Getting worse day by day

[Wilburis]

Hi.

I feel I am getting worse each day. From the moment I get up til I go to bed, I am sooooooooooooo anxious. I feel my heart thumping all the time. I have convinced myself there is something seriously wrong, although Ive had an ECG. What other tests can I ask for to put my mind at ease?

Ever night I try to sleep, I get a heavy feeling, pressing down on my ribcage and then I feel I will pass out. This is doing my head in and makes me really scared as soon as it gets dark, knowing I will have to go to bed. When this happens, I feel my pulse and it feel normal, not racing or anything. What is this and why, please help me.

I tried to go to the shops today, with my sister as I cant go on my own. I felt really bad, like I wasnt really here, and again, I had a weight pressing down on my shoulders.

How are I going to get over this, Ive got a 5 year old and cant even take her to the park!!

What can I do?

Thanks for reading this - Liz xx

[Insomniac]

Hi Liz.

Things will get better, believe me. Last August I had bad PA in bed, and worried about going to bed for ages after.

The feelings you get are because of the anxiety. When you are tense your chest and neck feel tight, you might feel dizzy, notice palpitations more (because you're not distracted). There's no doubt bed can be a hard place.

I have found that Rescue Remedy helps. When I am really twitchy I have a bath with lavender oil, a drink of warm milk, and I read for a while. Sometimes I have lavender oil on my pillow too. I also have a relaxation exercise on the MP3 for when things are bad and I find it hard to focus on relaxation exercise or breathing exercises without help.

The breathing exercise I found on the home page, about making your out breath slightly longer than your inbreath is helpful. It helps rebalance the oxygen levels and so helps you relax, instead of having all these other symptoms which make you feel worse and makes more feeling appear. The tension in our muscles makes us uncomfortable, but breathing and relaxation do help.

My daughter is 8, and our holiday plans changed because of me last year. But this year I am so much more positive. My husband has helped a lot, just by understanding, and knowing how far to push me to get me going out again when I didn't want to. You say you sister came with you today. That's good as having someone to chat to about other things to try and distract yourself really helps too. My hubby would agree because there have been times when I rattle on about anything and nothing. He just joins in as he knows why I'm doing it.

Sorry this reply is so long. I just hope some of it helps. :)


Lisa.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

[sal]

Liz

I totally understand how you feel when i first started to suffer Sam my daughter was 6 and i couldnt even look after her on my own, she went to stay with her dad but it was his girlfriend that looked after her. That made me feel worse than i already did. I can only say it takes time, support and believe in yourself that you can get there and i am sure you can.

I really do understand and if you ever want to talk pm me please.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

[davidthegnome]

Liz, the EKG and the ECG are generally the most common tests for worries about the heart. If you've had an ECG and everything was normal, chances are your heart is just fine, you can probably put your mind to rest about it. I know what you're going through because I had the same sort of anxiety for a good long while. I'd have chest pains, stomach pains, back pains, the list goes on. I'd feel like I was going crazy or like I wasn't real. I was frightened of heart attacks for the longest time. It has greatly decreased though, all of those fears, because over time I have realized the anxiety and it's symptoms for what it is.

This is all very common with anxiety. I know it can be hard to accept that anxiety can cause all this stuff, it was for me at first, too. Over time though, learning about the symptoms and reading the posts here has helped me gain a better understanding.

Now, as for other tests, if you're really worried, I would suggest being tested for any form of diabetes, get some bloodwork done to make sure everything is ok there. Check out your cholestorol and possibly get a urine test if you think it might put you more at ease. Talk to your Doctor about this, about getting a full comprehensive physical. It pisses me off that Doctors don't always do this immediately with patients with anxiety disorders, they should. They should because, it really does help put the mind at ease in regards to physical fears.

There is also a testing method known as hair analysis which you may have heard of. I've never had it myself, but have heard that it's been of great help to people in realizing what diet changes or supplements may help them. I know of one person in particular who had a severe vitamin B deficiency and once she cleared it up was free of her panic disorder completely. I am not suggesting any of these things will cure you, or that you have any problem at all, but they may help put your mind to ease.

If your Doctor will not help you with this or you feel your Doctor is not being supportive, ask for someone who has had special training with panic disorder or anxiety. They're out there.

I'd also suggest daily physical exercise if you feel you can do it. It has been a life saver for me. Just going for a walk, or walking on a treadmill, or swimming (the list goes on) or going for a bike ride will almost definitely help you feel better.

At one point I was so afraid of having a heart attack or whatever that I wouldn't push myself physically at all. Then I bit the bullet and did it anyway. Went walking, began an exercise routine, even ran just to convince myself during a PA that I wasn't having a heart attack.

I would also highly recommend seeing a psychiatrist or therapist if you are not already seeing one. They can really be of great help. Keep an eye on your diet too, try to avoid too much caffeine, chocolate, sugar, or alcohol. Any of these things can make symptoms worse or prolong anxiety. This includes smoking, I've managed to kick all the habbits but smoking myself.

As for what you can do... there's so many things you could do. I'd recommend finding out about EFT and checking out the therapy section of this forum. CBT, reiki, there are all kinds of therapies that may be of great help to you. If you have religious faith or spiritual faith, pray and meditate often. Also, try finding something to focus on during the day or at night, a book, a movie, a conversation with family or friends, anything. Distracting the mind can really help.

Good luck and God Bless you, I hope you feel better soon,


David

[pamella]

hi just wanted to tell u ur not alone in these feeling of extreme anixety, i have them and i think night time can be the worse, it is for me.i now no i start to feel anxious about going to bed practially the minute i wake up in the morning. i hav found that listening to chat show,no matter how bad has helped me. i leave a bedside lamp on and use lavender oil on my pillow.i wish i could say something more to help u but maybe in knowing your not alone may be of some comfort to u.u will hav to try and change ur pattern of thinking at bedtime,haha easier said than done i no.maybe go and see your doctor and they might be able to help.i found reading great form of distraction also.hope this is of some help to u,

pjrobb

[Wilburis]

Hi all. Thanks so much for replying. I really appreicate the support.

Well, Ive had a really bad few days. Ended up seeing the locum Doc at the hospital on Sunday night! My heartbeat, blood pressure were all ok. He thought I was suffering with depression too as I couldnt stop crying!! He would be too, if he was in my shoes, feeling so bad.

Yesterday had to go to Kings College Hospital for a nuchal scan on the baby. Honestly, I felt like a piece of meat on the table. My womb tilts backwards so the Doc had to press really hard to see anything. He kept on apologising for hurting me and I apologised for having a difficult body!!!

Anyway, after a good couple of hours, everything is fine!! Apart from being told they found out through the blood test that my placenta might not last out the whole pregnancy and the baby may not grow properly or may have to come out early!!!!!!!! Im going mental, another 6 months of this. And Ive been Googling.[8)]

Cant get a Docs appointment until Monday next week. I am going to ask my Doc if there are other tests he can do on me, has anyone had the Holter monitor (I think)?

Sorry, but must go to bed (or try to sleep), have a headache from the stress and a bruised, sore tummy!!!

Take care - Liz xx

[davidthegnome]

Ugh, I used to google all the time too. I'd check out all my symptoms and all the diseases I feared I had, I'd check out countless different products to help with anxiety or panic disorder. After a while I found that it really just made me more anxious. Not that finding out information is a bad thing, just that constantly dwelling on things can really make us feel bonkers.

If you feel you must keep googling, do yourself a favor and just cut back on it.

It's pretty normal to have the anxiety about the heart, I don't know why this is, but it seems to get many of us. I can get anxious too even when my heart is beating fine, just by feeling my heartbeat at times I can get a little worked up.

I'm sorry you're feeling so rough, be gentle with yourself, things will get better and your worries are perfectly normal for your situation. Get lots of rest and take it easy on yourself, you've got a lot to deal with, but in time you'll feel better and calmer.

Some depression or crying is normal for what you're going through and being pregnant also heightens your emotional sensitivity, or so I've been told. As for me, I really don't get why people don't like crying. It's hard at times I know, just to let the tears run, but I always feel better after having a good cry. I'm not a guy that gives much of a fig about being super buff or masculine (most of us with panic disorder scoff at the silly notion of being stoic through it all), when I feel like I want to cry I cry, some times I can't, but I always feel better after letting it out for a while. Just gotta keep some tissues handy. :)

That said, congratulations on bringing more new life into the world. A baby is perhaps the most magical thing in this world, the most beautiful, the greatest gift. The day my son was born was the happiest day of my life, I grinned like an idiot all day and bumped into walls and kept telling strangers I had a son, with a big dopey grin on my face. When I reached down into his little bed to touch him (he was just so beautiful) and he grabbed my finger, he had an amazing grip for an infant. So strong, so healthy.

Try to think positive dear one, things will turn out alright. Our hearts are with you. I'll be praying for you and the babe, God bless you both and good luck, things will get better. Some day soon you'll weep tears of joy.

Dave