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[Mumalmighty]

Hi Elliemay oh I totally empathise with u, only last week I started a thread 'cold flushes' during the day thou  the same down both arms and across my chest and a few nights of hoping I wud awake in the morning with such frightening anxiety attacks but with no Reason at all to me anxious other than constantly thinking about my symptoms day in day out. Yesterday I had a nice day out with my friend and her child and my kids we had lunch and a nice bottle of prosecco. Now this is something I never do cos I'm usually so wrapped up in house work, childcare, dog care etc etc. We moved house last November and didn't have a holiday last year we've been settling in to our new house and gradually getting straight anyway my point is I've done nothing just for myself in a long time. Well today I've had another friend round just for a cuppa ( the kids r off school) and had a good Chinwag, i haven't felt so normal in a long time and today I haven't had one pain killer first day in a long time. I haven't thought about all my ailments and symptoms and I've felt well? it's like  a miracle. It might be a coincidence I don't know and tomorrow might be different but I just had to share cos for ages and ages I've been just like u and the cold down my arms torso etc frightened me to death cos never had it before. Do u spend a lot of the day alone normally like me? I just wondered as ur symptoms r so similar as r a lot of ladies. i realised I need to see my friends more often it's really lifted my spirits and at nearly 49 rearing 4 kids for a total of 20 years I think it's about time I did a bit more instead of isolating myself in the name of being a devoted wife, mother etc etc. Sorry to rave on but I cud really relate to ur post  hope ur ok today 💐

[Elliemay]

Thank you so much for the replies, :-) Im finding this all so helpful honestly, yes i do spend far too much time alone and have hardly any money so the stress of having to feel okmto get more self employed work is enormous. i havent been able to do any proper marketing because these weird symptoms have taken over. i think ive been trying to pretend they arent there and just work through them, it led to depression and major apathy over winter, this pelvic thing is just the worst. I seem to be able to function a bit better now but still getting the weird symptoms.i think that when you have anxiety anyway, if a new symptom happens that you've never experienced before it can just seem insurmountable. and i must admit that my GPs have been less than understanding. Ive been feeling like everyone thought i was a total hypochondriac, exaggerating things or making them up, when in fact ive been putting one hell of a brave face on some very distressing symptoms. if only it was possible to give friends and gps a taste of what you are actually feeling, they'd be in tears running for their Mums!

Im sorry that you are all experiencing similar but very pleased it isn't just me!!

TinaOptimist, thanks so much for all the advice, ive been prescribed amitriptyline but am scared of the weight gain and also the withdrawals...Dr Google said some people had problems even at low doses. plus i have this stupid medication phobia blocking it.

[TinaOptimist]

Hi Elliemay,
Honestly I felt exactly the same about amitriptyline but then I spoke to a close friend who reassured me that 10mg was such a tiny amount and her daughter was using it who is 19 and she was finding it so helpful to relax. My friend is very anti-medication so I thought if she was ok with it then it would be ok. I started with 10mg and felt the positive effects immediately. I used to start shaking again as it wore off. My nervous system really was jaggling and my pudendal nerve is part of that system so it is not surprising I was struggling to get calm! I upped it gradually to 40mg but that felt weird so I reduced it to 35mg. I began to feel in control of how I wanted to use it. Oddly empowered even though I was using medication. Anyway I gradually felt calmer so came down to 30, then 25mg, then 20mg then 10mg over a period of a few months. I even cut tablets smaller to reduce amount as I felt I needed it. Then I started to forget to take it. I realised then that I knew deep down I didn't need it. Now I just take a 10mg when I have had several nights of poor sleep. It works a treat.
This is the first real medication I've ever taken. Didn't even use contraceptives so believe me I really understand your reservations. But I felt in control because I upped it and then reduced it over a 3 month period and the doctors gave me a repeat prescription so I could explore for myself what was the right amount for me.
It really was an amazing help and I feel positive about it. I saw comments online about becoming dependent but 10mg is a tiny amount and I felt in control of the drug even if I didn't feel great about my anxiety.
I hope you can find ways to relax  Apps for deep relaxation are free and I found these so useful. I agree with Mumalmighty about not being alone all the time. I belong to a choir which is £6 a week and I only have to pay when I turn up. It helps me to forget and get happy. Also walking is free and that is great too. If you could find a cheap Pilates session or get a DVD and practice? Anything basically that is relaxing and distracting and you enjoy I know it's hard if money is tight. What kind of stuff do you like doing? 

[Maryjane]

Also amitriptyline can be got in syrup form re tapering down , better for some .

GPs don't like prescribing it as expensive this way.

[TinaOptimist]

I went to the doctors every week for 8 weeks on the trot and got so anxious I ended up typing up my case history to give each doctor as just repeating it all made me worse. Funnily enough the doctors seemed to take me more seriously and also said it was very useful seeing everything chronologically. They were very helpful eventually and recognised the anxiety was getting a hold. I had only ever met 1 or 2 of the doctors at the practice before my UTI/thrush descent into anxiety/panic attacks! They were accommodating to me and the more I felt understood the better I felt too. I also now know which doctors to approach for the most help
I also have Vagifem in the drawer. I tried it for a week but as I had undiagnosed thrush at the time I only did 1 week because then I got the test results and stopped as I wasn't sure if I needed it. Did the Canestan etc. Still not sure. Everything is much more settled now and still improving - 3 months later. My vagina must be quite a sensitive soul. Never had a UTI before and thrush only once so not got much experience of how long recovery takes?! Had my first 4 months without a period so changes are ahappening