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Seeing a Doctor For a Cold Just Feels Wrong

I have been dealing with a bad cough, sore throat, and general cold symptoms for about two months now. In a previous article, I wrote about how difficult it was for me to handle regular people sickness and it still is.

Advice and input from my family members

However, when I went home to visit my parents and brother, they all commented on how badly I sounded. My response was generally in the realm of “if this is the worst I have to deal with then I am a happy girl!” This was usually followed by me changing the subject.

As time went on and my family still saw that I wasn’t improving, my parents made me promise when I got home I would see my internist. I did promise but told them I was still going to give it a few more weeks since these things usually resolved themselves on their own. Then one night I was having a difficult time sleeping since I was coughing up a storm and I went to use the bathroom. My brother was awake since he usually goes to the gym around 4am and we began talking a bit. For some reason, I look at conversations with my brother a little differently than anyone else in my life. His perspective and our relationship is unlike anyone else that I am close to. He is someone whose input I have valued for a very long time.

I didn't find it necessary to go to the doctor for a cold

When he asked me why I was so adamant about not going to the doctor in this situation, I explained to him that I felt a little silly for complaining about a stupid cough. Sure my throat hurt but it wasn’t unbearable. I would lose my voice but it always came back. I also told him I couldn’t justify a $45 copay (for my internist; the specialist is $65 per office visit for me) for something that I didn’t look at as serious. I went on to say that because I know how bad things could be and how horrible I could feel, that I just didn’t think it was necessary.

His response was a very blunt “One thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other.” He went on to say that there could be something going on with my lungs that I am unaware of. As someone who has a history of pneumonia, that did scare me, even though I was sure I would have other symptoms. Listening to my brother mention these other things and phrase it in the way that he did caused me to begin to think about this particular situation a little differently.

I ended up seeing my internist a little while later. While nothing huge amounted from the appointment, he did tell me my lungs sounded perfectly clear and he believed I had some kind of post-nasal drip that was causing me to feel the way I was. I was honestly very relieved to hear him tell me that. So, even though nothing really changed, I do have peace of mind now.

Why am I bringing this up?

Medical bills add up and this didn't seem necessary

Because as chronic illness patients, we tend to deal with incredibly serious and traumatic experiences. So much of our life is fighting to feel as well as we can so we can enjoy life. It is often difficult for patients like us to look at a seemingly minor health issue and think we need to run to the doctor. Or, given we already spend tons of money on copays, prescriptions, hospital bills, etc it often doesn’t feel like we are acting in our best interest to spend money on something that isn’t absolutely vital.

I completely understand and feel the same way too.

However, I also want to reiterate what my brother told me. One thing often has nothing to do with the other. Whether you have had tons of surgeries, practically lived in the hospital, need harsh medications just to survive or you are the picture of health: if something is off with your body and it doesn’t resolve itself in a reasonable amount of time, you are doing yourself a disservice to not make it a priority to get yourself checked out.

Small sicknesses can turn into something big with UC

While I (and so many others) understand why you would do the same things I shared with you in this article, it isn’t necessarily the right thing. As someone with a history of ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease) and therefore, already has an immune system that is “wonky”, I also know that small things can often turn into something bigger.

Do you struggle with this? Can you relate? How do you generally handle colds, coughs and sore throats? Do you go to the doctor immediately to make sure you are okay? Do you hold off to see if things can get better on their own? Do you refuse to see any medical professional unless it is a life or death situation?  Do finances play a role? If so, how large of a role? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The InflammatoryBowelDisease.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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