Did the thing everybody from my doctor to my boyfriend to my dad had been saying I should do and went to a cardiologist for some cardiac issues that had started occuring/getting worse, but according to the cardiologist, it was simply a matter of... diet and exercise. Ignoring the fact my primary care doctor had done multiple tests and considered that and came to the conclusion that it was too concerning and I was too healthy for my cardiac health and tachycardia to be as bad as it is. So I was sent to this giant, well-regarded cardiovascular clinic that was incredibly expensive (I haven't met my deductible yet) and they didn't even have me see a doctor. I saw a registered nurse who believed that I was fine, I just needed to "use my heart more," because she was a runner, and her resting heart rate was 40 bpm. I tried telling her I do not live a wholly sedentary lifestyle, in fact today for my job I lifted and moved large boxes of produce that weighed 40-60lbs and got 5,000 steps in the span of 3.5 hours. And regardless of athletics my pulse varying from 100-180bpm (typically hovering around 110 resting, 130-170 walking, 170-185 with moderate exercise) every day is not great. In addition, the last time I did vigorous exercise, I had what I thought at the time was an asthma attack, but was actually my heart unable to keep up and oxegenate my brain, something that could point to acute heart failure... She sought to dismiss this all, saying that I am pre-diabetic (which I am not) and should do some cardio (I walk at least a mile most days). The reason she assumed I was pre-diabetic, by the way, was because she interpreted my last random blood glucose as a fasting glucose, which it wasn't. I pressed her on this so she ordered an A1C glucose test, and when the results came back, my glucose is entirely normal. Go figure. The last thing she's even willing to do for me is a stress test, which I think will show that there is something strange going on, but of course that's in a month, and my doctor has labelled me an "ER risk" until this is understood and helped. I got a DM from someone in response to my frustrations saying it sounded like I possibly have POTS. I'm not too sure, but a lot of that does connect. Especially because two risk factors for it are two diseases that run in my family (lupus and ehlers-danlos syndrome). I might do the at-home test for it.

What continues to irk me, however, is that this does not feel unusual for my (and multiple people I know with chronic illnesses) experiences with healthcare specialists. It's always too expensive, I always leave with no definitive answer, and I feel talked down to. Why does that seem to be the case more often than not?

But, I did call my regular doctor's office and ask them to get my concerned doctor to review the current status of things, because I think she will also be displeased with this outcome. For now, I'm so exhausted both emotionally and physically, so I will catch y'all later.

—chasey