Hello! I thought it was time for another update since it’s been a few months since my last one.
I’ve been staying with my grandparents for almost 2 months now and I’ve found a new GP to help me with my throat/neck problems. He is so nice he’s the best doctor I’ve had in the last 9 months that I’ve had this problem. (I can’t believe a few months ago I had anxiety about whether I would find a good doctor up here 😂)
So I’ll tell you all exactly what he has said and what his treatment plan is for me.
So I’ve been for 2 appointments so far since I’ve been here. In the first appointment I basically told him everything that I’ve written in my posts in this group (click on my profile to see some of my previous posts in the group if you want to know what’s been going on) I told him all my symptoms like that I’ve been getting bad swelling in my face and mouth and that it takes all my energy etc etc then after I told him all that he asked what my mental state is like. I told him that I suffer with severe social anxiety and depression and that both affect my every day life and stop me from doing things that any other person can do like for example: I dropped out of high school bc being around other people made me anxious and I constantly worried about talking to other students or teachers and it really affected my learning so I just stopped going, I can’t get myself a job because the thought of going to a job interview makes my want to cry and then actually working and talking to other people whether it’s customers or colleagues would make me super anxious, I don’t leave the house in case I bump into someone I used to go to school with (cause it’s a small town it’s easy to bump into people you know) and there’s so many other little factors that contribute to my anxiety and it all slowly builds up.
After I told him all this He said that he reckons I also have agoraphobia (which if you didn’t know is a fear of leaving the house) and I think he’s right. Like I’d love to get a job and earn my own money but my anxiety and fear of people and leaving the house stops me from doing that.
But he was super understanding he made sure that I knew that whatever I’m feeling isn’t my fault And he said that he knows with the proper treatment he’s sure I’ll get better and that over time I’ll be living a somewhat normal life which isn’t taken over by anxiety.
then he asked about my diet, physical activity, weight and height. I told him that I was around 80 kg last time I checked, my height is roughly 5’3 and that my diet isn’t the worst but it isn’t the best either. I have 3 meals a day which aren’t that unhealthy but I have a lot of unhealthy snacks (mostly chips, biscuits and ice cream) and that I don’t really exercise at all (I mostly just sit at home and play video games most of the day)
After he got all the information about my lifestyle he came up with a diagnosis. He said that he thinks I have a condition called globus sensation which is a feeling of a lump in the throat caused by anxiety and he said that a lot of the swelling might just be weight that I’ve put on (which I’m not 100% sure is correct but anyways) he said that he wanted me to start eating healthy and exercising. Then He gave me a prescription for indigestion medication since I told him about my bad indigestion that I’ve been getting since I was 10. He gave me a form to give to Centrelink (which I’m pretty sure is just an Australian thing look it up if you don’t know what Centrelink is) which says I’m not fit to work or study for the next few months due to severe anxiety and that I should be eligible to receive benefits (which is usually $500 a fortnight) then he said that for my next appointment he’ll give me a prescription for antidepressants and he sent me for another blood test.
Then in between appointments I had to sort out the whole Centrelink thing to get my own money which really put my anxiety up but I honestly think it’s not going to work out cause they said that to receive Centrelink benefits at my age I have to be studying at tafe which I can’t do because of my anxiety and also because of how ill I’ve been feeling. So getting money might have to wait till later down the track which is so frustrating cause I want my own money so I have my own independence and to buy my own things.
Then I had my next appointment today which ended up being a phone consultation because of the corona virus. He told me my results for my blood test which basically revealed a lot of stuff that I already knew. I’m anaemic, I have insulin resistance and I have high testosterone he said that he reckons a lot of my problems may be coming from my insulin resistance so he wants to get it treated as soon as possible. And unlike all my other doctors I’ve had who’ve just sent me for tests, told me results then sent me home he’s actually got a treatment plan for me.
He’s given me a prescription for metformin (which helps treat insulin resistance), a prescription for iron tablets, a prescription for lexapro (which are antidepressants) and a prescription for some anxiety calming medication (I can’t remember the name of it but he gave it to me just as a precaution cause sometimes antidepressants can make anxiety worse and cause bad panic attacks for the first few weeks), he said he wants me to go back on the pill (which I’m worried about since it caused horrible diarrhoea the whole time last time I was on it) and he said he wants me to go on the ketogenic diet to help my insulin resistance and that he wants me to start exercising regularly. He also wants me to see an endocrinologist when I get back to Sydney to help with my insulin resistance as well.
He wants me to get another blood test done in December to check my iron levels again before I go back home to make sure the iron tablets are working then he’s made me another appointment for 2 days after that to give me the results.
He said that he knows this plan will work and that I will be feeling better soon. This is the first time in 9 months that I’ve felt hopeful and that I have a feeling this might actually work and I’ll be better soon!
Im so grateful for this GP for actually putting the effort in to help me get my life back on track instead of sending me for one test then giving up like all the other doctors and specialists.
Now that You’ve read my update I want to ask some questions about some of the medications he’s asked me to take. I’ve done my own research on all the medications and the one I’m worried about taking is metformin since I’ve read that it’s been recalled this year because it has some cancer causing chemical in it???? This makes me really anxious about taking it have you guys heard about this? Do you reckon that the keto diet will be enough to get rid of the insulin resistance and that I shouldn’t take the pill?
And then the other medication I want to ask a question about is lexapro does anyone take this antidepressant? If so what are your experiences with it? I’m fine with taking it but I want to know Have they made your anxiety improve or has it made it worse? How bad were your side affects and how long did they last?
That’s all for now I’ll make sure to keep you guys updated!
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