What help could my GP offer me?

[YellowFeathers]

Since dh has gone back to work I've been feeling worse with panic attacks and anxiety.
It started towards the back end of my pregnancy when I passed out at a midwifes appt then one day a week or so after that I had another funny turn. I didn't actually pass out but in a panic and fear of doing so I called my MIL to come and stop with me just in case.
Since then I have hated being on my own.
Dh only works 5 mins away in the car but has to occasionaly work sleep over shifts which means him leaving after lunch and not returning till the next day mid afternoon. He also does some other work which requires him to be away for Monday to Friday. He will be doing this in a couple of weeks miles away from home.

The last few sleep over shifts I have had to have my mum stop with me. The last time she did she had to leave early morning so she could go to work and I felt so anxious about her going that I cried and cried until she called in sick .
Dh is again away tonight and once again I've lost it and ended up calling my mum who is now on her way to bring my 72 year old Nanna to stay the night

I've talked it over with dh and although he means well I really don't think he understands how I feel no matter how many times I try to tell him. Another Mnetter has recommended a therapy called EFT (emotional freedom therapy). Dh has said he would like me to try and battle this on my own before doing something like this as he thinks I'll feel better for it but if things didn't get better then I would try the EFT.
I did have a similar problem after I had dd but it was a different "thought" and it didn't really affect my day to day living IYSWIM.

On wednesday I have my 6 week post natal check so I'm going to tell the gp whats happening and see if she can help. I really really don't want to go down the drugs route so I was thinking of something like CBT.
Is there anything else that she can offer me or other therapys that work well?

[YellowFeathers]

bump

[Glassofwine]

I don't have any experience of this, but when I recently went to gp with depression she did discuss counselling as well as ad's. I wouldn' t dismiss the ad's, you would take medication for any other problem and they might make a big difference. Hope it works out for you.

[twinsetandpearls]

I have been very unlucky in my doctor but most doctors tend to offer AD as a way of getting through the initial bad patch and while you are waiting for counselling. the two can work very well together.

[accessorizequeen]

Hi yellowfeathers, I'm sorry you're feeling so rubbish. The panic attacks in particular must be very difficult to deal with. I had similar issues when ds1 was born (ds2 arriving in dec) and had struggled with anxiety and depression in pregnancy. What's on offer does depend on the resources of your gp surgery - some of them have counsellors in house, or even a psychologist or just use links with the council or SureStart.

I saw my gp and she arranged for a mother-baby link nurse (I hope that's the correct phrase) to speak to me, she came to my home every week just for a chat for about 6 weeks. It was really good to just have someone who would listen to me, and that may be all you need at this point.

Later on, when my pnd worsened, I was able to see a psychologist within the practice for CBT which was fantastic. I saw her for six months, but sometimes referrals can take a while.

also, when I was struggling in my first trimester of this pg, I was offered an appointment with a psych nurse via SureStart when I went for my booking-in and although I felt better & didn't take the appointment I can contact her at any time if I'm feeling low again so SureStart might also be a good contact for you if your gp can't help with a referral or the wait will be too long.

Your gp or psych nurse or indeed anyone that you speak to in this capacity will probably ask you to take the Edinburgh Test for Postnatal Depression. You & your dh might find it helpful to see how you rate on this - it might help him understand just how bad you're feeling as it doesn't sound as though he's really taking it that seriously if he wants you to 'battle it on your own'. Sorry no time to find it online right now, but if you google it you should be able to find a link or I can post one later.

There's also an organisation called MAMA which is to support women with PND and you could ring them, I know nothing about them but the number is 08451203746.

Having had PND once, and depression half a dozen times, battling it on your own is just about the worst advice I would give - the best thing you can do for yourself, him and your children is to seek help asap. It's a natural reaction for many people to think that sorting it yourself is the best approach but it sounds as though that just isn't working for you, it's only getting worse. You are at the prime time for developing pnd (4-6 weeks after the birth) but help now could hopefully stop it in its tracks so I hope you get some answers on Wednesday. All the best, AQ.

[divastrop]

my gp does the edinburgh test as standard procedure at the 6 week post natal check,but if yours doesnt then tell them how ur feeling.
maybe you can get some info on PND for your dh as well as it doesnt sound like he really understands anything about it.i know men tend to deal with their problems by themselves and sometimes fail to understand why women need to seek outside help.if he can see that its an illness,then maybe he will be able to offer more support

[OttercumCoypu]

yellowfeathers i am sorry you are feeling like this..
i have\recently been troubled with anxiety and referred for cbt but the wait is so long 9 - 12 months. in the meanwhile i have been given ssri's which do help a lot with anxiety. i resisted for a long time but was basically told i would not be offered cbt if i did not show willing to help myslef....hth

[YellowFeathers]

thanks for your replies

accesorizequeen, i'll ask about surestart although i'm not sure if there is one in our area.

i'm pretty sure its not pnd. i did the edinburgh test last week and it was low and i'm quite reassured by the fact that the anxiety has isolated periods i.e. when i'm on my own.

my nanna coming last night has caused a big argument between me and dh but i know now that he really does not understand. i'm hoping he will come to my check up appt with me so that maybe the gp will be able to get him to understand. it makes it worse knowing that he doesn't really get whats going on.

[flimflam]

hiya
I've been experiencing panic attacks over the last 3 weeks. They feel like they are getting worse. I'm SAHM to a great 2 yr old - no trouble there but for some reason I just panic when I'm left to my own devices. I ended up having a bad time a couple of weeks ago and my OH came home from work and took me to the drs. I felt very guilty. GP was quite useful and more understanding than I was expecting. Prescribed some beta blockers which helped a little although I don't want to go down the pills route but having not taken them over the weekend, I felt my heart racing again for no reason.
Definitely push your GP. Good luck xxx

[accessorizequeen]

Yellowfeathers, you can look up surestart services online here

If it's mainly anxiety, then some counselling or particularly CBT sounds like it would be most helpful to you. And I hope your dh does go to the gp with you, you need his support but he's clearly finding it hard to understand - a lot of people do. Good luck when you see the gp.