Doctor hunt
O HALP, I CAN HAZ UR DOKTER?
Assuming your doctor is good?
I'm falling the hell apart.
Recent, as in past week or two, developments:
- Maybe I have my mother's asthma? I am sometimes severely out of breath after climbing stairs--as in panting for three or four minutes--and sometimes feel as if my chest is tight or I cannot get a full breath, even when I am sitting about.
- Severe insomnia. Insomnia never used to be a problem of mine. WTF, self?
- Exhaustingly high levels of stress and anxiety, especially at work. I like to think I can be pretty chill about things. Evidently I can delude myself into thinking I'm chill right up until thinking that I need to crawl under my desk/into bed and never come out.
- Something I might almost call brain fog. Again, particularly at work. Cannot concentrate on anything, do not want to do anything except stare into space. And again, not a problem I usually have. Usually I'm very active and focused, as people who know me probably know. And of course this is sending my work performance down the tubes, which makes the above worse. Vicious circles all around.
This on top of months' worth of constant exhaustion, worsening depression, congestion, and appetite and digestive fluctuations. Everything's going just a little wrong with me all the time, and I am out. Of. Cope.
I am looking for the following:
- An astute PCP who's willing to listen to all my issues and try to do something about them, or refer me to appropriate specialists, rather than simply dismissing it as "you're fat, go get skinny." Yes, I've had that happen. Or, for that matter, that it's all in my head. If I could solve this shit by applying willpower, I would've done so, oh, WHEN IT STARTED.
- A good therapist. I'm skittish about therapists. I have issues with letting people help me; I have a whole host of odd hobbies that leads to a need for queer/poly/kinky/pagan friendly therapists. Mainly I am dealing with depression, and the attending self-worth issues, and anxiety/stress.
- And/or: A good psychiatrist. I'm on Celexa, which--I discovered after being unable to refill my prescription for a few days--is far worse than being off Celexa, but obviously I am still having issues. Perhaps I need a brain-med adjustment.
God. I am a wreck. *facepalm*
If you have personal recs, or even just can point me towards helpful directories/lists, I would be pretty pathetically grateful. I don't know when in hell I'm going to find time to see anybody, but having contacts would be a good first step; and it's not like anybody can help with the time issue. I drive; I'd be willing to drive a fair bit, except possibly for regular appointments, to deal with this shit.
Assuming your doctor is good?
I'm falling the hell apart.
Recent, as in past week or two, developments:
- Maybe I have my mother's asthma? I am sometimes severely out of breath after climbing stairs--as in panting for three or four minutes--and sometimes feel as if my chest is tight or I cannot get a full breath, even when I am sitting about.
- Severe insomnia. Insomnia never used to be a problem of mine. WTF, self?
- Exhaustingly high levels of stress and anxiety, especially at work. I like to think I can be pretty chill about things. Evidently I can delude myself into thinking I'm chill right up until thinking that I need to crawl under my desk/into bed and never come out.
- Something I might almost call brain fog. Again, particularly at work. Cannot concentrate on anything, do not want to do anything except stare into space. And again, not a problem I usually have. Usually I'm very active and focused, as people who know me probably know. And of course this is sending my work performance down the tubes, which makes the above worse. Vicious circles all around.
This on top of months' worth of constant exhaustion, worsening depression, congestion, and appetite and digestive fluctuations. Everything's going just a little wrong with me all the time, and I am out. Of. Cope.
I am looking for the following:
- An astute PCP who's willing to listen to all my issues and try to do something about them, or refer me to appropriate specialists, rather than simply dismissing it as "you're fat, go get skinny." Yes, I've had that happen. Or, for that matter, that it's all in my head. If I could solve this shit by applying willpower, I would've done so, oh, WHEN IT STARTED.
- A good therapist. I'm skittish about therapists. I have issues with letting people help me; I have a whole host of odd hobbies that leads to a need for queer/poly/kinky/pagan friendly therapists. Mainly I am dealing with depression, and the attending self-worth issues, and anxiety/stress.
- And/or: A good psychiatrist. I'm on Celexa, which--I discovered after being unable to refill my prescription for a few days--is far worse than being off Celexa, but obviously I am still having issues. Perhaps I need a brain-med adjustment.
God. I am a wreck. *facepalm*
If you have personal recs, or even just can point me towards helpful directories/lists, I would be pretty pathetically grateful. I don't know when in hell I'm going to find time to see anybody, but having contacts would be a good first step; and it's not like anybody can help with the time issue. I drive; I'd be willing to drive a fair bit, except possibly for regular appointments, to deal with this shit.