Trusting my Doctor

[bethanyjoy]

I should say that i struggled with healthy anxiety and OCD for many years before it went away, but has recently come back full force which I can only assume is due to 1) losing a very close family memeber and 2) another family member being very seriously ill.
I recently went to the doctor feeling breathless, after blood tests and xrays etc I have been diagnosed as having asthma, and also being slightly anemic and therefore am now on iron.

My issue is that i also had a slightly elevated ESR reading of 27 which was repeated and was then 25 - my Doctor said she doesnt think this i significant at all and to just ignore it. Im finding it really hard to accept this answer because Im so worried there is something more serious going on. I find myself googling, considering seeing another doctor etc. and I just feel highly anxious about my health all the time just now. I know im probably being irrational but I cant seem to stop thinking about this. HELP!!!

[Canbud]

Illnesses of those around us really does amp up our own HA.

Could you tell me what ESR means?

[MyNameIsTerry]

This is sometimes an issue with GP's, they don't seem to understand that something mentioned but not explained can plant a seed.

Did your GP explain what it could mean? If so, then use this to rationalise it. If not, you are entitled to ask what it means so that you can then try to accept it is nothing that requires any follow up.

Its worth noting that people without anxiety also have these thoughts when GP's don't explain things to them, its just that they either forget about it (trust their GP or don't care) or pursue the matter further in the session until the GP gives some possible reasons.

[bethanyjoy]

ESR is an inflammation marker which if raised suggests something going on in the body. it was raised so she decided to do a repeat, but even though it was still raised has decided its not significant given ive just been diagnosed with asthma...just finding it hard to just trust that judgement because if it was due to the asthma she wouldnt have felt the need for a repeat in the first place

Im just over thinking it too much no doubt. I am considering going to the Doctor again and asking them to explain what it could me and that it isnt anything anything serious.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Performing a secondary test after a month is the standard procedure if the ESR is under 100. 100 is the point where additional tests are required to determine an underlying significant issue. Blood tests and xrays are some of the tests they would conduct (not saying that you had them for this reason, you had them due to the possibility of the diagnosis that was later confirmed)

It does also seem to be reducing. It sounds like your GP has the bases covered on this one as the ESR is nowhere near the cut off point.

GP's often don't give reasons for things hence why I believe its important to rule things out by questioning them but in this case since ESR can be a measure of nothing, there may be little explanation other than that this is common and has not been shown to be an indicator of anything. Perhaps that should be enough to then work on the anxiety side.

I have asthma. I think you will need to start the medication and then see how your breathing & anxiety work together as it can be confusing knowing which of the 2 are bothering you.

[jonjones]

Hey,

If it was something to worry about then the doctor would have done something.
I also had tests done before and my esr was a little high.

The problem is not so much that your esr reading was a little high but that you are a worrying too much, just like me and other sufferers here!

When you think worrying thoughts like you are now then you are start to get anxious. Try to let the thought be there, in your head, but focus on letting go of yourself when you think it. Take deep breaths, and let it be there, but do not dwell on it, or debate with it etc. Just let it stay there, and be neutral to it. And focus on letting go of yourself, deep breaths, exhale slowly, let your body sag etc.

Then it will come less and less, till finally it melts away and doesnt come back!

Jon

[MyNameIsTerry]

...and remember that higher ESR is a marker for inflammation...which asthma is so it is very likely this is causing it and as you get that under control, it will return to normal or stay where it is if its due to age.

If you want a comparison, I have just read a clinical study of 30 newly diagnosed asthma patients vs. 20 non asthma patients (non smokers), and the non asthma ESR was 15.3 vs. the asthma ESR of 24.8.

This is very close to you and you are newly diagnosed. The conclusion of that study was the asthma steriod based treatment (standard stuff) reduced all inflamatory markers.

[bethanyjoy]

thanks for all your replies...it helps so much to just hear people who are thinking straight. In the same situation I would say the same to someone else its just so hard to rationalise when my anxiety is playing up. a lot of stress going on at the moment, I just need to try and see the anxiety for what it is :)

[21lily]

I have this same problem of trusting that my doctor is doing everything in their power to ensure every abnormality I may have will be picked up... Ended up seeing a different doctor every few months because I never feel satisfied with their level of care, always feel like my health isn't really their problem if they don't pick something up :S I've just had a full health exam with blood test but Im worried that it won't pick up on a lot of things like cancer... Do you know of any specific things I can ask them to test so I can understand and be assured there is nothing wrong with me :S

[Canbud]

ESR is an inflammation marker which if raised suggests something going on in the body. it was raised so she decided to do a repeat, but even though it was still raised has decided its not significant given ive just been diagnosed with asthma...just finding it hard to just trust that judgement because if it was due to the asthma she wouldnt have felt the need for a repeat in the first place

Im just over thinking it too much no doubt. I am considering going to the Doctor again and asking them to explain what it could me and that it isnt anything anything serious.

Ask as many questions as you need of your doctor. That way you both know that you're fully informed and your mind is at ease.