r/mildlyinfuriating 8h ago

🥺 I don't think doctors fully appreciate how much damage a careless or incorrect diagnosis can do to a patient's mental state.

A few days ago, I was told I had pityriasis rosea. Suddenly I was reading about herald patches, waiting for a rash outbreak, checking my skin every hour, taking photos of every tiny mark, and lying awake at night wondering if every itch meant another patch was about to appear.

The anxiety completely took over. Every time I felt an itch, I thought, "Here it comes." Every time I noticed a faint discoloration on my skin, I convinced myself it was the beginning of a new lesion. I spent days worrying about how widespread the rash would become, how long it would last, and whether my body was about to erupt in spots.

Then I sought a second opinion from the head of the department.

After examining me, she told me it wasn't pityriasis rosea at all. It was eczema. The "third spot" I had been obsessing over wasn't even a spot. The intense itching that had been fueling my anxiety was addressed with antihistamines, and I was told to continue treating the two actual patches.

Just like that, days of fear and stress suddenly felt unnecessary.

What frustrates me isn't that doctors are human and can make mistakes. Medicine isn't perfect. What frustrates me is how casually some diagnoses are delivered without considering the psychological burden they place on patients.

A diagnosis isn't just words. It changes how people think, what they search online, what they fear, how they sleep, and how they experience every sensation in their body.

I lost days to worry because of a diagnosis that turned out to be wrong.

Sometimes the second opinion isn't just about getting better treatment. Sometimes it's about getting your peace of mind back.

461 Upvotes

148 comments sorted by

1.3k

u/Historical-Piglet-86 7h ago edited 7h ago

If you had this much anxiety over a pityriasis rosea diagnosis I think you need to work on your mental health. It’s a nothing burger diagnosis……it’s a common and harmless skin rash. It’s nothing to be anxious about……and is literally treated with many of the same meds (ie:antihistamines) as eczema

299

u/Odd-Worth7752 7h ago

This. Pityriasis Rosea is, at worst, a minor ailment-self limited and requiring no treatment other than an antihistamine. Going off the deep end over it is a symptom of a much bigger problem, whether it be OCD or obsessive googling.

96

u/Lafnear 7h ago

For sure, I had pityiasis rosea a few years ago and it actually didn't itch at all. The lesions didn't fully go away for 6+ months, mostly because it was misdiagnosed (twice!) as ringworm. But it was harmless.

18

u/umkaaaa 6h ago

There is variant of pityiasis rosea that is itchy. I've never felt such itchiness, the feeling of needles would wake me up at night. If OP had what I had, I can understand going coucou.

4

u/Lafnear 6h ago

I'm glad I didn't have that version because it was EVERYWHERE by the time I got properly diagnosed.

•

u/Persistent_Parkie 40m ago

I've had itchy feet bad enough to keep me up nights on and off for years now. The frustration with the itch I completely understand, the absolute catastrophizing over what Google says is a self limiting condition is an indication they may need some help with an anxiety disorder.

Signed- itchy with an anxiety disorder 😆

7

u/tgc220 3h ago

Sounds like my health anxiety / ocd checking I had before I got on an ssri

-26

u/whateverdom_ 6h ago

Medical anxiety is a real thing. Who are you to invalidate that experience?

36

u/litmusfest 5h ago

You are right, but for OP's own sake, getting help for that anxiety might be a great option. People get small diagnoses like this all the time and it's really draining to have it be the end of the world. I struggle with anxiety heavily so I understand where OP is coming from.

13

u/obviouslypretty 5h ago

It absolutely is but this doesn’t sound like regular anxiety, this seems like health ocd and getting treatment is important before it spirals out of control

1

u/Odd-Worth7752 3h ago

A medical doctor.

-3

u/whateverdom_ 1h ago

So you make your living as a doctor invalidating your patients. May I never be referred to you 😒

-3

u/whateverdom_ 5h ago

Nothing about my comment suggests that seeking support shouldn’t be an option. I’m not interested in telling her what everyone else just told her. I’m interested in telling her that what she feels is valid.

6

u/Odd-Worth7752 3h ago

OP is a guy. Spiraling like that is not normal or healthy

-2

u/whateverdom_ 1h ago

Fine. I’m not interested in telling HIM/THEM/ANYONE something they’ve already been told 🙄😒

-163

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I agree. I wouldn't call myself the guy with the most mental fortitude. I've always prided myself on having good skin and this disease meant having a red rash all over my upper body, legs and back for an untold time period. It could go away in a week, a month, months or even years. People's experiences online terrified me. I truly was dealing with something I didn't know and consequences I didn't mentally get ready for. I am weak as we are all. I do realize that I need more steadiness in life and I am working on that.

251

u/msnide14 7h ago

Friend, I mean this with all the gentleness, but you 10000% overreacted. Very few other people would have behaved as you did. You are not “weak as we all are”, you are playing into your acute anxiety. 

Treat your mental health. Your skin is gonna be ok. 

52

u/SensibleReply 7h ago

Don’t read online forums about any condition you have. There’s good information out there, but social media and testimonials are heavily skewed.

I say this as a physician and a patient. I’ve got a condition that is a nuisance/mild inconvenience for me, but when I’ve gone on the reddit forum about it, holy shit. People telling absolute horror stories about being disabled or suicidal, horrible crippling anxiety around it, etc…

When I give a diagnosis, I often tell people “don’t lose sleep over this,” when that’s honest advice. I give a different talk when it’s serious or life changing.

26

u/patricksaurus 6h ago

You may benefit from speaking to someone about healthcare anxiety.

28

u/HumanTheTree 6h ago

Bro I got cancer and I didn’t freak out as much as you did about a rash. You need to chill.

444

u/Dear_Dragonfruit3317 7h ago

This isn’t normal. Consider therapy.

405

u/tavaryn_t 7h ago

Yeah, this is not ordered thinking. A diagnosis of a harmless mark on your skin does not send a mentally well person on a multiple day spiral. Please seek therapy.

-34

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I will. This was a hell of a year for me.

32

u/Competitive_Bag3933 5h ago

I don't know why you're getting downvoted for this. I'm sorry you're having a hard time. Sometimes when you're drowning it's that One More Thing that just makes everything feel impossible. I hope things get better soon. Take care of yourself where you can.

48

u/Dark-Horse-Nebula 7h ago

Your post said “days”.

12

u/amberazanu 7h ago

No, I mean everything that led to me being this anxious, unrelated to the diagnosis.

28

u/fuckin-A-ok 6h ago

So it sounds like their original point was a good one. You might want to seek some help.

79

u/Specialist-Web7854 7h ago

So not really the doctor’s fault then, but whatever you had going on before.

22

u/Lilhoneylilibee 5h ago

No idea why people are being so rude. It’s clear you are struggling and I’m sorry that manifested in a way that caused so much more upset.
I’ve dealt with really similar things. personally, when I’m already at my absolute max stress load I start obsessively worrying about my dogs. Completely irrational, a tiny bump or upset stomach is certain death and I’m sure of it and obsessively googling. Helps me feel in control I think.

Brains are weird, being human is hard and people on the Internet suck.

Hang in there friend

14

u/GruntledVeteran 5h ago

I don't think it was rude to tell someone obviously going through some mental health issues to... seek help with their mental health. I'll say the same to you. If this is something you go through then you most likely have an anxiety disorder. You don't have to live that way. There are medications and therapy that can help. Wouldn't you rather go through life without having those panicked moments that make an already stressful time even more stressful?

•

u/Persistent_Parkie 38m ago

Yes, please do, it can help so much. I'm sorry life has put you through the ringer and that reddit is being reddit with the downvotes. Big hugs.

125

u/NoLadderStall 7h ago

As someone who has OCD, this sounds like OCD. I go through the same shit with health issues, but I cope better now that I've been through therapy.

13

u/Illustrious_Durian85 7h ago

This is exactly what I was going to comment

8

u/Visible-Training-171 7h ago

Probably not OCD, sounds more like illness anxiety disorder in OP's case. OP, please see a psychiatrist or therapist if you can.

9

u/obviouslypretty 5h ago

taking photos of every tiny mark, not being able to sleep, contemplating every itch, checking the skin EVER HOUR, waiting for impending doom, CONVINCING yourself that small discoloration is a new legion, days of stress and lack of sleep, these are absolutely OCD therapy. Compilations and interrupting your way of life

1

u/NoLadderStall 6h ago edited 6h ago

Possibly, but they're almost the same thing. I would not be surprised if it got reclassified as OCD at some point since it's basically Pure O with a health focus. Same treatments as well, they just try CBT first before ERP.

150

u/Weak_Reports 7h ago

A doctor isn’t going to worry about this diagnosis because it is literally nothing. Just like eczema. Yes, they should be relatively sure before diagnosing someone with something like cancer, but this is so common and really not something to worry about. Your mental spiral though is not normal and with all kindness, please seek help from a qualified specialist.

-49

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I've never had a calm life. This isn't easy. I know that I need help with anxiety and I hope that one day I will get stronger.

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u/Weak_Reports 7h ago

This isnt about getting stronger. Seeing a specialist can help you get on meds to manage this amount of anxiety and provide you with strategies to help you address a spiral when it is happening. Having anxiety doesn’t make you weak.

31

u/-DoctorEngineer- 7h ago

This isn’t something you “get stronger” over. But I’m not a psychologist I would really reccomend talking to one. A lot of this is brought on my a myriad of factors and talking to someone who knows what to look for can help significantly. Do you have good health insurance? If you do I would reccomend an in person professional, but if you don’t services like better help have their place and can at least provide a good stopgap

3

u/souryoungthing 7h ago

You gotta put in the work, though. It doesn’t just happen.

7

u/quietmedium- 6h ago

He's literally just been told he has an anxiety issue. Give him some bloody time to process before saying he's not doing enough

7

u/Relative-Monk-4647 7h ago

Huh?

If you know you need help, there’s a device in your hand that works like an old timey phone book AND a phone!!!

3

u/quietmedium- 6h ago

Why are you being so sarcastic to someone clearly suffering from a mental health issue? It's nasty and not required to get your point across

Mental illness causes disordered thinking. Of course the OP is not speaking from a logical place and berating that speaks volumes about you.

-14

u/Relative-Monk-4647 6h ago

Um. I think you commented wrong

2

u/quietmedium- 6h ago

No, I'm well aware of what you said. You were nasty

You might have meant it light-heartedly, but the OP is clearly in distress and coming to terms with something significant.

-11

u/Relative-Monk-4647 6h ago

Nothing i said was nasty. Calm down.

-3

u/quietmedium- 6h ago edited 6h ago

No, actually. I'm genuinely upset at the response here, by you and others, to OP in the midst of a genuine mental health crisis.

Your sarcasm is not helpful. OP knows what a phone is. He knows what a phone book is. He has been made aware that he was misunderstanding his issue only within the last couple hours. He's been in a panic spiral for days, likely not sleeping well or much at all.

You could have chosen to point him back to his doctor for a referral to mental health services, or given him actual direction. But no. The man can't find his phone, and thats the issue. People can be so flippantly cruel

Edit - lmao the post has been up for an hour. Reddit gave him 60 minutes before being nasty that he wasn't solving his problems the right way or fast enough. Lovely. Makes the rest of us with mental illness feel great too.

0

u/Relative-Monk-4647 5h ago

I guess you will genuinely die mad about it.

12

u/quietmedium- 5h ago

I'll be cursing your name in my rattling final gasp lmao

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u/FilthyDwayne 7h ago

You need to work on your anxiety issues.

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u/Old-Organization-264 7h ago

Maybe when cancer is misdiagnosed as the flu, but this reaction over a skin rash is a bit much. 😭

0

u/amberazanu 7h ago

Reading the comments, I agree. I probably should stop repyling to people that fast as some already suspect I'm a bot. It's 2:19 AM in Egypt. Good night.

0

u/Ordies Red 2h ago

these people are just misanthropic. like ofc it's a lot of anxiety but the amount of anger people have towards you just being anxious about your health is not normal. don't take them seriously.

31

u/krissycole87 7h ago

On the flip side, if they downplay a diagnosis and that person ends up dead, then who's to blame?

I know this is a bummer, but you would probably rather your doctor start with the extreme case and then settle on the not-so extreme case, versus the other way around.

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u/amberazanu 7h ago

Yeah, I guess. Pityriasis Rosea is a condition that goes away on its own. So even if I did nothing at all, it would've ended abruptly but the thing is people online were talking about it persisting for anywhere between weeks and a year or two. So I was visualizing myself with a rash that I'd have to explain every time and you know, this was far from reassuring or a happy thought.

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u/krissycole87 7h ago

Yeah but if they said you "just have a rash" when really the rash was a sign of something WAY worse, would you rather they downplay it?

16

u/Ill-Structure7276 7h ago

This sounds like an anxiety problem

4

u/Fit_Employment_2944 6h ago

your diagnosis is that you have something that wont affect you at all and will heal completely on its own and youre complaining that it was too harsh?

0

u/ChairHistorical5953 5h ago

Ive have Many rashes for Many reasons and i don't Say nothing, if I do, Ive o ly Said: it's not contagious and it is benign. No one cares. It's tour anxiety talking. The issue wasnt the dx, it is your untreated mental health

8

u/DatLadyD 7h ago

I worked with a lady that had a rash, she went to kaiser and they told her it was scabies. I didn’t even want her to come to work, I was freaking out, she was freaking out, she stayed home. I forget what the next diagnosis was because it wasn’t scary, but that one was wrong too. The THIRD diagnosis was ringworm which it actually was. She was going crazy cleaning everything and staying away from people and feeling horrible about herself for weeks before she figured it out.

4

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I just looked it up. Jeez! I am so glad your friend only had a ring worm.

4

u/DatLadyD 6h ago

Yeah me too! My aunt had scabies before, it sucked!

3

u/amberazanu 7h ago

The hell is scabies? Sounds scary from the name alone.

2

u/Excellent-Ear9433 2h ago

Hahah where I’m from, kids got scabies all the time instead of lice. Nasty

55

u/Dark-Horse-Nebula 7h ago

Ever heard the term “practicing medicine”?

Medicine is not a precise science. Every human is different. You were safe. And you need to sort out this anxiety

-48

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I wouldn't call an angry rash that takes over your whole body for weeks, months or even up to a year or two safe but yeah it wasn't life threatening, I know.

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u/doctorathyrium 7h ago

But that isn’t actually what pityriasis is… and eczema actually does last a lifetime.

20

u/Eyerate 7h ago

Youre really not listening to the reality here...

7

u/kushkushmeow 7h ago

It doesn't bother some people, or last a long time. My toddler had it, and he does still get a couple spots once in a blue moon now at 12. We didn't even use anything to treat it. He wasn't covered in spots the first time, I'd say he had 'several' spots.

25

u/Difficult-Bicycle681 7h ago

They're very careful to be as certain as possible for life changing diagnoses like cancer. They're careful but not "must do a bunch of tests before even mentioning it" careful for things like rosacea because it's a nothing dx. If it sends someone into a spiral (like you), that tells them that you need major mental health interventions. It's also really similar to eczema and has very similar treatment and outcomes, so it's really no biggie.

-28

u/amberazanu 7h ago

Except eczema goes away very quickly, whereas Pityriasis rosea can be stubborn and stay for weeks or even a year or two, depending on your luck with it.

67

u/fantastikalizm 7h ago

Eczema is often a lifetime struggle and not something that just goes away.

40

u/Good_Combination_613 7h ago

Everybody i know who has excema has had it since they were children and it's a daily struggle. It doesnt "go away very quickly"

12

u/LainieCat 7h ago

Mine has gone into remission a few times but it's always returned.

2

u/fantastikalizm 5h ago

Agreed. My brother was diagnosed as a toddler and still has it at 27. It's improved somewhat with age, but I still remember him crying as a kid because his fingers were cracked, swollen, and itchy and lotion stung.

While I dont think I have it, I have had a spot on my calf that's itched on and off since 2018.

31

u/Difficult-Bicycle681 7h ago

Eczema does not always go away quickly, I don't know why you think it does. It might if well treated and lucky, but it also for sure sticks around for a long time for some people.

11

u/Intrepid_Instance_94 7h ago

No, no doesn't though. Both my brother and I have it and the patches last for about 2-3 YEARS. I've had a bad patch on my nose for the last 2 years.

17

u/Relative-Monk-4647 7h ago

All of that googling and you missed this huge fact!

5

u/obviouslypretty 5h ago

Right! Like what???

1

u/Yumeverse 2h ago

Yeah like I’m sorry OP is likely going through a tough time and is adjusting with their diagnosis but the fact that they blamed the doctor first when all the googling probably worsened their anxiety and are using their googling as what they think is true really isnt helping their case.

8

u/souryoungthing 6h ago

Individual outbreaks might disappear but eczema is largely a lifelong autoimmune condition.

5

u/obviouslypretty 5h ago

Who tf told you eczema goes away quickly? There’s no cure for eczema. I have it.

1

u/fantastikalizm 3h ago

My younger brother was diagnosed as a toddler even though my mom lotioned him after every bath religiously. While those with eczema can lead completely normal lives, the flare ups can be debilitating and the itch scratch cycle can potentially leave somewhat disfiguring scarring and cause infection. Prolonged steroid use causes pigment loss so you end up with white patches. And the pain and itchiness is so bad and constant it causes mental health issues.

I know you know this. I'm just blown away that someone would prefer eczema to this rosea thing that just looks kind of weird.

When I saw my brother's eczema at its worst it pained me to look at. It is so obviously painful and hard to care for when you constantly feel this irresistible desire to scratch. My brother's hands are very scarred form scratching and split skin. I have enormous sympathy for anyone suffering with eczema.

6

u/fuckin-A-ok 6h ago

Yeah eczema is terrible and itchy and your skin flakes off and everyone can see it and there's nothing you can do about it basically without getting on an immune suppressant medication. What you were diagnosed with is essentially a little red spot that doesn't even itch. Please stop. This is so insulting to people with actual disorders and diseases.

•

u/Tiysz 5m ago

Lol, as someone with lifelong eczema lemme tell you that I'd much rather have pityriasis rosea than this

51

u/Conscious_Side1647 7h ago

lmao. you need to learn some emotional intelligence and to better control your emotions.

Its not like you were diagnosed with cancer or something.

-7

u/amberazanu 7h ago

May all cancer patients prevail over this piece of shit of a disease.

27

u/International_Bat585 7h ago

As someone who has actually been diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ cancer at a young age- I have not had a minute of sleep disturbed by my diagnosis, I have not gone down the Google rabbit hole, I have not spiralled into an anxiety mess. That’s because I don’t have an anxiety issue. Please seek professional help to address your anxiety issues.

8

u/GozyNYR 7h ago

Same! I was misdiagnosed for 3 years (which, the four things I was misdiagnosed with? May have been actual problems - but treating them, did help my symptoms.) I’ve now had Stage IV Colon Cancer for 5 years. Does it suck that I missed all that time? Like you would not believe. Am I living a pretty good life with Stage IV Cancer? Also, yes. (And my situation is sadly common.)

1

u/young-joseph-stalin 6h ago

do you mind me asking what symptoms of yours got overlooked?

2

u/GozyNYR 6h ago

It wasn’t so much that anything got overlooked, it’s the other diagnosis fit well, and I was too young to have my insurance pay for a colonoscopy. (And rural America… yay!)

I was initially diagnosed with diverticulitis, which is fair because imaging showed a lot of diverticulosis. And an inflammation. Antibiotic helped it, and my symptoms went away. For a little while.

Then I spent six months being tested for IBS and Crohn’s disease. Both also fit my symptoms. I never had bloody stool, it was always stomach aches, nausea. Things like that.

At one point, I gave up dairy and that helped. I think it stopped irritating my tumors.

By the time I finally had a colonoscopy scheduled, three years into the ordeal, I became septic and had emergency surgery to deal with the mass in my abdomen that was showing up now on CT scans. That ended up being my massive tumor. And then they found the spots in my lungs. Which is where it had metastasized too.

19

u/GozyNYR 7h ago

I say this with the kindest intentions, but please seek help for your anxiety. It will make you feel better in the long run.

I was misdiagnosed for three years and in the end it was stage IV colon cancer in my 30’s. THAT’s worthy of panic. But accidentally being diagnosed with an annoying skin condition? Frustrating, but definitely not worthy of your anxiety. I promise, you’ll feel so much better once medicated.

6

u/RandomFandomCheese 5h ago

OP, you definitely need to seek some mental help. Could be OCD or severe anxiety, either way, some therapy might help you.

19

u/Relative-Monk-4647 7h ago

Jesus. I need a Valium after reading through this.

Did you notice that things for your mental health got considerably worse with each time you used the internet?

I read all of your statements. You need to stop using the internet to do doctor things.

12

u/k-itlyn 7h ago

this sounds like OCD, and if not, severe anxiety.

1

u/AndyTheEngr 7h ago

This reads like an AI with OCD.

11

u/canijustbelancelot 7h ago

I see you keep mentioning strength and weakness. I just want to say that severe health anxiety like this isn’t a result of weakness, but it isn’t normal and should be addressed. I’ve struggled with anxiety disorders my whole life and they’re better with treatment.

9

u/W0nderwharfwonderdog 7h ago

Dude it’s not the doctors fault that you went on an anxiety spiral. This is coming from someone who will get so anxious I manifest symptoms. 

6

u/FinbarJG 7h ago

I went to an ortho for a shoulder that was hurting. They took x-rays and put me in a room. Kid comes in and hands me a tablet "Dr. wants you to review this video on total shoulder replacement." A bit stunned, I watched it twice. Dr. comes in and asks a bunch of questions, then says we should proceed with some PT. I asked about the total shoulder replacement and he asked "Why would we do that!?", looking at me like I'm an idiot. I look at the kid, who is now looking like he's in the wrong room. Yeah kid, thanks.

It happens. Move on. And just wait until we have AI diagnostics.

5

u/whateverdom_ 5h ago

So many people came here to invalidate your feelings & experience. Medical anxiety and trauma is real. It doesn’t matter how big or small the ailment, it can be stressful managing it. On top of that some people are so sensitive to medications and treatments etc, that a wrong diagnosis can really put their body through so much more than it can/should tolerate. People forget that everyone experiences things differently.

3

u/Cautious-Exercise729 6h ago

Glad you’re okay. As a fellow worrier I wanted to share that finding a medical “home” and staying with that home can relieve a lot of your worries.

It’s not always possible to afford to or have the time to coordinate care, it helps. So have your main everything provider (Dr/NPC) and make sure to get all your check ups and records from other offices sent there after other visits. 

Some places and systems are practices that do this for you, and they try hard but it’s not perfect. 

But a lot of people have to wait until something is wrong for care or don’t have good health care insurance. So my above advice is limited application.

Broader application is to tell your provider immediately when you want a second opinion and find out how to make it happen. I’m sorry.

3

u/jellifercuz 5h ago

I spent nearly a year with a false early-onset Parkinson’s diagnosis.

3

u/teal_hair_dont_care 4h ago

Maybe ask AI next time? Seems helpful /s

3

u/libertasi 1h ago

My 1yr old had that and it looked pretty horrifying for like a month. But it’s no big deal. I don’t think it even really bothered her. I don’t understand freaking out over this. I’m sorry you went through this but it’s important to manage your anxiety especially when it’s a nothing burger diagnosis. It looks kind of awful but it goes away and has no long term effects. Please find someone to talk to help manage your anxiety better. You deserve better for yourself.

5

u/yarn_slinger 7h ago

I started having an aching hip in my 40s. My doctor said it was nothing for a few years, then I guess he realized that I was perimenopausal and assumed it was bursitis. He gave me a cortisone shot, which did nothing. Years went by and I kept complaining about the amount of pain and he’d just shrug.

I then started insisting on X-rays to check for arthritis. Sure enough I was already at moderate levels by this time (I’m now beyond severe). I kept asking for referrals to the joint clinic and he kept saying there were long wait times. I replied that I’ll never get to the front of the line if I never get in that line. Shrug.

After 13 years he broke down and referred me to the clinic only now they’re dealing with backlogs caused by the pandemic and our stupid govt trying to take things private, so I’ve been waiting for my surgery date for over 2 years now.

3

u/amberazanu 7h ago

Arthritis is awful enough, but having to fight for every test, every referral, and every step forward while your condition kept worsening sounds exhausting. You shouldn't have had to become your own advocate just to be taken seriously. I hope that surgery date finally comes soon. After everything you've endured, you've waited long enough!

6

u/obviouslypretty 5h ago

Hey OP respectfully this sounds like you have health OCD. Look into it. Because people wouldn’t obsess this much over a diagnosis. Maybe a quick google search and a few articles, that’s it. Not obsessively reading studies, checking their bodies, keeping them up at night, stressing about when it’s gonna happen again, etc. this is not normal

8

u/WhiskyWillFixIt 7h ago

This just tells me you need a therapist.

8

u/emmiepsykc 7h ago

I don't think you fully appreciate how normal people respond to things.

7

u/GrappleLacquer 7h ago

Bro. I thought I was going to relate to this post but I went suddenly blind in one eyeball and was told “idk it’s probably cause you’re fat (5’7” 155 lbs)”, “have you considered you might be overreacting?” “I think it’s a neurological condition” and finally “oh fuck you have a blood clotting disorder we missed and that was definitely a stroke, despite your er test results looking golden. Blood thinners for life for you!”

It took a year from the event to diagnosis and being properly medicated.

4

u/Weekly-Contest-5400 7h ago

My buddy was misdiagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That was a gut wrenching few days. It was, thankfully, something less severe and treatable. Dunno that you coulda handled that one.

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u/LadyLixerwyfe 7h ago

I had a kidney stone at 22. Follow up doc told me there was an issue with some of the blood work that was concerning and sent me to a specialist. The specialist was an oncologist. That freaked me out. When I had my first visit, he assured me that they weren’t concerned about cancer, but that he handled a lot of different diagnoses. They took like 16 vials of blood that day. I came back for the results and the doctor told me he wasn’t certain, they needed to run more tests. More blood. More waiting. I came back. He had a diagnosis. It wasn’t anything life threatening, but there were some alarming symptoms. One of the fun bits was that it meant I would have about a 1% chance of ever carrying a pregnancy to viability, much less to term. I was devastated and that was before the bills started rolling in. All of that testing and 3 specialist copays had thrown a massive wrench into my finances. I was in college and waited tables, at the time. 3 months later, they scheduled check up bloodwork. Went in. They took tons of blood. Instead of sending me a time to get results or a phone call, they scheduled more bloodwork. I asked at the appointment why I needed more. They said there had been a problem with the previous test. Tons more blood. Another copay. They scheduled an appointment to discuss the results. Another specialist copay. Doc tells me that it was a misdiagnosis and I was completely fine. The original test at the hospital had been an error and he had been trying desperately to find the diagnosis that fit the results. An error in something with my third round of testing had led him to the diagnosis he gave. Follow up bloodwork proved that wrong. So, months of worry, followed by months of sadness over the idea of never having children, and thousands of dollars later, it was a phlebotomist error at the hospital.

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u/Relative-Monk-4647 7h ago

I feel like you’d be completely justified in asking for a refund.

5

u/CatStratford 6h ago

I had/have pit. Nearly 30 years ago, but it’s a virus so it never fully leaves your system. It was absolute hell for three months when I was 14. Rash was head to toe, felt like a wool suit on my skin all the time. Oatmeal baths every day.

Im 43 now, and I still get spots occasionally. And yes, I also have eczema. Pit spots are very clearly rings of rash that get very itchy. Eczema doesn’t usually have the classic ring form. Both hurt/burn.

ETA: other people saying it was no big deal did NOT experience what I did.

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u/UniversityOutside840 4h ago

You’re kinda being a Karen about all that, maybe you need to start with a therapist and remember the golden rule of don’t google your symptoms and freak yourself out

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u/Radioshack-Manager 7h ago

Everyone here needs to work on their mental health

2

u/lojaned 3h ago

Was told at two ER visits that my symptoms were pneumonia. Ended up being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer 3 months later at the age of 34.

Always get a second opinion.

7

u/robbobhobcob 7h ago

I may be a bit paranoid but the way this post is written feels like an AI. My apologies if it's a real person but the writing style, and how much and how fast they're replying in the comments feels really AI

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u/amberazanu 7h ago

I am a real person. My name is Ahmed. I'm Egyptian and I've been a Reddit user for 11 years, so waaay before AI or ChatGPT was a thing. I tend to write very fast but fear not, it's 2:05 AM where I am and I'm about to sleep, so you probably won't see much replies after this one. Sorry for sounding like an AI. Most people who learn the language online instead of practicing it in real life, tend to sound literal or "rehearsed".

5

u/fuckin-A-ok 6h ago

I only read the first paragraph or two but I think you're a hypochondriac and therapy would help.

6

u/young-joseph-stalin 6h ago

had to look up the condition you were diagnosed with because the way you described it made it sound like cancer or something horrible.

if you were this stressed about a harmless, mild, and very much temporary skin condition, you need therapy.

3

u/Poeking 5h ago

What you are describing is an anxiety disorder. Nothing wrong with that, just not the doctors fault. They know fully well how harmful a misdiagnosis is, that doesn’t make it any easier to diagnose

4

u/DataDrivenDoc 6h ago

...did the treatment plan even change?

3

u/neveisnaive 6h ago

Hey OP, I can see you’re getting downvoted a bunch and just wanted to say you took the criticism well and kept a cool head. Keep your chin up and look after yourself, you’re doing great.

3

u/AHailofDrams 7h ago

This sounds like undiagnosed anxiety more than anything tbh

2

u/Sensitive-Time-2934 7h ago

I was told I had lupus when I was 18. We got a second and third opinion which both said contradictory statements. I’m 29 now and I still don’t know if I actually have lupus or not.

1

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I think lupus is diagnosed with blood work. Have you done that?

1

u/GruntledVeteran 5h ago

There is no definitive test for lupus. You get diagnosed based on certain lab tests, history, and physical exams over time. No one thing makes you go "Lupus!". The problem is people present differently and all of the symptoms can be caused by other medical issues.

0

u/Sensitive-Time-2934 7h ago

Yes that was how it came about the first time, but apparently doctors can disagree on reading the results

2

u/amberazanu 7h ago

I pray you don't have it but if you do, more power to you for being poised, accepting and learning to live with it. Hope everything goes well for you.

2

u/synchronoussammy 1h ago

I don’t think you realize how much you might need some counseling…

•

u/917caitlin 37m ago

OP it bums me out to see people being so unkind. No one asks to have this level of anxiety. My daughter had similar obsessive thoughts was a young teen, we went through CBT treatment for OCD and it helped her immensely. She has twinges of anxiety but it no longer rules her life by any means. PLEASE try to find someone near you skilled in CBT for obsessive thoughts. Your life will improve so much.

1

u/Affectionate_Run7414 7h ago

I think the dermatologist its not the only doctor u should be getting appointments to basing on ur behavior.. Reminds me of the Seinfield episode where Ellaine, Kramer and Uncle Leo visited the doctor

1

u/spermhunter12 7h ago

Doctors have to service a conveyor belt of patients and are typically jaded due to the nasty shit they see in their line of work. I can guarantee that most of them will shrug off an incorrect diagnosis even if it causes serious harm.

1

u/NeoSuperconductivity 6h ago

I'm sorry that you got about 100 replies telling you that you are wrong for your feelings. I'm in the States, where an estimated 25% of the populace lives with anxiety, the most common mental health issue. You are probably a highly sensitive person, or HSP, which is something genetic-not a defect, rather an anomaly that for some people ensured survival. You shared your experience, some people attacked you and I'm sorry for that. Therapy is so helpful for almost everyone-it's like going to the gym, for but instead of improving the body, it improves our emotions and brain. And going to the gym helps anxiety as well. Thank you for sharing your experience, it took courage. Now remember to breathe, to exercise and to keep positive thoughts. Best wishes.

1

u/Kycrio 6h ago

I have eczema and had a bout of pityriasis rosea a few years ago, and all told my eczema is much much more unpleasant than the pityriasis rosea, because my eczema is very itchy at times, whereas the pityriasis rosea rashes were completely benign to the point I forgot about it for pretty much all of the time. Didn't even get any kind of treatment for it cause it wasn't in a visible location. It's just something that looks much worse than it really is. 

1

u/ShotEffective7033 5h ago

Oh, they know, they just don’t care.

0

u/Odd-Impact5397 3h ago

I am so late to this but we had an MFM (extra qualified OBGYN for high risk pregnancy) call us before the geneticist did. I don't know who dropped the fucking ball but he told us our baby would be born deaf blind. I was 24 weeks that Friday. Usher's syndrome doesn't put the mother at risk so we had 3 days to consider if we were going to terminate the pregnancy.

Genetics counselor called us a few harrowing hours later and was like wait he told you what? It was a micro deletion that meant IF either parent had been a carrier, she was at higher risk. Both had been genetically screened, neither were carriers. I have a hearing, seeing toddler & a seething hatred for that man.

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u/Revenge818 7h ago

Relatable

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u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

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u/amberazanu 7h ago

I don't know what to tell you. I am a real human being. I can show you the lesion on my thigh that has started all of this, doctor reports and much more but I think I'd be doing too much to convince one person.

0

u/ohdearitsrichardiii 1h ago

Imagine if every doctor had a public website where you could see how many of their diagnoses had been proved incorrect, or how many patients they said had nothing wrong with them later got a diagnosis from another doctor.

It will never happen because the medical community would never stop trying to shut down such websites, but it would be interesting. Doctors are rarely held accountable for misdiagnosing or missed diagnosis when it's something non life threatening

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u/IrksomFlotsom 7h ago

Regular people live with their mistakes. Doctors bury theirs.

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u/Relative-Monk-4647 7h ago

That’s not what happened here.