Hi everyone,

I'm 30 and female, 122.9kg/270lbs. In Australia. I recently went to the doctor for a separate issue and I asked for a blood test for a general assessment as I always like to keep up on things (had nutrient deficiencies in the past). I got called back for a non-urgent appointment where he brought up cholesterol results from the pathology. I have posted the results. He immediately told me to go on statins and I thought could I maybe not try diet and exercise first? I'm not dismissing statins but would a course of diet and exercise to see if it helps at all then go to meds if necessary? 

Ever since this visit my anxiety and stress has been next level. I've implemented a new diet for almost two weeks now and exercise also. For a bit of backstory, my diet was very poor leading up to this blood test. Lots of sugar, takeout meals more often than I kept telling myself to have, portion sizes just being stupid. To say I'm embarrassed is an understatement, I'm mortified. A lot of stressful things happened, my brother was moving away to another state, I'd lost my job so I could no longer pay for gym which made me lose motivation for exercise and obviously whenever I had my period my body just said sugar, carbs, some vegetables here and there but not too much. 

When I wake up everyday my first thought is about these results and endlessly going over them time and time again. I'm not dismissing the GP at all but I wish it had been explained a whole lot more in depth. I was also recovering from a cold at the time so I was feeling too well during the recall appointment. He also took my blood pressure after I'd only just rushed to the clinic as I was running late, only sat for not even a minute before I was called in to which we were then talking. So for my blood pressure reading (my first reading I've ever had), I hadn't rested and I was also stressed, it's the doctor's office I'm going to be worried. It came back as 120/96, he said hmm that seems a bit high and then he checked my pulse and said my heart rate was more 100 compared to what the machine said. As far as I'm aware blood pressure should be checked upon rest and also with multiple readings not just one. 

  
I've booked in with my usual GP in August who has been seeing me since 2021 just for a bit of a second opinion and more in depth help. 

My only issue right now is my stress taking over my day, all day I'm just constantly thinking about my health, obsessing over what to eat and make sure it's not going to give me grief with my already sensitive stomach due to stress. I'm also just constantly scrolling through Google as I unfortunately do when I'm stressed and getting myself worked up that I've got angina or I'm going to have a heart attack or stroke soon. Every little ache or pain I get now sends the anxiety shooting up even though I'm prone to sternum pain because of being big chested, sleeping incorrectly and my posture is not great when I walk as my exercise. I know these pains could be easily linked to me exercising more and using muscles I haven't used in a long while. I should be looking forward to my birthday in less than 3 weeks but I am instead stressing about this. 

  
Any advice would be so helpful, as I've struggled with mental illness since 2021 and it really gets to me when it takes over. 



Anxiety is through the roof after a doctor's visit