Anxiety support, Hand hold or chit chat come say hi #3

[Fairydust26]

Can you believe the last threads full up?! We had a great support network going on the previous two so come and say a big hello and join us.

Hi, this thread is a bit quiet!
I have recently started seeing a career coach who can hopefully help me be more confident about applying for jobs. As I have ASD, I often take things quite literally, and find it annoying when job adverts don’t say what they actually mean, or specify exactly what skills etc they’re looking for.
Anxiety-wise, I’ve been OK lately. I’ve been thinking about joining a couple of Meet-up groups, which should be interesting.

Hi. Can I join this thread? I've suffered with anxiety most of my life. I'm currently going through a bit of an anxious time again and I'm struggling.

Thought I’d pop in and say hi.

If anyone’s still around how are you all doing?

Hello. I’m new to this thread. Anxiety has been bad the last few days.

Work stress, feel out of my depth and work environment is a bit toxic at the moment. Feeling short of breath tonight, very weepy last night.

Has anyone found any medication which helps? I tried sertraline and Prozac. Took some Prozac last night to get me to sleep.

Joining thread though I was on a long running series of threads with fluffy dressing gown and Helen a few years ago for support. Currently quite stuck indoors with bad anxiety.

I’m afraid the only thing that works for sleep for me is diazepam but you really have to be careful with it as addictive. It basically knocks me out.

I meant diazepam! Head is muddled. Doctor very careful about addition, still have six left from a prescription I was given 18 months ago.

Managed without them until last night. Red some tonight which will probably make things worse.

For situational work stress, big meetings / presentation stress / etc I highly recommend propranolol. You take it about 45 mins to an hour before the stressful situation, it's a beta blocker & prevents your pulse/heart racing, keeps you very calm and clear headed. It has been a godsend for me. I read about it on mumsnet and the GP was supportive in prescribing it. I take escitalopram in a small dose also - no harmful interaction.

Just found this thread. I suffer with anxiety and depression and have done for over 20 years although it's particularly bad at the moment. I'm struggling to sleep and can't seem to get much help. I've an assessment coming up soon. My gp doesn't seem interested, didn't even ask if I was suicidal, just said, there's not much else we can try and gave me a prescription for 20 mg fluoxetine. No mention of going back or increasing dose. I was in and out in about two minutes. I'd just like someone to tailor the medication to me. I read of other people taking a mixture of medication, but all I'm offered is generic medication. I admit I struggle with the side effects, in particular insomnia and lack of libido, but it seems they don't care. I think before my assessment I'm going to write all this down and just hand it to them because I always feel nervous and intimidated and don't say these things.

Last assessment I had he said, why do you suffer with anxiety, you're sat talking to me and seem ok! It's like they don't understand that the fact I can talk doesn't mean I'm saying everything I want to or that I'm fine all the time. I don't know how to get through to them.

The issue with GP’s is just that they are general practitioners and receive very little MH training plus it’s ten minutes an appointment. Saying you have anxiety isn’t unfortunately enough you have to say I can’t do x y and z and also tell them the impact. They think that being able to communicate means you can’t be anxious and I can see why people would think that but it shows a lack of knowledge on their part as a medical professional.I’m the opposite when anxious I talk all the time. Don’t wait to be asked if your suicidal tell them plus how you planned to do it. If it’s suicidal idealisation that your suffering with that is though horribly distressing not enough to get sent up a tier in MH services.

I have had intervention at every level and now realise how they escalate people up the chain. I feel certain keywords or actions get that help. They won’t really care about libido, really bad insomnia they should do as lack of sleep can push someone in to a worse MH episode. Focus on the lack of sleep to push, lack of sleep makes me psychotic eventually so they listen if I’m not sleeping.

Thanks Valkadin. I've mentioned before that I struggle to sleep, they're just not interested.

It's not just the gp though, I spoke to a cpn at an assessment. She didn't show any interest in my medication, just said she'll put me on the waiting list for counselling.

I appreciate that they're struggling with funding. I just want someone who knows what they're doing to review my medication because it clearly isn't working like this. And I'd appreciate help with things I struggle with like phone calls, appointments. I've no one to help me and eventually I'm going to lose my benefits when I can't turn up for assessments or call them to arrange them.

I have just found this thread. I've never been an anxious person, 2 years ago I had a massive panic attack when I gave up smoking which led to occasional anxiety. The last few months have been a bit of torture. I have been having headaches and other physical symptoms, the GP was worried about a tumour so referred me on a 2 week pathway. I saw the neurologist who had no concerns but am having an MRI anyway.
I don't feel myself at all, I don't want to go out, I don't want to do anything, I don't want to see my friends.
When I had my panic attack I was referred to a local CBT service but thought I was OK, so stopped going after the initial appointment.
I have just been looking online and it seems you can self refer, so I've done that today. I just wanted to post as some of you have said the GP doesn't understand and I don't want medication, I want to help myself get better.
This is the link online to search for support in your area, you just enter your GP surgery and it lists the services offered. I'm not sure how well it works, because I've only emailed this morning... But thought it was worth sharing
www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/

They also have a list of apps for self help, but some of them also require a referral through the NHS.

www.nhs.uk/apps-library/category/mental-health/

@Hellohah oh what were your other symptoms I'm in a similar boat x

My other symptoms for the GP referring me were dizzy spells, erratic speech and blurred vision. In my head, I felt like I was drunk. GP was concerned about my posture. Neurologist said its tension headaches, and to be honest I've been much better since I saw him (physically) but being told you might have a tumour just put the fear of god into me. Are you suffering with headaches too @Mumma1984?

@Hellohah so I have had 'episodes of of what I think are tension headaches and also a almost dead arm feeling but inside my shoulder (my physiology said that side was very tight) also I've had some kind of panic symptoms like occasional tingling and the one that stumps everyone is I smelt smoke for 2 weeks on and off in 2016 and in 2019, all gps look at me like I'm mad with that one but it says tumor or other horrible stuff on google! Main fear was ms which doc and the neuro I saw said no to but now the smoke thing is panicking me about a tumor altho you would think something would of happened in 4 years. My doc thinks it's all anxiety and I did have an mri in 2013 which was fine but she referred me as I'm so anxious - BUT on a routine path which is months away so I booked privately for March 6th... I'm terrified

@Mumma1984 I haven't had the smoke smell thing, but I have had pins and needles and a dead leg. I initially thought I had diabetes or something like that... So I do understand the worrying about the tumour. It turns your life upside down... You can't get it out of your head, and then that makes everything worse. I had an ear infection and then tonsillitis, the worry just made me so run down.
Is the doctor actually doing something for anxiety?

@Hellohah yeh all my bloods are fine so no worries there but all they always do is palm Setraline off on u tbh, my current doc is very nice and hence the referral but insists it's anxiety - no tumor talk has even been mentioned it's all the googling got my there, tbf a lot of the smoke smell thing says anxiety, sinus problems or nasal issues as well as all the awful stuff but when you have health anxiety you just go for the awful things! I'm hoping this neuro app puts my mind at rest - my symptoms only last about a month at a time then now I'm completely back to normal again - it's almost like an overload of stress, I had an abnormal smear and a referral to the breast clinic at the time this latest episode occurred!

Hi Mumma1984 & Hellohah I suffer from health anxiety too not just about me but for my family and even my bloody pets too! I find that when things are bad all I want to do in stay in bed, I dare not to google as I know it will send me into a right tizzy. But I have found that posting on here really helps!

@Fairydust26 AGREED it's bloody miserable isn't it!

No pills work for me - I'm fact they make me have side effects and then feel more anxious and then I do CBT but no change yet - I've gone through a million illnesses ranging from hiv to cancers but the one always at the back of my mind is ms as I watched someone die of it but tbh I'm getting a bit obsessed worrying about tumor now after this chat 🤦🏻‍♀️

Mumma I have health anxiety too and taking meds makes it so much worse due to the side effects. Even though rationally I "know" it's the side effects, I still get extremely anxious about it and just hate feeling ill. Right now my life isn't worth living, I don't want to get out of bed.

@JustMyName have you tried any CBT? Or hypnosis? Or reflexology they are next on my list - I have to say I worry a lot but I have never felt like I didn't want to be here or depressed as such just worried all the time - if u feel too bad you should defo reach out and speak to your gp xx hugs x

@Mumma1984 I've been doing online cbt, but wasn't really in a place to motivate myself at the moment. I did try hypnosis once but struggled to relax enough. I didn't go back. I haven't tried reflexology.

I've spoken to my gp, they just say, I've tried everything, but here's another generic antidepressant. I've got a mental health assessment coming up soon, but at the last one they said they'd put me on the waiting list for counselling. There's nothing else they can do and they don't seem interested.

Call the samaritans if your feeling in need of help hun x

Thanks @Mumma1984. I've spoken to the Samaritans so many times. They just basically quote back at me what I've said and tell me I'm doing great. Last time they told me to report back if anything changes so iI felt practically dismissed!

Oh god that's not helpful - maybe try some of other helplines and go back to GP for the assessment and in the meantime:

Reflexology
Mental health diary (take to your app)
Talk to friends and family about how u feel
Exercise
Take some me time and try and distract from your anxieties like reading etc

Maybe in your case tablets could be good while your in this phase some might not give side effects a few years ago I tried citralopram and that had no side effects for me !

Thanks @Mumma1984, I don't know if I can face taking more antidepressants. Everyone reacts differently to them all and I'm tired of the side effects.