I had constant heartracing and inner restlessness for nine months from one day to the other. I had a lot of panic attacks, often at doctors' offices because this. This a) made it known to me how terrible a lot of doctors are at dealing with panic attacks (dear doctor, angrily telling a patient to stop crying midst panic attack is not helpful) and b) led them to take me even less seriously. I eventually found the cause with trial and error mostly by myself. Helpful were: a psychotherapist who helped me rule out psychological causes and a nutritionist. Not helpful were: three different GPs, one cardiologist, two gastroenterologists and a psychiatrist. So, doctors, basically. Were not helpful. My gynaecologist (yeah, I told her, I mean, you never know :D she was actually the first person to refer me to a cardiologist - after three GPs did not) and a different psychiatrist at least tried to help and took me seriously and did not cause me harm.
This journey lasted nine months and it was awful. I was told it was because I wasn't exercising enough, under too much stress, that it wasn't that bad (imagine never being able to rest for nine months, doctor, it WAS bad)... They thought I was exaggerating or basically, well, imagining it. They were bloody annoyed with me all the time. They spoke harshly and impatiently. One threw me out because he did not like me asking questions. It caused a deep distrust in doctors that I'm still working through a few years later.
I found this game very relatable and the ending very relieving and healing <3 I cried at the end, in a good way.
To those of you who are also in chronic pain like my mom and I (especially since it took my mom almost 20 years to get diagnosed), I have some words of advice. If your doctor is blowing you off, no matter how much you tell them "I've been in pain for so long I'm not getting better" then it's time to find a new doctor. It's terrifying, I know. One doctor will be nonchalant, another will be borderline abusive, but there will be someone out there interested in learning more. Sadly though, a lot of the times you'll have to go out of your way and most people don't have the ability to drive 1+ hour for a doctor's appointment. There are doctors who are willing to do online appointments nowadays, where you might only need to go in person every 3 months.
If you think you have a rare disorder or some sort of chronic illness, find rheumatologists near you. If you match up to a few different disorders, it's good to see who specializes in those disorders closest to you so you can get a more accurate diagnosis. Remember, with some diseases there are false negatives. Some diseases require multiple years in order to get properly diagnosed, or you have to be in a flair up in order to catch the disease.
Remember: Nobody else will advocate for you. No doctor, no other person but yourself will be your voice. Stand up for yourself, you are worth the time and effort. Do your research, don't immediately think it's the worst think but come up with some different options. DO NOT give up.
It will take time, and it's even harder if you are a bigger person especially if you were born female. But don't let anybody tear you down. You know your body best, you know what feels right from wrong.
Keep in mind that there are people out there who understand, who share your pain and sympathize with you. Chronic illness will make you feel alone and scared. If people around you don't understand, there are support groups online where they can help give out advice and listen to your problems. That's how my mom got diagnosed with Dercum's Disease from a leading specialist, and hopefully I will too eventually. I hope everyone dealing with chronic illness get their diagnosis they need and the help they deserve. Remember to not overwork yourself, take breaks when you need to, and listen to your body when it says "rest".
hi. logged into my old itch.io account just to thank u for making this game. i don't suffer with chronic pain and chronic illness myself, but my boyfriend does. i'll never fully know what it's like for him, but i want to at least try, and i feel like playing this game really helped me understand a bit more.
i come from a very long line of chronic illnesses and invisible illnesses, so this game hit very close to home and it is so frustrating how doctors can be so incompetent. thank you for making this game, its amazing and very relatable!!
Genuinely debating on becoming a doctor just bc of how shitty some doctors are, so i can help people like the creator get the help they need instead of letting people go thru pain
As soon as I saw this I knew I had to play it on my channel, the topic of how hard it is to diagnose chronic illnesses (and invisible illnesses in general) is something that isn't discussed nearly enough. And as someone with chronic problems myself, I knew this was going to hit close to home. Thank you for making this and I hope you have better luck than me at any treatments you try.
i loved this game but i can use some updates like more options like eating or mabey switching jobs and we need more doctor sprites so it doent just look like one doctor and mabey a character chooser
This game was really good. As someone who hasn't had a doctor ignore me about my problems but have had my parents in the past and other people around me ignore my pain when I asked for help, this really spoke to me.
This simple little game spoke to me, as someone who's also been fighting doctors for help about chronic pain for years, the phrases and thoughts are very relatable! More attentions towards this subject of medical ignorance/neglect and mental health is needed and this game was a lovely little way to do that.
I really like how do you make the player feels the frustration about the F#CKING negligence about bad doctors, no checks, no listen you and never you can say something because "They´re are professionals" I like so much your game, its a piece of art and its a scream of the reality about the chronic illness, I'm sorry for you experience, but I hope you feel better now, I'm going to make a video about this game, more people need to play this and feels what the people with that issues feels, see and NEED :)
oh wow i ended this in tears bc this was my experience all too well. i rlly urge ppl who dont have a chronic illness to play this short little game bc its just a glimpse into our lives. thank you for making this <
Whew - I made it to the first doctor and had to quit because it was just too real. If you don't have a chronic illness, please play this game and know that this is the reality for those of us who do have them all across the globe.
I played it again and it took me 'TOO MANY' doctors and 8 years to get a diagnosis. I somehow got worse. I love this creator. I heard this is based of off the creator. If this is true, I'm glad they got the doctor they needed.
When the last doctor turned into a real person and not just a shadow, it expressed how finding a doctor who actually believes you feels really well. You start seeing all doctors as the same, hurtful, scary people. But when you find a good doctor, it's like you found a real human and the rest were robots. It's like you finally found a friend in a world of enemies. I am glad I found a doctor who is trying hard for me to get a diagnosis, and I am glad you did too.
I knew this game was gonna get a bit dark but I didn't think it would get me all emotional for the poor fella, and at the end it really made me sit there and think. This game has convinced me to go to therapy.
I don't have chronic illness, but I know people that have. Finding a doctor to help actually find the cause is so hard. It hurts when you know you can't do a thing, but just support the person going through it along the way.
It so frustrating how some doctors even are allowed to be so, sometimes even when they are board certified. I remember back when my family had to switch eye doctors because our insurance wasn't covering our good doctor. We tried so many, and one literally said to me "Your is big trouble, your eyes are so terrible!". Said the same to the rest of my family, but why me? Just because I have to wear glasses? My entire family, myself included, actually have really bad ALLERGIES. I have blurred vision (forgot what it's called) and need to wear glasses, and my allergies make it worse. Thank god my mum is paying cash to see our old doctor, and I'm grateful everyday for that.
literal tears in my eyes. i have a couple of chronic illnesses and just… this brought me back to places i didn’t want to be. but i still appreciate this game, and i’m so sorry you had to go through all that too. <3
Thank you for this game. It can be really hard to explain to people why it takes so long to get a diagnosis and this illustrates perfectly all the hoops chronically ill people have to deal with. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I can feel this, experiencing some form of nerve pain/discomfort. It took me some recommendations from people that I trust that I was eventually able to get at least decent medical treatments (and generally that means higher cost as well, not to mention that neuropathy is just something that medical research hasn't figured out much yet).
Glad this game was made. Maybe someday we will have an alternative storyline that can be "enjoyed" by non-painlings as well.
This game was great, I'm going through something similar and it's really frustating so reading stories of people going through the same thing is comforting
bro as someone who just got diagnosed with a chronic illness, (after actually forever) this game really hit home for me, super nice knowing I'm not alone, 10/10, amazing writing and game design as always, and good luck to everyone out there struggling, I hope if nothing else things get more manageable for you
Thank you for making games like this. I hope you're well. I don't have genetic chronic illness, but I've been suffering with allergic rhinitis and ezcema for over 10 years. It drives me crazy at times, so I could totally relate to this... It's really frustrating when doctors keep saying the same words without emotions!
Health is the most important thing. I hope you're well <3
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I had constant heartracing and inner restlessness for nine months from one day to the other. I had a lot of panic attacks, often at doctors' offices because this. This a) made it known to me how terrible a lot of doctors are at dealing with panic attacks (dear doctor, angrily telling a patient to stop crying midst panic attack is not helpful) and b) led them to take me even less seriously. I eventually found the cause with trial and error mostly by myself. Helpful were: a psychotherapist who helped me rule out psychological causes and a nutritionist. Not helpful were: three different GPs, one cardiologist, two gastroenterologists and a psychiatrist. So, doctors, basically. Were not helpful. My gynaecologist (yeah, I told her, I mean, you never know :D she was actually the first person to refer me to a cardiologist - after three GPs did not) and a different psychiatrist at least tried to help and took me seriously and did not cause me harm.
This journey lasted nine months and it was awful. I was told it was because I wasn't exercising enough, under too much stress, that it wasn't that bad (imagine never being able to rest for nine months, doctor, it WAS bad)... They thought I was exaggerating or basically, well, imagining it. They were bloody annoyed with me all the time. They spoke harshly and impatiently. One threw me out because he did not like me asking questions. It caused a deep distrust in doctors that I'm still working through a few years later.
I found this game very relatable and the ending very relieving and healing <3 I cried at the end, in a good way.
Thank you for this game :)
To those of you who are also in chronic pain like my mom and I (especially since it took my mom almost 20 years to get diagnosed), I have some words of advice. If your doctor is blowing you off, no matter how much you tell them "I've been in pain for so long I'm not getting better" then it's time to find a new doctor. It's terrifying, I know. One doctor will be nonchalant, another will be borderline abusive, but there will be someone out there interested in learning more. Sadly though, a lot of the times you'll have to go out of your way and most people don't have the ability to drive 1+ hour for a doctor's appointment. There are doctors who are willing to do online appointments nowadays, where you might only need to go in person every 3 months.
If you think you have a rare disorder or some sort of chronic illness, find rheumatologists near you. If you match up to a few different disorders, it's good to see who specializes in those disorders closest to you so you can get a more accurate diagnosis. Remember, with some diseases there are false negatives. Some diseases require multiple years in order to get properly diagnosed, or you have to be in a flair up in order to catch the disease.
Remember: Nobody else will advocate for you. No doctor, no other person but yourself will be your voice. Stand up for yourself, you are worth the time and effort. Do your research, don't immediately think it's the worst think but come up with some different options. DO NOT give up.
It will take time, and it's even harder if you are a bigger person especially if you were born female. But don't let anybody tear you down. You know your body best, you know what feels right from wrong.
Keep in mind that there are people out there who understand, who share your pain and sympathize with you. Chronic illness will make you feel alone and scared. If people around you don't understand, there are support groups online where they can help give out advice and listen to your problems. That's how my mom got diagnosed with Dercum's Disease from a leading specialist, and hopefully I will too eventually. I hope everyone dealing with chronic illness get their diagnosis they need and the help they deserve. Remember to not overwork yourself, take breaks when you need to, and listen to your body when it says "rest".
hi. logged into my old itch.io account just to thank u for making this game. i don't suffer with chronic pain and chronic illness myself, but my boyfriend does. i'll never fully know what it's like for him, but i want to at least try, and i feel like playing this game really helped me understand a bit more.
i come from a very long line of chronic illnesses and invisible illnesses, so this game hit very close to home and it is so frustrating how doctors can be so incompetent. thank you for making this game, its amazing and very relatable!!
Genuinely debating on becoming a doctor just bc of how shitty some doctors are, so i can help people like the creator get the help they need instead of letting people go thru pain
As soon as I saw this I knew I had to play it on my channel, the topic of how hard it is to diagnose chronic illnesses (and invisible illnesses in general) is something that isn't discussed nearly enough. And as someone with chronic problems myself, I knew this was going to hit close to home. Thank you for making this and I hope you have better luck than me at any treatments you try.
i loved this game but i can use some updates like more options like eating or mabey switching jobs and we need more doctor sprites so it doent just look like one doctor and mabey a character chooser
I felt concerned and was really invested, it was good.
IVE NEVER BEEN SO INVESTED IN A GAME BEFORE. Truly life changing game.
This game was really good. As someone who hasn't had a doctor ignore me about my problems but have had my parents in the past and other people around me ignore my pain when I asked for help, this really spoke to me.
Gave me chills. I don't have a chronic illness, but I feel like I really got a glimpse with this game.
Thank you for making this!
EZ
This simple little game spoke to me, as someone who's also been fighting doctors for help about chronic pain for years, the phrases and thoughts are very relatable! More attentions towards this subject of medical ignorance/neglect and mental health is needed and this game was a lovely little way to do that.
this game is absolutely inspiring. I had a friend who had a chronic disease and it took her 9 years to find a doctor who actually cared
I really like how do you make the player feels the frustration about the F#CKING negligence about bad doctors, no checks, no listen you and never you can say something because "They´re are professionals" I like so much your game, its a piece of art and its a scream of the reality about the chronic illness, I'm sorry for you experience, but I hope you feel better now, I'm going to make a video about this game, more people need to play this and feels what the people with that issues feels, see and NEED :)
God this hit home way too hard. Wonderful game, I just wish the doctors would listen to us more.
Best game I've ever played.
i quit on 2nd playthrough because this is too depressing. i feel terrible for anyone that had to live like this for years
oh wow i ended this in tears bc this was my experience all too well. i rlly urge ppl who dont have a chronic illness to play this short little game bc its just a glimpse into our lives. thank you for making this <
how to fullscreen..
Click the little arrows in the corner. Press esc to go mini screen.
gave me chills.
Whew - I made it to the first doctor and had to quit because it was just too real. If you don't have a chronic illness, please play this game and know that this is the reality for those of us who do have them all across the globe.
I feel like this is true for so many people.
Wow. This is such a fun game! It took me 'TOO MANY' doctors to get a diagnosis and it took 6 years to get one. I love this game!
I played it again and it took me 'TOO MANY' doctors and 8 years to get a diagnosis. I somehow got worse. I love this creator. I heard this is based of off the creator. If this is true, I'm glad they got the doctor they needed.
Give us an epilogue where we fucking shoot the first 3 doctors
Yes.
Please
When the last doctor turned into a real person and not just a shadow, it expressed how finding a doctor who actually believes you feels really well. You start seeing all doctors as the same, hurtful, scary people. But when you find a good doctor, it's like you found a real human and the rest were robots. It's like you finally found a friend in a world of enemies. I am glad I found a doctor who is trying hard for me to get a diagnosis, and I am glad you did too.
Thank you for the explanation. (That sounded sarcastic. It wasn't)
No problem :)
:)
im not crying, its just raining =((
my brother asked me why I was crying, i told him tat i was cosplaying as a fountain,,,
I read the about tab. this isn't for the game but for the person who made it
i'm glad you found the right doctor. you deserve it
I knew this game was gonna get a bit dark but I didn't think it would get me all emotional for the poor fella, and at the end it really made me sit there and think. This game has convinced me to go to therapy.
The fact this game was released 11 days from now is kind of cool :)
I hope this game is remembered by many
(SPOILERS!)
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When I saw that ending, it felt so, so good.
I don't have chronic illness, but I know people that have. Finding a doctor to help actually find the cause is so hard. It hurts when you know you can't do a thing, but just support the person going through it along the way.
It so frustrating how some doctors even are allowed to be so, sometimes even when they are board certified. I remember back when my family had to switch eye doctors because our insurance wasn't covering our good doctor. We tried so many, and one literally said to me "Your is big trouble, your eyes are so terrible!". Said the same to the rest of my family, but why me? Just because I have to wear glasses? My entire family, myself included, actually have really bad ALLERGIES. I have blurred vision (forgot what it's called) and need to wear glasses, and my allergies make it worse. Thank god my mum is paying cash to see our old doctor, and I'm grateful everyday for that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(SEMI-SPOIL SAFE)
Even if you don't read all this, no matter what your going through, may your life be filled with love, light and happiness without pain. :)
Never give up, your not imagining it. (Reference not exactly intended)
im not cryin you are
literal tears in my eyes. i have a couple of chronic illnesses and just… this brought me back to places i didn’t want to be. but i still appreciate this game, and i’m so sorry you had to go through all that too. <3
Thank you for this game. It can be really hard to explain to people why it takes so long to get a diagnosis and this illustrates perfectly all the hoops chronically ill people have to deal with.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I can feel this, experiencing some form of nerve pain/discomfort. It took me some recommendations from people that I trust that I was eventually able to get at least decent medical treatments (and generally that means higher cost as well, not to mention that neuropathy is just something that medical research hasn't figured out much yet).
Glad this game was made. Maybe someday we will have an alternative storyline that can be "enjoyed" by non-painlings as well.
This game was great, I'm going through something similar and it's really frustating so reading stories of people going through the same thing is comforting
bro as someone who just got diagnosed with a chronic illness, (after actually forever) this game really hit home for me, super nice knowing I'm not alone, 10/10, amazing writing and game design as always, and good luck to everyone out there struggling, I hope if nothing else things get more manageable for you
this game is awesome. it gave me hope that maybe one day I will be able to get help
Thank you for making games like this. I hope you're well. I don't have genetic chronic illness, but I've been suffering with allergic rhinitis and ezcema for over 10 years. It drives me crazy at times, so I could totally relate to this... It's really frustrating when doctors keep saying the same words without emotions!
Health is the most important thing. I hope you're well <3