get a diagnosis.
- Heart Transplant – LiseLise speaks about not feeling ready for a transplant.
- Early Symptoms – LiseLise talks about the weight gain she experienced prior to receiving a heart failure diagnosis.