Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

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Ygy
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Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

Postby Ygy » Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:15 am

Hi all,

I'm aware this is not a medical site and I'm not looking for medical advice at all.

I feel I need medication at this point for anxiety and depression brought on by my 3rd cdiff diagnosis. I'm concerned bc most of these medications can cause side effects of diarrhea. This I believe would make me even more anxious and not willing to take them. Any meds that don't list diarrhea as a side effect? Or anything you've had success with??

Also I'm going to try therapy as well but since I just had my 3rd baby 2 weeks ago (and most of the few therapists on my insurance are at least 45 minutes away) I was going to try online therapy. Such as a Skype or FaceTime session. My insurance doesn't cover this but I was gonna pay out of pocket.

Have any of you specifically worked with certain counselors who deal with patients who are suffering from recurrent diseases?? I went to a counselor a few months back and he was awful and told me to read a book where some cancer patients heal themselves through positive thinking. Another therapist I tried was very kind but didn't seem to think my anxiety came from the cdiff diagnosis. She kept insisting that she had never heard of cdiff, and she reasoned that since she had never heard of it then it must not be that serious or else it would be a more commonly known disease.

Any suggestions would help! Thank you!:):)

Machaon
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Re: Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

Postby Machaon » Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:37 am

Sorry to hear about your C-diff misery and your having to deal with the anxiety and depression. Let's hope that the dificid does it's job and you will be able to enjoy your family and especially your new baby! In my case, when I suffered from C-diff, I'd never been so weak, miserable and depressed with anything else, including having heart failure.

The good news, for me, is that, after recovering completely from C-diff, thankfully to dificid, I came back really appreciating not having C-diff! Everything looked rosy. Gotta hope that the Dificid recovers you from C-diff and you feel rosy too (whatever "rosy" is?). In other words, your best therapy might be happening right now via dificid!

Good luck! Get better!

Bob
Male 77 S.Florida

900 weight lifts 750 knee bends day

Since 1987 had CHF afib asthma

I inhale $6 Flonase nasal spray for asthma :)

Ex C-diff (4/19/17- 9/12/17) after 10 days dificid

Diet:6 meals ~1500 cals 2 eggs 2 steamed broccoli, apple, bagels

roy
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Re: Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

Postby roy » Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:32 pm

I dont think an online therapist would be useful, send me $200 an hour and I could tell you anything you want to hear!
A therapist should not be diagnosing why your anxious, they should be guiding you through it.

Anxiety meds are often prescribed to help with GI issues, including IBS, it's a case of try it and see.
MOST meds list diarrhea as a side effect! even ones that are intended to treat diarrhea!
Again though I dont think breastfeeding and those type of meds are compatible but that's between you and your Dr.
Most people with anxiety problems would be more than willing to travel for 45 minutes to get help, so if helps available make an effort to go.

Lisa33
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Re: Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

Postby Lisa33 » Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:03 pm

If you are suffering from intense anxiety and depression, you definitely should find a way to seek a therapist. Since you just had a baby, I'm sure the hormones is adding to this as well. Although diarrhea may be a listed side effect for anti-anxiety or anti-depressants, I don't think it's too common as I don't know anybody that actually had that side effect, including myself from those type of meds. I think it's more important to get the anxiety and depression under control than worry about what may happen as a side effect. You should definitely talk to a doctor because anti-depressant meds can take a few weeks to kick in and you don't want to keep prolonging this if you seriously feel like the anxiety and depression is taking over. It is very common to have this from c-diff, and because you are a new mom, I think it's definitely worth getting a therapist that can help you get through these issues, and prescribe meds if necessary. So sorry you are going through c-diff as a new mom. Once time passes and the risk of relapse gets lower, the anxiety usually dissipates as well. But given that you are a new mother, you can be dealing with postpartum as well and should seek help to get through this tough period.

AllisS
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Re: Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

Postby AllisS » Mon Jun 11, 2018 7:58 pm

Agree with the others: see a therapist in person and perhaps try an antidepressant (though per what Roy said, taking these meds simultaneously with breastfeeding is probably not a good idea). Many therapists list "chronic illness" as a specialty; see, e.g., the Psychology Today online profiles -- you can tailor your search to your geographic area. It can help to have a phone "interview" with a prospective therapist; this often gives a sense of whether that person would be a good fit for you.

BTW, anyone, therapist or non-therapist, who believes that cancer can be cured through positive thought is a total idiot.
If your illness was preceded by use of a medication, e.g., an antibiotic, please fill out an FDA Adverse Event Report at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm

Ygy
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Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2017 8:25 pm

Re: Suggestions please for therapy & anxiety treatments?

Postby Ygy » Tue Jun 12, 2018 10:28 pm

Thank you all for your responses:)

I think I was very shocked initially that I wound up with a a 3rd cdiff diagnosis. The hormones, recovering from a csection , breastfeeding and caring for a new baby and 2 other little ones didn't help with the overwhelmed feelings and emotions.

After the initial shock of the diagnosis I started to gain some clarity and practice positive thinking. Being treated with the Dificid and feeling better physically helped too. Now I'm feeling much better and determined to get better and resume life:). Prayerfully no relapses. I don't believe at this time I need medication (although I'd never discount it in the future). For a few days I felt very low and depressed but I came to the conclusion that it was bc of the diagnosis. I think my response was a normal one and my feelings depression didn't linger long.

I definitely think I will try therapy again though! A phone interview is a good idea to screen for compatibility, thank you for the suggestions!:)


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