I’m so desperate to get better by my GP isn’t interested.

[lollipop10]

I’m suffering right now with severe anxiety.

Last year the pandemic triggered anxiety and OCD (I’ve suffered for a long time)

It was so severe that my husband couldn’t cope and he left me last year.

I got some medication and therapy and made some great Improvements.

However recently I’ve taken a huge turn again and I’m not coping.

I’m completely paralysed with fear about catching Covid and the result being death, and I’m also paralysed with fear about having my second AZ vaccine and the result being death because of a blood clot.

I called my GP last week and really didn’t find her supportive.

I’ve felt so utterly down since and have struggled to find a reason to want to be here anymore (I’m not suicidal)

Today I’ve called back as I’m not functioning, I’m
so fixated on my impending death either from Covid or the vaccine and I do not see a way out.

I asked the receptionist to speak with another Dr but unfortunately it was the same one who called me back.

I had a complete breakdown on the phone and the GP so abruptly just stopped me and said “I can’t understand you with all that whaling going on”...

I explained to her, again, how I’m feeling and she sighed and asked “what are you expecting me to do”.

I told her my mind is stuck in a repeat cycle of this worry and I literally cannot cope.
The Sertraline isn’t helping me and I feel like
I don’t want to be here, I want to just run as fast as I can and just keep running. (Not sure how else to explain how I feel)

Her response was “you’re being extremely silly about this, I’m guided by science, so much so that I’ve been happy for my own daughter to have the AstraZeneca vaccine. Take it or don’t, but don’t expect to be able to travel if you’re refusing the vaccine”

I hung up. I’m sat here absolutely sobbing and I don’t know where to turn to.

I’m so incredibly lonely and my last port of call for help was a GP who just wasn’t interested in the slightest and has made me feel so much worse.

I so so desperately want to get better, I just don’t know how. 😭

I suppose GPs can get a little impatient as they are dealing with desperately ill and genuinely dying young parents all the time, and would see angst over Covid and the vaccine as a bit OTT

Severe anxiety means someone may well be desperately ill. It’s not just physical illnesses that count.

Anxiety has a high suicide rate. How is that not desperately ill? When l was bad l couldn’t eat/drink/the house and was paralysed with fear. If OP is like that l think she’s pretty ill. It’s the doctor who’s wrong.

[quote lollipop10]@Lovingspring

How did you control your symptoms in the past as you have done successfully

I think in the past I’ve always been able to talk myself down. I can’t do that in this situation because the risks are just to real.
They’re not hypothetical risks, they’re real risks.[/quote]
They're minimal risks but you're unable to see this from your end of the telescope. Do you live alone@lollipop10

"While their bedside manner might have been lacking, I do think the GP has a point. What would you like them to do? What would your ideal solution be? Would you like to change medication? Would you like some CBT? Would you like someone to sit and tell you everything is going to be OK?"
"I don't think it's fair to expect the GP to have all the magic answers"

Of course they can't just magic a solution out of the air. But what the fuck is the point of a GP if the patient is supposed to tell the doctor what the solution should be?
I thought the idea was you went to the GP, described the issue, the GP offered some options for treatment, patient decides (with help from the GP) which option to go for. Treatment begins. GP and patient monitor the situation.
If it isn't working the patient goes back, GP offers some more suggestions or refers the patient to someone who can help etcetc.

The GP treated the OP appallingly in that phone call.
OP you need to see another doctor. Keep at the receptionists if you can until you are seen by someone else.

I'm going to be completely honest op.

I've been having treatment for anxiety for 17 years.

You need to get private therapy. Any way you can. Do you have savings? A credit card? Relatives that can help?

The help I've had from the NHS over the years has just been not what I needed. CBT and anti-anxiety meds (I've been on various SSRIs and diazepam) take the edge off, but they absolutely do not fix it for you, and the NHS just doesn't have the funding or capacity to offer more.

Realistically all the GP can do is give you a prescription and put you on a waiting list. There's very little else they have the power to do. And a lot of the work you have to do yourself, a therapy can only guide you.

The best thing I ever did was pay for private therapy, and see a psychiatrist. I've probably spent £5000 over the last few years, but it was absolutely worth it.

That's been the only thing that has helped me. The NHS just can't help once you pass a certain point.

Try calling a mental health hotline
There are ones for
Both anxiety UK and MIND

Is focus less on the GP
It’s crap. But mental
Health support is thin

You need the get some counselling , possibly a higher dose and practice immense self care

Mental health is so hard as it’s the hardest , and the brutal facts is we have to proactively help
Ourselves
As there really isn’t much help

Wishing you the best , you got through this before remember

💪💪🙏🙏

What ARE you expecting the GP to do?

There isn’t a solution because everybody dies. There’s literally nothing the GP can do to change that.

Those of us without health anxiety aren’t somehow better equipped to deal with the shit life throws at us. I think a reality check is actually kinder than reassurance.

I’ve been hospitalised with depression and I’ve been hospitalised with cancer.

i have been paralsyed with anxiety in the past and it is really horrible BUT you do have to develop your own coping skills and resilience as time goes on.

Yes there is real danger in Covid but Life is dangerous.
If you let the scary thoughts grow they will take over.

I think OP needs more therapy so as to learn to cope with the out of control thoughts. This is possible.

After all what can a GP really do? She can't say OP will be safe because she doesn't know.
None of us know.

If OP you are very scared then stay home and keep safe until you get the therapy to help yourself.
Letting panic escalate is never a solution. TBH you sound as if you were hysterical and that is not going to solve anyhting.

Get a new GP who is a better to help those like yourself with obsesive thoughts.

Don't panic.
Find ways to distract yourself and be KIND to yourself.

I am scared but I use the CBT techniques to keep it in check.......I do not have OCD so I do not know how to cope with that.

Appalling treatment from your GP @lollipop10 and it’s really shocking. I agree that a lot of GPs have a poor handle on MH. Many don’t know the difference between counselling and CBT. I’m a CBT therapist and I am currently treating many more cases of OCD and health anxiety. You are not alone in your difficulties.

CBT really is an effective OCD treatment. You can Google IAPT (NHS talking therapies) and your area and self refer, you don’t need your GP to refer you. The waiting list is often very long though (depending on the area you’re in). Alternatively you could look at private therapy if you’re able to. Here is the list of BABCP accredited therapists - accreditation is important as it shows they’ve had the right training, ongoing supervision and training etc. www.cbtregisteruk.com/

I know it’s not enough to read a book but I do think this is a valuable book for those trying to manage OCD (apologies for the long link!) www.amazon.co.uk/Break-Free-OCD-Overcoming-Compulsive/dp/0091939690/ref=sr_1_1?hvlocphy=9045125&hvnetw=g&keywords=break+free+from+ocd&hvadid=259003553217&qid=1621547536&dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkZiFBhD9ARIsAGxFX8BOT2GfLEd3EcdA-Vgam2RF1VTLp1Hgw2bT4yO7Oc0qndWjlj3jpEQaAtieEALw_wcB&hydadcr=10545_1753822&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=kwd-299680954019&adgrpid=54811245522&hvrand=8095947099851457268&sr=8-1

Also:
www.veale.co.uk/ocd/

I hope you get support. It is very possible to recover from OCD

One in two of us will get cancer, for instance

Without wanting to sound horrid, this is probably the worst thing you can say to somebody with severe health anxiety

I suppose GPs can get a little impatient as they are dealing with desperately ill and genuinely dying young parents all the time, and would see angst over Covid and the vaccine as a bit OTT

You can be desperately ill with mental health. It is just as valid as other issues. It leads to death.

That sounds awful. I'm so sorry. Are you not under the community mental health team? If not I'd ask for an urgent referral. At least then you can talk to the experts. Your GP clearly knows nothing about mental health. I really hope you feel better soon.

@2bazookas

What ARE you expecting the GP to do?

@2bazookas

Offer me an alternative vaccine for my second dose. 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP I've read some of your previous threads on this. I really feel for you. You are not listening to all the posters correctly saying that your risk of death is almost nonexistent, from either covid or the vaccine, because you are not currently able to think rationally about this. You urgently need to refer yourself for therapy. I wish you the best of luck.

@Thisisworsethananticpated

Try calling a mental health hotline There are ones for Both anxiety UK and MIND

Is focus less on the GP
It’s crap. But mental
Health support is thin

You need the get some counselling , possibly a higher dose and practice immense self care

Mental health is so hard as it’s the hardest , and the brutal facts is we have to proactively help
Ourselves
As there really isn’t much help

Wishing you the best , you got through this before remember

💪💪🙏🙏

What utter nonsense. I’ve been hospitalised a number of times with psychosis and depression. I know what it’s like to have a long and complicated history of severe mental health issues.

But that wasn’t harder than fucking cancer and chemotherapy. Harder than palliative care? Being told you are dying?

I’ve never been depressed since the moment I was told I had cancer.

You are not listening to all the posters correctly saying that your risk of death is almost nonexistent, from either covid or the vaccine

But you don’t know what and neither do I or anyone else.

I cannot tolerate the uncertainty 😣

@oakleaffy - you do realise people can be desperately unwell with their mental health and die from it?

@Hannah941

One in two of us will get cancer, for instance

Without wanting to sound horrid, this is probably the worst thing you can say to somebody with severe health anxiety

Why? It’s true. Those of us with cancer are not any better equipped to deal with it.

Op do you have children?

It takes a lot to ask for help and it's terrible for GP to speak that way to some one who is clearly struggling with MH, I'm not sure it really matters what the current focus of the anxiety is in terms of treatments a GP can offer. Surely the point you know your unwell rather than just worried is when thoughts are irrational and fear is out of proportion to risk which impacts on your life.

All this Let's starting talk about MH campaigns and yet it can still be incredibly difficult to find a empathetic GP with good understanding of MH and access to the services needed to get better and It's been that way for years.

@lollipop10 you doo needs support as it sounds like your anxiety, is making you paranoid. Tips for coping when not to bad is mindfulness.
lift-swindon.awp.nhs.uk/newscat/online-cbt/
Can help short term. It's what I used to use. Make a complaint about that doctor as she should really be getting you in and refering you to hospital for help

Hi @lollipop10. What dose of sertraline are you on?

Firstly your experience with the GP sounds terrible, and I say that as a trainee GP - we all have bad days but really, this is a really unhelpful and unpleasant way to speak with someone presenting with anxiety, whatever the cause.
The GP can’t arrange you to have a different jab, that’s not up to us unless the national guidance changes so try not to get sidetracked by that.
It sounds like you need to be having therapy for your anxiety. Are you currently under someone? If not see if you can self refer in your area (try Googling ‘IAPT’ plus your location) otherwise you’ll need a GP referral and also consider increasing the dose of your sertraline if there’s scope for that. Sometimes people can get good mental health support via work or their union.
If you call back reception ask to put a note on your file to not speak with that doctor unless in an emergency - you don’t have to say exactly why if you don’t want to (though I would consider complaining to the PM given her manner).

@lollipop10

*You are not listening to all the posters correctly saying that your risk of death is almost nonexistent, from either covid or the vaccine*

But you don’t know what and neither do I or anyone else.

I cannot tolerate the uncertainty 😣

But we DO know that OP. You were significantly more at risk of clots when pregnant, or when taking hormonal contraceptives (if you did that), than you are now. And in terms of getting covid, you have had one vaccine which makes it very unlikely that you will get a severe case even if you did get it.

But i understand you can't listen to this, because you are too ill. Please get help.