Erika | Manhattan, New York

When Erika moved to New York City, she immediately searched for a primary care doctor. As a childhood cancer survivor, she knew she wanted a doctor close by — someone she could establish a relationship with and easily see when she needed to. She found Dr. B at Westside Family Medicine. ​ 

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During an annual check-up, Dr. B asked Erika a simple question: Do you have any concerns? It was in the middle of the pandemic, and the truth was that Erika was struggling with depression. She didn’t know where to go for help and her depression was getting worse. She opened up to Dr. B who prescribed her an antidepressant.  

Erika experienced various side effects of the medicine, and after several months of taking it, she noticed she was just uncomfortable all the time. She assumed this was due to the antidepressants, but her feelings didn’t match the known side effects. She wondered whether she was gaining weight, because her clothes didn’t fit right. She couldn’t figure out why she was feeling so much physical discomfort.  

She went back to Westside, this time meeting with ​Dr. G, one of Dr. B’s partners. Dr. G listened carefully to Erika’s concerns and concluded that her symptoms were not due to the antidepressants, but to hormonal shifts possibly connected to Erika’s hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) and to a case of bacterial vaginosis (BV). Dr. G prescribed a course of antibiotics and referred Erika to an ob-gyn for a comprehensive exam.  

When the ob-gyn suggested that Erika get her IUD removed, she turned to Dr. G for advice. 

“Dr. B and Dr. G were very good at asking me questions and having a conversation with me about what is going on with my body and what a medication might do for me. I know there is information online, but I just don't feel comfortable self-medicating, especially for anything that could impact my mental or reproductive health. And, I don't think people should have to,” said Erika. 

Dr. G supported the ob-gyn’s recommendation to remove the IUD and also prescribed probiotics as well as some lifestyle changes to combat the BV, which had reoccurred.  

“I would be in a VERY different place without Dr. G. These infections were actively ruining my life, and I felt like there was no relief. I would have been struggling with the discomfort for way longer and would not have immediately found an ob-gyn I liked without Dr G.”  

Around this time, Erika’s job ended and, with it, her health insurance. This change, combined with the stress of dealing with the infections and hormonal changes over the past two years, deepened her depression. Dr. G knew what was happening in Erika’s life. She helped Erika plan for when her coverage would end, connecting her to free counseling and prescribing a new antidepressant with fewer side effects that could bridge the gap for her until she has coverage again. 

​“It's really hard to make meaningful relationships in the healthcare system, especially in New York. I was lucky to find a doctor I was comfortable with, within a decent enough commute, who could see me at the drop of a hat. Now I have this built-in comfort and it​’​s daunting to think about having to find another doctor.”