Exactly Why It Can Take Months—or Years—to Get the Right Diagnosis
Worse, Dr. Jenkins says, doctors don’t always acknowledge that women with an array of symptoms evenThat’s what happened to Jennifer Bononi, a 48-year-old in Bellingham, WA, who complained to her PCP about fatigue and numbness in her neck, arms, and legs. When basic blood tests came back normal, the doctor recommended Prozac, though a screening didn’t support a depression diagnosis.
If you’re both a woman and a person of color, you can face even higher hurdles, Dr. Jenkins says. Shekita Green believes that her being both young and Black was a key reason she kept getting the brush-off. Fortunately, she had health insurance— not having it can make the situations of young women of color even more precarious, especially if they are in a lower socioeconomic group.
At other times, a doctor might sense that they haven’t landed on the right diagnosis but not make the effort to look further. One reason may be burnout, which COVID-19 has worsened.What to do if you want further evaluation Continue pointing out symptoms that don’t fit with your diagnosis, and speak up when treatments aren’t helping, Dr. Morgan says: “The doctor is the expert in medicine, but you’re the expert in what you’re experiencing.” Say something like, “I took this medicine for 10 days, and my symptoms haven’t improved. I’m worried that this isn’t what I have,” he says. A good doctor should be open to reevaluating that situation.
Even if your doctors are ultimately unable to diagnose you—which can be the case despite everyone’s best efforts—they should continue to provide emotional support and symptom relief, Moritz says. But when a doctor seems to stop listening and showing concern, Dr. Morgan says, “it’s time to leave.”Expert suggestions for how to press the issue if you aren’t getting answers.“I know my body well, and this is definitely more than stress.
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