anxiety/ocd? what will the GP do?

[mrswhiskers]

I've been suffering from mood swings and anxiety in varying degrees probably since I had my dd 5 years ago.
I lead a normal life but inside I panic about stupid things, mainly accomplishing everything on my mental lists (usually house work and tidying up chores) until I have completed all the tasks I have set myself I can't think about anything else and if anyone or anything interrupts I get very anxious and often snap at my family.
I start my routines as soon as I get up in the morning. I expect I have mild OCD. Although I know it's irrational I expect my family to do everything the same way as me and if they don't, I panic inside and end up getting irritable.
I'm a lot more relaxed in the evening as by then all my chores are finished and I can have a rest.
I have no problems getting to sleep but I often wake in the early hours and it's like I'm not happy until I've found something to worry about then I can't get back to sleep for ages then I have to get up early so I can clean my whole house before I go to work.

The past 2 weeks it's like I've crashed. I'm still doing most of what I did before but I think I've exhausted myself and I can't concentrate on simple tasks or conversations. I've stopped exercising as I have no energy and my brain feels foggy all the time. I don't feel depressed.

I'm seeing a locum GP on Friday and I'm not sure what they'll do with me.
I had similar symptoms about 15 years ago and tried various antidepressants (citalopram, Prozac, seroxat) and I felt they made me depressed and gave me thoughts of self harm. I ended up seeing a psychiatrist (who was hopeless) and getting CBT which I thought was a waste of time. I don't want to go through the same thing again and I'm already thinking about cancelling the appointment but I feel I owe it to my family to try and change as they are walking on eggshells around me and it's not fair.
Thanks for reading.

[NanaNina]

What do you mean by mood swings - are you hypermanic and then drop down into depression? I don't think you are as you say you're not depressed. It's just that mood swings are a characteristic of bipolar disorder and that needs to be ruled out.

I think you're right about the OCD (bit more than mild by the sound of it) I am no medic btw. There is also the anxiety. I think all the GP will do is prescribe ADs because some of them help with anxiety, or propranol if you don't want ADs. I hate to say it but CBT has become the panacea for all emotional problems and I think (though not sure) that it's thought to be beneficial for OCD. When you suffered similarly 15 years ago, how did it resolve?

Don't cancel the appointment. You never know, there might be some useful treatment.

[mrswhiskers]

Thanks for replying. No I am not manic. When I say mood swings I mean I can be fine one minute then say I remember I've got something else to do then I become very irritable and start snapping. I'm fine at work, it's just when I'm at home as I seem to have this need for everything within my home to be perfect all the time.

I can't remember exactly how the symptoms resolved the last time. I do remember I just stopped taking the medication and I had awful withdrawal symptoms then I think I just got on with things. I had a couple of major life traumas quite soon after this and coped OK. It seems to be day to day problems I just crumble.
I didn't have any OCD characteristics last time and I'm now wondering if they have developed as a coping strategy for anxiety even though they are probably what's causing me the most anxiety.

[yougotthelove]

mrswhiskers,it is good you are going to the gp

I have ocd & have just been listening to this guy, see if it is of any use

as someone with ocd, i would recommend asking for cbt at the gp before the ocd gets any worse.

[GourmetGold]

I saw this video last week, bought her book, started taking the amino acids and eating the foods she recommended, after doing the questionnaires and feel really good..the best I can ever remember!

Here's the book:-

www.amazon.co.uk/Mood-Cure-Julia-Ross/dp/0007323697/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446655905&sr=8-1&keywords=the%20mood%20cure&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Your description of your behaviour sounds very similar to people with low Serotonin and low Dopamine...but read the book and you will see yourself...bells will start to ring! They did for me and I'm so pleased I have found this help.
I'd been doing CBT for years, which was helpful, but I feel better than I did with the CBT in the last week from following the advice in this book.