Anxiety the return
Discussion
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 f
king 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.
king 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.
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.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.
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.
It was traditional talking therapy. Do feel like I could do with a re run. Just wish I could see the old counselor.Edited by paulmakin on Monday 2nd November 00:42
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Dr has just phoned and now told me that I am low on VitD and marginally low on testosterone. I need to repeat the blood test in a month for T and they need to check something with calcium and bones and will then start me on Vit D3 supplements.
My anxiety is always worse in winter it seems so maybe the VitD will do something.
My anxiety is always worse in winter it seems so maybe the VitD will do something.
V6Pushfit said:
V6Pushfit said:
If you don't mind me asking do you drink, and if you do then what sort of amount per day? And honestly please...
This isn't a trick question OP, are you out there?And to be honest about the amount. I "try" not to drink on school nights, but do sometimes give in. When I do drink it is a minimum bottle of red wine. If I get over excited it could be 2 bottles, or 1 - 1.5 bottles and some spirits or beer.
I know I do myself no favours. But when I find the anxiety is bad it is really hard to live a healthy life and do things right. Alcohol is often an easy way out.
Going to quit again I think.
andy-xr said:
Dick disappeared off on holiday somewhere, sleep was patchy and not particularly good, anxiety and heartbeat through the roof, general unwellness, jumpy legs, zombie feeling. It's one of the worst other than Prozac.
With venlafaxine, my experiences of it were positive, other than taking ages to 'finish' and the bad head zaps coming off it, needed sleeping tablets through the day to get through it
Pretty much the same here. Lost all feeling in the old general. Remember one day trying to have a wWith venlafaxine, my experiences of it were positive, other than taking ages to 'finish' and the bad head zaps coming off it, needed sleeping tablets through the day to get through it
k and gave up after an hour.Also felt massively tired and just "out of it".
Evolved said:
Sorry I never followed this after my advice..
As the DR's in the UK are next to useless when it comes to TRT, what were the actual numbers from your blood tests? To just say you were 'marginally low' says nothing but it's typical of the NHS!
I was on the cusp of 11nmol and the 'specialist' said I was within range but at the low end, I felt absolutely awful at that number. They seem to treat numbers instead of symptoms in this country, an argument I've had with two supposed specialists now, for record when my body was producing test and I felt good my reference number was 20nmol.
Without numbers it's hard to say what the cause is but the results of a full blood work would help, in the US the blood panel results are shared, not so here so you may have to pester to get them.
I'm still confident if he says you're low, that it's low test that's causing the problem.
They didn't give me the numbers. I will ask for a print out. They are doing the T test again on Tuesday. I suspect if it is still low they might do something.As the DR's in the UK are next to useless when it comes to TRT, what were the actual numbers from your blood tests? To just say you were 'marginally low' says nothing but it's typical of the NHS!
I was on the cusp of 11nmol and the 'specialist' said I was within range but at the low end, I felt absolutely awful at that number. They seem to treat numbers instead of symptoms in this country, an argument I've had with two supposed specialists now, for record when my body was producing test and I felt good my reference number was 20nmol.
Without numbers it's hard to say what the cause is but the results of a full blood work would help, in the US the blood panel results are shared, not so here so you may have to pester to get them.
I'm still confident if he says you're low, that it's low test that's causing the problem.
Edited by Evolved on Wednesday 16th December 07:58
Otherwise might get the results and go private. They said the Vit D was defo low and will be starting on that also, but after this second test
V6Pushfit said:
Thanks for being so open in reply. Your choice of a way forward, but stopping will help greatly by the looks of it as your intake will at the very least be fking up your metabolism. Drink can greatly increase anxiety while at the same time telling you it's not. And cutting down won't help as its still there to increase if you want.
My advice is nil mate as a base line and take it from there with a view to avoiding medication too.
Yes your are probably right. Its hard to judge as my stress levels and anxiety triggers have gone up recently. But at the same time I have been drinking more and exercising less. Be interesting to see how I deal with increased triggers when I am being healthy.king up your metabolism. Drink can greatly increase anxiety while at the same time telling you it's not. And cutting down won't help as its still there to increase if you want. My advice is nil mate as a base line and take it from there with a view to avoiding medication too.
Giving up was quite easy (not one for going out much) so I think that is worth doing again. Its amazing how after having not drunk for 9 months within weeks I was back at my usual level of tolerance.
andy-xr said:
a lot
Yep I do a lot of the same stuff. The beating myself up about making mistakes and letting people down I do loads.For example at work at the mo I am leading a project. The timescales were tight, but not unreasonable, there was a slight chance we might miss the deadline by a couple of weeks.
Probably worse that would actually happen is the client would give us some grief. Absolute worse thing (and unlikely) be we lose the client. We don't make that much money from them and they are a
holes so that wouldn't matter. I've been worrying about it like someones life depended on it!
Been feeling a little better over the holidays. My two kids have been bouncing off the walls with excitement which has been a bit wearing at times but at least I don't feel on the edge.
The wife and I seem to be getting on a little better. Not that we were getting along badly before but seem closer and been able to have more of a laugh together.
Nice to have a break where you do nothing and are not expected to. Not even thinking about work.
Been looking to change my car and that is creating a bit of a worry. Usual thing though. Worried that I might a dog. In 17 years of driving I have never made a mistake with a car or had one breakdown. But worried that I am chopping in a perfectly good and reliable car for a but of fun that might go wrong!
The wife and I seem to be getting on a little better. Not that we were getting along badly before but seem closer and been able to have more of a laugh together.
Nice to have a break where you do nothing and are not expected to. Not even thinking about work.
Been looking to change my car and that is creating a bit of a worry. Usual thing though. Worried that I might a dog. In 17 years of driving I have never made a mistake with a car or had one breakdown. But worried that I am chopping in a perfectly good and reliable car for a but of fun that might go wrong!
Evolved said:
Sorry I never followed this after my advice..
As the DR's in the UK are next to useless when it comes to TRT, what were the actual numbers from your blood tests? To just say you were 'marginally low' says nothing but it's typical of the NHS!
I was on the cusp of 11nmol and the 'specialist' said I was within range but at the low end, I felt absolutely awful at that number. They seem to treat numbers instead of symptoms in this country, an argument I've had with two supposed specialists now, for record when my body was producing test and I felt good my reference number was 20nmol.
Without numbers it's hard to say what the cause is but the results of a full blood work would help, in the US the blood panel results are shared, not so here so you may have to pester to get them.
I'm still confident if he says you're low, that it's low test that's causing the problem.
So just got 2nd test results back. 10.6 for T. Told all normal no further action. As I read the "normal" range is between 9.6 and 38! I am an active, otherwise healthy 35 year old and to be that close to the not normal range and be fobbed off annoys me a little.As the DR's in the UK are next to useless when it comes to TRT, what were the actual numbers from your blood tests? To just say you were 'marginally low' says nothing but it's typical of the NHS!
I was on the cusp of 11nmol and the 'specialist' said I was within range but at the low end, I felt absolutely awful at that number. They seem to treat numbers instead of symptoms in this country, an argument I've had with two supposed specialists now, for record when my body was producing test and I felt good my reference number was 20nmol.
Without numbers it's hard to say what the cause is but the results of a full blood work would help, in the US the blood panel results are shared, not so here so you may have to pester to get them.
I'm still confident if he says you're low, that it's low test that's causing the problem.
Edited by Evolved on Wednesday 16th December 07:58
I have spoken about this before on here, I have always suffered with ED (getting the little general to stand to attention). This has generally been dismissed as being a psychological issue.
I am going to go and see this one particular GP who is usually very good at listening. I will say that I have two clear symptoms of low T and a result that is a
s hair away from being out of the normal range. There is a long medical history on my record of both the ED and anxiety and two low T results surely means they should consider some kind of therapy?As you say they seem to be all about the numbers in the NHS. But those numbers combined with a long history of symptoms needs dealing with.
Evolved said:
FFS, you are too low and I was 100% correct in my assumptions, the NHS are truly fking useless. Ask to be referred to an endocrinologist as they specialise in that area. If you want more info mate just PM me and I'll send you my email addy as you may not get anywhere with the docs, if not I can advise other avenues.
Seen the Dr this morning. So my first test was 9.6, the second 10.6. Their range is 10-35 so first test was out of the range, second was only just in.king useless. Ask to be referred to an endocrinologist as they specialise in that area. If you want more info mate just PM me and I'll send you my email addy as you may not get anywhere with the docs, if not I can advise other avenues.Got some b
ks about how low T is better as high T can cause heart disease etc. I gave the the full history of everything and said I have tried pretty much every other avenue so this must be worth trying? I got two months supply of testogel. The Dr said they will review the "numbers" in two months. I said I would rather we judge based on how I feel as well as I have tired every avenue (SSRIs, Counselling, Self-help etc).I have also got a mega dose of VitD for a couple of weeks and then a maintenance dose.
The Dr didn't think that the T gel is going to make any difference to either the anxiety or the ED.
Back at work today, felt s
t this morning but think I was more worrying about what the Dr was going to do.Off the pop now, back to exercising, eating well. Hopefully all things combined will start to have some impact.
My office also moves closer to home at the end of the month so no more commuting which I think will help as well with general stress.
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