All resources from Dr. Allott are provided for educational and informational purposes only. As Dr. Allott is also a licensed medical practitioner, we must make it clear that nothing on the blog is intended to constitute medical advice, consultation, recommendation, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are concerned about your health, please seek appropriate care in your area.
Letter to Primary Care Physicians Requesting Labs
Letter to Primary Care Physicians Requesting Labs
How do you ask your primary care provider to do more than just give medications for depression? How do you get them to rule out the physical causes of symptoms that might look like depression and/or fatigue? Can anxiety have physical causes that can be additive to an already stressful situation that are worth ruling out? The answer is YES! And you have to ask for what you want.
This handout is a template letter of request for a laboratory workup for typical labs that - if abnormal - can contribute to fatigue and be additive to depression or contribute to anxiety, making it harder to manage. It reminds primary care providers to consider anemia, thyroid disfunction, inflammation, glucose control issues, and other conditions. For good mental health you want your physical body to have what it needs.