Help for increased panic attacks please!

I have suffered with anxiety, particularly health anxiety, for years, since I was seriously ill 16 years ago and it went undiagnosed for 18 months. There have been a lot of health issues since this time in my family- my daughter had a benign tumour in her mouth which kept recurring, my father died of cancer and my mum is in a nursing home suffering with Parkinson's disease. My anxiety and depression led to my husband having an affair and leaving me after 10 years of marriage. I lost my home and my family as he gained overall custody of our 3 children. I have a lot of contact with them now and we have a wonderful relationship. I have pulled myself out of the s*** and now have a wonderful partner and a job. Unfortunately, my health anxiety is always present and in particular, I worry about my chest and my heart. I am always checking my pulse and breathing.

1 month ago my 16 year old daughter contracted meningitis and was in hospital for a week. She is fine now but my panic attacks became so severe, especially as I went near the hospital in the morning to spend the day with her. I thought they may subside when she came home but then my partner went in to hospital for knee surgery and I became panicked at the thought of having to visit him. This made me feel extremely guilty and sad. I did visit but it was so awful. Luckily he was only in a few days.

I work as a medical secretary and this job, which surprisingly did not affect my health anxiety, has now become to much for me. I have had panic attacks in work and cannot even walk through the door. My doctor has signed me off until after Christmas and I just feel I am sinking deeper and deeper into despair. I have stopped looking after myself properly, barely do anything, struggle to even walk around the corner to the shop and cannot see any relief from this.

My doctor wants me to take medication but I have had years and years on different types and now have a phobia about taking anything at all. I even struggle to take a paracetamol!

I need reassurance and advice about my panics and would love to hear from people who also suffer from them and how they cope.

Sorry this is so long winded!

Thanks.

Jo

Hi Jo, sorry I don't have any advice for you, but just wanted to send you some hugs.:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:
Lesleyb

Hi

Sorry if this is a late post to this thread. I have had a bad couple of days and have had to ask for help myself. I just want to say that I happily i feel better today and so will you. At the time you cant help but feel it will never go away and all the old anxieties take over. Now i am at the other end again i can see more clearly now. Hope you feel better. In fact i know you will.

Hugs

K:yesyes:

hiya jodieT

you poor thing i can see why you have panics you have been through so much in your life hun sounds like you have has such a hard time :hugs: .
Have you ever talked to the doctor about getting some help to deal with all that has happend to you like cbt ect you never know it might help .and the meds well i am scared to take them to but if you think they might help you get a little better or help you then give them a try hun i mean its better than being the way you feel (i know how hard it is)
as for the panic well i have had health anx and panic for 8 or more years now i lost my little girl and it just all hit me i did get help with it and i must say it made me a lot better not a 100% but i now can deal with it when i have a pa i think ok it wont kill me it will pass i just need to stay as calm as i can, i know it is hard but i think we all get to a point were we feel this way.
and the puls checking and heart fear is just what i had i went for a heart scan ect nd all was ok as i am sure you are
i do hope things get better for you keep trying diffrent things out till you find what helps

jodie xxx

Dear JodieT i'm so sorry that your panic attacks and depression have surfaced again. I think you have done so well to get your life back together after a messy divorce etc.
It is no wonder that you have had a relapse, however try to see it as a setback instead and please don't let life slide down the slippery slope.
I did that after a trauma set things off again and ended up having full blown agoraphobia worse than the first time around.
Try to go back to work and do things as quickly as possible, otherwise you will want to stay in bed all day and it will become habitual.
It's a bad time of the year for shocks and trauma,always things seem to happen before xmas.
You sound very stressed out and i hope and pray that you will find your way through again, do let us know how you are getting on
Luv Richie xxxxxxxxxxxx

Jo,
You are an amazing person.
You have come through so much in your life!!!
If your Doctor feels Meds might help you at the minute,it might be worth trying.Remember,meds can be for the short-term not necessarily permanent.
CBT and other therapies might offer some relief too.
Good luck whatever you decide.
Best wishes,
Chalky