Anxiety help

[Bakebeansrule]

Hi, I think I really need some help with my anxiety.

I’ve not been in a good places for a few months. I was convinced I had ms or a brain tumour. I finally plucked up the courage to go to my dr who really made me see sense that it was stress causing my symptoms.

2 days later doing a diy project I’m 99% sure I’ve exposed us to asbestos by taking a ceiling down. So we aren’t talking drilling a hole kind of exposure it’s 6x4ft of material exposure. The material wasn’t tested but I’ve spent many many house researching I’m almost certain it’s asbestos. I’ve really put my husband in danger of this horrible stuff, he wouldn’t have even thought to do this project if I hadn’t suggested it.

Now I’ve had a couple of weeks of constant anxiety. I can’t sleep properly I’ve lost a stone in weight, I’m so upset and constantly seeking reassurance that everything will be ok which of course because of the nature of asbestos no one can tell me.

I know it takes anywhere from 10-50 years to get ill if at all but the way I’m feeling now I can’t get the thoughts of my hubby being diagnosed out of my head. I spend hours everyday reading about it.

I spoke to my dr just after it happened and she tried to reassure me by saying that although she wasn’t an expert a brief exposure was highly unlikely to cause any issues. Which settled me for about half an hour because then I started thinking about how big this area of ceiling was and it crumbled into smaller pieces over a couple of hours so can that be classed as a brief exposure?

She has offered me sertraline which I think I might need to start taking. I wonder if it would help? It won’t take the fact away that I’ve been really stupid but it might take away the feeling of being so anxious I don’t know what to do

[Pearly queen]

Hi, I think I really need some help with my anxiety.

IÂ’ve not been in a good places for a few months. I was convinced I had ms or a brain tumour. I finally plucked up the courage to go to my dr who really made me see sense that it was stress causing my symptoms.

2 days later doing a diy project IÂ’m 99% sure IÂ’ve exposed us to asbestos by taking a ceiling down. So we arenÂ’t talking drilling a hole kind of exposure itÂ’s 6x4ft of material exposure. The material wasnÂ’t tested but IÂ’ve spent many many house researching IÂ’m almost certain itÂ’s asbestos. IÂ’ve really put my husband in danger of this horrible stuff, he wouldnÂ’t have even thought to do this project if I hadnÂ’t suggested it.

Now IÂ’ve had a couple of weeks of constant anxiety. I canÂ’t sleep properly IÂ’ve lost a stone in weight, IÂ’m so upset and constantly seeking reassurance that everything will be ok which of course because of the nature of asbestos no one can tell me.

I know it takes anywhere from 10-50 years to get ill if at all but the way IÂ’m feeling now I canÂ’t get the thoughts of my hubby being diagnosed out of my head. I spend hours everyday reading about it.

I spoke to my dr just after it happened and she tried to reassure me by saying that although she wasnÂ’t an expert a brief exposure was highly unlikely to cause any issues. Which settled me for about half an hour because then I started thinking about how big this area of ceiling was and it crumbled into smaller pieces over a couple of hours so can that be classed as a brief exposure?

She has offered me sertraline which I think I might need to start taking. I wonder if it would help? It wonÂ’t take the fact away that IÂ’ve been really stupid but it might take away the feeling of being so anxious I donÂ’t know what to do

I don't know anything about asbestos but I imagine unless your home is more than 20/25 years old it's unlikely you've been exposed to asbestos. A quick Google search says pre 1999. You can have a sample tested but how you would go about that I'm unsure. Your council should be able to help.
I do know about anxiety and my goodness I've spent many, many sleepless nights worrying about one thing or another. What I've learnt from that, is to speak to someone who knows what they are talking about.
Try to be proactive instead of worrying. Monday morning speak to someone in environmental health maybe and ask what you should do. It's highly unlikely you have been exposed but they will be able to advise you.

I hope this helps a little x

[Bakebeansrule]

Thanks for your reply. My home was built in the 1950s when asbestos was used in nearly everything. I’ve spoken to many builders who have given mixed views so I’m going by what I’ve researched and that’s almost confirmed the material contained asbestos.

No one else around me seems bothered by this but I’m so upset by it

[Carnation]

Hi bakebeansrule,
I would do a search on here about sertraline, I think you'll find a lot of posts. Actually my partner takes it, not for anxiety but for calming his overactive brain. He's been on it for 15 years. The only negative is it can make you feel a bit sleepy and he has a lot of visual dreams. But check around on here because everyone is different.

[Pearly queen]

Thanks for your reply. My home was built in the 1950s when asbestos was used in nearly everything. IÂ’ve spoken to many builders who have given mixed views so IÂ’m going by what IÂ’ve researched and thatÂ’s almost confirmed the material contained asbestos.

No one else around me seems bothered by this but IÂ’m so upset by it

I understand, I'd be the same to be honest. Maybe if you can find a way of getting a sample tested it might put your mind at ease? If it helps my grandparents had lots of work done to their house (1950's maybe even older) and there was never an issue. They both lived very well until 90 and 102! I also know a lady in her 70's who was told many years ago she had asbestos in her lungs and it hasn't harmed her. She's fitter than I am in my 50's! It's certainly not what anyone wants but I think you need a lot of exposure for it to harm anyone.
I know this is just a few examples but try not think the worst.

[Bakebeansrule]

Thank you for your replies. Do you think if I start the tablets they will make me be able to cope better? I don’t want to feel numb but I can’t carry on like this, I need to be rational. I lost both of my parents last year and the thought of loosing my husband is too much. All because of one silly little mistake

[Button1]

I took it sertraline briefly and it evened me out. No numbness, no real lows but no massive highs either. I’m not sure what I was expecting! But the panic definitely stopped. I would say that initially for me I felt like the panic was increasing, it takes a couple of weeks for things to even out. There is nothing worse than being stuck in the spiral and feeling like every day is a battle to keep your head above water. I’m currently exhausted and contemplating sertraline again myself because there just aren’t enough hours where I don’t feel at the end of my rope. Sending solidarity, I know how you feel x

[Bakebeansrule]

I reached my breaking point last night. I read that the type of asbestos used in the area could be the worst type and a hugely high percentage.

I’m reading that miners who worked with this stuff 6 days a week 12 hours a day 8%-13% of them went on to develop cancer from it and asbestosis is a form of COPD that comes from years of exposure as horrible as this is, if I was able to think logically should this ease my mind?

Last night I felt like I couldn’t breathe and my mind was racing and I was trapped in my body. My hubby, who still isn’t bothered by the exposure suggested I start my tablets today.

I’ve started them but feel very nervous. I’ve added my name to the waiting list for CBT and tried to arrange a private therapy session.

Everyone’s telling me if I was being rational I’d see the risks are actually quite low of any of us contracting cancer from this.

[NoraB]

Last night I felt like I couldn’t breathe and my mind was racing and I was trapped in my body. My hubby, who still isn’t bothered by the exposure suggested I start my tablets today.

I’ve started them but feel very nervous. I’ve added my name to the waiting list for CBT and tried to arrange a private therapy session.

Everyone’s telling me if I was being rational I’d see the risks are actually quite low of any of us contracting cancer from this.

The point of CBT is to learn to challenge those irrational thoughts that scare us witless...

Your HA mind isn't interested in the rational stuff, it will hone in on those scaremongering anecdotes and this will totally override everything else. (Best not to Google for this reason)

[Bakebeansrule]

Thank you for your reply. The test sample actually came back negative a couple of days ago. I was very relieved and felt so happy until this morning. IÂ’m now second guessing if the sample I sent off might not contain any asbestos but other parts of the ceiling could. It was such a small piece compared to the area it was taken from. I spoke to the lab who said itÂ’s very unlikely. Is this my anxiety being unreasonable? Everyone else around me has accepted the results are right