becca_boo
04-09-2009, 10:04 PM
Hi all,
First I want to say "thank you" to the wonderful men and women who post so openly here. It's comforting to know that I am not alone in my fears and sufferings. Thank you to the brave people who come here and share your stories and pose your questions and thank you to those of you who offer help and advise.
I was diagnosed with GAD and depression along with hypochondria after recovering from a bout of ovarian cancer when I was 25, back in 2000. I was initially prescribed Zoloft and Ativan, but was weaned off of both after about 6 months and seemed fine for about 3 years. Then the panic attacks and anxiety started in full-force and after attending behavior therapy classes was prescribed Prozac. I took 40 mg a day from 2003 - January of this year, when I decided it was doing nothing for me (I was still feeling crappy all the time, still had panic attacks and anxiety, plus I felt dizzy and zombie-ish all the time.) I stopped the Prozac cold turkey and had scary brain zaps for a while, but other than that didn't notice much difference being off the Prozac.
I really don't want to be on any meds, so I've been reading this and other websites trying to find "natural" remedies for my ailments and as a result, I'm constantly cutting things out (sugar, caffeine, red meat, chicken & pork, carbs, gluten (didn't stick to that one) and cutting things IN (magnesium supplements, omega 3's, 5-HTP, blah blah blah) and I'm really sick of wondering how else I might alter my lifestyle to find relief.
I read in a lot of posts that people have been checked out by their doctor and have received a clean bill of health and that this is supposed to help or be of some consolation when one is faced with a panic attack. My question is this - as a "hypochondriac", I don't feel "worthy" of taking a doctors time. I feel like even if I have a legitimate complaint, when it turns out to be nothing, I have once again wasted my doctors time and therefore I avoid going to the doctor as much as possible... which of course starts the vicious cycle of "am i okay???" panic whenever I feel something might be wrong with me. Does anyone else feel guilty about going to the doctor? I feel like by not going, I'm adding to my problems because fears go unresolved and build and build until I'm... the mess I currently am. :(
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Becca
First I want to say "thank you" to the wonderful men and women who post so openly here. It's comforting to know that I am not alone in my fears and sufferings. Thank you to the brave people who come here and share your stories and pose your questions and thank you to those of you who offer help and advise.
I was diagnosed with GAD and depression along with hypochondria after recovering from a bout of ovarian cancer when I was 25, back in 2000. I was initially prescribed Zoloft and Ativan, but was weaned off of both after about 6 months and seemed fine for about 3 years. Then the panic attacks and anxiety started in full-force and after attending behavior therapy classes was prescribed Prozac. I took 40 mg a day from 2003 - January of this year, when I decided it was doing nothing for me (I was still feeling crappy all the time, still had panic attacks and anxiety, plus I felt dizzy and zombie-ish all the time.) I stopped the Prozac cold turkey and had scary brain zaps for a while, but other than that didn't notice much difference being off the Prozac.
I really don't want to be on any meds, so I've been reading this and other websites trying to find "natural" remedies for my ailments and as a result, I'm constantly cutting things out (sugar, caffeine, red meat, chicken & pork, carbs, gluten (didn't stick to that one) and cutting things IN (magnesium supplements, omega 3's, 5-HTP, blah blah blah) and I'm really sick of wondering how else I might alter my lifestyle to find relief.
I read in a lot of posts that people have been checked out by their doctor and have received a clean bill of health and that this is supposed to help or be of some consolation when one is faced with a panic attack. My question is this - as a "hypochondriac", I don't feel "worthy" of taking a doctors time. I feel like even if I have a legitimate complaint, when it turns out to be nothing, I have once again wasted my doctors time and therefore I avoid going to the doctor as much as possible... which of course starts the vicious cycle of "am i okay???" panic whenever I feel something might be wrong with me. Does anyone else feel guilty about going to the doctor? I feel like by not going, I'm adding to my problems because fears go unresolved and build and build until I'm... the mess I currently am. :(
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Becca