Lived Experience Forum

[1stepup61]

Hi All, I want to ask my doctor to test my thyroid, adrenals, hormones if they are working ok, to rule out any hidden health reason for my high levels of anxiety? I feel when ever i have asked in the past, it is always dismissed because of my mental illness! I know that the governments dont like drs spending money on unnecessary tests through medicare, but i would like to know and then if there is nothing wrong i can accept its fully my mental health stuff. I am taking medication for all of my mental health issues, so why do i find it hard to deal with stress, both good and bad stress? Has anybody had tests or asked their doctor for them, what happenned? Thanks for your advice. 1Stepup.

[believeinme]

Hi @1stepup61

I have asked my psychiatrist for this extra testing, and he has been very helpful.  The tests turn up nothing for me, and I feel this is frustrating because I wish that I had a hidden source of all of my mental health issues.  

In the past before my mental illness crept in, however, I had a non-mental health related concern/pain that doctors did not take seriously.  A few doctors told me it was all in my head since they could not find a source of the pain.   I was referred to a psychologist at that time.  After many dead ends and doctors not believing me (since it was all in my head, ya know) I ended up having a serious medical condition that could have affected my fertility and that required 2 surgeries!  I was not faking my pain afterall, and it was not just a psychological problem.  

I would encourage you to trust your gut.  You know what you need, and sometimes it just takes looking for the right doctor to find it.  All the best to you.  🙂  @believeinme

[Doc_Gonzo]

@1stepup61

I have done this myself, not with a Psychiatrist however, it was through talking with my psychologist that I was able to work on how to ask my GP to have a comprehensive physical to eliminate any potential physical sypmtoms that may be present.

I personally find this sort of thing very difficult as well as in the past medical professionals have been pretty horrible in their treatment of me as everything I experienced fell directly back to being a mental health 'issue'. Through talking with my phsychologist he helped me to unpack my expectations and rational behind why I thought extra testing might be good. I wont go through the whole thing and in the end we agreed that it would be a way of minimising my immediate stress and allowing space for a physical check up that I hadn't had in a long time.

My psych helped me to devise some questions to ask and helped me to practice what I wanted to say and the reasons why I was asking what I wanted.

I hope you are able to access people like this to help you in your life, however if not, feel free to post here and I am sure that myself and others will help where they can 🙂

[1stepup61]

Hi Believeinme, thanks for your reply. Its a big thing trusting our drs know best. But like what happened to you, having a MI does sometimes  mean other health issues get shelved. I do like my new GP he does listen, so i might take a bit more time getting to know him as my dr and as you said, trust my instinct and ask him again when my counselling is finished. Thanks for your advice, step-up

[1stepup61]

Hi Doc Gonzo, Thanks for your reply. Your message gave me some ideas as how to address this issue for me, so thanks! I have a couselling session this week, so i will think about why i want the tests done and write the reasons down and tell my dr what my concerns are. I like my new GP, so i think like you did have a plan is what i need to do because i have not been prepared enough to express my concerns. I only have 4 sessions with the Psychologist now, so i think i will talk it through next session as well. Thanks for your advice. Bye for now, Step-up

[Doc_Gonzo]

No worries, I am glad to know that there is some usable stuff in there. Best of luck with it all