CBT appointment.

[Littlecook]

I was wondering how many of you have had to have cbt and if you also suffer with anxiety.Every day seems to get harder specially with appointments, I can't talk very good ,yesterday I was at the doctors and I struggled to talk ,I've now told my wife that from now on she will need to be with me for all my appointments, I'm getting very worried how this bloody fnd is effecting me deep down .

[Lady4]

Hi, if you are struggling with anxiety at appointments, would any sensory tools help. Fidget toy, sensory roll on, weighted lap blanket for example and also you could prepare yourself with some grounding techniques

Its a good idea to have asked someone to go with you, especially if you are struggling to absorb all the informative at times.

I feel for you, but addressing your fears around the condition and looking at it a day at a time (instead of predicting your future and getting distressed about things that perhaps didn't go as planned) is a positive and a step on the road to recovery.

[GrEeNbEeNs]

I suffer from anxiety everyday I get pains in my heart,I only go out once a week for shopping I get really nervous if I have to make a phone call because I stutter and forget what I wants to say.I write things down before I go to an appointment and even that's a pain in the arse because what I want to write sometimes doesn't come to my brain and I just sit and stare at the writing pad,I end up putting it down and get back to it later,even my writing has been affected by FND.I get anxiety about everything I constantly feel wound up even if i'm sitting trying to relax and watch the tele even at that I havn't got a clue what's going on.Have you asked your GP for medication for anxiety.When I spoke to a psychiatrist about my anxiety all he said was when you feel it starting I was to take slow deep breathes and pull in from your stomache.I have heard people saying that CBT has worked for them but I suppose you have to be willing to put the work in.I have got an appointment today and I feel ill about going out the dizziness and dissociation makes me feel like I don't know where i am or what's going on around me that causes me anxiety.Anxiety is a symptom of FND I find it very hard to control mine because there's so much going on in my head like,what's am I going to t do wrong today,the pain and weakness, i'm getting older how am I going to cope,my memory getting worse that really worries me.I hope the CBT works for you.I know you constantly worry about how FND is affecting you that might be because you've not that long been diagnosed,I hope maybe in time you can come to terms with it and learn to live with it a bit better EASIER SAID THAN DONE TAKE CARE.

[GrEeNbEeNs]

I really feel for you when I read your posts,I feel the stress and the worry that your suffering you can tell that your really struggling everybody copes with things differently,it will be harder for your aswell if you were used to going to work and now struggling to do a simple tasks.Some posts on here really get to my heart ❤ yours is definitely one of them.

[Westie_1]

Hi Littlecook

I hear you and totally understand how you are feeling. I feel safer indoors which has totally damaged my social life and even has a knock on for work too. I think I drive all my family mad with my anxiety and phobias tbh. I have had 3 lots of CBT and am currently waiting to see another psychologist. I would give it a go though as we are all different and what works for some does not work for others. But you won’t know until you try. Ive started taking a family member with me for appointments as I feel stronger with the support, so if that makes you feel better then that’s great too!! Plus they can ask anything we forget. I also have a rubber stress can, which I squeeze, roll on (calm/relaxing) for my pulse points and I like to listen to neowake on YouTube. But that is when my head is doing ok 👍 I also have a salt lamp in my room and also a diffuser which I put aromatherapy oils in to help me relax ( again does not work for everyone) This really is a journey for us all and you will come to know your strengths and weaknesses as time passes. I send you so much strength and support and if you where in front of me I would give you the biggest hug my arms would allow. Stay strong and yes I know that’s not easy sometimes, but try anything and everything to help you feel better in yourself and keep going as best you can. Try and do small things and take the positives when they come because they will!! It’s took me about 5 or 6 years to stop my face from drooping and speaking normally again and I’m getting there! Still not back to my normal face but hey what’s normal anymore 😊 Please look after yourself 👍

[Lexilu]

Yes I have had CBT and counselling. The counselling was better for me and helped me a lot. CBT wasn't for me for PTSD. I think it's more difficult for men to express themselves but I think that giving anything that might help u a try is worth a shot. I wish you all the best.

[Panther5000 in reply to Lexilu]

I am doing it now. I found a therapist that is willing to learn and take the journey with me . There is only one FND therapist in my area and I don't have much hope he is on my insurance. She has actually helped people with medical problems they had no idea of the cause. So she has learned somethings from those patients that have helped me with my stuff. It is work but the more you can keep an open mind and put the work in the better it goes.

I have found mindset plays a huge roll in my FND. At first I worried about things because so much is unknown. I decided to ignore the what ifs and take the here and now and improve it each day. Expect set backs and find out what works for you. I didn't wait for the doctors I have had too many let me or my family down. I have had kids that have had issues the doctors haven't helped with. I have had to figure things out on my own then find a doctor that would help and work with us. Or we did research on how to help them and found what worked. So I didn't wait. I did as much reading and research. Sometimes it has been a comment or a thread I have read on here that has helped. I was having my brain thinks my left leg was no longer there in the middle of a ski trip. Because of my research I knew increasing the sensory stimulation might help so I stomped my feet until it reconnected. I still got a few more runs in before I got to tired. Also someone gave the advise to only use around 70 percent of energy on a good day and save some for the next. That helped with my fatigue and brain fog. It is frustrating to hold back when you are feeling really good because so much has piled up that you may want to do but it is like any illness energy conservation is how you let your body get better. Right now I got a new exercise from my neuro PT and it is making some symptoms worse but because of what it does for the brain I am going to continue for a time to see if it makes it better in the long run. As long as it doesn't increase them too an unacceptable level that is. I have noticed the more I focus on my symptoms the worse they get. I observe and check in throughout the day to make sure I don't over do it. But don't get too upset by them anymore. It is easier for me to say this since I have very few symptoms to contend with. Some I have successfully resolved on my own others I have needed help with. And some days new ones crop up but they seem to be mostly annoying. The pain in my thighs was no joke. But I don't have that anymore. I also love to stretch because if I find the right ones it helps with my pain. Sorry this is so long but maybe it can help someone find something that can help them.

[Lady4]

I think if talking through your fears, receiving validation and working together to find resolutions would be beneficial for you.