Reddit, should I tell my professor about my heart problems?

I don't have health insurance and I can't afford to see a doctor right now, the only thing I know is when I go to Planned Parenthood for my paps, they always tell me my heartbeat is irregular.

I get chest pains and being able to feel my heartbeat is one of the most uncomfortable things to endure. Because of it, it causes me great anxiety which in turn becomes a vicious cycle as the anxiety makes my chest hurt worse. I do get palpitations and fluttering sometimes and I've always had significant others in the past who've had their head on my chest comment on my heartbeat. Often it's rather debilitating and I miss class because of either the pain or the anxiety, although eventually they are both one and the same.

My issue is that I simply cannot afford to go get it checked out. Free clinics are not free, and to make it worse my father doesn't pay income taxes and I am not independent as I'm still going to school and don't have a job right now (I make enough in scholarships and grants that getting a minimum wage job wouldn't make up for losing them for having a job). My dad doesn't believe in modern healthcare (please don't rage for me, I've done it enough) so I cannot prove to anyone that I'm in need- thus getting any sort of medical aid.

I feel terrible for missing class so much and I'm getting depressed because it scares me and because I'm being (what I consider) an awful student. I just feel foolish and like it's just an elaborate excuse to tell my professor (my only attendance required class) when I have no way to prove it. I just feel like it's futile and looking-for-sympathy sort of thing.

Anyway, I do not want "this is what's wrong with america" posts and "your dad is an idiot" or any posts not really related to my question.

TL:DR I just want to know whether it's worth it to tell my professor the reason I'm missing her class so much is because of a medical problem that I can't prove because I don't have insurance/money to get it checked out.

Posted Nov 3, 2010, 6:54 PM UTC

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