05/11/2025
When Seeking Medical Help Becomes Another Source of Pain
I don’t like to bring some personal experiences online, but today I feel compelled to speak — not just for myself, but for every patient who has ever walked into a consulting room in pain and walked out feeling smaller.
For over two weeks, I’ve been battling severe migraine headaches that have defied multiple treatments. As a healthcare professional (a Pharmacist), I understand the importance of proper diagnosis and specialist review. So, when my doctor referred me to a neurologist, I went with hope that I’d finally find some answers.
Unfortunately, what I met was not care, but condescension. Instead of listening, the neurologist dismissed my pain as “psychological,” told me to “go home and talk to myself,” and even said that I was “jumping all over Lagos giving money to doctors. I felt that he dismiseed my health concerns, didn't book me for any investigations and worst of all prescribed paracetamol for me as though i complained about money to him.” His words cut deeper than any headache I’ve felt in my lifetime.
No patient deserves to be spoken to that way.
Not the educated. Not the uneducated. Not anyone. No matter what!
I’m sharing this because empathy is not optional in medicine.
The white coat is not just a symbol of knowledge — it’s a pledge to listen, respect, and care. A patient’s story is not an inconvenience; it’s the most valuable diagnostic tool we have.
I’m grateful that my HMO listened to my complaint and arranged a second opinion. But I can’t stop thinking about how a less-informed patient might have left that room feeling hopeless or even stopped seeking care altogether.
To every healthcare professional reading this, I sincerely appreciate your love, care and service towards improving quality of lives. please, remember that your words carry weight. Healing starts with humanity.
Let’s restore empathy to the heart of medical practice.
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