Anxiety the return

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944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Saturday 31st October 2015
quotequote all
Last year I had a bad bout of anxiety. It is something I have always had but last year it became unbearable. I saw a counsellor for about 3 months and that seemed to really help. I did also see the GP who gave me Sertraline which was fking awful.

Anyway most part of the year has been fine but recently I have felt a bit funny. Best way to describe it is I just seem to have lost my mojo and felt a but blue. Last week though my anxiety has returned with a vengeance.

This morning I was doing some Halloween craft with the kids and were building a spooky chocolate house. I had to sick it together with piped icing and my hand was shaking so much my kids were asking why.

Work has been a bit stressful recently and I have been thinking about a new job. Anyone ever had something like this suddenly return for no discernible reason?

I emailed the counsellor I saw last year and unfortunately he has moved away and isn't practising currently. He gave me some other names but that feels like starting from scratch.

PositronicRay

26,959 posts

182 months

Saturday 31st October 2015
quotequote all
Mine has all been work related through the years, getting worse as I got older, mostly I was able to kept a lid on it.

The worst bout was when a colleague, who I detested was promoted to my direct line manager.

Something that helped me was taking control. I was lucky to be well respected, so went to the director in charge and explained the situation. To prevent me from leaving he changed the reporting structure, keeping the situation tolerable.

I was lucky to be in a position with some leverage. All I can say is try to work out the trigger and take control. Even having a plan makes me feel better.

jonah35

3,940 posts

156 months

Sunday 1st November 2015
quotequote all
944fan said:
Last year I had a bad bout of anxiety. It is something I have always had but last year it became unbearable. I saw a counsellor for about 3 months and that seemed to really help. I did also see the GP who gave me Sertraline which was fking awful.

Anyway most part of the year has been fine but recently I have felt a bit funny. Best way to describe it is I just seem to have lost my mojo and felt a but blue. Last week though my anxiety has returned with a vengeance.

This morning I was doing some Halloween craft with the kids and were building a spooky chocolate house. I had to sick it together with piped icing and my hand was shaking so much my kids were asking why.

Work has been a bit stressful recently and I have been thinking about a new job. Anyone ever had something like this suddenly return for no discernible reason?

I emailed the counsellor I saw last year and unfortunately he has moved away and isn't practising currently. He gave me some other names but that feels like starting from scratch.
Quite simply your stress levels have increased.

You will have started taking it for granted that you're better.

Lay off the booze, caffeine and get back exercising and eating well.

Book a holidays but not one as an excuse to drink every day but one where you take care of yourself, go for massages and simply be able to relax.


paulmakin

653 posts

140 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
i assume that your counselling intervention was along cognitive lines ? Not at all uncommon to need a "refresher" periodically. Given that you readily identify health gains then would suggest a brief re-run.

you don't need your GP to arrange this - google "IAPT and (insert your location)" and self refer. they just need a contact detail and offer really timely response times (that is , time to contact not necessarily time to appointment)

sertraline almost certainly the wrong drug (despite being licensed for treatment of anxiety)

paul

Edited by paulmakin on Monday 2nd November 00:42

Evolved

3,554 posts

186 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
Have you had any blood work taken? Request it to see where you're levels are at, specifically testosterone and E2 levels. I'm not sure on your age (although it's not really important) but I too had exactly the same thing around my 30th, crazy anxiety, loss of confidence the works. At the time I was going through a lot and was massively stressed.

I was finally tested for test and found my levels to be very low, I am now on trt and while it's not prefect, it has taken care of the anxiety I was feeling. You may just find that you're over stressed, some people don't handle it well, me included and while you don't feel it, your body is reacting to It by ramping up cortisol etc as a reaction.

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
Evolved said:
Have you had any blood work taken? Request it to see where you're levels are at, specifically testosterone and E2 levels. I'm not sure on your age (although it's not really important) but I too had exactly the same thing around my 30th, crazy anxiety, loss of confidence the works. At the time I was going through a lot and was massively stressed.

I was finally tested for test and found my levels to be very low, I am now on trt and while it's not prefect, it has taken care of the anxiety I was feeling. You may just find that you're over stressed, some people don't handle it well, me included and while you don't feel it, your body is reacting to It by ramping up cortisol etc as a reaction.
Interesting. Years ago (when I was about 17) I had testosterone test done for something totally unrelated. At the time the Dr said it was at the low end of the normal scale. If it was low when I was 17 then I guess now when I am 35 it could well be quite a bit lower beyond the normal range.

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
paulmakin said:
i assume that your counselling intervention was along cognitive lines ? Not at all uncommon to need a "refresher" periodically. Given that you readily identify health gains then would suggest a brief re-run.

Edited by paulmakin on Monday 2nd November 00:42
It was traditional talking therapy. Do feel like I could do with a re run. Just wish I could see the old counselor.


tintopracer

139 posts

166 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
OP, you have my deepest sympathy, as I'm going through some similar feelings of my own at the moment. I did a group course in the first few months of 2014 and have gone back to some of the notes etc from the time to look at some of the techniques we used then.

I've started with a list of all the issues which are on my mind at the moment, whether I think I feel anxious about them or not, to see what is on my mind and what I can do about them and when. For me, its given a sense of perspective to them. Also, the "why worry now, about something which might happen in the new year" helped me.

As others have said, good diet and some exercise has helped. I now know there's no quick fix today or tomorrow but that there is a longer plan to work towards.

This is just my personal experience. Everyone's different.

Evolved

3,554 posts

186 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
944fan said:
Evolved said:
Have you had any blood work taken? Request it to see where you're levels are at, specifically testosterone and E2 levels. I'm not sure on your age (although it's not really important) but I too had exactly the same thing around my 30th, crazy anxiety, loss of confidence the works. At the time I was going through a lot and was massively stressed.

I was finally tested for test and found my levels to be very low, I am now on trt and while it's not prefect, it has taken care of the anxiety I was feeling. You may just find that you're over stressed, some people don't handle it well, me included and while you don't feel it, your body is reacting to It by ramping up cortisol etc as a reaction.
Interesting. Years ago (when I was about 17) I had testosterone test done for something totally unrelated. At the time the Dr said it was at the low end of the normal scale. If it was low when I was 17 then I guess now when I am 35 it could well be quite a bit lower beyond the normal range.
If you were low at 17, there's a chance it will be even lower now as mid to late teens is when your hormones ramp up as a man. I was tested and all my results came back on the low end of normal and one was way below and my anxiety was extreme. I do feel for you as it's truly awful and nothing counceling can fix if it's hormone related, low test/high low e2 will really play havoc with your moods and well being. Even now on TRT it's a roller coaster as levels are so hard to keep in check and the NHS are truly useless, I self medicate to ease e2 fluctuations as the docs in the UK won't recognise it as a problem, the USA treat both if you're on TRT.

I suggest you book in and request a full blood panel done specifically requesting those two hormones.

Evolved

3,554 posts

186 months

Monday 2nd November 2015
quotequote all
944fan said:
Evolved said:
Have you had any blood work taken? Request it to see where you're levels are at, specifically testosterone and E2 levels. I'm not sure on your age (although it's not really important) but I too had exactly the same thing around my 30th, crazy anxiety, loss of confidence the works. At the time I was going through a lot and was massively stressed.

I was finally tested for test and found my levels to be very low, I am now on trt and while it's not prefect, it has taken care of the anxiety I was feeling. You may just find that you're over stressed, some people don't handle it well, me included and while you don't feel it, your body is reacting to It by ramping up cortisol etc as a reaction.
Interesting. Years ago (when I was about 17) I had testosterone test done for something totally unrelated. At the time the Dr said it was at the low end of the normal scale. If it was low when I was 17 then I guess now when I am 35 it could well be quite a bit lower beyond the normal range.
If you were low at 17, there's a chance it will be even lower now as mid to late teens is when your hormones ramp up as a man. I was tested and all my results came back on the low end of normal and one was way below and my anxiety was extreme. I do feel for you as it's truly awful and nothing counceling can fix if it's hormone related, low test/high low e2 will really play havoc with your moods and well being. Even now on TRT it's a roller coaster as levels are so hard to keep in check and the NHS are truly useless, I self medicate to ease e2 fluctuations as the docs in the UK won't recognise it as a problem, the USA treat both if you're on TRT.

I suggest you book in and request a full blood panel done specifically requesting those two hormones.

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Tuesday 10th November 2015
quotequote all
Got a Dr's appointment for tomorrow and will ask for the hormone levels to be tested. If it is that then great otherwise will find another counselor and go down that route.

Its been up and down recently. Felt ok at the weekend and then suddenly was sat down reading a mag and my heart just started racing madly. Took a while to get it to calm down.

I know I need to do more self help in terms of diet/exercise/stress management etc but find it hard to pull myself out of the rut.

paulmakin

653 posts

140 months

Tuesday 10th November 2015
quotequote all
search google for "IAPT (and insert your locality)". self referral is quick and easy - services provided are all along cognitive models with anxiety, mild-moderate depression etc being their bread and butter work.

paul

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Wednesday 11th November 2015
quotequote all
Thanks Paul, I have done that also now.

I just want the Dr to do the blood test so I can either rule it out or get it treated. As someone said about, no amount of therapy is going to fix it if my hormones are all over the shop.

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Wednesday 11th November 2015
quotequote all
Dr is going to do full blood work: glucose, liver, kidney, thyroid, testosterone, Vit D. The lot.

Hopefully that covers everything and if something shows up then fine if not I know that it is more of a mental thing than biological and deal with that seperately

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Monday 16th November 2015
quotequote all
Had blood taken this morning. Should get results end of week. I phoned the IAPT place, bit of a shortage in my area and a long waiting list. Will find a private counselor I think.

Really hoping the bloods show something. Fell rubbish this morning.

944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
quotequote all
All my blood tests came back normal so NFA. Waiting for an appointment from IAPT but that is going to take ages. Going to find a private counselor.

Found a couple of articles that really highlight my source of worry:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/2...

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/2...

At the moment I am working on a project that has tight deadlines and is a bit out of my comfort zone in terms of skillset. I was worried about whether it would be done on time but more worried about what happens when it is done and what if its rubbish. I felt paralyzed about starting it because I wasn't sure I could do it and was worried about a bad outcome, that fed into worrying about doing it as I lost a couple of days panicking.

oceanview

1,511 posts

130 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
quotequote all
Glad your test results were all ok- it least it rules out a physical cause!

Interesting articles you linked- a few traits I recognised in myself with regards to severe anxiety I have gone through at times.

I hope things calm down for you soon.


944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

184 months

Friday 20th November 2015
quotequote all
Yes I am glad that the blood test was normal. Although a part of me was hoping for something not normal that could be fixed with a pill that would make me feel better, but I guess that was never going to happen.


Patch1875

4,893 posts

131 months

Friday 20th November 2015
quotequote all
Struggling myself just now, suffer from heath anxiety from time to time.

Had a sickness/fever bug a few weeks ago never gave it a chance to clear and went back to work after 2 days (outside in the cold wind and rain) it's now turned into a urine infection. I've always felt my nuts/groin when I'm a bit unwell it's been checked before and it's just the way I am. Nothing's appears to have changed down below ( no lumps or swelling) but my anxiety has kicked in and I'm now in I've got cancer cycle that I can't shake, I work outside alone and once it's in my head I can't stop thinking about it. Just back from the doctors after suffering a classic symptom of very tight scalp/forehead ended up staying up all last night as I thought I wouldn't wake up with how my head was feeling.I've got some antibiotics and a bit reassurance from the doc that everything seem fine apart from the fever and peeing so hopefully can get back on track in the next few days.

Lots of deep breaths and swimming works for me.



paulmakin

653 posts

140 months

Friday 20th November 2015
quotequote all
prescribing won't be the long term fix but medication may well have a role in the short term. it's for you to decide if you can continue to tolerate the distress or, indeed, if the availability of a "pill" for when it's getting extreme would help you.

nowadays we avoid the "anti-anxiety" drugs in the main as they have problems all of their own but there are a number of preparations which could be substituted.

you could have a discussion with the duty pharmacist about non-prescription meds (over the counter). Promethazine, for example, is one such otc preparation we do use. it's a antihistamine but also licensed as a hypnotic/sedative and available without 'script. in this case otc does mean otc - you will need to ask for it and the pharmacist will exercise discretion, it's not out on the shelf. 25-50mg tds is the usual dose.

paul