Think its finally time to get some help with my anxiety..

[maybebaby23]

Ive suffered with panic attacks and just general panic disorder for as long as i can remember Ive been kidding myself all these years that i can sort it out myself, bought books, read lots and lots about it and i now know exactly what is happening in my body to make me feel the way i do when im anxious. I know to breathe properly and to tell myself over and over that its just anxiety etc. But this isn't stopping the adrenaline flowing every time i go anywhere at all out of the house. Im absolutely totally fed up with it. Im not depressed, have never been so happy in my life since i had DD2 and completed our family. Im motivated and get loads done in the day. Im happy for the first time in a long time and this anxiety is ruining everything for me. I have a healthy balanced diet and do quite a bit of excersise. I don't let my anxiety stop me doing things, i just suffer every day with the horrible symptoms. I do tend to avoid supermarkets if i can and other things that involve being around lots of people though..

I need help with this. Im always afraid i will have a panic attack and this is what makes things worse im sure. Ive texted DH to ask him to make me an appointment for next week. I cant do it myself

I have no idea where to start with the doctor. I am sure i will cry my heart out whilst admitting this and really don't want to do that. Im 24 now and this has been going on since i was around 7 years old. Long time to suffer on my own.

I need some kind of idea what the doctor may suggest. I dont want to take anything for it really because 1) im not depressed and 2) i KNOW i will be terrified to come off medication. It will surely only make things worse for me.

What happens in CBT? If anyone could share their experiences of going to the doctor with this kind of problem and what was suggested to them i would be very grateful. I feel very scared and alone with this

[willtryharder]

Hi,

You are not alone. I have been having CBT aswell. It has been useful and I am continuing with it as I want to beat this once and for all.

My GP prescribed me AD aswell but I haven't taken them though I take propranolol for other medical reasons, it is useful for anxiety.

I have been having hypnotherapy which for me has worked the best.

Books are helpful but I think you need help with it. Good luck.

[maybebaby23]

Thankyou for replying. Im hoping CBT will help me. I have been thinking about hypnotherapy too, is it expensive? I would like to give that a go too i think.

Is propanolol an anti-depressant? Or are there other drugs you can take for anxiety that are not AD's?

Thanks

[willtryharder]

Hi again,

No its not an AD but a beta blocker, mostly prescribed for blood pressure. You only take it when needed and they are not addictive.

The hypnotherapy has cost me £40 per session and I have had around 5 or 6 sessions which is probably enough. My hypnotherapist has recorded all my sessions so I can listen to them at home.

Go to you GP and get on the list for CBT as you may have to wait a while. Just be aware that there are different levels of therapists. The first one I had wasn't very good but I have been seeing someone at a higher level who has been much better. The book they recommend is available at the library called "mind over mood".

You said you think it started when you were seven years old, did something happen then?

[catshapedcarrot]

Fraid I don't know anything from the medication side - but I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago about anxiety issues. Having discussed the problem, I was asked what I wanted to do about it (nicely, I mean!) and I said that I'd been considering having counselling.

She referred me for psychotherapy, which in my case will be six half hour CBT sessions with 'homework' - which they call 'guided self-help'. It's via an NHS org called the IAPT, which is being rolled out across the UK atm - see www.iapt.nhs.uk/regions/ to check if it's got to your area yet. But they can do more or less depending on what they feel would benefit you - the principle is that they try to disrupt your life as little as possible with therapy sessions.

I've not yet had CBT (it starts next week) but I've read quite a lot about it and tried moodgym (free online prog which is quite good), basically it works by working on replacing the negative/anxious thoughts with new ones, by looking at the causes/triggers, so it's meant to be quite practical. There's no reason why you should have to come off the medication if you're not ready, I've got two good friends who are on medication and also having CBT.

Lastly: please don't be worried about seeking help, or that you'll cry in front of the doctor (which I have done plenty of times!), they are quite used to it, and it's their job to help.

Take care.

[maybebaby23]

hi, thanks for the helpful replies. willtry-when i was about 7 years old i was sat in the school hall and saw a boy who was standing at the side faint...scariest thing i had ever seen i remember the sheer panic that went through me. i then became afraid i'd faint at school. a whole load of phobias followed. being sick, then choking, then dying and so on. a very happy childhood i had
thanks for the info, will check out that link when i have more time tomorrow. i like the idea of the beta blockers, something i can take when i need it and not become addicted. will see what dr says.
dh booked my appointment for tuesday. im very nervous but after reading your replies im quite looking forward to telling someone and getting some help. will also check out hypnotherapy!

[willtryharder]

It usually feels like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders when you can talk to other people and believe you me the doctor will have seen it a million times over.

I think a lot of things are deep rooted from childhood. I never believed this before but I do now.

Let us know how you get on. It won't get better over night but it will get better.

[maybebaby23]

thankyou willtry. i think im actually looking forward to my appointment now, just to get this off my chest. like you said it should feel like a huge weight has been lifted. i will post again before i go to the gp. thanks for listening!

[maybebaby23]

Well, im off to the GP tomorrow and my anxiety has been awful yesterday and this morning..im really nervous about my appointment But its getting worse and worse, ive realised that i just feel scared all the time. Can't cope with it any longer. After reading the thread on here about citalopram (sp?) im hoping the GP will give me that until i can have some CBT. What if they send me away to wait for an appointment without anything to help until then? Ah im working myself right up about it. Just want to get to the GP and let it all out. Will update when ive been (if anyone is interested lol )

[willtryharder]

You poor thing. Look at tomorrow as the start of your journey to get well.

Be honest with the doctor. If you feel an AD like citalopram will help then try it but you will have to commit to taking it for at least 3-6 months and you may feel unwell for a couple of weeks though side effects vary from person to person.

Have you tried yoga? If you are interested I could help find you a suitable class. You need one which teaches a long relaxation and pranyama (breathing techniques).

Good luck tomorrow. Will be thinking of you. x

[Nemofish]

Looking forward to your update tomorrow, maybebaby.

Like you I have had anxiety since I was a child, it has got worse since I had my daughter 4 years ago and, like you, I am fed up to the back teeth with it.

Unlike you though, I have not been brave enough to see my GP about it yet!

[willtryharder]

Nemo, Mine got worse when I had my ds nearly 4 years ago.

[maybebaby23]

Oh thankyou for replying ladies, im having a horrid evening. Sent DH out to the gym as im rubbish company tonight.

I can't imagine saying the words to the GP. Im so embarassed and...ashamed i think. Totally silly i know. Nothing to be ashamed about is it. It is just because no-one else knows about it. Its so hard.

Willtry-thanks, i have just started doing yoga on the wii at home! I love it! I would LOVE to go to a class, but my anxiety stops me doing anything like that. Plus i have no-one to go with seeing as ive spent so long avoiding people..no friends now. If i manage to get some relief from these horrid symptoms i want to join a few classes like yoga/aerobics. Thanks for giving me something to focus on! I will look forward to that!

I have no idea if citalopram would help me, its just what i have read on here. I dont like the thought of anxiety getting worse for a few weeks though, im pretty sure i wont be able to function if it gets any worse than it is already and i have 2 small DD's to care for...positive thinking anyway, im sure i will be fine.

Nemofish sorry to hear you have had this awful anxiety for years too Why dont you make an appointment as well, we could support eachother I hate to think of someone else suffering alone as well. Maybe if i have positive news tomorrow after my appointment it may help you feel better about seeing your GP?

In 12 hours i will be there..deep breaths lol. Thanks for thinking of me i appreciate your support. Will update tomorrow.

[maybebaby23]

Well, im back

Oh my gosh i feel so much better for telling someone. I knew i would crack up and i did i walked in to the dr's room and couldn't talk for 5 minutes! He didn't know what to say and just started tidying his desk! Haha at least i can laugh about that We had a long chat about everything and the dr decided i should see a psychologist instead of CBT because i have some deep rooted issues. The waiting list for that is a year!! So while im waiting he has given me a form to fill in for CBT online or something, a self help leaflet and some beta blockers, propanolol 40mg...i should take one a day when i feel i need it. I have to go back in two weeks to see him.

Im so glad i went. My anxiety seems to have calmed right down since i came out of the doctors. Relief Maybe it won't be so bad now someone else knows about my problem.

Thanks for listening, i feel so much better today.

Nemofish - book that appointment today

[willtryharder]

Excellent. Thats great news. I've just got back from CBT and am feeling very positive.

Could you afford to go private? A year is a long time to wait!

Maybe think about Hypnotherapy aswell. It is fab!

[maybebaby23]

I know a year is a long time isn't it. May look in to going private..definately want to try hypnotherapy, i wonder where i can go....hmm will look into it.

Good to hear you are feeling positive after your CBT! good luck with it!

[Nemofish]

Great news, maybebaby.



The year will go fast and it will be worth it.

[maybebaby23]

Thanks nemo!

[roodledoodle]

Hi All,

I just wanted to post on here to let you know you're not alone and I totally understand how you feel! Having never suffered with anxiety before, or had any health problems for that matter, I reached crisis point in a matter of days after suffering with postnatal insomnia when my daughter was 12 weeks old. Until then I'd been fabulous, no problems at all and was thoroughly enjoying motherhood.

I'm now on AD's and was given a short course of diazepam when I found I couldn't tolerate the AD's as they made my anxiety 100 times worse. I'm also on sleeping tablets and unable to look after my daughter at night as I wake up filled with panic (as I do most mornings at the moment).

Last week was a good week but this week has been horrific again. I'm just coming to terms with what's happening to me... I thought this was going to be something which disappeared once I started treatment but it seems to wax and wane unpredictably and I'm starting to loose hope with it all.

I've also had a couple of sessions of counselling and have started on CBT (private... I'm throwing everything at the situation!) but this week I felt so awful (really anxious followed by a big fat low!) I cancelled it.

Anyway, I'm hoping things will improve soon. I've just had my AD's increased to a higher dose so I'm trying to grit my teeth and ride it out. It's really hard!!!

Really feel for anyone who has ever had this.... you don't realise how terrible it is until it happens to you!