It is reasonable for people in Washington State to be concerned about a missed or inaccurate medical diagnosis. Their health is important, and they deserve to be given the right information so that they can make informed decisions and take steps to address any health conditions or illnesses they may have. One thing that can make a proper diagnosis difficult is the fact that many conditions share symptoms, and some can actually act or appear like other conditions.
This mimicking of conditions is just one more reason that makes patient proactivity important so that they can advocate for more help with the information they were first given does not seem to truly address an issue.
AARP indicates that some diseases that fall into this mimicking category include lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and celiac disease. Lupus and fibromyalgia, for example, can often appear like or be incorrectly diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia can also be wrongly identified as rheumatoid arthritis. Multiple sclerosis may be identified as a simple virus or as Alzheimer’s while a person might be told they have irritable bowel syndrome then really have celiac disease.
Prevention adds that depression might actually be sleep apnea and a migraine might really be a stroke. It is not just peace of mind that makes an accurate diagnosis important but about getting the right treatment as soon as possible. In fact, a treatment for one condition might actually exacerbate another or at least be ineffective in providing the relief that a patient deserves.