keep cancelling appointments

[helenclaire]

Hi,
i havent been on here for a while but recently i have been struggling again. I have been getting a lot of panic. I know i need to go to doctors but cant face it. I did manage to go in there last week, but ran out before my appointment, today i am due for a blood test, i have cancelled so many times or just not turned up they must be really fed up with me. I know its important but the panic just takes over making me feel so awful that i cant do it. I think its the feeling of being trapped that scares me. I need help but cant even get over the first hurdle.
I really dont know what to do

Helen

[Serenitie]

This is a very common hurdle to overcome when anxiety becomes overwhelming and very distressing I'm sure that your GP understands the difficulties anxiety causes you in terms of keeping appointments. You could consider requesting a home visit or attending appointments with a trusted person to minimise your anxiety and feelings of being stranded or trapped. Break tasks down and put things in place to make them more manageable. You'll get there

[miss_moose]

I was just going to suggest a home visit or even speaking to them over the phone first to explain your situation? (That's what i'm doing today). Some doctors are really understanding when it comes to panic and will give you a home visit.

When I have bloodtests the nurse comes out to my house, so ask if they can do that with you too

xx

[panickyme]

That's a great idea, a home visit, I agree. If you can't get a home visit, maybe you explain that you can't make any of your appointments do to strong anxiety, and they can accommodate you. Maybe ask if you can get right in, no waiting. Sometimes just telling them how you really feel, will make you feel so much better. Hope you feel better.

[miss_moose]

Just a further thought on what Panickyme says, If you do have to go into the doctors, some of them have a private waiting room for patients with anxiety, so you could ask they they have a room like that you can wait in so you don't have to sit with other people in the main room.

[Annie0904]

Either the doctor comes to me or they call me to say if my appointment time is running to schedule then they let me in the back door and in an empty room to wait.

[miss_moose]

Either the doctor comes to me or they call me to say if my appointment time is running to schedule then they let me in the back door and in an empty room to wait.

That sounds like a really good surgery

[Annie0904]

That sounds like a really good surgery

My surgery is fantastic, even the receptionists, if I phone and start to cry they say "we will arrange a home visit for you" I was scared they would think I waste their time but they say I must never think that.

[helenclaire]

Thankyou for your replies
They did use to come to my house and do blood tests when i was housebound but since being able to now leave the house they feel i can go to the surgery, what they dont seem to understand is that although i can now go out i am restricted to where i can go. for example i will only go shopping with my husband and i only go to very local shops on my own where i can park next to them run in and run out. its the thought of being around a lot of people and not being able to leave when i want that is making me so anxious. I have rescheduled my blood test for next week now but already feel anxious about it x

[MelinaJane]

I so know how you feel - i visit my doctor every month and It's horrendous each time. I often cancel counselling appointments because i just can't deal with the level of anxiety. I find that telling myself I can cancel if I want and that i give myself permission not to think about the appointment helps in the run up to it. On the day I always call the doctors before I leave to see if they are running on time and I can therefore know if I will have to wait - surprises and waiting are not a good thing for anxiety sufferers!! I hope this helps you a little - i really do know how difficult it is