Hiya
… I really need some advice please? I’ve had MS for over 30 years & it’s not been easy but I’ve got through things.
But I’ve reached an all time low … I’m anxious, stressed & having panic attacks and really don’t want to leave the house. I am on the list for help from the NHS - Talking Therapies but that’s a couple of months away! I’ve not felt like this before and it’s awful.
Any suggestions on how I can get myself back on track?
Thanks
Sue xx
Oh Love , I’m so sorry, I’ve been diagnosed since Feb 2007, straight in at spms, i first had irirtis in 1990, so just lived with it, but my heart goes out to you, I too am finding it harder, things took a real turn this March, when I’ve ended up permanately in an electric wheelchair, indoor and out 
its such a hard condition to come to terms with, thankfully I can talk to hubby and friends/ family, have you any family.friends that you can talk too ? if not just come on here, take good care and chin up.
Jean x
Hi Sue. My guess is that we’ve all been there to some extent. My sympathies to you.
Things that I’ve done are:
Antidepressants/anxiety pills from my GP,
Getting myself some counselling sessions - it will cost but some counsellors advertise that they deal with MS patients and similar
Mindfulness/ meditation- I know that this can sometimes appear as a panacea for everything but I’ve found mindfulness useful, calming and stops my mind from rushing off e.g into worst case scenarios
I haven’t used it but the MS Society help line might be a useful service
I’ve made use of a local MS support service - for physio/ exercise support but I know that it and others throughout the UK offer counselling services ( I think that somewhere on this MS Society website you can find lists of local services)
There are also local groups of MS folk who meet, chat etc and no doubt share problems etc
Also as Jean/Greenhouse says just have a daily ‘chat’ on this forum. To varying degrees, we are all going to be familiar with what you are experiencing. I’m here most days and happy to chat
And finally: In the past I’ve found that writing things down - - sort of writing a letter from me to me and expressing my fears, anxieties also helps ( quite a a lot sometimes!)
All the best
Speak to your GP and don’t be afraids to take meds if required - I couldn’t manage without them - MS can affect the happy parts of our brains and come on here and chat to us
thanks for your concern Redman, but I’m doing ok, thankfully I don’t need any meds, I just talk any issues I have through with my hubby, family and friends and that does the trick, you take care and chin up.
Jean
Hi Sue,
I’m newly diagnosed, but have had anxiety and panic attacks in the past, to the point it literally made me sick.
The counselling helped me a lot, along with Fluoxetine (absolute life saver for me) it took the edge off, and made it so that I could get through day to day stuff.
Talk to your friends & family, take up exercise - there’s something for everyone on youtube which is a great way to get started. And if you want a giggle look at the old police and firefighter Lip Sync Challenges - they have brought a few smiles to my face on the dark days.
Keep your chin up, you are strong and you will get through this.
That’s good, whatever gets you through it all - chin up and there are many here to support
Hi Sue,
Just wanted to reach out and say hi, how are you getting on?
Take care.
Thanks Jean for your reply
Yes I do have family and friends to talk to but, I know it sounds like an excuse, they don’t understand! They suggest that I see a GP with a view to being prescribed antidepressants. I don’t want to as I’ve taken them before and they made me feel yucky which is why I want to try talking therapies. It’s a shame the wait is so long.
You are right about looking on this site as it does help as I know others understand and are going through similar things.
xx
Hiya
Thanks so much for your message. To be honest I’ve continued to feel anxious, fed up and overwhelmed with things but I’m determined to pick myself up.
I defo think I’ve turned a bit of a corner over the weekend but it’s taken 2 weeks! I don’t remember feeling so fed up for so long before.
Thanks so much for asking how I’m doing! It’s totally out of character for me to be so low for what seems like ages!
Hope that you are doing ok? xx
Hi,
No problem, I know what it feels like to feel so low you kind of lose yourself for a while.
Feel free to drop me a line if you’re feeling out of sorts, or just need a chat, will try to help if I can.
I’m ok thanks, just a little tired today. xx
Hi,
Psychological therapist here with a MS diagnosis of RRMS.
Stress and anxiety can be a contributing factor to our poor health.
I’m sorry to hear that you are struggling. The Talking Therapies pathway can be quite a wait. I guess you can begin to think about what your triggers are of your anxiety/stress.
Relaxation techniques can be really helpful to tackle the physical impact of anxiety. Breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation.
Try to stay present focused as much as you can. With anxiety we generally tend to live in the future a lot of the time. Worrying about what might happen or could happen. You can’t solve something that doesn’t yet exist or hasn’t happened. So it’s about recognising any hypothetical worries, let them go. Don’t stay with the worries, shift that focus of attention to the here and now. Practice mindfulness to help you stay present focused.
The only way to overcome anxiety is if you face it head on. Stop any avoidance. Learn to tolerate the uncomfortable feelings. Appraise the anxiety in a less threatful way. One needs to build tolerance to the uncomfortable feelings and the only way to do that is to continue to do the things that are anxiety provoking.
Just some general advice, I hope you find that helpful.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence based treatment for anxiety and panic. This is the therapy that will be the most beneficial to you by the sounds of it.
Below is a link to some self help which outlines CBT interventions:
Hiya,
Just checking in - how are you getting on?
Hope you’re doing well.
Xx
Hiya
How are you doing?
I just tried to reply and managed to reply to my own post - oops! lol.
Hope youre doing well?
Xx
Thanks!
Yes it is good to talk.
Hope you’re feeling less tired today but ms fatigue is so draining?
I’m defo feeling a bit better these days but the last few weeks with anxiety have left me struggling to walk even more. I just don’t want to go outside as it’s so much physical effort. xx[quote=“eeyoregirl, post:1, topic:73378, full:true”]
Hiya
… I really need some advice please? I’ve had MS for over 30 years & it’s not been easy but I’ve got through things.
But I’ve reached an all time low … I’m anxious, stressed & having panic attacks and really don’t want to leave the house. I am on the list for help from the NHS - Talking Therapies but that’s a couple of months away! I’ve not felt like this before and it’s awful.
Any suggestions on how I can get myself back on track?
Thanks
Sue xx
[/quote]
Hiya
Thanks so much for asking me! I am a little less anxious but still not very
enthusiastic about anything and not keen on leaving the house!
Hope you are ok … how come you are messaging in the early hours … guess you too have trouble sleeping?
Sue x
Hi Sue,
Sorry you’re having a tough time.
I spoke to my MS nurse this week and the outcome was basically ‘use it or lose it’ but put in a nicer way of course. I too have struggled with walking and had a fall this week, which has knocked my confidence (what little there was), but I"ll be damned if this thing is going to win. It’s caused so many issues, like you leaving the house is the last thing i want to do, but having said that today i go on a spa day with my aunt, she has had such a terrible year and desperately needs a pamper day, her year has been far worse than mine (not a competition I know) but sometimes its good to remind yourself that there are people far worse.off than you. (This is what works for me) and i tried some breathing exercises the other day after my fall, calmed me down and gave me time to focus on the here and now. I’m not really one for this but it actually helped. Focus on how you feel now… Breathe in and out slowly, i used counts of 4, when you breathe out let those feelings go, just be in that moment where its just you and the world, i listened to the birds chirping for a few.minutes while doing the breathing exercise, and I did actually feel less worried and a little more in control. it was just a small thing but it meant so much.
Fatigue and bad sleep do not go well together. I’m stressing about my fall, the fact i will have to have appointments with continence specialists and physios, and my return to work which looms ever closer.
Sorry I didnt reply sooner, it didnt show that you’d replied and i just looked as I wondered how you were doing.
Hang in there. Xx
Hi Sue,
Hope you’re doing ok?
Still here if you need to talk.
X
Hiya
Thanks for asking!
I’m trying really hard to think of the positives in my life … but this flipping MS is always there being a pain! Hope you are ok?
x