Self Care in 2020
When’s the last time you went to a doctor for a full work up? I’m not talking about a trip to your local urgent care. Lately I’ve had an influx of clients that are young with life threatening illnesses. I’ve had a significant number of people within my age group diagnosed with serious medical conditions. I’ve come to realize that a lot of us aren’t talking about these issues, choosing to keep our suffering in silence for a number of reasons. I’d like to change that so that we have more of these important conversations to encourage us to go to the doctor and get those regular check ups.
In my effort to practice full disclosure, I’m going to start with my personal story. The past several months have been a world wind of emotions which all started with my annual medical check up. Last year in the beginning of 2019 I made a commitment to myself that I was going to start going to the doctor. The last time I had gone for a thorough check up with an internist had been about five years prior. Other than going for my regular gynecological exams I hadn’t been to a general practitioner in a long time. I did a lot of research and with the help of Zoc Doc and found a new primary physician that I wanted to visit. When I called the office they said Dr. P had a six month wait period. I was surprised and although they offered a visit with an alternate provider, something told me she was worth the wait.
Fast forward to six months later, I saw Dr. P and she was everything I wanted in a doctor. She was patient, kind and a good listener. She did some lab work and said she would tomorrow morning at 8:30am with my results. The next morning I heard from Dr. P, who went over my lab results. Although she said I was in good physical health, she was concerned about my TSH levels. She suggested I go for a sonogram and to my surprise a week later I was at a local radiology center getting a sonogram done on my thyroid. A few days after I received another call from Dr. P saying it was important that I saw an endocrinologist for further assessment because they found two Goiters.
Dr. P encouraged me to go to the specialist sooner rather than later. Soon after I found an endocrinologist that specializes in thyroid related issues. I called right away to make the appt and again the receptionist said there was a six month waiting period however in the meantime they would schedule me to see the Nurse Practitioner that works with Dr. K. I decided this was the best option because again I did my research and she seemed to be top notch in this particular area and I decided it would be worth it.
About two months later I arrived for my visit with Peggy, a Nurse Practitioner that reviewed my sonogram and explained she would order another set of labs, similar to what I had done previously and more extensive tests to see how my thyroid was functioning. I was so nervous and she was asking all these questions about family history regarding thyroid issues which I wasn’t too sure about. Peggy was very comforting and was even more concerned about my blood pressure which was extremely high during my visit. So much so she decided it was best that I start on a BP medication regimen IMMEDIATELY. I was freaked out and trying to soak all the information at the same time feeling very overwhelmed. Towards the end of my visit I started to relax a bit and felt comforted by the fact that she wanted me to come in about a week later to review my lab results and also see how I was responding to this Blood Pressure medication.
A week later I go back and Peggy goes over all my lab results, indicating that all my labs tests were good except for my tsh levels. At this point she wanted to understand the reasoning for the goiters and proceeded to explain that it was crucial that I go for another scan known as a Radioactive Iodine Uptake Test. A few days later I was at the imaging center getting my scan done. Some time had passed before I heard from Peggy again but when we spoke she was unable to give me a firm diagnosis but encouraged me to keep my appointment with the endocrinologist which was going to be in about two months.
A few weeks before my appointment Peggy called and advised me to go in for another set of repeat labs so they could compare my previous results. A few days before my visit with the endocrinologist Peggy called and surprisingly said my lab results were normal, indicated my numbers were pretty good. Peggy said keep my appt with Dr. K and she would discuss my results further during my visit. Days after I finally got to meet Dr. K who went through a whole series of questions and reviewed my labs. She also confirmed she was pleased with my numbers but that I would continue to be monitored closely by her office. Interestingly enough she indicated stress directly affects TSH levels and asked about that time period when I had my previous tests done. I did recall I was under a lot of stress so her suggestion was keep stress to a minimum and just continue to take care of myself. In the meantime, I’ll continue to follow up with her in several weeks and I should have regular scans of my thyroid to make sure everything was on the up.
For me self care for the past several months has been about getting my health in check. If I hadn’t gone for my annual check up I probably would still not be on blood pressure medication. High blood pressure has serious consequences and its important that we check our overall health regularly. Additionally it is equally important to talk to our families to ask about past and present health related issues. Once I told my mom about being prescribed medication to control my BP, she informed me she’s had high BP since her 20’s. Also I found out a few of my cousins have thyroid related issues. At least knowing all this now helps me to communicate this to my medical providers.
All of us should get ourselves checked regularly, despite how old you are. Health insurance is something that those of us, who have it may take for granted but if you are fortunate enough to have access, make an appointment with a provider ASAP. If you don’t have insurance and reside in New York, check NYS Health Exchange for options. If you are unable to find an affordable plan look into local hospitals that have clinics where you may be able to enroll in a sliding scale program. Many clinics attached to local hospitals offer sliding scale programs for people that are uninsured. Fees are based on income and can cost as little as $5 per visit which can also include specialist visits as well as long as referrals are provided through the sliding scale program.
Everyone fortunate enough to be in contact with their families should ask about their history with regard to disease and illness. You would be surprised by the information that you find out and how much genetics play a role when it comes to certain health conditions. It can truly help you at some point in your life whether it includes prevention and decreasing your risk of getting diagnosed with a certain health chronic health condition. Making certain lifestyle changes can result in positive outcomes when we talk about certain illnesses such as high blood pressure. For me that means making dietary changes, following a medication regimen and keeping my stress levels to a minimum. Let’s start off the year wisely and take care of ourselves by prioritizing our health and wellness needs.