Aibu to make a drs appt for anxiety partly brought on by corona virus?

[TimeToPullMyHairOut]

I’ve suffered for years with anxiety which I’ve ignored/managed to manage by myself with ups and downs along the way.
The past few weeks though I’ve had constant tension headaches and for the last two days I’ve been feeling really tight chested and like I can’t catch my breath properly. I know this is an anxiety attack and not corona as I have no other symptoms and it disappears if I can manage to distract myself. I’m finding it really hard to sleep and managing a few broken hours each night.
I’m also extremely worried about my son at the moment who has a newly diagnosed medical problem. I’m worried it’s something rather serious but I’d rather not put what on here.
I’m a frontline nhs worker and will be relying on my parents for childcare of schools and nursery shuts.
My husband is self employed and starting to worry about money too.
I think it’s all got too much for me and I need some help and/or medication to manage my anxiety. But I feel guilty making a doctors appt when I imagine they are absolutely swamped.
Wwyd?

Sorry OP that all sounds so stressful. Maybe you could get a telephone appointment with your GP if you genuinely feel it is needed. All the best.

I'd make a phone appointment, you need to look after yourself as it sounds like you've a lot on your plate.

If you're unable to get an appointment is there a mental health support service available for NHS workers you could access?

I think it is a valid reason for a drs appointment, however I’m not sure you’ll get one. My own drs is cancelling anything non-critical - including cervical screening even when the patient has a history of something abnormal and we’ll get put on a waiting list...

I would make a telephone appointment - I’m sure there are lots of people in the same situation. I think I saw that Mind, the charity, had some good info on coronavirus anxiety.

I think, OP, as a frontline NHS worker a lot of people will be relying on you and if you need help for this you should bloody well get it.

You won't be much help as an NHS worker if you fall apart completely.

No idea why you’ve got more YABU votes at the moment... you should absolutely get help for this

FWIW, I’ve felt my anxiety creep up and it’s only because of the panic surrounding it all. It’s massively helped switching off news, not reading newspapers / checking online, plus removing Facebook for all the idiots spreading nonsense. Hiding the entire CV topic on MN and hiding every thread which creeps in to chat / AIBU has also helped lots.

Suggest you do those too, hope you feel better soon

Would you feel comfortable self referring to occupational health ? It might be quicker and provide you with more appropriate support.

It was quicker for me. Have you looked at support groups ?

You can normally self-refer to mental health services. Look on your GP website or ask at reception. Your GP may well suggest this anyway.

YANBU
Phone in the morning OP. Many surgeries are doing telephone triage only at the moment anyway and you are absolutely worthy of an appointment. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

Xx

I could have written most of your post myself. Not much advice, just a lot of empathy and understanding. It’s shit, it really is.

I’m a GP.
Call them.
A lot of the cancelling routine appointments relates to trying to avoid patients coming into the surgery and being exposed / exposing others to corona unnecessarily.
They may well be able to help you over the phone x

I think a lot of people are in the same boat. If you really feel like you can't cope perhaps try asking for a telephone appt to use less of their resources

Agree, just do it and now is probably better than later.

Now is not the time to start using resources unless you can get a telephone consultation. We need every available medical professional to fight the fallout from this virus.

Thank you.
I didn’t meant to put a vote in but never mind.
I’m going to ring in the morning and see if they can do me an appt over the phone. You are right there is no point me trying to look after people at work when I’m crumbling myself.
I’m also going to look into whether I can get my son seen any faster as I think that’s the main driver of my anxiety attacks at the minute. I wonder what the knock on effect of children’s services are going to be. He’s only 4 and I’m so very worried about him.

Hi OP, hope you get the support you need. I also live with anxiety. I book that I found extremely helpful DARE response to anxiety is free on Kindle download on Amazon this weekend (I'm not affiliated to this book in anyway commercially btw!). It's by Barry McDonagh www.amazon.co.uk/Dare-Anxiety-Panic-Attacks-Audios-ebook/dp/B0158S7E1G/?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

It's available free specifically because of the Corona virus...

The OP is a frontline medical worker! She needs extra support to get her through at the moment, and she totally deserves it.

Ring first thing.
I've similar tension headache and feel like throat is closing. I live with health anxiety so rationally I know it's panic.
The NHS needs you and so does your ds.
You need to be seen. Yanbu.