Anxiety scared doctor won't help me

[Middleoftheroad]

My anxiety has become a bigger issue lately. Went to my GP about it as not sleeping. Name down on a long waiting list for a group specialising in therapies, talking. Doc was a little dismissive. He said everybody gets stressed and suggested going to park with kids as he does. But im too exhausted to do athg at weekends as I cannot sleep. I then pre booked a double appt with another GP for this week.

I have just returned from a hol which was marred by me thinking I'm going to die on each leg of our complex train journey. Waking up worrying about said journey, turning to booze on journeys and heart palpataions, scaring kids with eratic panic. Cant go on.

I think I need medication fast but after my last visit I am scared I will be fobbed off again, but this thing is controlling my life. I'm scared that the doc won't prescribe me athg. Always resisted meds, kept my issues to myself etc. Feel like I have to convince her I am ill. But surely not sleeping, heart racing, flushes panic crying and feeling anxious abt ethg and that you/family member will die on every single journey is enough? I am perma exhausted at work, drive kids round in haze and scared of crashing. Also I fear that if I dont have meds I will turn to booze.

Any advice on how to get gp to take me seriously?

Hi Middle

So sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time. Being a long time sufferer of anxiety myself I understand how you are feeling. A combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and a low dose of Citalopram helped me.

It sounds like your GP was very unsupportive, is there a different GP you can see? If your anxiety makes it difficult to get your point across perhaps you could write down how you are feeling and the difficulties you encounter and take that with you? If you are unable to be assertive could someone accompany you on your appointment to act as your advocate?

Thanks Fitz for understanding. Sorry to hear you suffer too. I accepted it as the norm for a while but lately feel more irrational.
I think I will list my issues and talk them through with GP on wed. I pre booked a double appt with a GP who I always find good. The last GP visit was a rushed cancellation and not sure I articulated properly and possibly played it down. He was looking at his watch and told me most people these days are stressed. This is true. DH stressed yet he doesn't obsess over every move he's made that day or panic over such a normal activity as a meeting at work or motorway drive, for example.
If DH could come I think he would capture just what it's like living with me and my neurosis. He won't be able to make it but I am adament that I need a solution this time. I always feel like a fraud, like the gp will just tell me to pull myself together and get on with it. She will see my suntan and assume I look well after a relaxing hol. Normally I am pasty with bags from sleep deprivation. I don't know at what point they deem it serious enough to prescribe meds. It is crippling our lives as a family and getting worse. I don't want my kids to experience this tired, scared version of me.

Hello,

I sorry to hear you're suffering and your GP didn't seem to take it seriously. It's good that he placed you on a waiting list for some talking therapy but it sounds like you need something to help in the meantime.

I think sometimes people don't want to feel like their doctor is 'drugging' them instead of getting to the bottom of the problem - so it can be tricky to discern who actually wants and would benefit from medications and who would not.

The advice above about writing things down is good - sometimes it feels easier to make light of things you find difficult and the problem comes across as less severe. Especially if you're being rushed and don't feel like you're being taken seriously.

It would probably help of you ask for some medication too - whether it's something to make you feel calmer, or something to block the physical symptoms of the anxiety (high heart rate, breathing etc) so they don't escalate the panic and you have a chance to calm yourself down a bit.

Do you think you might be depressed too? The two often go hand in hand and make things worse. If so highlight that to the doctor. You could even fill in this depression questionnaire and take it with you.

Good luck

Thanks apathetic that's really helpful. Think I'm nervous they will refuse me medication and I do tend to make light of it all, so will write it down. I do need something now, not sure what that is but I can't use booze as I drive around. Oh and it's not exactly healthy!

I think I am fortunate that it's 'only' anxiety. Don't think I am depressed as I experienced that briefly after having newborn twins and this feels so different but I will take a look.

Thankyou for your detailed responses both, nice to know there are people who care

Sorry I have been out all day and have only just seen your post.

I don't think you need to worry about being refused medication. I recently went back on mine for six months after my daughter was born and I went and asked directly for something to help me deal with the anxiety I was experiencing at the time and my GP was more than happy to. Hopefully you just had a bad egg and the GP you see next time will be a lot more understanding.

Have you ever tried mindfulness meditation? Personally I didn't get on with it but I know that it has helped a lot of people with anxiety as it very much encourages focus on the here and now. There are a lot of resources for it online.

Please don't beat yourself up too much in the meantime. Anxiety is irrational yes, but it can feel very, very rational and real when you are in its throws. Mine manifested as health anxiety. In my mind the pain I had from grinding my teeth was in fact a hidden abscess on my tooth that was going to cause an infection in my brain. I have IBS, no doubt triggered by anxiety, and yet I turned that into a diagnosis of bowel cancer. My point is that everything escalates with anxiety and it can utterly consume us, so it's important that you get treated. I hope you have success at your next appointment x

Thankyou. Sorry to hear about your issues. I'm feeling hopeful after your post that my GP may prescribe something.

I haven't tried any therapies or mindfulness meditation yet - know this is sthg need to try. Not very good at hypnosis/therapy etc which I have tried for my fear of flying, but need to tackle this with ethg I have.

I have my appt Weds so will let you know how I get on.