As a woman who needs medical appointments for maintaining care (and possible) treatments for Fibromyalgia; who has no access to family physicians or nurse practitioner practices in my immediate local (I can't travel outside my city limits because I do not drive). I have to think outside my medical team "box" and pick and choose alternative health care solutions. Your medical team could include your GP/FP, a nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, message therapist, acupuncturists, and/or any specialist(s) that you need for your chronic illness care and maintenance.

Before I was diagnosed, I had an amazing physician who believed in my struggles and worked along side of me to find solutions; trial and error with prescriptions, tests such as ultrasounds, x-rays, CT-scans, MRI, and she referred me to different specialists. It was a long process of the elimination game to zero in on the "real culprit". In November 2018, she diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. The rheumatologist confirmed her diagnosis with additional blood work and a single consultation that I do, in fact, have Fibromyalgia.

My lovely doctor closed her practice in the summer 2019; my family was transferred to another physician within an umbrella of medical services but when he closed his office in April 2020, he did not refer us to another GP within that umbrella and we lost many needed services.

I was more likely to click the second over the first one for many reasons, but my #1 why is that I don't even have a waiting room to get to, there is no GP available and online services seem to begun a new health care system in its own.

I must note that this services look like they are coming from the private sector (Loblaws)  and most, if not all, have fees associated with them. To speak with a GP, it is $49 (please see gallery of screenshots from their PC health app. I read on the reviews page that PEI will assist or repay the fee to see the GP, if you do not have one to consult. I do not live in PEI, please verify with your health care department from your government agency.

With PC health services, there is an option to book an appointment with a chronic pain physician. I was most impressed with the variety of appointments.

As I have stated before, I am without a family physician; I have been without OHIP covered medical services for a year. Any services I have gotten since May 2020, I have paid out of pocket for physiotherapy, a consultation with a naturopathic doctor, and my adrenal function test. As a person who has no GP/FP (and on a waitlist), I am considering this alternative to find answers and continue to maintain care.

 Today is the day, I've been waiting for this test since learning about adrenal function last summer when I was taking the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute's  Fibromyalgia Advisor program. I was doing some research and I came across this article about adrenal fatigue and I believe that I have issues with adrenal function, not necessarily fatigue but they are not functioning properly.

Exhausted? 10 ways to know if you have adrenal fatigue, and what to do about it by Margaret Floyd Barry 

1. You’re a “night person” (you have trouble getting up in the morning and you have trouble falling asleep at night, even when you’re exhausted) ✓
2. Your blood pressure is either above 120/80 or below 105/70 ✓
3. You get a headache after exercising ✓
4. You clench or grind your teeth
5. You get dizzy when you stand up quickly ✓
6. You crave salty foods ✓ 
7. You perspire easily, regardless of the temperature
8. You’re always tired ✓
9. You need to wear sunglasses outside during the day ✓
10. You don’t stay asleep at night ✓

I got 8/10 in that questionnaire. According to the article: "If two or more of these describe you, you most likely have some degree of adrenal dysregulation."

I spoke to my new naturopathic doctor about my issues and she agreed that we should get the tests done. I had to pay out of payment for this testing, but I believe that it will be worth knowing if I have issues with adrenal functions and steer my treatments and dietary changes to meet any of those needs from the adrenals working overtime. Next up in my testing is a new set of blood work and looking at factors that were overlooked when I was working with GP. I am still without a family physician and I hope that I can see the college clinic doctor for things that can be covered by OHIP and be easy on my pocket book. I am grateful I can put some money towards naturopathic treatments.

If you suspect that you may have issues with adrenal functions, please get in touch with your general practioner for a discussion and possible testing.