Please help - advice needed.

[Reggie]

I've had panic/anxiety since I lost my daughter in 1999.

Last year it really stepped it up and I'm becoming agoraphobic. This last 6 weeks it's escallated to such a degree that I'm getting scared to go away with my family next week, I mean it's making me feel sick to my stomach and the anxiety is giving me no respite at all. I've seen my doctor, I've seen my mental health doctor too who has just upped my meds to a stupid level.

I feel like it's spiralling out of control and I'm going to end up housebound which I really, really don't want.:weep:

I've never had it this bad, I suppose I'm after reassurance from people who have been where I am that this will pass.

[Nechtan]

It sounds very much like the help you've had so far has not been of any help whatsoever if you have been spiralling. That is the most frustrating thing when you reach out for help and its of no use. Personally I would insist that your doctor try something different as the meds are not happening- even if that means other meds.

From my own experience I do wish I could go back to the point before I was agrophobic and then housebound because I now see on hindsight the help I was getting at the time was wrong. And to be honest with you if I had a Claire Weekes book at that time I know I would not have declined but I did.

Everyone's anxiety is different. For you this stage may pass, for others it may not. But I would urge you to talk to your doctor at the next opportunity about the other alternatives citing your valid reasons why- the current treatment is not helping and you don't want to go any further backward.

I hope this helps. I cannot begin to imagine how hard your situation is after what happend a decade ago so I really wish you well in getting the help you need and deserve.

Take care

Nechtan

[Reggie]

Thanks for your help, Nechtan, your advice was really useful. I think the problem I have is that, at the moment, going out of the house is fine (usually, not always) but I have to travel large distances often and I dread it, my doctors advice is not to avoid these situations, if I do, she says, I will go down that dreaded path. But it's not baby steps, it's not walking down the road and back, it's going hundreds of miles and having to stay there when I'm in a complete state of panic.

I think my doctor is getting sick of me, I think she sees people with really huge mental health problems and with me it's "it's just anxiety", when it's coming at you day after day and there's no respite it gets too much to handle.

[Nechtan]

Hi Reggie,

That is one of the most frustrating things and one of the things I don't think we should have to put up with. There are alot of GPs who just do not understanding how terrifying this can be. It is easy for them to say don't avoid it but for some of us not easy in practice. Its bad enough having a panic attack but worse having it miles from home. Some really do seem to take it lightly and to be honest I would change doctors until I got an understanding one- which is what I did myself.

Avoidance does lead to bigger problems but its not as straight forward as that. To not avoid you need to be able to cope and it is the GPs job to either help you cope or refer you to someone who can. Please don't feel like a pest because your mental well being is the most important issue here and you need to do what is best for you.

All the best

Nechtan