It is not uncommon for women’s health concerns to be overlooked even by professionals. Often chalking up their health issues as, ‘common women ailments’, many healthcare professionals, miss the core reason for women’s symptoms. In a recent video, Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS Surgeon, shared a video, explaining how often, even signs of chronic illnesses can get overlooked as just ‘anxiety’. So, is there no way a person can ensure they have the right diagnosis? In the video Dr Karan listed a few ways one can ensure they have the right diagnosis, from asking the right questions and how to proficiently communicate your symptoms to the doctor. What Questions Should You Ask Your Doctor? If your doctor told you that your health problems are "just anxiety," remember that you have the right to push for a more thorough checkup. One should ask the right questions as it is their health on the line. Being ready shows you're serious and ensures your doctor looks into your condition properly. Dr. Karan explains that when talking to your doctor, you should ask questions that make them explain why they settled on an anxiety diagnosis. This shifts the focus back to the doctor, requiring them to justify their medical opinion. Here are the key questions you should use. "What tests have been done to rule out other causes of my symptoms?" This question is powerful because it makes the doctor list exactly what they have investigated. It clarifies the boundaries of the investigation. If the doctor hasn't run many tests, you know there's more ground to cover."Can you explain why you think this is anxiety and not a physical medical condition?" Don't accept "your blood work is fine" as the only answer. That's often not enough. Many serious health conditions don't show up on a routine blood test. You want a detailed explanation of their thinking, not just a quick dismissal. "Have we ruled out other conditions that can look exactly like anxiety?"It's surprising how many physical illnesses have symptoms that are identical to anxiety. Dr Karan explains how thyroid problems like hypothyroidism, issues with your nervous system like dysautonomia, or even an immune disorder like mast cell activation syndrome, can all cause symptoms like a racing heart, dizziness, or panic. You want to be sure these possibilities have been considered. Is It Anxiety Or A Health Condition? If your doctor only suggests things like talk therapy and certain medications (like SSRIs), be prepared to ask for more. You need to know if they're looking at the big picture. Dr Karan suggests that you should ask them: "What treatment plan would you suggest that goes beyond just treating the anxiety itself?" If their only answer is medication and counseling, it's fair to ask what other medical routes or specialists can be explored to find the root cause of your symptoms. How Should You Describe Your Symptoms? When describing your symptoms, you need to be precise and give the doctor hard data. This makes it much harder for them to brush off your concerns as simple stress. Dr Karan gives an example, instead of just saying, "I get dizzy a lot," get into the details: "I get dizzy when I stand up, especially in the morning. It's worse after eating or after I’ve been sitting for a long period of time." This kind of specific detail is very important. Symptoms that happen when you stand up and improve when you lie down could point to a physical problem like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), not just everyday anxiety. The clearer and more factual you are, the less likely they are to dismiss your condition as just "generalized stress." Dr. Rajan emphasizes that "data talks." Start keeping a symptom diary right away! It's an essential tool for tracking your condition every day. In your log, record: The exact time symptoms happened. What you ate or drank beforehand. What made the symptoms better or worse. Look for patterns. Does the dizziness only happen after you stand up? Do your symptoms worsen after a certain meal, or around your sleep schedule, or with hormonal changes? Bringing this detailed log, to your appointment makes it much, much more difficult for any doctor to doubt or dismiss your concerns.
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