I'm in need of funds for Laboratory Tests

[heders]

Quoting because my last answer came on the last page:

Exactly! The doctors are not trying to fool you. If they say you are fine, you are. They are not conspiring against you.

This is an outtake from the Linden Method which I would like you to read:


"STOP VISITING EVERY PRACTITIONER YOU CAN FIND
Ok this sounds simplistic but it is very, very important. We need to prove to your conscious mind that a doctor’s reassurance is not required, that no anxiety sufferer needs a doctor in order to be well again; we need to break the anxious cycle which perpetuates your anxiety by constantly reminding the subconscious mind that reassurance is needed. The subconscious mind requires ‘reprogramming’ in order to break down the anxious instincts or habits which drive you to need reassurance at all.

If your doctor has diagnosed anxiety disorder, that is all the information you need. Returning to the doctor many times won’t change that! Whilst diagnosis is important, the treatment received is paramount and this Method is THE treatment! The ONLY way to conquer this Pillar is to ‘practice’ the new ‘non anxious’ habit. The more you consciously prevent yourself from seeking reassurance from doctors or anyone else that you approach, the less you will need to do so. Very soon the neural pathways in the brain that created the old, anxious and negative habits will be obsolete and the new habits will take over.

Think back for a moment, how often have you visited a doctor since your anxiety developed? Probably quite a few times. Chances are that apart from writing prescriptions for medication or making referrals to other practitioners such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, all the doctor did was offer reassurance that you are not ‘ill’ (some doctors don’t even do that!). OK, so if that is all you are going to get from a doctor ... why go? I mean, logically now, haven’t you had enough reassurance? You could go to the doctor a million times and get the same treatment, answers and ‘shrug offs’ every time ... what’s the point?

DOCTORS AREN’T REQUIRED!!! STOP THIS ANXIOUS HABIT
NOW!


You might ask yourself “how on earth can this be done without creating more fear and anxiety?” Diversion! Every time a negative thought pops up or a new experience or symptom appears, disempower it; do not allow the thought or sensation to etch new, or reinforce old, habitual behavior. The moment your anxious feelings appear, do something else. Put loud music on, sing along with it, telephone someone (but don’t mention your anxiety). Do this until the symptoms subside but DO NOT contact anyone for reas-
surance. See Chapter 5 on diversion. The anxiety response is being switched off by practicing this. Persevere and recovery is inevitable. By continuing this anxious behavior, you are practising being anxious and your recovery may never come. This pillar is only valid for anxiety disorder issues. Of course, if you experience any other problems it is advisable to visit your doctor, just don’t discuss your anxiety.


“The fearless are merely fearless. People who act in spite of their fear
are truly brave.”
James A. LaFond-Lewis "

Here's another one:

"STOP RESEARCHING YOUR CONDITION
Doing so will only distract you from the truth and the solution which can be found right here. The only information about the physiology of anxiety you will need is contained in this Method Pack. You will find mention of every symptom and if it isn’t listed, call the support staff, but DO NOT surf the web or read other anxiety information!! You have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder by a qualified doctor and your symptoms speak volumes! You have anxiety disorder ... accept it and move on. By researching your condition you are constantly reminding your subconscious mind that you have an anxiety condition – you are also learning about new symptoms you may not even have. Once you have read the information in my ‘Anatomy of Anxiety’ section, put this book down, believe what you have learnt, know in your heart that it is the truth, that you don’t need any more information and that there is nothing else wrong with you that you or your doctor might be overlooking. Diagnosis of anxiety conditions is accurate, YOU HAVE ANXIETY!
Distract yourself every time you feel the necessity to look at my ‘Physiology of Anxiety’ section ... test yourself ... just see how strong you can be!


From this point on:
•Don’t surf the web for information
•Don’t buy books or visit libraries
•Don’t ask people questions about your condition
•Don’t read and re-read my ‘Physiology of Anxiety’ section

Prove to yourself that you DON'T need reassurance, that because you are incredibly strong, (you must be to tolerate and cope with your condition for so long – every day you are getting stronger), you can cope alone. Develop this new ‘No research’ habit, practice it and make it instinctual. Once that new neural pathway of learning is built, it will become second nature and you will be one more step from recovery. You can do this."



Precious: I'm not writing this to shatter your world, but I know that you are not ill. I just want to help you! You have anxiety, and that is what's causing these symptoms. And you are an incredibly strong person, like all anxiety sufferers, to have had coped with this for such a long time. You have an extremely strong mind which creates all of this symptoms. Nothing is wrong with you!

[Frosted]

BTW Precious - we've ALL suffered from anxiety, sometimes extreme and sometimes mild, so we know what the symptoms are - they can be quite debilitating and manifest in various very real symptoms. You feel physically dreadful because your body is storing cortisol (edited from cortisone - not cortisone) - you need to give your body a rest from this powerful steroid.

Anxiety is the most basic and powerful human instinct - it keeps us alive, but when it gets out of hand it makes us ill by producing hormones that attack your body in many different ways. It obviously stops the body from resting by keeping us awake too. Each and every one of us have to keep this in check for our own wellbeing.

Be aware of how tense you are whilst reading this. Are your muscles alert? If so relax them, one at a time from your forehead right down to your toes. Is there a knot in your stomach? Constantly check yourself for tenseness - then you'll be starting new habits. Every time you think an anxious thought - block it. Do not dwell on it. You're brain has been developing the wrong habits - these habits are self perpetuating until you take action to stop them.

Try some meditation apps on your phone - I've tried a few and they're pretty good. Sometimes I get to the end of the recording and sometimes I don't because I've gone.
Unassisted meditation is good also because you're teaching your brain the discipline of muscle relaxation along with thought blocking. It's quite tricky at first but then it becomes a habit.

We're routing for you mate. You will get over this - I promise, but first it's imperative to understand that it most probably is anxiety - and that it's ok.

[muddyfunkstar]

Dr Google is a quack, and he will allow you to self-diagnose with anything if you dig deep enough. Don't do it, seriously, just stay away from the web if you find yourself looking up symptoms and diagnoses all the time. Been there, done it, should be dead from all the things I convinced myself I had.

Depression and anxiety is a breeding ground for hypochondriacs, and the web is the biggest enabler available to us. I speak from experience.

I hope you sort yourself out Precious, but Heders and others are right, you need to tackle the anxiety first and foremost, then everything else will fall into place.

[precious007]

I've been tackling the anxiety for 7 years now, yet I feel so sick.

@Headers and Frosted thanks for the information but to be honest I am still not conviced.

I would like you to watch this movie:

Everyone with Lyme diseases has anxiety, its symptoms are so debilitating to the point where you get all tensed and anxious, it is typical with Lyme.

I'm going to see a doctor this week and hopefully if I will have the money to take the tests I will also be getting them. Something is telling me that it's not only anxiety in my case.

[heders]

After 7 years of daily anxiety, with the body running on full power all the time: of course you will feel sick, achy, fatigued and tired! Just like I you would be running constantly for 7 years in a row... you would be dead tired afterwards! That's what happens with long term anxiety sufferers. Again, it's nothing dangerous, but just the way it is! I'm still sure that it's not anxiety, but it's like he explains in this video; you get bitten by a mosquito and develop a yellow bump on your arm and go to Google to see what it is. One website says it is completely normal, and just a bite from a certain specie of mosquitos. The other website says, if you get a yellow bump on your arm, it's "blablablbalbal"-disease, and you will die in seven days. Which do you listen to?

Please watch the whole video through.

[precious007]

hey headers,

the guy is 99% correct, some of us are really more sensitive than other but when you DO have all the symptoms that I have which are very similar to Lyme it's really hard not to think about having Lyme disease.

And what IF it is Lyme disease after all? I cannot pronounce myself unless I see the tests and get the doctor to see the test result.

I mean I know what anxiety is from inside out, but my joint have started to degrade badly, I have memory and concentration problems, severe headaches and all, severe backpain .. believe it's hard to believe that it's all anxiety alone.

I'm 27 and my joints all crack as if I am 90, not to mention all the muscle spasms and zaps in my body and brain (like electrical current).


Headers, I really wish it's only anxiety

And thanks for all the support and information.

Here's a quote from someone with Lyme Disease from a forum:

Hey Alex, what is, is. Whatever is ailing you will not be changed by any test you have done.

Your symptoms sounds so reminiscent of Lyme Disease but that's just me talking. Can't make any assumptions.

Debilitating is a word I used often and the fact that you use it, adds to the credibility of it being Lyme.

Alex

[Roo]

Can you get the tests done for much cheaper in Belgrade, Chisinau or Odessa? Take a train? Even though I think Heders has some great advice, you are making it obvious that you absolutely will not and cannot feel better until you get the test.

[precious007]

@Belgrade, Chisinau or Odessa

It's hard to believe that in these cities the test would be anywhere close to ACCURATE.

In Romania, some of the most respected doctors that treat Lyme conditions only recommend two centers:

one of them is a large private laboratory and one of them is at the largest hospital in Bucharest. Any other laboratories are faking the tests, or just not doing them accurately. You need high tech microscopes/ that work on dark field technology .. I think you get my point.

But thanks for the opinions. Taking the train to those cities is another expense of a coupel hundred bucks. (at least $200)

Alex

[Roo]

The more severe, potentially debilitating symptoms of later-stage LD may occur weeks, months, or, in a few cases, years after a tick bite. These can include severe headaches, painful arthritis and swelling of joints, cardiac abnormalities, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement leading to cognitive (mental) disorders.

Do you really think you are one of "the few" cases of delayed-onset Lyme disease? The information I am reading from the American Lyme Disease Foundation says that 90% of all cases begin with a severe and localized skin rash. Which is to say, in combination with the many other symptoms that present themselves within days/weeks of infection, you would have known your ailments were the result of that tick that bit you over a decade ago. It is extremely rare for Lyme disease symptoms to present themselves many years later. Think about that Precious -- extremely rare. I think it's time to get into the mindset that your problems are not from Lyme disease. Deny your brain that association, and see where that takes you. See how you feel after several days of telling yourself it cannot be Lyme disease. And get off the Lyme disease forums!! Of course those people are going to convince you that you have it, just like we are going to convince you that tobacco is good for you Good luck.

[heders]

Do you really think you are one of "the few" cases of delayed-onset Lyme disease? The information I am reading from the American Lyme Disease Foundation says that 90% of all cases begin with a severe and localized skin rash. Which is to say, in combination with the many other symptoms that present themselves within days/weeks of infection, you would have known your ailments were the result of that tick that bit you over a decade ago. It is extremely rare for Lyme disease symptoms to present themselves many years later. Think about that Precious -- extremely rare. I think it's time to get into the mindset that your problems are not from Lyme disease. Deny your brain that association, and see where that takes you. See how you feel after several days of telling yourself it cannot be Lyme disease. And get off the Lyme disease forums!! Of course those people are going to convince you that you have it, just like we are going to convince you that tobacco is good for you Good luck.

Totally agreed!

[Frosted]

May I point you to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol This is serious stuff and points to all the symptoms that you are displaying.
People say that stress won't kill you - I beg to vociferously differ. That's an old wives tale - a myth. Stress will kill you.

Please research the effects of prolonged cortisol on the body before you go for your test. If you still wish to go for that lyme disease test - good luck to you.

[Ansel]

Why did you come off the SSRI Precious? Would you think about starting to take it again?

[heders]

May I point you to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol This is serious stuff and points to all the symptoms that you are displaying.
People say that stress won't kill you - I beg to vociferously differ. That's an old wives tale - a myth. Stress will kill you.

Please research the effects of prolonged cortisol on the body before you go for your test. If you still wish to go for that lyme disease test - good luck to you.

As true as the things you write are, I've got to say that it's extremely dumb to write such things to an anxiety sufferer. Now he will worry about that as well with the thought that he will die from stress (which takes a life time of severe stress if it would be an issue), look up information, symptoms, and get more anxious as a result of this.

What he needs to do is STOP with all the researching - not research another disease and other symptoms.

[Ansel]

I think you need to take an SSRI again and/or have CBT.

[heders]

Why did you come off the SSRI Precious? Would you think about starting to take it again?

SSRI medication is not needed in anxiety. Anxiety is not a chemical imbalance, but a behavioral condition. It starts with an anxiety attack of some sort, and then you get afraid of the emotions, thoughts and sensations produced by it, which adds more anxiety. This then creates a circle which has to be broken. Charles Linden's method is about acting like a non-anxious person and using diversion tactics. This will teach the subconscious mind (and the amygdala which acts like the anxiety thermostat) new behavior and set the anxiety benchmark to a lower, more appropriate level.