Not all doctors are the same. Here’s how one kind provider helped me reclaim trust in the process.

My second opinion appointment was on Thursday. I hadn’t fully processed everything to put it into a blog entry, which is why I didn’t discuss it before now. I still wanted to take a moment to highlight key takeaways from it and what I learned.

What I learned outside of any gratitude for being heard was quite awesome on its own.

---

I am grateful for an Ophthalmologist who listened to my symptoms and concerns without dismissing my struggle.

I am not upset at the lack of damage or swelling of my optic nerves. I am beyond grateful to know they are undamaged.

What bothered me about the previous experience was the ongoing dismissal of my existing symptoms and being chastised for photophobic pain during the exam.

The man I met on Thursday was the exact opposite of the previous experience. He laid out what he saw and how it doesn’t correlate with the brain MRI and my existing symptoms. Explaining the progression of my pupil dilation was helpful, too. I explained my symptoms clearly, he asked questions that I could easily answer, and he was honest.

♡ This is an affiliate link, a no-cost-to-you feature that helps pay my bills ♡
🧘🏻‍♀️ Self-Care Suggestion. Use a self-care journal to track your symptoms, emotions, and overall health. If you use daily gratitude to ground yourself, there is a journal for that. Other guided journals can prompt self-love and awareness. Writing is my favorite form of decompression. There are options if it helps you, too!

Despite the lack of signs, he is still concerned because my symptoms reflect what he cannot see. He says that I should have the spinal pressure puncture no matter what for a definitive answer. However, he still wants to do more tests that can help answer more questions.

I go back for those tests in about 2 weeks with a follow-up on next steps the week after.

I am grateful for a good experience.

---

Remaining Objective In The Presence Of Medical Dismissal

I would say my medical experiences are 50/50. I have met some amazing providers with good intentions and quality care. I have met some who treated me like a question or concern was a waste of their time. My last Ophthalmologist shamed me for being in pain.

I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t know being stabbed in the eye with bright light was something I am not allowed to express pain over.

🔎Learn More. I discuss this experience in Holding Boundaries In The Doctor’s Office: A Quiet Act of Self-Care. Find more medical appointment updates under Diagnostic Mode.

A pulmonologist told me, “What am I supposed to do about it?” Oh, so casually cutting me off when I was trying to explain an event that triggered a system-wide meltdown. I left his office bawling. I didn’t know how to react or finish my explanation. I was only 3 to 4 words into explaining the event when he snapped.

My PCP, Nicole, goes out of her way to help me through medical struggles. She cares about her patients. Another pulmonologist was honest and kind when he couldn’t find the cause of my struggles.

During a dental procedure, I had a nurse who skipped her lunch to stay with me. I had anxiety so bad that I shook and cried. She soothed me during the entire procedure. When she walked me out, I thanked her for her kindness.

♡ This is an affiliate link, a no-cost-to-you feature that helps pay my bills ♡
🧘🏻‍♀️Self-Care Suggestion. Try a spinner ring. I received one for Christmas last year and I love it. This tiny gear spinner ring on Etsy is adorable and visually pleasing. They offer a wide range of ring styles across the platform.

Humanity is not a constant. We are individual variables with so many complex mental networks. Not everything lines up into a perfect good or bad. We express ourselves through a filter of moments, feelings, stressors, and unique personality traits.

Remembering this remains true for medical professionals is hard. When my brain sees a trend, it braces for the worst possible outcome. It is trying to protect me, causing a mess load of anxiety in the moment. I actively work on being optimistic, using the facts of humanity as my basis.

---

Sometimes life feels intense, and this space helps me release tension. Every time you read my words, I hope they bring a little clarity or sense of community. I value the idea that maybe someone realized this isn’t always a lonely path.

Have you dealt with medical whiplash?

Share your experience in the comments below. You don’t have to simmer when you can voice your frustrations. I’m sitting there with you.

If my words resonate, please take a moment to also like and share this post. Each like and share helps bring my words to a bigger community of people who need connection, too.

Thank you so much for being here with me as I try to better understand my health struggles, mental and physical.

---

Key Search Terms

medical dismissal | second opinion doctor experience | doctor finally listened | photophobia exam pain | chronic illness advocacy | being heard by your doctor | validating medical experience | chronic illness journey blog | navigating medical gaslighting | self-advocacy in healthcare | ophthalmologist second opinion | IIHWOP symptoms | intracranial hypertension without papilledema | feeling dismissed by doctors | healthcare trauma | emotional recovery from bad doctor visit | finding supportive doctors | chronic illness self-care tips | self-care for medical trauma | when doctors don’t believe you | photophobia and eye exams | patient advocacy blog | real chronic illness stories | mental health and chronic illness | Etsy self-care gift ideas | sensory-friendly comfort items | grounding tools for anxiety | blog about chronic pain experience