'I'm Terrified'

[darlin]

Dear Doctor, I’ve developed major depression after complication from surgery of my lower lumbar spine.  I attempted suicide (overdosed) over a year ago due to feeling hopeless over my recovery and lost the desire to live.  A very unfortunate incident happened while I was hospilized after surgery.  I was assaulted and battered by a rounds nurse causing me to fall and was then left in excruciating pain, crying.

This is the problem:  “I’m terrified”, I have an opportunity to have my spine and legs reevaluated as it has progressed to a debilitating state. I still don’t know if this resulted in complications in my recovery.  I have told my doctor and surgeon but this seems to have falling on deaf ears.  Matter of fact it has not even been documented as a possible complication.  How then can it be taken in consideration for a diagnosis?  Now, I’ll be seeing a new doctor.  I desperately want to get to the bottom of this. This may require surgery. I’m in so much pain and unable to do much that I feel depressed and don’t feel I can take another day of it!  “Fighting the feeling I want out!  ”I’m terrified to tell my doctor.  I feel very stressed in the presents of physicians and nurses.  I’m being treated for high blood pressure due to anxiety now.  I'm on anti-depressents and anxiety meds.  I've been counseled and have treated in pain management.  I still feel like a bundle of nerves when I'm stressed.  If they ask me if I am or if I have ever attempted suicide what well happen to me if I don't tell?  I’m learning being honest has It’s consequences.  Thank you for your advise

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You should tell your new orthopedic doctor that you want a consultation with a psychiatrist as part of your medical workup for surgery.  You should tell him the truth. If he is a good doctor, he will work with a psychiatrist, and together you will get the kind of care that you need.

[safetysandy]

I am a 29 year old woman with feelings of extreme fear and apprehension about all genral, day to day activities in life. Every time I start a new venture or task in my life, I immedialtey begin to feel helpless and often abandon what I have set out to do.  It's as if there is an unseen force that's just waiting to "swoop" down and destroy all that I am trying to accomplish.  No, I know for a fact that I am not perinoid schizophrenic, I just feel powerless and defenseless.  My husband says that I just have a classic fear of failure and that I should go to speak to a therapist about it and that he would support me in anyway that I needed it.  I desperately want help with improving my emtional and mental state, as well to conquer these debilitating thoughts and worries.  I want to do this without any mediction (medication).  Any suggestions regarding books, seminars, workshops or behavioural modification exercises would be greatly appreciated and well used by me.

[turt]

I'm just wondering if you've also taken any legal action against the person who did this to you, or the hospital?  What I think would help me in your situation, if I went through surgery again, would be to find a family member, or friend(s)who could stay with you while u were in the hospital, round the clock, so that you would feel safe.  Just make sure they know ahead you're gonna do that.
--Other lady under this one, I feel for you.  I've spent a long time feeling like that, but probably not as much.  Support would be a good thing I think.  Will your husband be supportive?  Maybe if he knows that sometimes you need someone to gently take you by the hand, and help you through a whole new situation, or learning something.  Then let you enjoy what you accomplished when you're done.  Like a young child.  After a few successes of those, I bet you'd start feeling a little bit more confident along the way.  Hope so. It's tough, but hang in there, I'm sure you can do it, even if you have to find different people to help you with a variety of things.