Hi, I am really getting fed up of my Health Anxiety issues and problems I have had previous posts and I have suffered with Anxiety for 5 years now, from a Heart Attack to various Cancers to a Brain Tumor. I was given CBT and Sertraline 50mg up to 200mg and I improved and was free on Anxiety, I then stopped taking the Sertraline a Year later my Anxiety is back bigger than ever, it all started when I ate a Nut and went into a Panic Attack I was never allergic to that nut it was just a Panic Attack. since then I have just got worse and worse I will now avoid nuts like the plague, fish, certain fruit, Indian food which used to be my favourite anything and everything and when I do eat I am always Anxious about it, it is sometimes worse than others. I really don't know how I am going to get over this or what I am going to do I have hinted to the GP about being tested for allergies but I have never been persistent. I have started therapy again which is completely useless and my GP prescribed me Sertraline again which I absolutely will not take fearing allergies, or any medication now even paracetamol. I have been getting Sucidal thoughts even though I haven't acted on them because i couldn't life the rest of my life with this. Health Anxiety, it has took over my LIFE made me depressed effected my self esteem and changed me generally as a person.
So basically Dusty you've had a relapse but frightened to restart Sert, you know you haven't an allergy to it as you've had it before?
You probsbly know in your own mind that you haven't an alergy to any of the foods you've mentioned but I guess you've developed a phobia to them because of that panic attack, you seem able to rationalise okay so I'm thinking your not anxious about alergies etc but put off eating them just in case you have another anxiety attack, please correct me if I'm wrong.
If this is the case I'd advise you to take the meds as they helped you before, with phobias it's a case of slow exposure so start with eating a very small mouthful of fish and build it up to eating a nut, you should find you don't have an allergy abd your anxiety will slowly go as you desensitise yourself.
If I'm wrong with my assumption then I'm sorry, we can look at overcoming your health anxiety.
Neil
Hi Aspinan,
Yeah, I am fully aware I haven't got an Allergy to Sertraline.
I do and it is irrational thoughts and thinking but I agree that this has developed into some sort of Phobia.
I am Anxious about Allergies not the Panic Attacks because I have convinced myself that I have these Allergies but in the back of my mind I know it is irrational and that I don't have Allergies.
Yes I think I'm going to visit my GP again as this has been going on for a year as I am unable to crack this Phobia myself and see what she suggests and go back on my meds.
I have got pretty good awareness of Anxiety and I know my triggers and coping strategies I am able to control it and have even in the past had period were I am Free from it I think if I was to cracking this Phobia I would be on the road to recovery it's just this one niggling problem.
Thanks for your response 😊
Lucy