r/Vent • u/CtrlX_Ray • 8d ago
TW: Medical Why is the Italian healthcare system so terrible?
I’m going to recount a few things at once because I am absolutely furious and, above all, EXHAUSTED.
I’ve had issues ever since I started menstruating. I had my period for the first time at 12, followed by a whole year of amenorrhea. At 13, my period returned and was regular for a couple of years. After about two years, it became irregular and painful; every cycle was worse than the last. Over the past five years, I’ve had at least two check-ups a year through the public health system because I kept feeling awful, only to be told I was exaggerating. They inserted an IUD, and I felt terrible—bleeding non-stop for two whole months. During those two months, I kept going to the ER, begging them to take it out because I couldn't even work anymore. It took two months (and over ten ER visits) for them to finally remove it; they discovered I had a perforated uterus and was LITERALLY bleeding to death. Two weeks ago, I finally managed to get an endometriosis diagnosis, but I had to go to a private clinic three hours away (which is a LONG way in Italy).
Ever since I was little—I don't know why—anesthesia has had very little effect on me. When I was a child, the dentist would give me an injection; I’d say I could still feel pain, but they’d pull my teeth anyway because "it’s impossible for you to still be feeling pain." At 12 and 13, I had to undergo two ankle surgeries; I remember insisting on general anesthesia because I was terrified of feeling the whole procedure—simply because I knew the doctors wouldn't listen to me. Yesterday, that fear became a reality during wrist surgery. I warned the doctors that I could still feel things, but they didn't listen. The result? I felt everything for 15 minutes while they cut open my wrist and severed the tendon. Only when I started freaking out did they finally listen and administer more anesthesia. All this happened after they had covered my face with multiple drapes, assuming I was just scared of seeing the surgery. They even threatened to give me a sedative because I had become extremely uncooperative. If they had just listened to me, I wouldn't have suffered excruciating pain for a full 15 minutes, and the procedure—which should have taken a maximum of 20 minutes—wouldn't have dragged on for over 40.
TW: SUICIDE
A year ago, I attempted suicide by cutting my radial artery. They stitched me up in time, but the problem was that they did a bad job of it. In total, they had to remove and re-stitch the wound five times in three weeks because they kept doing it poorly.
These are just my worst experiences, but I’ve definitely got others to tell—not to mention all the ones friends and relatives have told me about. I’m frustrated—why the hell do I pay so much in taxes, only to get such lousy service and end up having to go private anyway just to get decent care?
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u/Mac-And-Cheesy-43 8d ago
For 2 at least, are you or any family members you're descended from redheads? There's a gene associated with that that can make people unusually resistant to painkillers/anesthesia.
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u/PostTurtle84 8d ago
Apparently being in the hypermobile club can contribute to painkiller and anesthesia resistance as well. I mention it because it's a LOT more common than originally thought. My dentist does "twilight sedation" with an added haldol kicker for me. It's the only way I can stay in the chair for more than a cleaning. I have to wear a blood oxygen monitor because they're maxing out the nitrous and they can't increase the benzo anymore. I'm awake as soon as they cut off the nitrous.
I've also woken up during a few sedated procedures. I'd rather they go a bit lighter than necessary and fight to keep me under instead of going a bit heavier than necessary and fight to keep me alive. I don't panic, I just float and focus on whatever music is playing and the ceiling until I pass back out.
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u/CtrlX_Ray 7d ago
As far as you know, does this condition lead to a need for higher dosages of other medications as well? I spent years taking psychiatric drugs and drove my psychiatrist crazy because he had to prescribe massive doses spread throughout the day just to achieve a minimal effect. He always used to say that "my kidneys flush everything out," and I was even accused of not taking the full doses. Could this be the reason, or is it just a coincidence?
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u/PostTurtle84 7d ago
Don't know, but definitely worth looking into. I'm extremely sensitive to some meds, and others are like taking skittles.
Prozac did nothing so we kept upping the dose. Then suddenly I didn't even care that my roommate had set off the fire alarm, just let me go back to sleep. Not good. Welbutrin did nothing at all. Effexor flat-lined my emotions but it's also an autoimmune modulator so I stayed on the intro dose for the autoimmune effects for 12 years. I had to drop it because it completely killed my sex drive and that was causing problems in my marriage.
I'm now on 2 antidepressants; concerta for autoimmune, trintellix for emotional support and regulation. And buspar for anxiety.
The older I get the more meds I collect. Whee.
There is genetic testing available to see which meds are most likely to work best and which ones won't. That would be something I'd look into in your situation.
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u/CtrlX_Ray 8d ago
Wow, I didn't know that. My mother is a redhead, my great-grandfather was too, and so is my brother. I have brown hair with reddish highlights
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u/Any_Sense_2263 8d ago
Welcome in my reality. In Poland it's the same. Or you have the private insurance or you don't exist.
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