‘Perfect portrayal of medical misogyny ’: Woman claims there is a huge difference in how much pain medication doctors prescribe women compared to men

A woman on TikTok who claimed the difference between the pain medication she was prescribed and what a man was the “perfect portrayal of medical misogyny” has sparked a debate online, as other women came to the comments with their own tales that also seemed to prove her point.

The video, which was posted to TikTok by a woman named Dejah, features a discussion between her and a man. The man asks, “So, you’re upset about how my procedure went compared to how you were treated for your hysterectomy?” Dejah responds, telling the man yes, and claiming that hearing about the man’s experience made her realize just how differently men and women can be treated when it comes to healthcare.

“I’ve been in and out of the doctor my whole life, but I’ve never experienced the other end like we did when you had your surgery.” She went on to explain that the man had had what’s known as a hydrocelectomy, which involves removing or repairing a fluid-filled sac surrounding the testicle known as a hydrocele according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Dejah explains they made a relatively small incision for the surgery, telling the man, “I’m sure that hurts.” However, she claimed that he was later prescribed “15 pain meds” to help deal with the pain. She then went on to reveal her own experience being prescribed pain meds.

Dejah claims she received much less pain medication

“I had six organs removed at the same time… and I walked out of that hospital with five pain meds.” Dejah claimed that the vast difference between the pain medication prescriptions, coupled with her claim that her procedure seemingly involved a lot of pain, saying, “my stomach [was] sliced and diced.” Compared to the man’s surgery, she believes her experience was a “perfect portrayal of medical misogyny.”

It’s not quite a perfect way to quantify medical misogyny; after all, they are different procedures and different cases, but it has got people talking about the challenges women face from healthcare professionals. Other women shared their stories in the comments, and some of them are even worse in comparison.

“I had my uterus, cervix, both fallopian tubes, an ovary, and endometriosis scraped out.” Claimed one commenter, adding, “I got ibuprofen and Tylenol.” Another claimed that she had to have her husband’s permission for a procedure: “It’s my body not his!” 

The responses to Dejah’s video were filled with similar stories, and their experiences might be reflective of a systemic problem with healthcare. According to an article from The Guardian, a recent study found that women with the same health problems as men were less likely to be offered treatment such as surgery or painkillers. One person responding to Dejah’s video suggested that things could be better with “more women providers.”