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Appointment anxiety

C

Cobbzilla

Hello. I have Crohns and it has given me anxiety about appointments. Like going to the dentist. It’s almost like claustrophobia, I get nervous about even half an hour where I’d be in the dentist’s chair and unable to use the bathroom. The big thing is, my crohns isn’t even that bad. At home I only have bowel movements 2-3 times per day, so half an hour or an hour should be no problem at all. It’s mostly mental, but does anyone else have a routine for things like appointments? Like certain diet the day before, or Imodium or something to help convince yourself you’ll be fine?
Thanks
 
A

asadmom

OK, my answer is not gonna be what you are looking for but this is what got me through a very challenging journey as a mom with a boy with CD: Jordan Peterson's daughter and wife's health scare. Tammy did an interview on her illness and it was incredibly sad yet uplifting. Peterson's 12 rules book talked about his daughter's autoimmunity struggle.

Then I listened to his biblical series. I would draw so much strength and courage from his lectures. It's still something I go back to often when I feel the fear and anxiety are getting too overwhelming.

Sorry no diet advice. 🤣
 
L

lukesjr

Anxiety is real, everyone gets it some worse then others. The important thing to focus on is what you can control. People get anxious about things that already have an outcome.

As an example, you are going to the GI appointment right? Not going is not an option. Whatever the outcome of the appointment that will happen whether you go to an appointment or not. It is out of your control.

Spend your time worrying about things you can control versus those you can not.
 
my little penguin

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Please see a psychologist who specializes in medical coping and cognitive behavioral therapy
(Cbt) through exposure therapy
Everyone has anxiety
When it’s interfering with everyday life it’s good to have someone to help you talk it through
They can give you tools to help you deal with it
And get you through it
It will take work
No easy fix
But you can do it
 
C

Carabop1

I can relate very well to what you are going through. I try not to schedule appointments for at least 2 hours after meals so I have time to let things go through and use the restroom. When this does not work I may skip or postpone a meal until home. And last but not least is I have told my dentist or other professionals that I have crohn’s and may need to use the restroom during their procedure. So far all have been very accommodating. It also helps me very much that my dentist also has crohn’s so all the staff are very understanding. And yes I have had to ask them to stop a procedure so I could use the restroom once at the doctors office and once at the dentist.
 
C

Cobbzilla

Thanks. I almost want to search out a dentist with crohns now, lol. I think just having the conversation with them and them saying I was free to use the washroom at anytime would be such an anxiety relief. But it’s an uncomfortable conversation to have. My old dentist retired, so this will be my first time at the new dentist. I even found myself trying to get a feel for the layout of the clinic from their Facebook page, so I could see where the washroom was in relation to other rooms/patients. I totally underestimated the mental toll crohns would have. I am a farmer, so the physical health part didn’t seem to bother me as I was always working at home or out in a field in the middle of nowhere.
 
Lynda Lynda

Lynda Lynda

Member
I'm sick of being sick.
My digestive system has been sick since 1997. My dad died in 2005. I suffered a mental breakdown in 2007. I got let go from my job due to workforce reduction in 2009. Both of my cats passed away. My sister had to help me out financially 8n 2012 because I went broke before my SSD hearing. I started collecting SSD in 2013. My mom died in 2013. I can no longer afford my own apartment due to the rising cost of rent, so I have been renting rooms in strangers houses for 3 years. I had to get rid of almost everything I own, now everything I own now fits in 3 suitcases. I own a 21 year old vehicle that always needs something fixed and I am poor. I have one sister who is 10 years older than me and she has lived in another State for 46 years. She has helped me out financially on a monthly basis for a while now. I feel that I am such a financial and emotional burden for her. She does have the money to help me out, she's got the money. She's the rich sister. But she has many of her own serious health issues to cope with.

At one time I was smart and had a great job. I could support myself, had my own apartment, I had my own vehicle, I was independent and self-sufficient and had 2 pets that I loved for 12 years. Now I'm sick physically and mentally and I'm one hot mess. I take more medications than my elderly parents ever did. I'm 62 years old and my life is doctors and medicine. No activities, no friends, no parents. My brain broke 17 years ago, it can't be fixed. And I miss my parents because I miss my mom's Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas sugar cookies. I miss my dad's friendly and fun personality. Since my sisters life is in another State, I have seen her and her family once a year between 1978 and 2015. ( Now she is retired and does spend 5 months a year in my State.) I can't stop dwelling about what I no longer have. Now here I sit in my bedroom in a strangers house feeling weepy. I get more fatigued every day. I'm so tired. And I want to eat pizza, but that's never gonna happen.
 
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Lynda Lynda

Lynda Lynda

Member
@mylittlepenguin

My sister lives in Idaho for 7 months and Arizona for 5 months. ( I live in Arizona.) She is good at giving financial help, which I am extremely grateful for, but unfortunately she is not capable of giving me any emotional support whatsoever.

I hope to get some kind of quality sleep soon and more days of digestive normalcy so I don't feel so weepy.

Thank You for your kind words. 💛
 
C

Carabop1

Hugs to you. I sure know the feeling of being tired of being sick. I have had crohn’s 32 years, I also have diabetes and Parkinson’s and now have a lump on my back the doctor can’t figure out what it is and it is very painful. Going for a scan next week. Between all this I don’t get a break from appointments either. But thru all this I press on and enjoy my hobbies when I can because there are other people out there worse off than I am. Other people are so sick they are dieing. Yes there are days when I cry myself to sleep. But the best thing you can do for yourself is keep pressing on and find things that make you smile. Maybe your doctor can recommend a counselor or someone to talk to to help with depression. Most go by your income for payment and if you qualify you don’t pay. One thing I do is watch the birds out the window. I love hummingbirds so I put out feeders for them. Not anything expensive and the sugar water is cheap. I haven’t seen a hummingbird yet but some other small birds are enjoying the sugar water and getting fed so that makes me happy. Hold your head up high and press on You can do it. You can PM me any time if you want to talk.
 
R

raciohurg

Dealing with appointment anxiety is tough, especially when it's tied to health concerns. Your feelings are valid, and many can relate. Sometimes, it's the mental aspect that triggers these anxieties, even when we logically know we should be okay.

Creating a routine or a strategy can indeed help ease these worries. Planning your diet or using Imodium can offer some reassurance. Additionally, practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing before appointments might help calm your nerves.

Remember, you're not alone in this, and seeking support is important. If your anxiety becomes overwhelming, don't hesitate to reach out Mental Health Crisis Hotline - 866-903-3787 . You're taking the right steps by seeking advice and sharing your experience.
 
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Bufford

Bufford

Well-known member
Location
Northwestern Ontario
I don't have any anxiety when I am at the doctor's office, rather I use the time to think about what I am going to communicate with the doctor to have a good doctor/patient relationship where the doctor can work with me for a positive outcome. When incontinenance is a possibility or a problem those disposable diapers become a good option. Like many others I make a mental map of all the possible washrooms when away from home and have a back up plan when the washrooms are beyond reach; a pocket with extra paper comes in handy.
 
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