Out of control, Clogged head, dizziness

[PaladinX]

I dont know anymore. Back when I was 19 years old, in college i had a bad experience/reaction to pot in college. I thought I had a heart problem, and had panic attacks etc. I got an ekg and they said I was having anxiety. The symptoms then disappeared for years. I am 26 now and suffering from something again. It started last year, and has been going on and off for a year now. I saw my doctor last summer, got blood work done and an ekg and he said i was fine.. Yet I dont know if I am fine, or if anxiety is back and tricking me.

I notice I over react to situations. Like if someone shady walks by me at night I feel a tremdous surge of adrenaline.. But the main symptoms i have that are scaring me is feeling lightheaded, dizzy,, just not in control.. almost like a clogged brain.. It comes at different points in the day.. SOmetimes its manageable but annoying.. while other times i get it so bad I dont want to move.. I just want to go home and lay on my couch.

Sometimes my heart pounds and races and i think im having a heart attack.. When i feel really bad im totally convinced I have a major physical problem... I just dont know anymore. Should I get further tests done, maybe more heart tests or an mri?

[eeyorelover]

Hi Paladin and welcome :)
All of the symptoms you described can definitely be anxiety. I have had all of them at one time or another. The surge of adrenaline that you spoke of is your body's way of getting ready for 'fight or flight'. But if that is only happening when something like you described happens(the shady looking person) then it is normal. I wouldn't consider that overeacting.
If you feel that you need further tests to rule anything else out, then I would say see what your doctor suggests. There will be come a time (if it is all anxiety) that you and/or your doctor will know that all the tests have been done and what you are experiencing is anxiety and then you can go from there.


Sandy
(eeyorelover)

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself. "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along."

- Elenor Roosevelt

[PaladinX]

Thanks for the reply, i am amazed how you all keep up with this forum so well. with the great volume of posts.

The only thing I worry about getting tests done is when does it end? I thought i had diabetes, after the blood test I ruled that out. I thought i had a heart problem my doctor listened to my heart, took my pulse and gave me an ekg and said my heart was fine. Now I think I have MS, or maybe next ill think Ill have a brain tumor, or cancer. Maybe Ill just keep on thinking of new medical conditions it can be, because I cant accept it as anxiety.

I always have my finger my neck like throughout the entire day keeping track of my pulse lol. people all make fun of me. Its almost like a habbit I dont even know im doing it anymore.

[eeyorelover]

It still sometimes amazes me to read a post someone has made and say to myself , " oh my gosh someone else does that besides me?'!! I used to walk around all the time with my finger on my neck, checking my pulse constantly!! Then when I would panic I'd run around trying to keep myself busy and when I would check my pulse and it would be fast, I'd freak out even worse instead of realizing 'duh I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off' - lol
Anyway ... about when does it end with all the tests. It ends when you decide it ends. You have to make that choice to accept that what you are experiencing is anxiety. It's hard believe me. I've said it before in other posts but it's worth saying again..... I used to wish that the doc would find something physically wrong. I mean it would be so much easier to have something that I could take a pill for that would make all the panic go away forever and be done with it. And it took me a REALLY long time to realize that if I wanted to get better I had to work at changing my whole life. I have to work on the way I think about things, work on the way I spend my time, and most important to me I have to destress my life. It's a process and... boy oh boy ... sometimes it really sucks!!! But I can tell you that it has gotten easier and that my life and my anxiety is better than I ever thought it would be again.
It will happen for you too :)

Sandy
(eeyorelover)

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself. "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along."

- Elenor Roosevelt