first time going to GPs about feelings

[oh no_1]

um hi, meant to be going to counselling today (the one i had cancelled) as never felt this bad before. hope i go and knock and go in. She emailed and rung me and said i strongly strongly suggest u go visit your doctors about all this. i have thought about it and the only other person who knows i go to counselling has also suggested it and said 'i owe it to myself' or something.

just got such great fears, wont be able to say anything, dont know what shell ask, say, think of me. wot exactly do i say to her? what if its nothing? wot if its just me. dont want anyone finding out as it will ruin me, so many worries and fears.

can anyone shed any light on their first time of going to speak about their fears.

right suppose i best go try and get showered and organised for counselling.

[bobcat]

Hello

Don't be afarid to speak to your doctor when i eventually went for help i could'nt actually speak i could'nt get my words out so the doctor just spoke back to me really calmly asking me questions about how i felt and explaining what i was feeling and how she can help me xx

So glad i did and she also said i could ring her as well xx

---------- Post added at 08:19 ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 ----------

Forgot to add i also took someone with me for moral support who sat in the waiting room for me xx

[doodah]

I agree with everything Bobcat says. If you find you can't say much, or anything at all, your silence will speak volumes to your doctor.

Hope you manage to knock on the door and walk in - I'm sure you'll do fine.

Wendy xx

[AngryMonkey]

I spoke to my doctor on Friday of last week about how I was feeling and had the same worries. I wrote a list the night before of all of the things that were bothering me and causing me anxiety. I didn't actually get it out on the day but because I'd sat down and thought about all my worries and put them on paper, it made it a lot easier at the time.

Be brave and take the first step, things will get better :)

Angela

[oh no_1]

um thanks for the replies so far, very much appreciated.
just trying to write it down, did write it down before but it was 2 sides of a4 so too much for me to read, not sure that il be able to read any of it to the doctor (which havent yet rung). trying to just write it to the point. this is even hard writing it down.

bob cat - what questions did she ask, i know i wont be able to say anything, she said u could ring her for what...? don’t feel bad like hurting myself or anything like that i would never, but so scared of what the doctors will think of me, scared because of my job etc etc.
wendy – what do u mean silence will speak volumes? I did go to counselling today in the end, she away now for few weeks so wants me to ring and book appointment and turn up before next appointment, thats my homework. easier said than done.
Angela – what kind of things u write? U didn’t get it out but it made it easier? What happened as u couldn’t get it out?

[bobcat]

Hello

she asked me how i was feeling and questions regarding my symptons and whats going on in my life at the moment ...really nice calming questions then she went on to explain anxiety and depression which is what i'm being treated for and treatment..

i hardly said a word until the end but i knew she understood that, hence the term silence speaks volumes xx

[oh no_1]

i find it hard to even explain how im feeling, i just know im very confsed at moment, cnt seem to find reason/answer to why i feel like this as nothing traumatic has happened if u get me?

[bobcat]

She said i could ring if i had any questions xx

The doctor won't think any bad of you they know it's a major step forward coming to see them they know you wil nervous and anxious and worried and won't judge you xx

---------- Post added at 14:08 ---------- Previous post was at 14:05 ----------

yes I understand, i had buried all my feelings inside and everything was a bit of a jumble xx

[doodah]

Hiya again,

Bobcat has explained what I meant by "silence can speak volumes" :)
Something I've done in the past is to go and see my doctor with a list in my hand of what I wanted to say - I felt really, really nervous and was rehearsing what I wanted to say. When I got in there and she said "now what seems to be the problem" I just started bawling my eyes out - grrr - and managed to say that I'd written down what I wanted to let her know and handed her the list! It was a lot easier that way.

Wendy:blush:

[AngryMonkey]

I wrote a list of things that I was struggling with or were causing me anxiety, like sleep problems, issues at work and just generally the way I was feeling.

I wrote it all down the night before and because I'd put it on paper I found it a lot easier saying it, but I didn't need to get out my list.

I found it a lot easier than I expected - I'd been putting off making and attending my doctors appointment for three years because I was so worried about what they'd say or ask. Same as you, I couldn't relate my issues to an event so I just assumed they'd think there was nothing wrong with me.

I actually found that I could say a lot of things to my GP that I have never been able to tell my partner or friends.

Angela

[oh no_1]

hate it when they say that... what seems to be the problem... hate that phase.... makes me nervous thinking bout that and what to say....

well my aim is to ring up at 8am this morning.... after speaking to my friend for hour and a half and then my counsellor for half hour on telephone.

what kind of questions do they ask once u have told them, given them piece of paper.

[bobcat]

morning

Don't worry about what the doctor will ask, the doctor has your best interests at heart and won't ask you any difficult questions..

Just remember this is the ist step to getting better xx

[doodah]

I honestly don't think your doctor will ask you loads of awkward questions - their job is to work out the best way of helping you. Even if you say "I'm feeling awful and don't know why" - that's a start. Your doctor won't be trying to catch you out or make you feel foolish. And, as bobcat says, it's the first step on your journey to recovery.

xx