Hello, I'm New (As Well!)

[Ange P]

Hi, thought I'd try and find out more about panic attacks, anxiety disorders and agoraphobia, and to meet people who suffer from them. I have suffered (on and off for around 6 years now) with panic attacks, anxiety and more recently agoraphobia. A bit about myself first, I'm Ange, aged 35, married and live in Wales. I suffered my first panic attack at a wedding reception six years ago. I just came over all dizzy (before I even got into the hotel) and was physically ill and had a terrible fear of going inside. I just couldn't go inside after that. I had to come home. Since then, I found it more and more difficult to leave my house, even to the shops, but made myself go. It was always a relief to get back home afterwards. Even a doctor's appointment was an ordeal, having to wait. My doctor prescribed anti-depressants to begin with but they didn't agree with me, so I came off them and I tried Inderal, which seemed to work. After moving house (stressful for normal people anyway) I started feeling better and enrolled on a year long college course, but towards the end of this the old horrible panicky feelings came back and I felt down again. After another house move (with my husband's job) I started to settle down again and forced myself to go out to work. It was only a part time job, but it was a start and it got me used to going out. I used to get horrible stomach cramps each day and it was always a relief to come home. Soon after I was offered a full time job and I was really nervous, not knowing whether I'd stick it, but somehow I got through the first week, then the second, then weeks turned into months and the horrible feelings I used to experience each day seemed to get less and less. Two and a half years on, I'm still there and really enjoying it. I feel quite pleased with myself sometimes when I think at one point I used to cry if I had to go out of the house. I still get nervous each day before I leave for work, but those feelings usually wear off towards lunchtime. More recently though, for about three months now I've been experiencing some of the old horrible panicky feelings again. Stomach cramps and feeling sick, but this time they last all day while I'm at work. I'm always looking at the clock, waiting for 5pm so I can come home. I'm annoyed with myself really as I don't know why this is happening to me again, when I enjoy my job and I get on with everybody there. I had a week off last week and made myself go away for a few days, just to see how I was. I still felt panicky and couldn't wait to get back home. I found the No Panic website and have got the written recovery programme, which I've just started. I'd love to be able to just go anywhere without feeling panicky, so any tips would be greatly appreciated from anyone who has suffered like me. Sorry to ramble on, but it's the only way to describe it! I hope to chat to some of you soon. Luv Ange X.

[jackie]

so glad youve come so far and hope you can give some tips too

well done you

jackie

[PUGLETMUM]

hi ange, i'm also new to this site,a nd new to using the net for help since january. i am affected worse by my panic disorder(not to sujest that i've felt any worse than you'just mean that i've never really been normal anyway!) as i don't have any close family members that i feel comfortable with, well my mum died 13 years ago and i was abnormally close to her. anyway blah blah, you have done really well to get this far as your panics could have kept you away from the world far more than you let them. what a credit to you that you felt terrible but still carried on. i would say that unfortunately if you've felt it once you can be susceptible to feeling it again, so i think you will have to tackle this period in the same way as you handled the last time - tell yourself that it will go and you have to keep doing things because if you don't it gets worse not better - avoidance of the symptoms just makes them increase and in more and more situations, it sounds so simple i think ,but believe me i know how hard it is, been struggling with agoraphobia for the last 6 years also and i know what a nightmare it is even when you know what you've got to do to get better emmas

[giddy]

Welcome to the forum Ange
Love Helen

[manmoor]

Hi Ange,

You are very welome.

Take Care

Mandy

xx

[chucklehound]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Take care

Chuckle

xxxx

[hayles]

Hi and welcome

Hay x

[trac67]

Hi Ange,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends.

Take care
Trac xx

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[panicannie]

Hi ange! welcome to the forum.
Just a little note to say that we all know what your going thru, Im also from wales and found this forum out of despair! I also suffer with anxiety and panic and its a lonely place to be, until you find that your not alone. I actually have an appointment for reiki today!(my first time) and i'm nervously excited(cue panic!) I decided that it was time I tried somthing different instead of relying on meds and willpower alone. Sometimes its easy to feel like throwing in the towel, but there's always somthing within that keeps us ticking!! You have made such positive acheivements with you career and this is a blip!!! Dont let it set you back tcxx

joanne

[panicannie]

Hi ange! welcome to the forum.
Just a little note to say that we all know what your going thru, Im also from wales and found this forum out of despair! I also suffer with anxiety and panic and its a lonely place to be, until you find that your not alone. I actually have an appointment for reiki today!(my first time) and i'm nervously excited(cue panic!) I decided that it was time I tried somthing different instead of relying on meds and willpower alone. Sometimes its easy to feel like throwing in the towel, but there's always somthing within that keeps us ticking!! You have made such positive acheivements with you career and this is a blip!!! Dont let it set you back tcxx

joanne

[Ange P]

Thanks to everyone for being so nice and welcoming. Your comments really cheered me up! After joining the forum yesterday, I had a better day at work today, not so nervous and edgy. My mind was on my work more and before I knew it, it was time to come home! I managed to eat more, which I've had problems with, as the anxiety has made my appetite go downhill. It's only during the day I can't face eating much (I'm afraid of having a dodgy stomach) but when I come home I make sure I have a good feed!! After reading some of your stories I realise that some of you are feeling even worse than me, so if I can help, please give me a shout. The only way I've learned to deal with the agoraphobia is to face up to my fears and set little tasks for myself, like mini-challenges, if you like. My husband is as supportive as he can be, and I'm lucky to have his help, but sometimes I feel he doesn't understand all I'm feeling. He sometimes encourages me to go out, even when I don't want to, even if it's just to a garden centre or a car boot sale at the weekend, just to get out and become used to going out. The unpleasant feelings I get will hopefully in time go away (again). I hope I've put this message in the right place. Just trying to suss out the forum! I'll usually come online in the evenings, so hope to chat with more of you soon. Ange X

[panicdiva]

Welcome aboard Ange - you'll get loads of support here.

[pedngirl]

Hi Ange
Welcome. Look forward to chatting to you!

[emmy]

hi welcome to the forum hope you find what you need here

emily

xxxx[8D]:D

[nomorepanic]

Hi Ange

Welcome aboard and lovely to see you here. Hope we can be of some help.

Nicola

[Paddington]

hello Ange,wow you havedone well as emmes said you have gone thru the fear and lived your life so you will ge thru this blip too.I now believe ,due to this site,that the easie we give in the worse it gets not better or easier at all,it turns into agoraphobia in the end,been there!I now go out and take each day as it comes,a bad day is just that,one day!Congrats to you,and keep up the positive attitude.love mary-rose.xxxxxxxxxxxx

we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore