Any Help or Advice?

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09-09-20, 14:55
Jed

Any Help or Advice?

Hi there!It seems that I have been relatively anxiety free for about 2years, with only minor occasional symptoms in stressful events. The dreaded return was about 3 weeks ago and has taken over my life. I have had feelings of butterflies in my stomach 24/7, waking in the night breathless, restless legs, feeling of dread, but the major one is this problem swallowing food. I have now been unable to eat for the past 3 weeks and lost about 1.5stone. I have spoke with my GP and said I am concious/worried of my swallow, feels as if food is getting stuck, globus type things. I must say, it hasn't helped that the GP just started me on 50mg Sertraline and said seeing me to look at my throat or send me for a swallow test isn't necessary as I suffer with anxiety.I am seeing a therapist currently who has given it to me straight that the only way through is exposure, so forcing myself to eat. Finding this difficult with feeling as though I can't swallow or I might choke. It's driving me insane and I have no idea what to do. Someone suggested to me trying clonazepam during the day, I am going to speak to my GP about this.Looking for any words of advice or anyone who has been through something similar for some hope that things will get better as feeling a little hopeless at the moment... :(
09-09-20, 15:57
Redsmum

Re: Any Help or Advice?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jed

Hi there!It seems that I have been relatively anxiety free for about 2years, with only minor occasional symptoms in stressful events. The dreaded return was about 3 weeks ago and has taken over my life. I have had feelings of butterflies in my stomach 24/7, waking in the night breathless, restless legs, feeling of dread, but the major one is this problem swallowing food. I have now been unable to eat for the past 3 weeks and lost about 1.5stone. I have spoke with my GP and said I am concious/worried of my swallow, feels as if food is getting stuck, globus type things. I must say, it hasn't helped that the GP just started me on 50mg Sertraline and said seeing me to look at my throat or send me for a swallow test isn't necessary as I suffer with anxiety.I am seeing a therapist currently who has given it to me straight that the only way through is exposure, so forcing myself to eat. Finding this difficult with feeling as though I can't swallow or I might choke. It's driving me insane and I have no idea what to do. Someone suggested to me trying clonazepam during the day, I am going to speak to my GP about this.Looking for any words of advice or anyone who has been through something similar for some hope that things will get better as feeling a little hopeless at the moment... :(

Hi Jed, this could be my story. I suffer exactly as you do. This started for me about 10 years ago i couldn’t/wouldn’t eat, lost loads of weigh, was barely functioning, impending sense of doom, shaking constantly. Visited Dr so many times, told me it was globus, but still the feeling persisted. Eventually when i couldn’t stand any more i paid privately to have the camera up my nose into throat, guess what it was clear, months passed still totally obsessed with throat feeling, choking couldn’t eat, life taken over felt so ill, so had the test done again, was absolutely convinced there must be something there now, but no once again nothing. My Dr then prescribed me citalopram which after about 3 months combined with hypnotherapy seemed to break the cycle & i was able to eat normally. Have to say i have gone for years & been fine, but since May i have been suffering again, dr has now told me i have silent reflux & after taking Lanzoprazole for a few months the lump feeling has gone but now i have another unexplained feeling in throat but once again am taking citalopram & gradually i am feeling much better. I have to accept that my throat & eating will always be an issue at times for me, but hopefully i will never feel as bad as i did 10 years ago.How long have you been on sertraline? Is this antidepressant helpful with health anxiety do you know?. What is clonazepam for, is it like diazapam or lorazapam, i used to take both when i was at my very worst, it was a necessity to allow me to function at all.
10-09-20, 07:39
Jed

Re: Any Help or Advice?

Thankyou Redsmum for this comment. I think sertraline is the similar to citalapram. Had call with doc yesterday, says he wants to do a set of bloods and prescribed me diazepam which I'll try tonight. It's nice to hear you did manage to eat again, at the moment my life has been put to a standstill thanks to this. Interesting the Swallow test didn't help you as I wondered if it would help me but GP says it won't. Maybe he's right. Your comment has been really nice to read this morning thankyou.

Sal here, the GP has upped my sertraline to 100mg as of tomorrow with some diazepam, not sure about the diazepam as I read clonazepam stays in your system longer but I will give it a go. Thankyou for your reply, I guess you have to stay hopeful :)