When the Doctor Just Doesn’t Get It

Today was one of those days.
The kind where you walk into a medical office with cautious optimism… and walk out wondering why you even bothered getting out of bed.

I met with a new GI doctor, someone in the same practice I was referred to by my new concierge medicine doctor (who, by the way, I really like). The appointment was meant to address some very real concerns: severe gastric pain, unexplained weight loss (35 lbs since surgery), and a family history of cancer.

Here’s to hoping your next appointment fits better.
May it bring answers, gentleness, and a little less exhaustion.

This should have been a simple, straightforward step forward. But instead, it felt like a detour into frustration.

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The Rushed, Rude, and Ridiculous

The doctor spoke to me for all of six minutes.
He asked questions only to answer them himself before I could speak.
He cut me off, spoke over me, and delivered his opinions like cold, hard facts without a single ounce of warmth, curiosity, or care.

It was the kind of encounter that lives rent-free on Reddit threads and TikTok videos, the kind that makes chronically ill folks roll their eyes and say, “Yup. Been there.”

And for a moment, I wanted to go scorched-earth on Google Reviews.
To scream into the algorithm: Stay away! Run while you can!

But then… I took a breath.

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Not a Fit. Not a Failure.

Here’s the truth I came back to:
He might not be a bad human. He might’ve just been having a terrible day… or a terrible decade.
But more importantly, he’s just not the right fit for me.

Doctors are like shoes.
Some offer the perfect support.
Some give you blisters.
And some? Just weren’t made for your feet, no matter how fancy or highly rated they are.

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Moving On Without the Rage Spiral

I’ve decided not to see him again.
I’ve requested a new provider from the same practice the one I originally been referred to see. I’ll drop off my records in person because I deserve to be taken seriously. And I know this journey matters too much to waste time with someone who won’t walk it with me.

GI appointments are vulnerable and uncomfortable enough. You shouldn’t have to fight just to be heard.

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If This Is You, Too…

I see you.
It’s okay to feel angry. It’s okay to feel let down.
And it’s more than okay to give yourself grace for feeling all of it.

Give the doctor a pass, but don’t give up your right to advocate for better care.
Not every doctor is the right shoe. That doesn’t mean you stop walking.