Family Medicine

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FAMILY MEDICINE

Dr. Charlotte Merrill, DNP, FNP-C

Dr. Charlotte Merrill, DNP, FNP-C can help alleviate or even most likely totally eliminate symptoms found in many different health disorders/diseases, including those listed below. Charlotte provides the expert medical attention you need, in the most comprehensive and unique way possible.

At Agilus Health, we offer patient-centered healthcare for all. Our goal is to provide a medical home where you feel comfortable, listened to and understood. We take a whole-patient approach with a focus on prevention and staying well, but we’re 100 percent there for you when something comes up. We also understand the busy home and work lives of our patients and offer not only compassion and respect but also convenience, with flexible appointment times, easy scheduling and secure online access to results and other information. It’s an old-fashioned and caring family medicine approach with a 21st Century perspective.

Family Medicine

(318) 704-6568

dr charlotte merrill Alexandria la, primary care, family medicine, family doctor, family medicine clinic, primary care

“Since joining Agilus, I have been able to work with a team of providers who strive to solve and uncover the root cause of many of the chronic diseases that my patients suffer from.”​

CHARLOTTE G. MERRILL

AVAILABLE PRIMARY CARE SERVICES

Depression and anxiety can occur at the same time. In fact, it’s been estimated that 45 percent of people with one mental health condition meet the criteria for two or more disorders. One study found that half of people with either anxiety or depression have the other condition. 

Although each condition has its own causes, they may share similar symptoms and treatments. 


COMMON SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
  • Feeling Sad, Anxious, or Empty
  • Feeling Hopeless or Pessimistic
  • Feeling Guilty, Worthless, or Helpless
  • Not Enjoying Things you used to Enjoy
  • Trouble with Concentration, Memory Loss, or Decision Making
  • Sleeping too Much or too Little
  • Appetite Changes
  • Gaining or Loosing Weight
  • Feeling Restless or Irritable
  • Thoughts of Suicide or Death
 

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY
  • Restlessness
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty Concentrating
  • Irritability or Explosive Anger
  • Muscle Tension
  • Sleep Disturbances
  • Personality Changes, such as Becoming less Social
 

Diabetes is the body becoming resistant to absorbing insulin into the cells, this causes your body to be unable to absorb sugar properly. When your body can no longer process insulin you begin to suffer from high blood sugar. The unprocessed sugar in your body is what brings on most of the symptoms you experience, as your body begins to get its energy from other sources by essentially consuming itself.

One of the most dangerous aspects of type 2 diabetes is that you may not know that you are suffering from it. You could have it for years and be unaware. The symptoms are slow developing and mostly unassuming. You should be looking out for increased thirst, and subsequently very frequent urination.

Type 2 diabetes can be brought on by age, excessive weight, or be a genetic issue passed down from your family. The onset age for type 2 diabetes is on average 45 years. Excessive eating is one of the most common causes of type 2 diabetes, and can be regulated by healthy eating, exercising, and help from a medical professional. 

COMMON SYMPTOMS

  • Frequent urination
  • Increased thirst
  • Fatigue, tiredness
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Itching around the genitals
  • Slow healing cuts or wounds
  • Blurred vision

Fybromyalgia Fibromyalgia can feel similar to osteoarthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis. But rather than hurting in a specific area, the pain and stiffness could be throughout your body. 

Fibromyalgia is the second most common condition affecting your bones and muscles. Yet it’s often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Its classic symptoms are widespread muscle and joint pain and fatigue.There’s no cure. But a combination of medication, exercise, managing your stress, and healthy habits may ease your symptoms enough that you can live a normal, active life.

COMMON SYMPTOMS
  • Muscle Pain, Burning, Twitching, or Tightness
  • Low Pain Threshold or Tender Points
  • Draining Fatigue
  • Trouble Concentrating and Remembering (Fibro Fog)
  • Insomnia or Not Sleeping Well
  • Feeling Nervous, Worried, or Depressed
  • Numbness or Tingling in Your Face, Arms, Hands, Legs, or Feet
  • Belly Pain, Bloating, Queasiness, Constipation, and Diarrhea (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
  • Headaches
  • Dry Mouth, Nose, and Eyes
  • Sensitivity to Cold, Heat, Light, or Sound
  • Frequent Urination

Hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in the endocrine system. Hormones travel through the bloodstream to the tissues and organs, delivering messages that tell the organs what to do and when to do it.

Hormonal imbalances can affect a large spectrum of things in your body. Having an imbalance or dysfunction can cause men or women to experience:

  • weight gain
  • fatigue
  • increased sensitivity to cold or heat
  • constipation or more frequent bowel movements
  • dry skin
  • puffy face
  • unexplained weight loss (sometimes sudden)
  • increased or decreased heart rate
  • muscle weakness
  • frequent urination
  • increased thirst
  • muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
  • pain, stiffness, or swelling in your joints
  • thinning hair or fine, brittle hair
  • increased hunger
  • depression
  • decreased sex drive
  • nervousness, anxiety, or irritability
  • blurred vision
  • sweating
  • infertility
  • a fatty hump between the shoulders
  • rounded face
  • purple or pink stretch marks

With such a wide spectrum of symptoms, hormonal imbalances can be difficult to determine. Hormonal imbalances can be caused by a number of different things depending on what gland is affected. Some of the causes of hormonal imbalance include: Diabetes, hyper/hypothyroidism, tumors, stress, and injury or trauma. 

While hormonal imbalances can affect men and women equally, it can also affect them very differently. Hormonal imbalances can cause women to have heavy or irregular periods, vaginal dryness, and excessive hair on face and chin. In men it can cause a decrease in body hair growth, breast tenderness, erectile dysfunction, and infertility. This is due to the increase or decrease of estrogen or testosterone in either gender.

Good sleep is necessary for optimal health and can affect hormone levels, mood and weight. Sleep problems, including snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, sleep deprivation, and restless legs syndrome, are common. 

Whether you have occasional trouble sleeping or you’re living with a sleep disorder, you can get quality sleep and learn to better manage your condition.

High blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. 

Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. 

You can have high blood pressure (hypertension) for years without any symptoms. Even without symptoms, damage to blood vessels and your heart continues and can be detected. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke. 


COMMON SYMPTOMS
  • Severe Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Blurred Vision
  • Nausea/Vomiting
  • Chest Pain/Shortness of Breath
  • Nosebleeds
 
Many people worry about their cholesterol because high cholesterol levels in the blood can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

People are considered to have high cholesterol (“hypercholesterolemia”) when certain levels are exceeded. High cholesterol levels are not a medical condition on their own. Also, there are different opinions on what is considered to be too high. It is important to remember that high cholesterol is just one of many risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This means that cholesterol levels alone tell us little about a person’s risk.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

High cholesterol doesn’t in itself cause any symptoms. But if someone has high cholesterol over many years, their risk of cardiovascular disease – such as angina, heart attacks and strokes – might be higher than normal for their age. So it can be a good idea for people who have high cholesterol to do something about it.

Common digestive problems include heartburn/GERD, IBD, and IBS. Symptoms may include bloating, diarrhea, gas, stomach pain, and stomach cramps.

Treatment includes a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.


COMMON SYMPTOMS
  • Diarrhea
  • Liver Disease
  • Diverticulitis Diet
  • Gallstones
  • Ulcers
  • Blood in Stool
  • Pancreatitis
  • Probiotics
  • Diverticulitis
  • Appendicitis
  • Gastritis
  • Hemorrhoids
 

The Thyroid gland is a small gland located in your neck. This gland releases a host of hormones throughout your body, called thyroid hormones. thyroxine, known as T4, is the major hormone released by your thyroid gland. The Thyroid hormones effect: growth, metabolism, body temperature, development, and in young children, brain development.

There are many different conditions which can affect your thyroid gland. If your thyroid is swollen it is known as a goiter, which is mostly associated with being deficient in iodine, or can be a symptom of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the Thyroid which is usually caused by viral infection or an autoimmune disease. Hyperthyroidism is the over production of hormones, and Hypothyroidism is the under production of hormones. Although the effects can be unpleasant or uncomfortable, most thyroid problems can be managed well if properly diagnosed and treated.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Intolerance to Cold
  • Muscle Aches and Cramps
  • Constipation
  • Weight Gain or Difficulty Losing Weight
  • Poor Appetite
  • Goiter (Enlarged Thyroid Gland)

Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is the body becoming resistant to absorbing insulin into the cells, this causes your body to be unable to absorb sugar properly. When your body can no longer process insulin you begin to suffer from high blood sugar. The unprocessed sugar in your body is what brings on most of the symptoms you experience, as your body begins to get its energy from other sources by essentially consuming itself.

One of the most dangerous aspects of type 2 diabetes is that you may not know that you are suffering from it. You could have it for years and be unaware. The symptoms are slow developing and mostly unassuming. You should be looking out for increased thirst, and subsequently very frequent urination.

Type 2 diabetes can be brought on by age, excessive weight, or be a genetic issue passed down from your family. The onset age for type 2 diabetes is on average 45 years. Excessive eating is one of the most common causes of type 2 diabetes, and can be regulated by healthy eating, exercising, and help from a medical professional. 

COMMON SYMPTOMS

  • Frequent urination
  • Increased thirst
  • Fatigue, tiredness
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Itching around the genitals
  • Slow healing cuts or wounds
  • Blurred vision
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Our expert team of Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, and Physical Therapists will assist you in multiple different areas of your life.

We can help you with managing your daily stress to improve your sleep and reduct the strain upon your body. We can guide and advise you on your diet and nutritional needs to assist you in living a longer, healthier & happier life!

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