Bad anxiety, panic and insomnia

[Marj]

Hi I have just joined as have been suffering with a terrible anxiety and panic attacks for the last couple of weeks. Even before that I had been waking up in the middle of a night in a panicky feeling with work in my mind. I have been suffering sleep disturbances for a very long time, on and off anyway.

My physical symptoms have been so numerous that the list would make War and Peace look pretty thin :winks: But some include feeling of not being able to breath (I thought I was having an asthma attack and rushed to my doctor who said it's only one of the symptoms and my lungs were fine; I also just have realised that it is probably acid reflux as apparently can feel like asthma and makes you need to clear your throat a lot), racing heart and palpitations and fear of dying (but of course!), stomach pains and nausea, feeling like my lungs are 'itching', constant dry mouth and thirst, shakiness and twitching, inability to focus on anything, terrible muscle tension and aches, exhaustion (no wonder without sleep), headaches blah blah blah...

I have seen my doc so many times over the last few weeks that I feel really sorry for her now. She has put me on antidepressants which I should have started last night but my friend gave me some tranquillisers and I took that as my hands were shaking so much that it was almost impossible to type.

I have just got up from bed -after maybe three hours of sleep - and taken another librium and now feeling a bit sleepy so fingers crossed.

Oh, and just discovered a new symptom, tingling of my head or mainly forehead and face...

I have been trying to self medicate with wine quite a bit as the panic/thread is so bad especially at night time but stopped as it just made me worse. My doctor has been really good but didn't tell her the self medication bit. I will start my antidepressants in a day or two as want to first get over this worst bit immediately.

Sorry for a long post but had to do something to stop yet another panic attack... But it has been helpful to read other people's stories and identify the same things.

[nomorepanic]

Hi Marj

We just wanted to welcome you aboard to NMP. We hope you enjoy your stay here and get all the support and advice you need.

Please take some time to read the website articles on the left as well for loads of advice and tips.

[Marj]

Thanks Nicola, this forum is really useful :yesyes:

[Kelseywelseyyy]

I too can't sleep with worrying. All the symptoms are anxiety related. Right now, because I haven't slept, if I jump at the slightest thing it feels like im having a heart attack.

[Daniaw87]

Hi there, I'm so sorry you're going through this, but know that you're not alone.
The anti-depressants will take a few weeks to kick in, and it might get worse before it gets better....Did your doc give you anything else like Ativan or Xanax? Also, check out the remedies on this site. When my panic got so terribly bad, taking a little xanax helped a lot. I want to find more natural remedies, and the Bach's Rescue Remedy has helped a lot. As for the wine, try to steer clear of it- alcohol is a depressant and may make it worse in the long run. Talk to someone you love and trust, even though right now you may feel so alone. Also, try going for a walk. When I was sleeping for days on end, for fear of being awake and having panic again, my boyfriend made me start taking a walk around the block, and it really helped to get some fresh air.

hope this helps, and happy healing....

Never be afraid to ask anymore questions. You're definitely not alone.. :)

[Marj]

Yes I know about the night time terrors! Last night was the first one I have managed to get 5-6 hours of sleep in over a week I think. I normally wake up around 3am thinking that my heart is racing and when I check, it is not. Actually it is becoming a compulsion to keep checking the HR all the time the day... My fear of having a problem with my heart is affecting my ability to do exercise now.

Doc has given me codeine as well but I am surprised that she did not even suggest xanax or anything else to get immediate help.

I have been using rescue remedy but not sure if it helps. I learned my lesson with the wine! Walking is one of my ways to combat a panic attack and it does work.

Also, I have been off sick a couple of weeks and I have a meeting at work tomorrow to discuss whether I am capable to carry on with my job, and it is making me really anxious. Unfortunately since the ongoing insomnia - dizziness, mental fog, even my vision is blurred - I don't feel I will be on the greatest form but we'll see. Worry about being dismissed doesn't help at the moment. Hence the tranquillisers as I really need to sleep at least a little bit.

Thanks for your comments!

[suttree63]

Hello Marj, ... all i can say is that you're in good company here. I've had the 'can't breathe' panics in the wee small hours. It normally struck when i was in hotels up and down the land with work. I just had to get up and go talk to the bats in the car park for a while ( the night porters have seen it all before ). Then when i thought i'd beaten back that little problem i started to get sharp gut pains whilst driving ... so there was only one thing for it ... yep, undo my belt and zip to relieve the pressure ... but then i got panicky in case i crashed and the paramedics would say ' oh well, if you do that kind of thing whilst you're driving what do you expect! '.

It seems that with this condition - the eebie jeebies as i call them - once you manage to suppress/beat one sympton then up pops another. Presently I'm entertaining imbalance/dizziness/ wooziness effects and sometimes you can't do a damn thing about it. But keep reading this forum and you might not find answers but you will find sympathy and understanding from those that know ... and thats a great comfort.

[Marj]

Hi suttree63, thanks yes it's good to know that even if some people around you just roll their eyes at these things there are others who do understand. I have always been an anxious worrier but this is the worst and my health anxiety is peaking.
The driving story really made me laugh though!:D

[nicola1980]

Hi and welcome, sorry your having such a rough time :hugs: what antidepresents have you been prescribed? X x

[Marj]

Hi Nicola1980, thanks it's lustral. I was very reluctant to accept any meds previously but why not try, if after a month or two it hasn't helped then at least I have tried. And some good news, finally got my psychologist appointment for Tuesday :) x

[glynmarie]

Hi I have just joined as have been suffering with a terrible anxiety and panic attacks for the last couple of weeks. Even before that I had been waking up in the middle of a night in a panicky feeling with work in my mind. I have been suffering sleep disturbances for a very long time, on and off anyway.

My physical symptoms have been so numerous that the list would make War and Peace look pretty thin :winks: But some include feeling of not being able to breath (I thought I was having an asthma attack and rushed to my doctor who said it's only one of the symptoms and my lungs were fine; I also just have realised that it is probably acid reflux as apparently can feel like asthma and makes you need to clear your throat a lot), racing heart and palpitations and fear of dying (but of course!), stomach pains and nausea, feeling like my lungs are 'itching', constant dry mouth and thirst, shakiness and twitching, inability to focus on anything, terrible muscle tension and aches, exhaustion (no wonder without sleep), headaches blah blah blah...

I have seen my doc so many times over the last few weeks that I feel really sorry for her now. She has put me on antidepressants which I should have started last night but my friend gave me some tranquillisers and I took that as my hands were shaking so much that it was almost impossible to type.

I have just got up from bed -after maybe three hours of sleep - and taken another librium and now feeling a bit sleepy so fingers crossed.

Oh, and just discovered a new symptom, tingling of my head or mainly forehead and face...

I have been trying to self medicate with wine quite a bit as the panic/thread is so bad especially at night time but stopped as it just made me worse. My doctor has been really good but didn't tell her the self medication bit. I will start my antidepressants in a day or two as want to first get over this worst bit immediately.

Sorry for a long post but had to do something to stop yet another panic attack... But it has been helpful to read other people's stories and identify the same things.
hi marj

i am new on here today it was recommended by my gp, i can relate to your symtoms except i dont have insomnia, the tingling i had in my fingers and toes and lips and head its horrible when it happened but i have got on top of that now...the trouble is when you conquer one symptom another pops up...my thinking is if the brain is powerful enough to give us all these symptoms then it is poweful enough to get rid of them...watch this space lol...the dying thing i relate too as a few months ago i was planning my own funeral, that has gone, heart palpatations and racing heart have gone with the help of taking calms for a few days the throat thing too mine felt like it was lined with fur.at the moment i seem to come up with a new illness every day but this can be beaten all best wishes to you.

[Marj]

Hi glynmarie
Thanks am glad to hear you have been able to conquer some of this stuff. I went to doctors today as was convinced that i have kidney failure and as I was there waiting to see her I was reading about it on the internet and then started thinking the it probably is the chronic one and the prognosis are not very good and how I may not make it to my brother's wedding in August and then I thought I might be very close to multiple organ failure as have such stomach pains that was sure at least my liver or spleen, probably also pancreas are going... She diagnosed it urine infection but i still doubt.... And just now I was looking at meningitis symptoms... Earlier I was pretty sure I had a heart attack but it was quite nasty spout of reflux i think... Just starting the antidepressants today so hopefully in a month's time this will pass.. therefore your message was so good! Take care.

[csrao]

I would like to share the simple technique of 'Focusing on breathing' (FOB) that helps relieve anxiety and panic attacks. FOB can be done in many modes. Some that I have been using and sharing are - Tip mode, Segment mode, Counting mode, Feeling mode, Staring mode and the 911 mode. The easiest mode "Tip mode' is described below. Using the fingers to track the breaths makes it easy to retain the focus on breathing, even for 5 year old children.

Tip mode: Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger. Breathe in and out three times, counting in the mind, every time you breathe out. During the first out breath count ‘one’, second out breath ‘two’ and during the third out breath ‘three’. Repeat the same steps at each of the next three finger tips. When you are at the thumb, place the tip of the index finger at the base of the thumb and breathe three times. Then switch to the other hand and repeat the same process. Continue practicing, switching the hands. You will feel its calming effect, by the time you complete 4 to 6 hands, which takes 2 to 3 minutes. You can use this mode, anywhere and anytime to avert potential stress or dissolve built up stress!

This technique helps most if it is used immediately at the onset of anxiety, instead of letting it build up and then trying to tackle it. If the anxiety has built up, use the ‘911 mode’ five to ten times, to abort the anxiety.

911 Mode: Breathe in through the nose or mouth quickly. Keep your lips almost closed but for a tiny opening at the center. Blow out air gently through this tiny opening. Focus on the cool sensation at the lips. In this mode, the outgoing breath is restrained making the air flow out slowly, for a longer time.

If you search for 'focusing on breathing' or 'counting breaths' you will get many such simple and practical ideas to relieve anxiety.

Practicing FOB every night, lying in the bed to get sleep and immediately on waking up but still lying in the bed works amazingly, in coming out of hurting habits of thinking, feeling and acting. Over a few months, it heals the mind and body.

[Marj]

Thanks csrao. I have actually been interested in doing some breath work to help ease the anxiety/panic so this is perfect :)

[Valid and Not in Use]

Hiya Marj,

Hope things are progressing for you with your regimen but also your energy to work beyond meds with breathing technique, etc... just wanted to tell you I can sure relate to your situation, especially with your very first post and I hope you feel you have been doing better.

Wanted to share with you that I have a case of "LPR" reflux where I don't experience heartburn but a bit of throat discomfort from very small amounts of acid, it affects my swallowing comfortably and has forced me into a place where diet and lifestyle modification for this mechanical, organic (as opposed to "mood") issue is manageable, in fact lately it's going much better. I just wonder given your reporting of reflux, if you might have a touch of this and inso addresing it you might feel even better -- the enteric nervous system is very sensitive and works with everything else...don't mean to dredge up something new to worry about... if you do a trial of Omeprazole twice a day to see if you are more comfortable in your digestion, you might learn something and you also might find you can wean off and continue to feel a calmer sense in your esophagus and throat and it affects your mood.

Myself, I am currently taking Citalopram and Klonopin at night to sleep. The Klonopin has really helped me get over many months of sleep deprivation and I feel I am still recovering from all that, but I will get there. I am not so sure about the Citalopram except that it makes my pee smell like a bus station.

I also had numness and tingling in fingers... it is scary because it makes us wonder if we have neropathy or a circulatory problem or something, and apparently this is not uncommon for anxiety sufferers. Let me give you a little hopeful story -- many years ago I had terrible panic attacks that came out of the blue... they then began to become phobic, surrounding public performance and driving... eventually I overcam eit altogether without any meds and have been panic free since. Anxiety free -- not so much right now, but 'no more panic' it can be conquered!

I am sure you will get to feeling better and more relaxed and begin to focus on other things in life as we all want to, and will. All best -- Valid

[Marj]

Hi there Valid
Thanks, I have had reflux problems for years and just thought I need to put up with that. I will try the Omeprazole and see what happens.

I have recently come to an agreement with my employer that we will terminate my contract at the end of the month and am currently doing some work from home only - as soon as we agreed this, I started getting better (I knew it was work stress that set all the anxiety and panic off big time). I had a massive panic attack just after the meeting but that is the last one I have had (a week and a half ago now, I used to get several a day!). I have also been much less anxious, actually hardly any anxiety symptoms anymore and am sleeping a lot better. I have also stopped looking up my bodily symptoms on the internet and diagnosing myself with all kinds of illnesses which is a real relief.

I did start sertraline tablets but gave them up in a week as was constantly nauseous; I need to find another job and couldn't focus on anything feeling like I was. It seems to have done me no harm as I keep getting better every day and my energy levels are going up as well. It's quite amazing how adversely your work can affect you!

Thanks so much for your helpful post as getting support here is one of the things that keeps helping me going forward - some of the symptoms anxious people have ARE 'real' but the doctors often put everything under the banner of anxiety. And it's really interesting what you said about the reflux as in fact did one of the paid for doc services online and his response reflected what you have picked up from my post.

By the way, I bought a hypnotherapy app for my phone that has worked surprisingly well for me when I was still anxious and couldn't sleep very well. I am also looking for a breathing course to do :)

Take care

Marj