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Mental health

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Original poster

Is this normal or am I going mad?

21 replies

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:29

I know this is mainly over anxiety, but for quite a long time I have worried about so many things. My main worries are that there is something terribly wrong with me and that I am going to die and leave my children. It can be that I have some form of cancer, a heart condition, anything like that. Any twinge, pain, ache leaves me worrying. DH works away a lot and I worry that something will happen to me during the night leaving my children to deal with it. I dunno, I just worry. I don't feel like this constantly, but it enough to upset me from time to time.

I know I really need to see my doctor, but I think she will think I am an utter loony for feeling like this. I have had AD's in the past for nearly a year and I am wondering if I should go back on them.

I am a pretty rational person on the outside, so I don't understnad why I feel like this at times.

OP posts:

constancereader · 14/01/2008 22:32

I have had this and AD's helped me. Did the pills help you before? It is awful feeling so worried all the time, if the medication helped then I would go back to it. Why suffer when you don't have to?

constancereader · 14/01/2008 22:33

Forgot to say that you don't sound mad, just anxious. It is very common.

lucyellensmum · 14/01/2008 22:34

feeling strange, i felt like this too. It got to the point that any little thing and i was hysterical. I presented myself at the health centre convinced my tonsils were tumours. Each new thing is something terrible. It turned out to be health anxiety, and i am on ADs for that as well as depression.

It may well be worth talking to your GP as citalopram is very good for this sort of anxiety, it has pretty much ruled that side of things out for me. But the depression seems just as bad.

I do think that it is natural to worry about these things as a mother but i think the distinction is when it interferes with your day and makes you unhappy/

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:35

I wasn't taking the AD's because of this, it was something different. I don't really want to say as I am pretty regular here and don't want to expose myself and worry others.

I think you are right though, the Ad's did help before with the other thing, so maybe I should just give them a go again. I need to stop worrying so much.

OP posts:

ruthmollymummy · 14/01/2008 22:37

I totally understand. Every morning I have to go through to DD's room to check she's still alive, that's just one of many of my supposedly irrational fears. For me it seems to be part of my post natal depression and AD's are starting to help.
I know it's a pointless thing to tell you but don't worry! just accept that you are concerned for your family's welfare because you love them so much and they are so precious to you. You fears unfortunately aren't completely unfounded, you are NOT a loony!

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:37

lucyellen, I was taking prozac before for depression and they did help. I think I came off them too soon though. I thought I was ok, and managed to convince the doctor all was fine. I think it just wasn;'t so bad.

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saggers · 14/01/2008 22:40

I'm like this too. Cn't take ADs at the moment as am breastfeeding. My GP has referred me for counselling.

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:41

I do feel really stupid feeling this way though. It just seems totally irrational and I keep telling myself to pull myself together. I think a lot of it is that DH is away a lot and I know that I HAVE to be here holding it all together.

Like today, I have had a real ache in my knee and have felt incredibly tired, so I start worrying. What if it isn't just an ache...what if I have something way more serious. It is just an ache and all that is happeneing is that I am so shattered that I am a bit run down. I have my period, which is making me tired. See I can rationalise, but I don't often beleive myself!!

OP posts:

ruthmollymummy · 14/01/2008 22:42

saggers - you can take some AD's whilst breastfeeding, I BF and am on fluoxetine I hope GP didn't make a mistake

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:43

It is good to know I am not the only person who feels like this. Not that I wish it upon any of you, but it does make me realise I'm not totally abnormal.

OP posts:

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:46

I think I will book a doctors appointment for this week. I do feel I need that calm feeling ADs will give me eventually. My feelings seem to be spiralling out of control sometimes.

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ruthmollymummy · 14/01/2008 22:48

I know how hard it is to be rational right now, try imagining that you are giving someone else advice about this - what would you say if it was me asking you for help? thinking like that sometimes helps me as i tend to be a bit hard on myself too.

saggers · 14/01/2008 22:49

Thanks ruthmollymummy. My GP said that there is one you can take (possibly fluoxetine - same as prozac I think) but it can cause weight gain. I can't afford to put on weight - would cause me more worry about my health! Hopefully counselling will do the trick. My anxiety atarted when I was diagnosed with skin cancer a couple of years ago. Although it has been removed, I do feel my fear is a very real one. Won't go into more details here. Hope you get things sorted, FS.

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:57

I think mine started with my fathers massive heart attack at the beginning of the year. he survived but it was scary for quite a number of weeks.

RuthMolly if I was giving this advice to someone else I would be completely rational about it. Just can't seem to do it for myslef.

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Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 22:58

I don't help mysef with the tiredness by staying on MN until 11 either

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saggers · 14/01/2008 23:03

FS, a RL friend of mine is the same. Her anxiety started when her mum was diagnosed with cancer. It's horrible isn't it? I do think it's normal, to a certain extent, but not when it gets out of proportion. I don't really see how it would ever go away though. It's having children that makes it so scary -it's wanting to be there for them isn't it? I've often thought the fear of something happening to me would be ok if I didn't have children. They are my world, really. I just want to see them grow up!

saggers · 14/01/2008 23:04

Is it that time already?! Night night.

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 23:05

I think that is what it is, I am more scared of leaving them than anything else.

I dunno, maybe I am feeling it more today after reading our local paper in which it has reported 2 mums dying in the last couple of weeks. It scares me.

OP posts:

Original poster

FeelingStrange · 14/01/2008 23:07

Yes, it is I must go to bed now or I will be a stressed and useless mummy tomorrow.

OP posts:

ruthmollymummy · 14/01/2008 23:09

FS, it's not so helpful but we understand. If you feel you should see your GP go for it, I am positive no-one will think you're a loony, you're just a great mummy who's lost a little perspective on your fears.

ruthmollymummy · 14/01/2008 23:10

and you'r not useless! repeat the mantra, I'm a good mummy and a yummy mummy, good mummy, yummy mummy...

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