Severe stress and anxiety need advice please.....

[daisy]

I am under severe stress and anxiety all of the time,mostly related to my ocd,but also i would say a lot of external issues(not related to my ocd,but they have had a big impact on my OCD)

What i would like to know is has anyone suffered from very severe nose bleeds,with a blinding headache,and feeling nauseus?

I have had 2 severe nose bleeds today the first one lasting over an hour (i dont usually suffer from these) plus a short time ago i had another one,but not as bad.

I am a bit concerned,but mainly around having to go to hospital,which at first i was advised to,then my GP said(over the phone) that if it happens again after the first one to go down to the hospital,but i am petrifiedI I will go though if i have another one,but i wondered if anyone else has suddenly started these.I have been told that it could be high blood pressure,when normally mine is low.

I know no-one can advise me as this isn't a health site,and i truly hope i don't trigger anyone's OCD,i will totally understand if this is removed,but as i said i just wondered if anyone else has had this problem,and really what they have done about it?

I am not asking for re-assurance,because i already know that prolonged stress can do a lot of things.

Many thanks for reading this x

Edited November 14, 2015 by daisy

[Guest Stu.]

It sounds like you should go to the hospital and get checked out daisy. Is there anything you can do to decrease your stressful lifestyle?

[daisy]

Hi Stu thank you for your reply,Iam going to see my GP definitely in the week about checking my blood pressure, but even doing that is very anxiety provoking.

If I get another nose bleed I hope I can pluck the courage up to go to hospital or as a friend mentioned today,a minor injuries unit,which I could possibly cope better with.

As for reducing my other stresses in my life I'm not very optimistic about,I am trying to get help for my OCD and trying to battle it on my own,but I guess I really do need to stick with relaxation methods and eating more healthily.Plus I need to sort out my financial affairs, because of my son who is in a care home.

It's just that when you are so very very depressed and everything you do causes anxiety it really is so hard to motivate oneself!

How are you Stu?

[Guest Tricia]

How are you now, Daisy?

A bad nosebleed is so frightening and it just shows how severe your OCD is when you are so reluctant to go to the hospital. Please do see your GP on Monday and get your blood pressure checked. Be careful not to blow your nose and do consider going to A & E if you have another bad bleed. xx

P.S. I was writing this before you replied to Stu, Daisy!

Edited November 14, 2015 by Tricia

[daisy]

Thank you for your reply Tricia,I will try and get an appointment for Monday for my GP as I also need to sort out about Clomipramine that he wants me to try again.I wish everything wasn't such an ordeal,it's not just that I am scared to talk to him its all the OCD stuff that goes along with it.( I know you understand what I mean)

I also need to get my results for my blood test that I had about vitamin levels to see what they are especially Vit D as I am hearing more and more about how important this Vit is,it's a pity that the thread that was started a few days ago has gone,I hope that the person who started it will write again,as I found it very interesting.

I hope you are coping as well as you can Tricia,and thanks again for your reply.xx

[Caramoole]

I also need to sort out about Clomipramine that he wants me to try again.

What problems did you have with it before?

[daisy]

Hi Caramoole,I had severe constipation,felt really sick, dry mouth and I think dizziness, can't really remember though to be honest and I think this is why they want me to try it again and for me to monitor the side effects which does make sense I know. But I have another health problem which would be made much worse by being constipated and I'm not sure whether he has taken that into account.

My problem is I go into the Doctors a real nervous wreck and am not able to explain things properly,I always feel so inferior to them,then there is the checking getting out!

I'm not against trying another drug but possibly one that doesn't have the known side effects of constipation.Plus I have tried so many over the years that it does seem I am just unable to tolerate them.

I do know now though that I really can't carry on with all this stress I have but just don't know where to turn.

Thank you for asking Caramoole x

[Guest Tricia]

Hello Daisy, has your nose bled any more? I do hope not.

I wish you didn't feel inferior to doctors (or anyone!). I do appreciate how it feels though, as I used to be the same. I don't know what changed me. Maybe when I realized many of them are incompetent!

If you think being nervous will make you forget something, write a short list with the basic points you need to discuss.

[daisy]

Hello Tricia,thank you for asking,no my nose hasn't bled anymore thank goodness,but I am feeling pretty awful,terrible headache and general pain all over,which could be my fibromyalgia!

I will make a list of what I want to say,I am just so nervous about what he will say about the Clomipramine! I want to ask why he wants me to try it again when I couldn't tolerate it before!

I just don't want him to think I am not trying to get better,because that is so far from the truth,in fact I think I may be pushing myself too much,I don't know anymore!

Hope things are a little easier for you.x

[Caramoole]

constipation,felt really sick, dry mouth

Those are what are called anticholinergic side effects and generally do wear off somewhat as you get used to it. Increasing water intake can help with the constipation and chewing sugar free gum helps the dry mouth. I found those side effects irritating but tolerable, it was the effect on my mind I couldn't tolerate.

There's only been one antidepressant that I coped with and that was a tricyclic with the same side effects, after a time I didn't notice any physical side effects. You can always try and stop if you really can't cope, no-one can make you take them and it may be that constipation, dry mouth etc is more acceptable than chronic anxiety......most of the tricyclics do also have a slight sedating effect.

[daisy]

Thank you Caramoole, I will give them another go and try your suggestions.What was the other one that you coped with if you don't mind me asking?

Is it generally the SSRi group that help with OCD symptoms? x

[Caramoole]

What was the other one that you coped with if you don't mind me asking?

It was Dosulepin but they won't prescribe it any more because of cardiac implications.

How did you go on at the Doctors Daisy, apart from the Vitamin D issue which I read about on another thread?

[daisy]

Thank you Caramoole that's the one I am on and the only one I have been able to tolerate but only up to 75mg,I have been on 50mg but am coming off of it to try yet another one!

The GP found out I have high blood pressure and have got to take my own bp for a week at home(when they have a machine in from someone else)

I also have a severe ear infection, again!

He did say that all the added stress I've had and still am under isn't helping.

Thank you so much for asking Caramoole,how are you keeping? x

[Caramoole]

Thank you so much for asking Caramoole,how are you keeping? x

Not my best time of year Daisy

am coming off of it to try yet another one!

Has your Doctor told you to come off it? If so you should taper gradually.

If your anxiety is very severe it might be worth looking up/having a word with your GP about a medication called Pregablin. It's not an anti-depressant or used for OCD but is used primarily for Fibromyalgia, nerve pain etc but also for the treatment of GAD. Just wondered as you are a sufferer of both whether it might help with both conditions.

[BelAnna]

Aw sorry to hear you're unwell Daisy and under so much stress.

Thinking of you

xxx

Edited November 19, 2015 by BelAnna

[daisy]

Sorry to hear you are not too good either Caramoole,I hope that your light will help you,and also maybe try and get a Vit D test done.

Yes my doctor has told me to come off it because I asked about another one,but to be honest as he said I have tried most of them over the years and can't tolerate the side effects,but he wants me to give this other one another go so I guess I ought to!

Pregabalin is one of the many drugs my son is on for his Epilepsy, and I had heard that they use it for pain(which probably when he broke his leg on 3 separate occasions he didn't make to much fuss,bless him,it must of helped with the pain)but I didn't know it was also used for GAD,I will ask my GP about it when I have to go back about my BP and the Vit D.

Thanks again Caramoole,take care x

[daisy]

Thank you BelAnna for thinking about me xx

Are things any better with you,i certainly hope so,

Take care xx

Edited November 20, 2015 by daisy

[Caramoole]

Have a read up about it Daisy. Yes it is also used for epilepsy, forgot to mention that. I have seen it mentioned on the forum, think it might have been Fobic Fairy but I haven't seen her around for a while

[taurean]

How are things going re looking to make changes to counter the stress Daisy? Stress is in itself a perpetuator of anxiety - so making changes to help the stress may help the anxiety.

Edited November 21, 2015 by taurean

[Guest Stu.]

Hi Stu thank you for your reply,Iam going to see my GP definitely in the week about checking my blood pressure, but even doing that is very anxiety provoking.

If I get another nose bleed I hope I can pluck the courage up to go to hospital or as a friend mentioned today,a minor injuries unit,which I could possibly cope better with.

As for reducing my other stresses in my life I'm not very optimistic about,I am trying to get help for my OCD and trying to battle it on my own,but I guess I really do need to stick with relaxation methods and eating more healthily.Plus I need to sort out my financial affairs, because of my son who is in a care home.

It's just that when you are so very very depressed and everything you do causes anxiety it really is so hard to motivate oneself!

How are you Stu?

Terrible!. I have to battle my ocd daily and also the anti social idiots noise the other side of the wall!. Im probably as stressed out as you to be honest or worse!!

[Guest Tricia]

I hope you are OK, Daisy.

I've just been reading my blood pressure book again and although stress can obviously affect BP (they even say some people only have high BP when they're having it checked at their GP's surgery) the author of this book doesn't feel stress is one of the main factors. I was also thinking how your BP has tended to be on the low side in the past, despite years of living with high levels of stress.

It is believed that other factors play a greater role. Our western diet does 'catch up with us' over the decades and processed food high in sodium and low in potassium appears to be the main problem. Lack of vitamin D and exercise play a role, too.

I often wondered why a friend and I both have low blood pressure despite decades of high anxiety, but we are both vegetarians and high BP is apparently unusual in vegetarians.

Pregabalin seems to have many side-effects for some (constipation can be awful) and I really would try to get your D level up before trying that. You may find your fibromyalgia greatly improves.

[Caramoole]

Blood pressure readings can be massively affected by stress and by attacks of anxiety, I stand testimony to that. I don't suffer from hypertension in an organic sense, my blood pressure is normal......but I do suffer from labile blood pressure which can rise to ridiculous levels solely through anxiety and then fall again as quickly. It is impossible for my GP to take a BP reading in the surgery, we don't even attempt to do so any more.

One word of caution though about taking BP at home......don't get drawn into it as a compulsion. I did and it became one of my biggest obsessions.

[daisy]

I'm really sorry for not replying sooner to all your comments but I have been away and could only get a limited time of Internet usage.

Thank you all for your replies.

I am sorry to hear you are struggling also Stu.x

[daisy]

Hello Roy,things are not going particularly well re making changes to counter the added non ocd stress really,although I am going to be looking at my diet,but at the moment there is just so much going on,I found out today my son has now got to have further tests for a gastro problem,plus I have to make various decisions about his treatment(which I find so hard to make decisions at the best of times)

Thank you for thinking of me,I hope you are improving xx

[daisy]

Thank you Tricia for your reply,my diet hasn't been very good particularly over the past year(when my cooker broke) and I must admit I have been relying too much on microwaveable and take away foods,which I know can have a lot of salt in them!

I now have a cooker but am frightened to use it,because of my contamination OCD!Plus the thought of peeling veg petrifies me,my freezer has also broken,and once again its my OCD stopping me from buying a new one!

I am starting on my Vit D though so I guess that is one positive!

Thank you again for your reply,I really hope you are feeling a bit better Tricia xx

Edited November 25, 2015 by daisy