"I was treated in a dismissive manner"

I left the consultation feeling completely unheard, dismissed, and invalidated — an experience that has left me both upset and concerned about the quality of care I am receiving.

I have lived with my condition for over ten years, so I am very familiar with how it presents and how my symptoms feel. Despite this, during my recent appointment, I felt as though my lived experience was entirely disregarded. Rather than being listened to and assessed thoroughly, I was repeatedly told how I should be feeling and what I was feeling was actually something else. This approach felt condescending and left me feeling gaslighted and disbelieved.

There was no empathy, compassion, or genuine care shown throughout the consultation. The overall manner felt cold, scripted, and impersonal — as though my case was being rushed or dismissed without proper consideration.

What concerned me most was the lack of thorough examination. My joints were visibly swollen, yet I was told to disregard them and not include them in my symptom review. I was not given an opportunity to have them properly examined or to discuss the impact they are having on my day-to-day life. This is particularly distressing as my hand pain and stiffness have now reached the point where I am struggling with even the most basic self-care tasks, such as dressing, cooking, and writing. Yet the nurse marked it as a 1 on the scale!! I need assistance with basic self care how is that a 1!

It is extremely disheartening to feel that, after years of managing a complex and painful condition, I am not being taken seriously by the very professionals who are supposed to help. I understand that symptoms can overlap between conditions such as psoriatic arthritis, and fibromyalgia,, but this does not excuse a lack of compassion or clinical curiosity. I expected a collaborative discussion, not to be spoken over or dismissed outright.

The tone and conduct of the appointment have left me with very little trust in the department and uncertain about how to move forward with my care. It feels like it's an uphill battle trying to get them to even listen to what I am experiencing. I am anxious that my ongoing symptoms will continue to worsen without proper management or investigation. I am also now hesitant to attend future appointments for fear of being treated in the same dismissive manner.