Very worried!

[Henners1]

Hi, I have suffered from severe anxiety for about 7 years. I have always been able to manage it before and always been proud of myself for not avoiding anxious situations but just seeing them through and coping. I was taking citralopram, but came off medication completely for a couple of years with no problems. After my son was born (he's now 17mths) I had a couple of anxiety attacks so went back on the citralopram but generally I've been ok. About a week ago I was walking to the car after work and felt anxious for some reason and just as I got to the car my legs turned to jelly and I collapsed. The next day I was fine at work until I went out at lunchtime and all of a sudden felt an overwhelming sense of panic and couldnt move. I had to call someone to come and rescue me. Since them I've been terrified to leave the house, I can't even relax in the house and constantly feel light headed and faint. I tried to go for a Walk yesterday and again froze a few steps from my house. I'm not irrational, I know that it's just my mind playing tricks on me but it scares me that I'm the only person that can fix this and I dont know how. The doctors has changed me on to sertraline, I've been bck 3 times now but they can't seem to help me and just told me I need to get myself through it. Sorry to waffle on but i'm so scared of what's happening, can anybody help?

Xx

My friend had a similar time and her GP got her a referral for support. She had a person who came every week to visit her and would plan to go out of the house with her, small steps each week that she could try to work on inbetween times, etc
She eventually could walk to the local shop and could manage in larger shops with someone by her side, etc
She was fine going out in the car to get things done but had many issues with being outdoors walking, etc. She needed quite a while of this specialist support to help her to regain her confidence about walking.

Maybe ask your GP about a community support worker who could fulfill this sort of role...CPN? (community psychiatric nurse) or similar...from there maybe you can ask a friend(s) to help you to do this too

I hope you can get some help soon. It's very frightening for you and you really need to be able to turn this around soon.
Have you tried using Bachs Rescue Remedy?...this may help too with anxiety and panic feelings

Hi - could you ask your Gp to refer you for something like a short course of CBT, to help you identify your anxiety/problem and then work on ways of addressing it? Yes, ultimately it is down to you, but there are people that can help. If you don't want to use the NHS you could find someone privately as an other option. It is hard to get community support workers on the NHS until you have had significant problems, but there may be one attached to your Gp practice? If you tell your gp what support you want, it may help. Is sertraline an antidepressant for anxiety?

I used relaxation tapes I bought, did some pilates/yoga to help me learn breathing exercises which was really helpful - perhaps you could get a friend to go with you?

Are you able to get out with your ds or go to work right now? Could you talk t your health visitor and get some help from them if you cannot get out of the house with your son? As you have a young child, your health visitor may be helpful, and will visit you at home if you can't get out. Homestart is something they could refer you to if it still exists, where a volunteer can come out to you.

Thanks for your responses. I worry about going out with my son as convinced I'm going to drop him or something, although I know that's irrational as I haven't dropped him so far (touch wood). I also worry what effect all of this is having on him, don't want him to grow up wondering whether his mom is having a good day or a bad day, he deserves so much more!

On a brighter note, I went to the supermarket tonight. My husband came with me,I was supported by a shopping trolley and thought I was going to collapse the whole way round, but I made it!

Am going to look into the cbt tomorrow as someone else has suggested it. I spoke to the NHS about counselling and they said they'd send me some forms and get back to me in a couple of weeks so not the best.

I am doing cbt for anxiety after I was referred to iapt by my doctor. Took a while to come through but they offered me online therapy through a website called the big White wall. This means I didn't have the 6 month wait to speak to someone face to face and I got a choice of counsellors. All you need is a webcam and speakers. I just talk to her via audio but you can type or do video link so it is like face to face therapy but you don't have to leave your house. Nhs have given me 10 free sessions. So far it has been very helpful :)