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folklaur
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| Posted: Sept 12 2008 at 4:15pm | IP Logged
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So I just had to call to try and get help with my panic disorder.
It seems our health plan is great...except for that.
I have to go to a place for an evaluation. Which I tried to explain to them that one of the problems I was having was agoraphobia so leaving the house is an issue right now. Can they do a phone eval? No, they don't do that. Okay. Great. Well, if going out to their office wasn't an issue for me, I actually wouldn't need to be calling for help. I know I am being difficult.
And, I am really concerned that they are just going to hand me an SSRI. My dr. in AZ agreed with me that I really don't need an SSRI - I have no signs of clinical depression at all, even though it usually goes hand-in-hand with anxiety. He wanted me to take Xanax as needed. (every time I went through our "mental health service" plan in AZ it was similar to what I seem to have here...and they would prescribe me an SSRI, which I told them I had no plans on taking, so I got classified as non-compliant. My dr. couldn't work with them directly, and so it was a bit useless.)
Sigh. I just can't leave the house, because I am so paranoid about having an IBS attack that it causes both that and a panic attack.
anyway. just was frustrated as I got put on hold a zillion times as no one knows what to do with me.
me, neither.... 
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trish
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| Posted: Sept 12 2008 at 8:41pm | IP Logged
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Sorry Laura. I'm no help  Just sending some prayers and hugs. 
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Sept 12 2008 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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cactus mouse wrote:
anyway. just was frustrated as I got put on hold a zillion times as no one knows what to do with me.
me, neither.... |
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Oh, Laura, I'm so sorry you're carrying this cross! God knows what to do with you! And, I know He loves you so much! I'm sending my prayers that He will send you the practical help you are asking for and a doctor who will be understanding of your needs and able to help you!
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Jen Mackintosh
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mellyrose
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| Posted: Sept 12 2008 at 11:59pm | IP Logged
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Laura, I have no advice for you, but please know you're in my prayers.
I hope that a solution can be found that works for you!
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Melanie in AZ
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Carole N.
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| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 3:39am | IP Logged
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No advice, Laura, but lots of prayers!
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Carole ... in Wales
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 7:04am | IP Logged
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Praying for you, Laura.
I agree that it's ridiculous to decline an initial phone consult to someone with your health issues. Maybe your AZ doctor could call them and explain?
{{{hugs}}}
Nancy
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crusermom
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| Posted: Sept 13 2008 at 8:11am | IP Logged
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Sending up prayers, I hope they can come up with a good solution. Problem with doing consultation over the phone is that you have then established a doctor/pt relationship w/o seeing the patient - if something happens the doctor would be liable. We can thank the legal system for some of the less than friendly ways doctors need to operate these days.
Mary
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SueW
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| Posted: Nov 19 2008 at 2:11pm | IP Logged
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Laura,
Jumping in here at a later date and the problem may have resolved itself by now, but... if you're afraid to go out due to fear of an IBS attack, I've sort of been there.
As it turned out, I was having IBS symptoms due to gluten-intolerance. Once I went off gluten my digestive problems went away. Have you been tested for that?
The diagnostic tests can be a blood test, a stool sample test (you can order this yourself through Enterolab), or (most invasive) an intestinal biopsy. The easiest way to find out if you're gluten-sensitive is to give up all gluten for two weeks and then "test" your system to see if you can handle it. But you have to be strict for those two weeks.
Hth, and prayers too of course!
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Sue
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Nov 19 2008 at 2:46pm | IP Logged
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Oh, dear, Laura. How quickly can you say Catch-22?
I am praying that something actually helpful works out.
Peace,
Nancy
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aussieannie
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| Posted: Nov 19 2008 at 2:53pm | IP Logged
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Laura, here is a book I highly recommend Gut and Psychology Syndrome it is simply brilliant and it connects IBS and anxiety, depression etc together as all resulting from the same problem.
Offering memorares for you as well!
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hereinantwerp
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| Posted: Nov 26 2008 at 2:13am | IP Logged
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(((prayers and hugs)))
In the past few years I have been in a healing process, with counseling, which has helped me so much. What a miracle after so many years of praying for help---to find that help really IS out there!
I am thankful that our insurance (through the state of WA.) DID cover the counseling---but I also found that even if they didn't, my counselor was very willing to negotiate an affordable fee. I do not know if you could get a referral to a good counselor, or ??? I was really wary of counseling b/c of one bad experience in college. But I started really cracking up and the help became necessary, or I became desperate enough--! I have learned since that there are people who really have studied these things (panic, trauma, the brain and body), and they have found techniques and such that really DO help--there is a way out!! This has felt like a miracle to me. I am kind of sad I had to look outside the church for this help---but---at this point I am just very, very grateful, and my counselor is one who respects and supports my faith (important!) even if she doesn't share it.
She had me work through a workbook that was so helpful. Growing Beyond Survival It helped me develop (nice and slowly, at my own pace!) the skills to be able to control my "panic reactions"--instead of them controlling me (and my life!). Until I felt a bit more control over the panic and the constant "emergency feeling" of my life, and got to sleeping at night (that was my big issue), I really couldn't move on to dealing with the deeper things. Establishing the feeling of safety--that has to come first. Also I learned that many things I never recognized as panic-related, that I just took for "how I am", were really part of PTSD. A book called Trauma and Recovery helped me too--I recognized myself so much in some of the chapters it was scary. But it was exciting, too---to know I wasn't just "crazy", wierd, or alone!
I do not know about your specific phobia, I see on amazon there are a lot of things about this specifically that might be more helpful ??. Did the panic attacks come BEFORE the IBS? I guess whether your problem is physical or emotional at the root would make a difference in finding the help you need, but it seems like with panic, there is usually some logical reason or experience behind it . . .
just realizing this topic is a bit old and I hope you've found some answers and help! Feel free to pm me if you want to talk to someone about panic or trauma.
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nanc9r
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| Posted: Dec 01 2008 at 12:37am | IP Logged
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I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this! I too suffer from panic attacks. I do take an SSRI right now (Lexapro). There are many reasons why I never wanted to be on medication for this...I thought I could just "wish" it away. No luck for me. Therapy along with medication has helped. Mine started with the birth of my first child...a form of Post Partum Depression...or so I thought. As it turns out, looking back over the years, I have suffered panic attacks all my life....I just didn't know what they were.
Anyway...there is help out there! Therapy is something that I'm not sure you should miss. There are great books and support groups. Now...I realize that your agoraphobia sort of makes some of this harder....but I know that the therapist will come to your house.
God is holding you up through all of this and he will bring good out of what we perceive as bad....I promise you this!!! 
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folklaur
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| Posted: Dec 02 2008 at 2:01pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all for your advice, ideas, opinions, and prayers. It is very appreciated.
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Topic: such a stigma, but what can I do???
