Am I explaining this wrong to my GP?

[BucketFullOfDinosaurs]

For about a decade now, I've had fairly severe depression, which has been kept under control with Sertraline. Recently I've started to get really bad anxiety, to the point where it's difficult to function day by day. I went to the GP and he prescribed 10mg Propranolol 3 times a day, in addition to the 200mg Sertraline that I'm currently on.

The Propranolol really doesn't seem to do much. If I'm feeling "a bit on edge", it'll calm me down, but a lot of the time I'm much more anxious than that - continually on the verge of a panic attack, hyperventilating and shaking - and Propranolol doesn't come close to touching it.

I wonder whether I'm just not explaining properly to the GP quite how bad I'm feeling? I say "really panicky, anxious, often on the edge of a panic attack", but it seems like he hears "a bit on edge". He can prescribe a higher dose of Propranolol, right? Would it be likely to help? Or is it just that there's nothing more he can do to help?

As I understand it, propranolol is usually diagnosed to give short-term relief from specific, anxiety-inducing situations. I think the dose can be increased, but don't know if that would solve your issue.

Did the GP mention any other options, eg talking therapy to help you sense of why you might be increasingly anxious, and develop strategies to cope with the feelings? Are you under the care of secondary services for the depression? I think perhaps you should go back, but I don't know what else you can say to make him understand. Is there another doctor at the surgery you could try?

Sorry if that's not much help, but I posted here recently and no one replied and it made me feel awful, so I've done my best!

Thanks @flourella - I think I'll go back in the morning and try again. You're right, it's not short-term anxiety and I don't think there's any specific situation that makes it worse.

I was a bit flustered when I went before, so I probably didn't communicate brilliantly. I'll try to get my thoughts on order for tomorrow.

Thanks for taking the time to reply; it feels rubbish when no one answers!!

You need the dose upped. I'm on 40mg 3 times a day or more if I need it. (I checked). 10 mg wouldn't do much for me.

Perhaps a higher dose is all you need, but you definitely need to go back if only to get a new prescription. I would try again to fully describe your issues and see if the GP thinks someone more specialist than him should see you, even for a short spell.

In my area, we have a Primary Care Psychological Service which takes referrals from patients themselves as well as GPs. You get an appointment for assessment quite quickly and there's a range of options for treatment (self-help on the internet, a short course of talking therapy, etc) depending on what they think you need. If they consider that a person would benefit from more specialist help, they refer on to secondary services.

Maybe ask if your area has something similar?

Good luck tomorrow if you do make the appointment.

I think a lot of people, doctors included, don't really ' get' severe anxiety symptoms and feelings and how awful they are, how persistent and consuming they are and how fearful and agitated you can feel.
It may be a case of changing medication doses or maybe referring you in to primary or secondary care mental health for psychotherapy or alternative medications.

Thanks for the advice; I went to the GP this morning and the Propranolol has been increased - I've to go back in a couple of weeks for a review and it can be changed to a timed release version or something?