Men dying or suffering permanent harm after having medical emergencies dismissed as "man flu"

tonicKC · 2024-06-06T18:43:02+00:00

I didn’t realize this term was in some common use and medical professionals would actually throw it around.

Tevorino · 2024-06-07T01:25:58+00:00

I had never even heard of this "man flu" concept before reading this, but apparently it actually is a commonly used term.

It seems really audacious for paramedics to just drop that term without justification. I remember once being very sick with what started as flu-like symptoms and then got far worse, to the point that I eventually went to the emergency room after many days of just staying at home and trying to "tough it out" until I got better (because I believed that it was just a bad case of the flu). The reception nurse seemed annoyed with me and had me use a machine to measure my vital signs. She then said, in an annoyed tone, "your vitals are normal". She may have been thinking "man flu" in her head, but at least she was professional and used actual, reasonable evidence to justify her decision to make me sit in the waiting room for hours while I continued to suffer. I certainly wouldn't expect to be prioritised over someone for whom that same machine indicated that their life or long-term health could be in immediate danger.

In the end, it turned out that my suffering was due to a cytokine storm, basically my immune system reacting so strongly to an infection that it caused major suffering. Men are more susceptible to this than women, and it should be remembered that most of the symptoms of influenza are actually caused by the immune system, not the virus. In my case, I was infected with something worse than influenza and, while I was suffering and in need of treatment to alleviate the suffering, the machine was correct; my core vital signs were normal because I was sufficiently young and healthy to endure the cytokine storm, such that the only negative consequence of delayed treatment was that I would continue to suffer in the waiting room. The nurse was therefore acting properly in giving me the lowest priority and, while I didn't like her tone, she clearly and professionally communicated a good reason. Apparently, standards have fallen since then.

Taco_ma · 2024-06-07T02:36:52+00:00

Nurse here. I’ve heard this term for decades; from both fellow nurses and doctors alike. It’s infuriating that my peers feel validated using this term. I’ve argued against it in person and on medical threads here; and have only been laughed at.

Rolaid-Tommassi · 2024-06-07T01:58:22+00:00

If this is true, the ambulance officer is exposed to a wrongful death suit.

househubbyintraining · 2024-06-06T18:46:03+00:00

you gotta love when something is "backed by science"

NoDecentNicksLeft · 2024-06-06T19:04:31+00:00

Political correctness must be put aside and absolutely zero attention must be paid to the sensibilities of misandrous or competitive/rivalling (not exactly the same thing) feminists when addressing this type of problem. Avoidance of offending those sensibilities must not be assigned more importance than addressing the problem. A clear message is required that while it's not criminal to hold certain prejudices and be somewhat bitter towards the opposite sex (but this should be treated equally in both directions), when medical or other important decisions (life-altering especially) are being made, such prejudices need to take the back seat.

And the moment a doctor or rescuer starts talking about naughty boys or girls who need to behave or use slurs, I think they need to be taken off the shift, so they can get their bearings. Some kind of cold shower. Not to punish them but to distract them from potentially harmful influences, for epistemic clarity necessary for medical decision-making.

CatacombsRave · 2024-06-07T00:33:43+00:00

“Why don’t men go see the doctor more?”

“Women’s pain and suffering always gets overlooked by doctors!”

…

anaIconda69 · 2024-06-07T07:25:15+00:00

What the hell is a 'man flu'

TheRomanticKashaf · 2024-06-07T05:34:16+00:00

I never knew until I saw this post that this stupid and disgustingly hateful term "man flu" exists.

TheRomanticKashaf · 2024-06-07T05:32:24+00:00

I never knew until I saw this post that this stupid and disgusting term "man flu" exists.

Title	Men dying or suffering permanent harm after having medical emergencies dismissed as "man flu"
Author	CorrespondenceBias
Upvotes	78
Comments	14
Date	June 6, 2024 6:17 PM UTC (2 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/EverydayMisandry
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/everydaymisandry/comments/1d9ozvd/men_dying_or_suffering_permanent_harm_after/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/EverydayMisandry/men-dying-or-suffering-permanent-harm-after-having.1520734 https://theredarchive.com/post/1520734

Comments