Better Health & Living

Issue: January 2007
Listening
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Listening

by Susan Flagg Godbey

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A few years ago, a close friend of mine saw a doctor about some troublesome abdominal symptoms and was told that everything checked out fine. When the same symptoms resurfaced even more intensely last year, she consulted a different doctor. His tests revealed that she had ovarian cancer—one of the conditions included in this issue’s feature, “6 Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore.”
Ovarian cancer is notoriously tough to diagnose in its early stages, partly because its symptoms can be so vague; it can masquerade as anything from gas to irritable bowel syndrome. And it’s not the only serious condition that starts with signs so subtle they’re not only misdiagnosed but actually ignored, often with dire consequences. Our story details two others that often require some medical detective work to diagnose.

The shock of my friend’s diagnosis was made worse, of course, by the fact that she had done the smart thing: When the symptoms first caught her attention, she saw her doctor. But sometimes that’s not enough. The adage that no one knows your body as well as you do is never more relevant than when you’re dealing with easily overlooked complaints or frequently misdiagnosed illnesses. It’s important to listen to your body and act on your instincts. If you’re not satisfied with your doctor’s conclusion, insist that he look further for the cause of your symptoms—or find another doctor. 

Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own health. It’s up to us to learn as much as we can, overcome any embarrassment we may feel, challenge authority, act as our own advocates when something doesn’t seem right, seek second and third opinions—and always listen carefully to what our bodies tell us.


‘Til next time,

Susan Flagg Godbey

P.S. My friend has recovered from surgery, completed chemotherapy, and is happy to be regaining her energy.

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