Is this GAD?

[Dan21]

Hello everyone.

I wanted to get your take on something my doctor said to me the other day and its kind of opened my eyes a little. hasnt done anything for my anxiety/symptoms/health anxiety, but has given me something which I have been lacking for oh so long............a bit of perspective.

Was feeling particularly poo last week and thought I had a brain tumour. Seriously. Shakey, tired, weak arms and had a funny sort of cloudyness in my head, oh yeah, headaches too. Was about to start making my will out.

So I went to the doctors and she was really great, she listened to me reel off my symptoms and took on board my fear about my health. She said to me, 'this is bread and butter GP stuff' which I kind of knew but I didnt want to sound like a know it all. Then she asked me if I had always been a worrier and I said that I had. She looked at me and said that she thought I was suffering from General Anxiety Order and has prescribed me three weeks worth of beta blockers (Propranolol) and booked me in for a blood test (actually, I think I might have posted this in another thread so sorry for repeating myself).

The thing is, that I have always thought of myself as having Health Anxiety and not much else, but, if I'm dealing with Health Anxiety AND GAD, then no bloody wonder I'm on edge just about all of the time. It's made me think that everything that I'm experiencing and my reactions could be considered 'normal' (whatever that is) for somebody with GAD and HA. To be honest, I've done little research on GAD, but I tend to often have a feeling of dread, FEAR or worry, even when I dont really have anything to worry about, worry about things that in all probability wont happen, find it almost impossible to relax and again, almost always, have this overpowering feeling that time is limited (ina ll aspects of life) and that I'm living against the clock.

I dont know if that sounds like GAD but thats me.

If anyone knows much about GAD and if the above sounds something like it, then I'd be really happy to hear from you.

Thanks

Dan

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I want to go up to my anxiety, smile, put my arm around it and say to it caringly, 'Hey! How are you? How's your day been?'

Then, just as its about to answer me, I wanna throw a sack over it and give it a hiding within an inch of its life.

That would be nice.

[bearcrazy]

Hi Dan,

I know exactly how you feel. It was a revelation when I found out I had GAD. I think it is a mix of everything. You worry about health, social issues, work, family, money, everything!!!!!!! and usually for no reason. Mine has seriously come to a head in the last 2 years ansd i have not really been symptom free in all of that time. I feel that I am living on a knife edge too, and i have that feeling of dread. Its horrible!
i have made some good friends here though.

[ceecee]

hi dan
i too have GAD and health anxiety,its not a great comination is it!!!!!!!!!
how are the beta blockers going?
take care
rach x

[Dan21]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies

The Beta blockers seem to be taking the edge off the adrenaline that was coursing through me. Still get racing thoughts though. I find it a strange concept to think that there are people around who dont have lives like this. Even more strange to think that I was once like that! or at least less like I am now. I never thought life would turn out like this.

The only time I seem to get any real relief is when I am working on my art. Just found out that I have been awarded straight A's for one of my modules (only me and one other person managed this in the whole year) but me being me cant seem to see this as being any great achievement, or at least get excited by it, what a sad sack..[Duh!][Duh!]



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I want to go up to my anxiety, smile, put my arm around it and say to it caringly, 'Hey! How are you? How's your day been?'

Then, just as its about to answer me, I wanna throw a sack over it and give it a hiding within an inch of its life.

That would be nice.

[ceecee]

well done dan!!!
you should be so proud of yourself!
take care
rach x

[sarah1984]

Hi Dan,
Those sound like classic symptoms of GAD to me: I experienced all of them last year when suffering from GAD and believe me, it's a horrible condition! I guess you can worry about anything-in my case, it was my uni work, and for you, it's your health, but generally, you feel tense all the time. I felt I had a tape-recorder in my head, playing the same thoughts over and over again, until I felt tied up in my worries. I think part of the problem comes from all these different labels-I think GAD is more an umbrella-term, covering all the different forms of anxiety disorder-social anxiety, health anxiety, OCD etc. Basically, I think all cases consist of some element of anxiety, depression and obsession, to a greater or lesser extent. You've got your anxiety-your health, depression-it makes you feel pants, and obsession-you keep thinking about it.

I took Propanalol for a short time but in my opinion they only helped with the physical symptoms of anxiety ie panic attacks. I also took 15mg of Buspirone, (Buspar), which I found was much more helpful at helping with the pyschological symptoms, and unlike diazepam, didn't make me feel like a zombie. I'd strongly advise you also to press your doctor for CBT to help tackle the source of you worries.

All the best and take care,
Sarah