As a Black woman, I felt medical discrimination from doctors - Los Angeles Times

And to be honest, as a Black woman I’ve always feared doctors.

Studies have confirmed that many doctors often either don’t hear Black women or see their pain.

Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.

Black women are less likely to develop breast cancer — but 40% more likely to die from it than white women.

Black women are underrepresented in clinical trials that require consent and are overrepresented in studies that do not.

Black women simply are not receiving the same quality of healthcare that our white counterparts receive.

I had been warned about the racism in healthcare, so I knew it was my responsibility to fight for my health when doctors failed to.

A new symptom developed: A clear fluid started to drain out of my left nostril.

I showed her the article and told her I thought I had a cerebrospinal fluid leak, like the man in the article.

Turns out, pseudotumor cerebri is a condition that if not treated properly can cause a cerebrospinal fluid leak.

I’d always heard stories about Black women feeling unheard, unseen, misunderstood and misdiagnosed.

I’d read article after article about Black women being ignored in healthcare.

I watched a documentary about one of the world’s greatest athletes — Serena Williams — nearly dying during childbirth because our healthcare system refuses to listen to Black women.

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I took the same hearing test and explained my symptoms like I had many times before.

But he offered to insert a small tube in my ear to drain a small amount of fluid and provide some instant relief.

I could not see my ear, of course, but I could feel the fluid draining from it.

When he was done, he stuffed my ear with cotton balls and confirmed, at last, what I had known: I did actually have a cerebrospinal fluid leak.

For three years, fluid was leaking out of my brain.

I started to think I had betrayed the body I was given when, in reality, those who were meant to protect me (and thousands of other Black women) let me down.

I think about all of my sisters who don’t have the healthcare coverage or the job flexibility to chase a dozen doctors down.

Sadly, I am not the first Black woman to be ignored by doctors, and unless we make a swift change I won’t be the last.

After the holidays, I flew back to New York and met with the best ear surgeon and neurosurgeon I could find.

Days six and seven were spent reimagining the best versions of myself.

And on Day Eight, I remembered that brain fluid was still leaking out of my left nostril.

I remembered that brain fluid has been leaking from my skull into my ears and nose for three years, as doctors ignored me and gaslit me?

I FaceTimed my best friends and family for support.

They were for Sha-Asia Washington, Kira Johnson and the thousands of Black women who were never heard or seen by the healthcare system.

How is it that no matter the social class, wealth or access to healthcare, Black mothers in the U.S.

are likely to die at three to four times the rate of white mothers.

How are Black people more likely to die from COVID.

There are so many stereotypes and assumptions in healthcare about Black women in particular that lead to critical and deadly outcomes.

Every Black woman I shared my experiences with told me I had to take charge of my healthcare and be an advocate for my well-being.

They told me that many doctors do not care about cries from Black women.

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