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Hi all, some of you might remember I posted about my anxiety about the war, about 3 months ago approx.

Shortly after posting I went down with horrible migraines and dizziness on standing.  It gradually improved and I've had things like this before and it's been hormones, but it's been so much more intense.

While I'm improving I'm still having some episodes where I stand up and feel like I can't walk without going dizzy etc.  

I have anxiety about going to the doctor about anything and it's been made worse because lately the doctors just say 'oh well, if you can't come and be checked we will have to wait for psychology services.'  Yet the right doctor would have talked me into being checked over.  So now the whole thing is compounded.  The doctor said it might be my hormone treatment and low blood pressure.  I worry that it's something way worse.  I also worry that I damaged my heart during that heightened stress over the war.  I was pumping out so much adrenaline over it.

I slept this afternoon because of a busy day yesterday and tonight I was way too dizzy outside my house after getting out of the seat and it took a long while to feel stable.  I can still stand but it's not right.  

I'm on the list for psychology services, should I email them and tell them I think it's becoming more urgent?  I have had tests in the past and told there's nothing wrong with my heart etc, but also aware things can change and I can't bear the thought of more tests.  Not without help.

I don't know if my anxiety about this is part of my ocd or I'm just catastrophising?  Hormones are definitely playing a big part but I am worried about other things.

 

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I don't know for sure, but objectively, it looks like you have all these different issues and while some could be causing you problems, it may not all be linked.

The war is bound to increase your anxiety. The dizzyness when standing is as your doctor said probably hormone treatment and low blood pressure.

With your heightened anxiety it does sound like you are obsessing. Your heart checked out.

So see if you can make any adjustments to your hormone therapy. Low blood pressure means just stand up slowly, let the blood have a chance to reach your brain. (ie: find ways of adapting) and see if you can raise your blood pressure slightly to what's called normal levels.

Anxiety about the war is shared by us all. 

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5 minutes ago, howard said:

I don't know for sure, but objectively, it looks like you have all these different issues and while some could be causing you problems, it may not all be linked.

The war is bound to increase your anxiety. The dizzyness when standing is as your doctor said probably hormone treatment and low blood pressure.

With your heightened anxiety it does sound like you are obsessing. Your heart checked out.

So see if you can make any adjustments to your hormone therapy. Low blood pressure means just stand up slowly, let the blood have a chance to reach your brain. (ie: find ways of adapting) and see if you can raise your blood pressure slightly to what's called normal levels.

Anxiety about the war is shared by us all. 

Thanks, yes I think I'm linking it all up.  Worse fear that I damaged my heart as the stress was terrible for a week, pumping out adrenalin all the time, all day, every day.  It was to do with my perception of things at the time.  I've read that this can happen.

Or some other heart problem is my fear.  It's a huge fear.  I won't even go and get my blood pressure checked because of it.

I just wanted all my symptoms to calm down as I am on the list for psychology services, and I was going to address my difficulties in getting medical assessments etc.  But meanwhile symptoms are pressing.

I had a really long day yesterday and so today I slept in the afternoon, which I never used to do, then tonight, migraine and then later pounding heart on standing and enough to last a good 5 minutes.  So then I'm telling myself that my heart is weak and I can't cope with long days as I would if I were healthy.

You are right I need to get hormone treatment adjusted and see how I am, it's so much harder at the moment, seeing a doctor is hard and now I've got to the stage where I don't want to see them because I'm anxious.  I used to have a team of doctors at my surgery that were so reassuring.  I don't mean reassurance if it were false, I just mean they had that good 'bedside manner' and were able to convince me that it was ok to be checked over.  Something has gone wrong with all that in the pandemic and with those doctors having now retired or moved on.

Thanks for your help, I will focus on adaptations for now.  I was very dehydrated yesterday and went to bed like it, so I will try not to do that as I think it's affected me today and may be a big part of the problem.

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I could relate to the low blood pressure problem. And feeling faint and dizzy when standing up. Until I realised what was happening.

But I have a problem with going to the surgery or the hospital. One incident put me off the surgery and covid put me off the hospital.

I used to get echiocardiograms of my herat valves occasionally, but don't want to risk it at present

It's definitely worth checking your blood pressure as it's a very good indicator and it's amazing what they can fix.

But your hearts probably fine, the body can handle a level of high anxiety and adrenaline for a while.

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Thanks Howard

if I persist with exercise I'm usually fine and can walk about normally, on hills and everything.  The problem is when I'm static or sat down and then standing, but it can last a long time after standing.  

I know my heart is functioning well enough to take me up hills and stairs etc if I've been moving for a while, though not from sitting.  I mean I could push it, but I wouldn't.  But at least it can cope with sustained exercise once it's sustained.

Yes I must get my blood pressure done.  Not sure why I'm so anxious about that.  If it's high we can get it down.  If it's too low, it's probably not a major problem and can be managed.  It's just I associate checking blood pressure with checking the heart and I have just developed this 'thing' about avoiding all checks 🙄

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Hi Julie,

I don't want to comment on your health issues/ perceived health issues.

I think you're catastophising and your thinking about health issues in general is distorted. Rather than focusing on getting more health checks done, which scares you anyway, I suggest you ask how long it will be until the psychology services can see you and try to start that as soon as possible.

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