I would also urge you to go see your GP again, get it all off your chest, DO NOT be ashamed Gaz. YOU count, sod what the other people think, tough if they're narrow minded idiots, YOU are the only one that counts.
I've struggled with bouts of anxiety and PTSD and depression over the years. I've had Crohn's since I was 12 (I'm now 38), loads of operations and grim procedures. I found my Nan dead a week before a mojor op then last year I found my Mum in the same situation, luckily she survived but she's now paralyzed and confined to bed. I'm now her main carer and my Dad has had to go into a care home (he has dementia). At Christmas the stress just knocked me off my feet, I was having panic attacks 5, 6 times a day, thought I was going to die all the time. REAL BAD! I developed new weird physical symptoms. My legs would feel like acid had been poured on them, then after a few hours they'd go numb and tingle, lets just say I really freaked out! I've never seen a doctor for my anxiety before but this just pushed me off the edge.
My GP did loads of tests, which we all normal, he said my anxiety had gone through a threshold and become physical. He arranged for me to see a councellor and prescribed citalopram for the anxiety, I ended up not taking it though.
These last 6 months have been an utter nightmare,. I've gone from thinmking I was gonna have a stroke to thinking I had MS or mad cows disease or some other deadly scary disease, I had a very hard time believing it was anxiety. I then became depressed and my moods were all over the place, I'd cry all the time.
After waiting 4 months to see a councellor I finally got an appointment, I've had 7 sessions, each wednesday and I have to say it has worked wonders! Over the last 3 weeks things have really started to improve. Were challenging my anxiety. My councellor has been amazing, he's very pleased with my knowledge of anxiety and how it works, he's validated my reasons for suffering with it and he talks me through the worry and irrational thoughs with reasoning and logic.
I can proudly say I've been panic attack free for almost 2 weeks!
What I've learnt
Don't have too much time to think, keep occupied.
Eat well and exercise, take a multi vitamin and some fish oil if you're appetite is not good.
Get plenty of sleep (the above will help with this) camomile tea and a bath before bed also helps!
Learn to challenge the 'what if's' They can be really damaging and are completely useless.
DO NOT Google symptoms, Dr Google is EVIL!!
And TALK, find someone who understands and will listen, and have a good talk about stuff. This can be a doctor, councellor, friend or family member. Now before my councellor I didn't have anybody to talk to who got what I was going through, my Hubby was fed up of listening to me and we'd end up arguing so I went online. I found a site called anxietyzone and their forum is absolutely amazing (no disrespect to RAWK lol) There are lots of people over there who will gladly help you out with reassurance and advice and they totally 'get' what you are going through!
Honestly Gaz up until a few weeks ago I though my life was over, I didn't want to die but I though it's inevitable soon. I couldn't see anything getting better because I felt so consumed with horrible feelings and I was so scared. I was scared to go out because I thought my legs would collapse on me. The first challenge my councellor gave me was to walk alone to my appointment, it scared the crap out of me but I DID IT! and I've just built on that. For the first time this year I'm starting to feel normal and optimistic again, and I've managed to do it med free, no disrespect to people who need them it's just I wanted to avoid them becuase I already take a shit load of pills for my Crohn's.
Sorry to go on a bit but I wanted to give you some hope, you can feel good again! All the best gaz!
Gill