Canadian influencer Sasha Exeter talks 'gaslighting' in healthcare: 'Trust your gut'
Sasha Exeter is opening up about not feeling "heard" by physicians.
The Canadian influencer took to Instagram on Wednesday to discuss "gaslighting" in healthcare and encouraged her followers to seek a second opinion when it comes to their health.
The 42-year-old shared a photo of herself in a hospital bed before sharing a "gentle reminder" with followers to trust their instincts and advocate for themselves and their health.
"After opening up to all of you about the underlining cause for my blood hemorrhaging, dangerously low red blood cells, and ferritin all thanks to some gnarly large uterine fibroids, I was flooded with messages from so many of you who shared your own struggles with the same thing," Exeter penned.
Exeter said that many of her followers faced the same hurdles in healthcare that left them feeling overlooked by medical professionals.
"While some of our symptoms differed in severity, the common thread amongst us was:Not feeling heard by treating physicians, requests for specific tests being refused, feeling lost within a fractured healthcare system that is still favouring virtual patient visits over in-person," she continued.
"I’m still unsure how in 2022 women need to suffer and yell to be seen. To be heard. To be tested when it comes to female health issues. Gaslighting in healthcare ain’t it," Exeter said.
The mother-of-one encouraged people to "document everything" and "get multiple opinions."
"Most importantly, if a physician refuses to perform a test you’ve requested, have them sign off saying they have refused it and why," she advised.
Exeter's message was quickly met with supportive comments from fans.
"I didn’t know you were going through this. It’s absolutely awful. Thanks for turning your challenge into a shout-out for advocacy. We shouldn’t have to scream and shout for help," one person commented, while another wrote, "I wish it got better for women as we age but it doesn’t. Thank you for reminding women to keep using their voice."
"Thank you for creating this compassionate space for women to talk about this common health condition. My mother and I both experience(d) fibroids and it’s crucial to monitor them closely," someone else added.
"I relate to this so much! Medical discrimination can totally leave you feeling stuck," one person chimed in, while another commented, "So sorry you’re going through this, but so happy you are advocating for yourself! Our gut instincts are rarely wrong."
Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
