Forget about Fox or any primary care doctor in Florida. They're a bunch of quacks who just want your insurance, and will treat you like a drug addict if you complain about real issues like panic disorder, anxiety, depression, and the lack of appetite and weight loss that comes with it. All Fox cared about was looking at my arms for track marks, which I have none.
Doctors here are more concerned about the DEA than helping the patient. I was given a joke of dose of xanax (0.25 mg), and it barely helped at all. My doctor in NY used to prescribe 5 mgs, and for years, I was able to get my panic attacks and anxiety under control, while only taking the meds when I was absolutely climbing the walls, and experiencing a faster heartbeat at rest.
Fox and his office also completely ignored my pleas to help with menopausal symptoms such as no sex drive, so if you're a woman of a certain age, just stay away. He'll tell you that he needs to see your hormone levels before giving a prescription, and then will not answer your emails. I sent 2 or 3 follow-up emails regarding my sexual and mental health because they often don't answer the phone.
Not only did he NOT give me an ADULT dose of xanax, but then, without even speaking or seeing me again, 2 months later, he prescribed 'Wellbutrin' for smoking cessation, which may also be repurposed as a drug for anxiety. When I looked it up, I found that it was Zyban with a new name, a drug that I'd taken one time about 20 years ago, and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. It felt like the whole world was crashing down on me.
Of course, you smoke more when you have anxiety and panic disorder, so cutting down or quitting will never happen until that problem is under control; a problem I said I'd inherited from my father who also had panic disorder and high blood pressure, which led to strokes.
In the end, my advice would be, especially to women, is to listen to your body. If you are over 40, or are even in the peri-menopause stage, you will start having similar symptoms along with excessive sweating and hot flashes. No primary care doctor is ever going to listen to you, especially if you talk about not having a sex drive or having the worst anxiety of your life. They're basically going to tell you to deal with it, and even prescribe meds that may make your issues worse.
They just don't take women's issues seriously. Want proof? How many ads have you seen that talk about women's lack of sex drive? Then, compare how many ads you see that talk about ED or sexual problems in men. But there is an answer, friends!
I finally took the plunge after over a year of research, and started Bio-identical Hormone Replacement therapy 3 weeks ago. I was able to do this fully through Telehealth from a company called bywinona.com. They are REAL doctors who know what dosage you need by the symptoms you describe, and they start you at a fairly low dose of estrogen-progesterone transdermal cream, and 25 mgs of DHEA (in pill form). Not even a month into the treatment, my anxiety is way down, I sleep through the night, my sex drive is starting to come back, and I'm not waking up in a ball of sweat. I've experienced no ill side-effects whatsoever, I've gained weight, and cut back on smoking. Plus, you will get the compounded medication through the mail in a few days.
Just get your basic check-ups at CVS or another drugstore; it will be quicker, and you'll still get full bloodwork done. If there are other issues you're experiencing like the ones I've described above, do your research. Your hormones may be the cause of many of your problems, and bywinona.com is a great company that also explains how their products work. It will cost you about $100/month, but it's hassle-free, and you will start to feel better after the hormones begin to build up in your body. You can also ask the doctor questions, and let him and his staff know how you feel, and they answer within 24 hours. Not only that, but if you need the dose adjusted, they will do that right away. The only thing they can't prescribe right now is straight testosterone b/c it's considered a 'controlled substance', but the DHEA taken with the estrogen-progesterone cream should convert to the desired amount of testosterone women need.
When it comes to my anxiety issues, I still take 5 mgs of valium when needed, but because I sleep so well due to HRT, I need it much less than when I first went to Dr. Fox. People have remarked that I have a glow about me, and it's because I took control over my own body and issues.
Eventually, most basic healthcare is going to be done through tele-health, and bloodwork and other tests will be sent through the mail for results. Invasive tests, and crappy doctor's visits will soon be a thing of the past, and you'll be able to monitor your own health with AI. It's happening already, and it's so much better than what I've had to deal with in Florida.
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