Self-Care with major Physical illnesses

Hi @Former-Member This is an old post - it explains how medical neglect by Drs (doing no scans or tests) ended with me in hospital - the direct cause of my 1st emergency bowel surgery.

I have no current GP, since mine left (months ago) - will need to find one.

I have lived for several decades with serious physical illnesses (or conditions) -

Scoliosis, causing severe back pain

Sleep Apnea (diagnosed 11 years ago), causing debilitating daily fatigue - treatment & stimulant medication has moderately improved my functioning. Not to anywhere near a "normal" level, for someone without a Sleep Disorder (or a fatigue condition).

A bowel obstruction (tumor), with 3 major bowel surgeries (2 emergencies) - from which my body has never fully recovered.

My digestive system (which was disconnected for 6 months), has not worked effectively for the past 3 years - since my bowels were re-connected (stoma reversal surgery).

I also have Complex PTSD, from more than 2 decades of trauma.

Because PTSD is supposedly an "anxiety disorder" (so-called) - medical professionals have on several occasions attempted to "explain away" my physical symptoms as being "just anxiety".

This has stopped me from accessing adequate medical care, on several occasions.

The "just anxiety" was later found to be a life-threatening bowel obstruction (tumor) - which required immediate surgery. Then a 2nd emergency surgery, 3 days later (when the 1st went disastrously wrong). Then a 3rd bowel surgery, 6 months later to reverse the damage (& clean up the mess).

I now have 2 serious hernias, as a result of the bowel surgeries - wound split, extensive wide scarring, & hernias in the middle.

Have others experienced their physical illnesses (or medical emergencies) not being taken seriously - because of having a mental illness diagnosis?

How did you overcome these obstacles to receiving medical care (if you could)?

Self-care is difficult, when my food does not digest adequately - despite Probiotics & Gastrostop (when necessary).

I must run to the toilet with great urgency (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) - which is a cause of stress in itself, & makes working difficult.

Adge