Dr. Saima Sarmin Mukta, DO

I came in sick, in pain, and in early pregnancy, with known exposure to Flu A through my entire household. My test later came back positive for Flu A, which was expected. During the visit my symptoms were minimized. I was told I “seemed ok,” “not struggling to breathe,” and “not in much pain,” despite clearly stating that I was achy and in discomfort. Being told this as a pregnant patient felt dismissive. Not struggling to breathe is not an appropriate standard for whether someone is sick or in pain. I was also told my throat looked “ok, a little red,” even though I explained that throat pain was my worst symptom. The visit ended with “we’ll test you just to err on the side of caution,” which reinforced the feeling that my concerns were not taken seriously. After receiving my positive result I messaged the office about how my symptoms were handled. Instead of a response from the doctor I saw, I received a reply from an LPN I never met and who was not present during the visit. The… response reframed the situation and apologized for how I “felt,” without addressing what was actually said or done. This is a woman even said “she took you very seriously she requested a whole panel be done” well yes because that is what I was requesting the second I walked in. I would hope she at least did that for me. This experience left me feeling unheard both during the appointment and afterward. Testing does not excuse dismissive communication, especially for pregnant patients. I would not return to this provider.