Doctor won't/can't help!

[missacorah]

Hi after suffering a huge panic attack in October2004 I was eventually adnitted to hospital and diagnosed with labyrinthitis (viral dizziness)and given medication for that.

As a result of that I became kind of agoraphobic. In hindsight maybe there was no viral illness and I has some sort of breakdown? I dont know. Any way the doctor prescribed me valium twice on a low dosage but I saved them for emergencies and didnt really want to get in the habit of taking them.

I have been back several times to the doctors but am getting worse not better. he says go out loads and you will get back in the swing of things. i have managed to stay working and am not too bad while i am there but at home I am a nervous wreck for NO REASON!

I have just had enough and feel my children would have a happier, more exciting life without me weighing them down with all this rubbish. I have a nice home, job, healthy happy children and a supportive family so know i am lucky so why am I so ungrateful by ot being happy. This permanent anxiety and worry about nothing in particular is starting to really affect me now.

I tried this morning to take my daughter into town for her school uniform and had to turn back as was shaking, feeling faint and sick and had already suffered 'tummy trouble' at the thought of going(sorry to be crude).

Tomorrow I am going to the doctors and this time i want help.Could anyone offer me any advice about what I could suggest to my doctor if he tries to fob me off again as I am quite timid. i would really appreciate any advice. I dont know what i would do if he tried to send me to a 3rd party as i wouldnt be able to go with all the panic.

Sorry to be so pathetic and depressing but I am having a really bad day.

[farrah2412]

hi

when you go to the doctor ask what any mental health team maybe able to offer you--could you be referred for cbt sessions--i think if you go along with your suggustions to put forward the doctor may then realize that you are aware of more help out there, which you may be entitled to---the doctor may then see that by telling you to go off and get into the swing of things is not enough support--also why not ask to see a different doctor at the practise who may have a different view on things--fell free to pm me if you'd like i am in a similar situation and know what's it like!
take care
farrah

[missacorah]

Hi thanks for the quick reply. I have made a note of your comments and am gonna take them with me tomorrow as i sometimes get a bit flustered when I am in there. I am just so worrieddf I will not be able to go where he sends me (if he does) as i will wimp out and lose my courage.

I have seen both doctors at the practise. One just stuffs valium in my hand and politely tells me to leave. The other uses a nicer approach but basically has just told me now to deal with it and thats not much help to me as Im sure you agree. I may have to think about changing doctors I( suppose.

[jackie]

cbt and someone to do breathing exercises called a phisiotherapist. believe me it isnt easy to get it off some of them but it is essential

let us know how it goes

take care

jackie

[juju]

hi
i would buy dr claire weekes books-(self help for your nerves) or see if they have it on loan from the surgery or library, it is marvellous, it explains so much that gp:s just dont know about or are too busy to care much. have you tried ads? they do help to control it a bit but it is really down to you. also write down a list of symptoms and questions for the doc, dont be put off by them thats wot they are there for, we pay their wgs-remember that
take care pm me if you need more advice
juju

we are all stronger people after having this

[twiglet]

Hi ya,
about two month ago i felt dizzy and i too was diagnosed with labrynthitus. i was of work for 5 weeks. it was such an unpleasant feeling. i felt fine in myself but felt constantly drunk. im ok now though but i find i still get abit dizzy every now and again. try some counselling perhaps, get refered by your gp or get some books about it and try to read up on panic attacks. it might help u understand it better. you're not alone...we're all here to help:) take care
love,
twiglet xx

[kazzie]

Hi Ya first of all good luck at the docs! secondly dont let them fob you off with pills or any rubbish!!! Iagree with what the others have said re cbt etc if i were you asked to be referred to a psychiatrist ( not as scary as it sounds i promise!) mine had been a rock over the years they really know what they are talking about and are bang up to date with all new treatments etc that are available!! take care and let us know how you get on best wishes kaz x

[sheena]

Hi

Write down what you want to say. I had to ask my doctor to refer me to a psychiatrist who adjusted my meds and a lot later he referred me to a psychologist who used CBT.

Dont' dispair. I was completely agoraphobic for 3 years. Lately I started to go out with my daughter. Now I can drive to the doctors and the dentist (have a driving phobia), walk one of my dogs a small way and go to the shop in the morning to get a newspaper. Everythink is baby steps but first you need to sort your doctor out.

Hope all goes well.



SHEENA

[Meg]

**he says go out loads and you will get back in the swing of things. i have managed to stay working and am not too bad while i am there but at home I am a nervous wreck for NO REASON!**

Whilst his way of describing it is far from helpful and he has skipped several steps, the underlying theory is correct.

You probably manage work as it keeps you busy and your attention is occupied, plus you are amongst people you know whilst at home and voluntary trips out your thoughts can wander and you can dwell on feeling rubbish and this perpetuates the circle of fear and brings on the physical symptoms of anxiousness which you are describing.

Thoughts
Lets try to keep our thoughts in perspective (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=283)
Mind Games (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1789)
obsessive thoughts & anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3096)
Still suffering this damn "suggestive" thing.. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4288)
How to CURE yourself ! The definitive guide here.. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5357)
Its happening again ! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6094)
Things to consider for success! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6165)
[Link removed as post deleted]
Thoughts (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7187)
image projection in my mind (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7358)

The Battle that Rages in my Head (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4149)
struggling... (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6901)
TAKE A STAND?! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6823)

Dealing with docs
need to see a shrink - what can I expect?? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6877)


Understanding why you feel as you do will help so the Claire weekes book is fab plus having some support from the local Mental health team can help too.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

proactiveness, positivity, persistence, perseverance and practice = progress

[net]

when a close friend went through a rough patch while still being able to do lots of things she found coping homelife was difficult and she was dizzy and shaking but her dr didnt listen so i went in as back up and he changed her meds she did the same for me when i hit a bad patch earlier this year, we find having someone else there saying how the other ones feeling helps the dr to do something

netty

[fran43]

Hi

I read your post this morning but had another theme park to contend with. I feel much the same way and my GP does not understand.

He referred me to the CMHT advisor who said keep doing the things I was doing and I would soon feel OK.

Despite hating crowds, queues I have noticed once on rides with our son I could not have a PA as I was concentrating so hard on his safety and what would happen next.

My husband has to keep running me places or going to the supermarket etc as I feel PAs in supermarkets, queues (in fact there are few places I feel safe). Definitely on my own they are worse as I have no one to distract or occupy me.

I am definitely going to get Clare Weekes book on my return to the UK.

I say what others here have said to me, You are important, your children need you more than you know. I know PA's are overwhelming and it does get to the point where you think why bother, that everyone would be better without you. Are your children at an age where you can explain a PA?

I have always woken up trembling and 'not another day' but if the PA is really bad I tell my son I am shaky and really fearful. He holds my hand or stays close (he is ten).


I feel we both need to believe in what others have gone through and out the other side.

Have you a partner or friend who could go to the doctor's with you for moral support. I have found it helps. Sometimes I fail to see any progress.

Personally I am dreading even packing and worse still four transfer flights back to the UK. Orlando, Cinncinati, Paris, Southampton and then home. I never wanted to come on this holiday, it has been a long three weeks. I have wanted to get back home so I can really focus on NMP and that has not really been possible on a 3wk holiday.

I really hope you get some relief and further support or referral from your GP. Keep us posted.

Take good care of yourself.

Ruth X

[missacorah]

Hi all and thank you all for your kind and helpful words. If I had not found this fantastic website I'd have convinced myself I was mad by now.

I went to the doctors yesterday and whether it was fate or not I dont know but there was a different locum doctor there. First I panicked and got all of a jitter but then I wondered whether it could be a blessing in disguise and he may help.

I explained my symptoms and said I cannot carry on like this any longer - its getting too much for me now to cope with. I told him it is now affecting every aspect of my life.

He has presecribed me Propranhol (sorry that is spelt incorrectly but hopefully you will have an idea of what I mean) that i have to take first thing in the morning once a day. I asked him that if these show no signs of improvement will he be able to refer me on somewhere as I cant take much more and he said yes that would be possible and he agreed it may be beneficial for me to find out what was triggering all this.

I have enough tablets for 1 month so will go back to him in about 3 weeks I think to either get more tablets or ask to be referred somewhere.

I have taken my first tablet today and feel awful. Dunno whether it takes a few days for them to kick in but I am so so panicky I keep thinking I am gonna have to call an ambulance soon.

I am praying to the angels for something to help me through this.

Re reading what I have written I sound like a first class lunatic and am ashamed at what I have become. But thanks for all your wonderful advice x

[alicia123]

You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. Nothing, nothing, nothing! And you are not pathetic, you are doing what you can to cope with something that you did not ask for and have no experience of coping with.

Post-viral illneses are still a mystery to the medical profession, and in honesty I think anxiety and panic attacks are too, since the very first time I had a panic attack my GP told me to take up swimming and it would go away!

The Claire Weekes book is good and so is the free alphadynamics ebook that started me on my journey to recovery. Please remember this is not permanent and you can find the right road, but it sometimes takes a bit of looking.

alicia

[fran43]

I am so glad you have the fortune to see a locum.

Propanalol is a betablocker that helps stop palpitations. It has been a long time since I took these but remember they helped.

Last night I could hear my heart beating and I know they have been set off by thoughts ie packing, cleaning our villa so we dont lose a security deposit and four transfer flights with added queues, crowds.

Today is the last day I will be posting until I arrive back in the UK. I hope you find these tablets useful but I still recommend getting Clare Weekes book from a library or ordering it.

Take Care

Fran X

[missacorah]

Hi I am feeling a lot better this evening. I am gonna try and do a bit of food shopping with my sister. She is so good to me - although she has never experienced anything of this nature and is very confident and outgoing she never ridicules me or tells me to get myself together etc. I have my sons 10th Birthday party on Sunday and we are having a little barbecue party (weather permitting) so I am gonna try and use that for the inspiration to keep me going round the shop. I know if i dont get the food myself or cheat and use the internet I will regret it on Sunday.

My daughter also needs to be dropped off at her friends for a sleepover so will try that too. Fingers crossed.

isnt amazing how things that didnt even get a second thought a few years ago can suddenly become the biggest deal in your life?

Fran you are so kind to leave me the positive messages you have. I will be sending you positive vibes for your journey home.

Finally after much recommendations, I am now the proud owner of a Claire weekes self help book (when it arrives from Ebay) as I have heard its like a bible to some people. Cant wait for it to arrive!