help with anxeity

[sinead18]

does anything help with anxiety, as i have had it for a while because of my IC, i get really stressed at the thought of being uncomfertable and needing the toilet, i get very anxious when i am out and only a few months ago i was housebound because if it.

i tired to talk to my doctor about, but he is useless and normally takes several attempts to get anywhere with anything, as he never gives advice or diccuses what is currrently going on with all og my conditions and how they all are, he just dismisses everything and thinks he knows my body better then me, which will never be the case.

i asked about meds and treatments thst would help and i will ask again next week, all he suggested was counselling which never works for me

[dg2901]

I have an rx for Lorazepam (Ativan) that I take as needed (which is very rarely). It doesnt cause me to be drowsy and most importantly it takes the edge off of the anxiety. Its also very affordable (I pay $9/30 pills).
If you dont feel your current MD is fulfilling your medical needs, by all means seek out another opinion.

Wishing you well.

[sailawaygrl]

Hi Sinead,

I am not very familiar with your healthcare system, are you able to see another Dr? I know from what another member said that all tests and such have to be done at the hospital and seeing a urologist isn't easy either. Am I understanding that correctly? If I am I now understand much more about the questions you and others from the UK ask us. Here, we have the opportunity to see most any Dr we choose, if we don't like what we see, we can move on to another one. Not sure how long we will have that opportunity though.
So, back to your question. Several of the medications I take help me with anxiety as well as other symptoms. I take hydroxizine which is an antihistamine that helps me sleep and helps with symptoms as well. Especially if you are a person with allergies. By helping me sleep it helps me with anxiety because night time is when I really get my nerves in a twist.
There is also Ativan like dg2901 suggested, but with me it makes me drowsy. Another one is xanax, it comes in low doses that tend to help, but con make you sleepy too. I think amitryptiline can help with mild anxiety too as it is an antidepressent.
Do your meds have the same names as ours? I thought in some cases they are different. I hope you are able to get something to help your anxiety. Good luck, keep us updated.
Sandra

[Linda May]

Get another uro who is more compassionate.

[klite]

Since it sounds like much of your anxiety stems from IC, I would encourage you to reconsider counseling. Do you know why you feel it hasn't worked for you in the past? Have you tried counseling for a significant period of time? I know many people who go a few times and than give up on it because it is really hard work and a slow process to change how we think our ourselves and our bodies.

I underwent counseling for well over two years. It was before I was diagnosed with IC and I'm so grateful for the coping skills I learned there. I don't think I could have dealt with IC as well if it wasn't for understanding my mental limits and having plans in place to deal with anxiety.

I say this too as someone who used to have full blown panic attacks (heart racing, sweating, uncontrollable crying, severe muscle spasms, and even vomiting). I still get anxious these days, but I can recognize the signs of a panic attack and take the right steps to calm myself down.

Counseling helped me identify my "triggers" and how to relate to other people better. I'm still not 100% perfect mentally (is anyone?), but I am a huge proponent of therapy. There are so many different counselors, like doctors, out there --- you just need to find the right one. There are also support groups that might be a better fit for you too. And, if you are more comfortable in an anonymous situation, than I know there are a lot of caring and understanding people here ready to listen and support you!