To be terrified of going to the GP?

[ScaredofDoctor]

I need to make a GP appointment to get a mole checked, but I am really scared. I have always been scared of the doctors and even get nervous when I have gone for simple things like eczema. I have quite bad health anxiety and anxiety in general. I know this sounds so pathetic but I am literally in tears writing this as I am so scared to go. I have been intending to go every weekday for the last two weeks but can never master up the courage to ring them for an appointment.

There have been several health scares in my family this year and I am just so fed up with it all. Fed up for the long agonising waits for scans, biopsies, results, etc.

I understand OP.

I have something going on with me that really needs checking out, but I’m petrified of seeing my GP, I also have health anxiety.

I could tell you to be brave and go for it, but I know it’s not that simple, so instead I’ll offer a handhold.

Here's another handheld. I dont have to visit a dr currently but I do need to call. I've been putting it off for two weeks already. I dont usually stammer but when it's the dr, I stammer and forget words and sound like an imbecile. Sigh.

I have health anxiety, too. I will turn the simplest of things into something serious where I'm dying or will need extensive treatment and I will fret for weeks. I've also been known to imagine symptoms or even bring them on myself.
What helps, is that health anxiety is common. Drs see it ALL the time, on a daily basis. At the end of the day, I tell myself they are there to help. I book an appointment and get my partner to come with me (never in the room with me) but just so I can chat before and after the appointment, which definitely helps. So if there's someone who can go and wait somewhere for you, or if there's someone who can meet you afterwards, it definitely helps take your mind off it! Give yourself a little reward afterwards too, buy yourself something nice or have a coffee/cake etc. It makes the day less about going to the drs and more about doing something nice :) good luck OP

💐 handheld OP!
Are you anxious about going to this particular surgery or any of them?
Could a private / video appointment be an option where you can stay in the safety of your home (and hopefully more relaxed)? 💐

Hi, just to say you're not pathetic, you have health anxiety. There are a lot of people like that.

Why don't you make the appointment and spend the time between now and then working out how to manage going - safe in the knowledge you can ring the GP to rearrange or cancel if necessary.

I will wait a few extra days to get a decent GP so is there anyone especially understanding at your practice?

Hope everything is OK with your mole. It maybe worth telling the receptionist you book with that you are anxious about it. Often they leave us helpful messages like this. It enables us to ensure we make it as easy and non distressing as possible. If someone let's me know they are anxious I always collect them from waiting room rather than using call system, write down the main points so they can re read at home and ensure they feel able to get back in touch if there are questions that come up following the appointment. Good luck!

Thank you for the replies everyone. I finally summoned up the courage and contacted them and sent a photograph and I have a telephone appointment arranged. I'm worried as I presume if they thought the mole was okay they would have said that via email rather than book an appointment?

I feel so anxious.

I hope everything is okay, and well done for phoning them. I feel the same as you, have horrendous anxiety about going to the doctor. I also have been putting off phoning them, as at my last appointment they mentioned if a symptom didn’t go away they would need to do a blood test. I have health anxiety and a needle phobia so have been avoiding for about two months now. Have just started seeing a hypnotherapist and am hoping that might help, maybe something to look into. I’ve heard from others they have had great results.

Oh well done, that's good to hear. They probably just have to ask questions. Hopefully they won't be worried.

You should have a or as reward

Heres what happened to me recently, as I was so worried and it was absolutely fine.

I had a weird looking asymmetric mole for a while, but buried my head in the sand about it. Then late last year I was at 36 week prenatal check and as mole was on abdomen, I asked dr to look. She said they routinely refer, and she would do so asap to get it done before baby was due. Nevertheless, when I got referral letter from hospital, I thought speed may also be due to the drs concern.

I was convinced they would have to biopsy. After waiting aaaages in dermatology clinic waiting room, I was called in, a dr took a quick, close look with magnifying glass and declared it all fine. I thought then was the time to ask about all my other scary moles... all fine. They took some close up photos for me to keep in case of change, and that was that.

Hope my positive experience is of some help

I don't have health anxiety. But I'm phobic if drs. Now. They've nearly killed me 6 times. All 6 times I ended up in icu fighting for my life.

Hand hold my lovely. Takes me weeks to get the courage up to make an appointment. I don't know what the answer is. X

Just a suggestion that might help when people get anxious talking to GP.
When I see my GP (at least till all this lockdown) I write out what I want to talk about, make notes of symptoms etc., print it out and give to GP when I go in and she reads it. and we go through the points. Then I don't leave then remember something I should have mentioned. I make notes before phone calls as well. Been doing it for 15 years now. Began when I had a nasty bout of depression and it helped me to sort out how I was feeling as well as telling GP how I was progressing.

Hope that might be of some use.

However. I'm often accused of having health anxiety

Sadly I have an incredibly rare illness. That means if I get an infection. It can easily kill me. Sadly this illness is soooo very rare. Drs don't listen. So I need antibiotics. Regardless. So last time I had a kidney infection. I go to the dr. She's self absorbed as it is. I've already been diagnosed with the infection. I say the antibiotics aren't working. She says well tough. Nothing else I can do. I say can we try different ones. She says no. I say I'll end up in hospital though. She says you seem very anxious about your health. I say no. It's just you're not listening

What happens? I end up in resus less than 24 hrs later!!!! I end up in hospital for over a month

All that they need to do is realise that sadly I do know about my condition. But this has happened plenty of times. I actually have the world specialist as my dr. Even he says that this happens all that time.

I wish I knew the answer. I wish I knew what I had to do to get them to listen. Sigh.

Sorry. That's a rant about myself. But hey ho.