My anxiety - help please

[acer92]

i've read this forum for ahwile but i feel like i really need to post

i got given propranolol 2 weeks ago and took 2 last tuesday and friday and then
on saturday, i went down to the kitchen and put the kettle on and suddenly i felt really light headed my chest felt awful and i was worried i was genuinely going to die, i got rushed to hospital

ecg/blood tests/pressure/ etc all came back positive, this also happened in january but id have no effects till saturday

and in the hospital while wiaitng to be seen i kept almost passing out and it was horrific

I got sent home and since then, i've been an absolute wreck, i got rid of the propranolol

constant pain/ feeling in my chest
absolutely terrified im going blind
feel like im going to pass out
i cant concentrate on anything
i feel on edge 24/7
i can't socialise, or relax
feel like im going to pass out when i start walking about
feel like i cant breathe
tingly feeling in my chest and body
urinating constantly
neck pain
chest feeling liquidy

all these are constant with getting much much much worse where i feel incredibly panicy and cant focus on anything and less worse sporadically

i just can't see how this is anxiety, this is literally ruining my life and i keep wanting to go back to get properly checked out, there must be something serseriously wrong with me, im just absolutely at wits end.. even if i get a moments relaxation, the feelings come back instantly

surely this can't be anxiety?
i just want to cry
please help

[phil6]

Hi Acer
Anxiety is a bitch .... All the symptoms you describe fit exactly with anxiety.
They are very real symptoms and yes they can feel extreme, but, and there is no blame here, the more you fear the way you feel, the more the feeling persists.
We all have physical symptoms which we don't like. This is an understatement as they can be absolutely terrifying. But you have to get your head around and start to believe that they are caused by adrenaline. And the bad news is, the more you fear the way you feel the more adrenaline you will produce.
The good news is it feels like hell, but it is in fact harmless. It helps a little to know this because it reduces their grip of fear they have over you. You are feeling the sensations of fear, but you have to lose your fear of the feelings. Try and have the attitude of, ok I feel anxiety, allow myself to go with it. It's hard but be willing to feel it all and try and loosen your grip on yourself. Nothing is going to happen. Try and make it worse .... If you want to!
Oh, and just to make it more difficult, you need not believe your thoughts aswell, these are all part of anxiety aswell.

[acer92]

Hi Acer
Anxiety is a bitch .... All the symptoms you describe fit exactly with anxiety.
They are very real symptoms and yes they can feel extreme, but, and there is no blame here, the more you fear the way you feel, the more the feeling persists.
We all have physical symptoms which we don't like. This is an understatement as they can be absolutely terrifying. But you have to get your head around and start to believe that they are caused by adrenaline. And the bad news is, the more you fear the way you feel the more adrenaline you will produce.
The good news is it feels like hell, but it is in fact harmless. It helps a little to know this because it reduces their grip of fear they have over you. You are feeling the sensations of fear, but you have to lose your fear of the feelings. Try and have the attitude of, ok I feel anxiety, allow myself to go with it. It's hard but be willing to feel it all and try and loosen your grip on yourself. Nothing is going to happen. Try and make it worse .... If you want to!
Oh, and just to make it more difficult, you need not believe your thoughts aswell, these are all part of anxiety aswell.


constantly though? i thought anxiety attack just came and go but im just constantly in 'agony' really, and recently ive felt tight chest, a tad light headedness and nausea after eating

and the constant chest tightness and difficulty breathing and i mean almost non stop which seem to increase when sat down or stood up walking, how is it anxiety? i feel like i cant function with walking and the like

i don't know what to do because it feels like real pyshical problems 24.7

do you think smoking an ecig could make it worse?

[AlexandriaUK]

Anxiety can and often is 24/7 what you are Thinking of is panic attacks, they are the things that vary time wise.
I hope you believe me when I tell you that what you are exsperiencing is horrible symptoms of fear, trouble is we tend to only believe the feeling and become incapable of logic, the Hospital wouldn't have let you out unless they thought you where ok and tests where ok as well.

[acer92]

Anxiety can and often is 24/7 what you are Thinking of is panic attacks, they are the things that vary time wise.
I hope you believe me when I tell you that what you are exsperiencing is horrible symptoms of fear, trouble is we tend to only believe the feeling and become incapable of logic, the Hospital wouldn't have let you out unless they thought you where ok and tests where ok as well.

i appreciate the messages phil & alexandria

but i have wierd feelings in my neck like its full of lumps and the blood vessels might burst

and can anxiety really make me have the symptoms described constantly? like barely any breaks?

i try and think postitively and just say it's anxiety and it's nothing but it feels so real i just can't not believe its something seriously wrong

even eating has made me feel really sick and painful

[MRS STRESS ED]

Hi acer believe it or not yes it can be anxiety ,it is so hard to believe I know as for passing out my doctor told me I wouldnt because with anxiety and panic your blood pressure goes up ,he said its low blood pressure that makes us pass out this is true ,try and remember no matter how awful you feel it cant harm you ,yes it is very unpleasant try your best to accept its anxiety .

When you accept it is you can start to recover ,try some cbt if you havent this can really help you ,I think almost all of us understand you and were your at we have been there or are still there wishing you well love xx

[acer92]

really appreciate the replies

but is it possible to be pretty much fine till saturday when the incident happened and then to be pretty much bed bound for 4 days straight? i was fine before then

is walking and feeling feint really a symptom of anxiety? i feel like theyve missed something

im trying and trying to accept its anxiety but i dont feel any better, so i just don't think it can be anxiety

[MRS STRESS ED]

Yeah Thats what happened to me I was in work I felt fine the next minute I
Was been sick and I thought I was going to faint ,I was bad for months I lived in my bedroom and like you I wasnt convinced it was anxiety .

The more I thought I was dying ,dizzness headaches numbness ,flashes of light twitching chest tightness and so much more the longer I had symptoms after thearathy panic groups and meds I started to get better and remember it took along time for your anxiety to build up it takes along time to recover its along hard fight but you can do it xx

[sophrbk]

Honestly, try your best not to worry! I have had just the same problems as you - with general anxiety disorder like I have the symptoms crop up all the time for no obvious reason. I spent ages feeling suddenly dizzy and spaced out, having moments where my neck felt really tight etc only to have the doctor tell me it was all anxiety!

if it will set your mind at rest, it won't hurt to go back to the doctors and share your concerns. They're here to help after all :)

[acer92]

i just got into bed to watch a movie when suddenly i felt pain in my left arm and then chest and i started to feel extremely panicky

is that anxiety? i feel so so so so awful at the moment, i could cry, i just want to live a normal life!

[phil6]

Acer,
The thing about acceptance that we all struggle with is that it is a change of attitude.
You keep saying that you are trying to accept that this is anxiety, yet the symptoms keep coming. What you are doing is accepting for a few seconds and then checking to see if the symptoms go away. This is not accepting.
Your tense rejection of your symptoms and the desperation for it to go away is what is keeping you feeling this way.
It's hard because even if you completely accepted and let go of the fear completely, the symptoms would stay for a while. They will calm in time, but you have to allow this to run its course.
You are battling away to rid yourself of this, but it's the battling that is causing the feeling.
Don't measure your acceptance by how you feel, just take some slow deep breaths and stop hammering yourself with all this doubt. You cannot control or fix this,,,, so stop trying to... Let it go.
Phil

[acer92]

hey thanks for the reply, i'm in a rush at the moment as i have to go out for the first time since saturday

as im walking around my house i feel quite lightheaded as if i may faint and feel like my breathing is poor

when these symptoms happen, i want to just crawl into a hole and avoid any contact with anyone and feel depressed

is a good step to just think "look, i need to be positive, it's just sensations, and try and feel happy and face my fears? even though that sounds horrendous as i worry i will die/faint/heart attack/ all of them!

can i be how i use to be? i feel like a different person, i don't laugh, i can't look forward to anything, i feel like my mind is not there anymore, this time last week, i was in a great mood, excited for the weekend.. i just feel pure hopelessness

thanks

about to go out.... im so scared

[sophrbk]

It absolutely is a good step! Something my counsellor recommended to me was the following, because the physical symptoms of anxiety are very similar to those of excitement: tell yourself you accept your feelings, but as those of excitement, and try and think of something you're excited about. It feels silly at first but it genuinely works, and that's a similar idea of forcing a positive mindset on yourself.

Another idea, is accepting but then challenging your thoughts.

For example, you might think 'my chest hurts, I feel really ill, I'm really worried,' but then say to yourself 'yes but I already spoke to my doctor and he's told me it's anxiety, and I know these feelings will pass.' Again, feels silly at first, but coping with anxiety is all about learning how to control and deal with your thought processes :)

[aprilmoon]

That's a really good idea,I think I'll try it.
What I have found,is that when you stand up to this big bully called anxiety,he can be a real cowardly custard!

[acer92]

hey thanks for the replies
i managed to gout but felt really uncomfortable and there were a few moments where i thought i was about to pass out, felt very warm throughout

at the moment, i feel like i'm struggling to breathe but im only breathing very slowly and feel light headed

what could be causing this?

do you think 24mg nicotene ecig could make things much worse?

[acer92]

i'm intrigued if you can put any picture to what i just experienced

i was sat at my computer and suddenly out of nowhere

my chest felt like it was pounding
i felt really faint
shaking uncontrollobably
felt really hot especially in my face
tingling all over my body esp in my stomach/chest
thought i was going to faint
faint/tingly type feeling

it seems to have gone now after 10 minutes or so although i still feel abit faint/tingly/lightheadedness and feel really on edge, why would the after effects be like this?


how is this anxiety? it felt different to what happened on saturday and has lasted much much much shorter, i feel quite a bit better atm, wereas on saturday i was pretty much crippled all day, really appreciate any replies, this forum is really helping, but im on the waiting list for CBT, so this is my only output with people who suffer/suffered with similar things

i took a diazepam about half way through, so 10-15 mins ago now.. i do feel wierdly a tad calm at the moment.. scared to say that though in case i jinx it

appreciate it

would you recommend stopping using my very high nicotene electronic cigarette?

[Fishmanpa]

would you recommend stopping using my very high nicotene electronic cigarette?

Nicotine is a known stimulant and can aggravate anxiety issues.

Positive thoughts

[acer92]

is feeling generally feint and unwell really anxiety?

[aprilmoon]

Possibly.
A lot of people are surprised when they first experience it,the many guises it can come in.

[Sunflower2]

Those symptoms you mentioned above when you were sitting at your computer - I get them when I'm driving and have a panic attack. It can be pretty scary, especially while controlling a car!! But it always always passes and I do relaxing breathing to calm my body down which works after a minute of breathing slow and steadily.. Breathe out for longer as this makes your heart slow down more and stops you from hyperventilating too I've found. And then you will start to feel a bit better and in more control! It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I use it as a tool now for challenging my anxiety, knowing that if I do panic I know a way to calm it down.