Ask for the longer appointment slot. Ten minutes is not enough for a complex history and pretending otherwise wastes both your time.

Test one thing at a time. It feels slower and it is the only way to learn anything.

Written confirmation email after every phone call. Cheapest insurance there is.

It gets smaller. Not easy, smaller. That distinction kept me going.

Small wins count. Walking to the mailbox is a data point.

An inconclusive account is useful if it stops the next person mistaking a story for a controlled comparison.