Nirurin
18-06-12, 21:36
Hey everyone, I'm posting on this site for the first time because in recent weeks my ... well, potential anxiety issues have gotten worse. Though at this point im still not certain if I do even have anxiety!
Anyway, I wanted to try and divulge as much of my story as I can think of, in as organised a way as I can, both to get it all clear and straight in my own head, as well as to get some advice and feedback from people out there who know more about it than i do!
Ok so first things first, my long term history!
I have always been an anxious kinda person, I always tended to worry a lot in my own head. In the last couple years, I've also had a lot of OCD tendancies, all of which involve my fear of germs and being sick. This would basically mean I would wash my hands a lot when preparing/eating food, and I would never lick my fingers or anything (though I used to, just not lately). I would also have to make sure my plates and cutlery were clean, and as I live in a shared house this means I was my own dishes and put them in a seperate cupboard so that I know they are clean.
I was also a fairly heavy cannabis smoker, up until a month ago. Every so often (maybe once a week) I would get a weird sick feeling and feel very anxious, and would usually put it down to anxiety and take gaviscon or stomach settling tablets. Though lately I have realised the "sick feeling" was possibly just all in my own head, as I was *worrying* about being sick.
The More Recent Events:
1 month ago, I had some sort of gastroenteritis/food poisoning. I went to bed feeling kind of normal, but started shivering and shaking all over like I was very cold. Then I had diarhea (sorry lol) and went back to bed, still shivering heavily, which repeated a couple times before I finally fell asleep after an hour or so of this. I woke up a couple hours later and was sick, but went back to sleep soon after. After a day or so though I was feeling back to normal.
This was the same time I quit smoking though, as I didnt feel like any when I was feeling sick, and it seemed as good a time as any to stop completely. I went cold turkey and havent smoked at all since.
HOWEVER...
Since this had happened, I'd had a few anxious feelings, as well as a day of feeling like I was ill (constant flushed feeling in my cheeks, very tired and lethargic). I didnt end up being sick, but I was worried I would be. But the next day I was fine.
THE START OF THE BAD PART:
A week or so ago (2 weeks after I recovered from the stomach bug), very late at night and feeling extremely tired, I went to try and sleep. Turned off my light and lay back, with a bit of a dodgy feeling in my stomach (just like a bit of gas, in hindsight, nothing special).
However, because of this feeling, I immediately starting worrying that it was going to be more stomach problems, worrying I would end up having to deal with diarhea and vomiting again... worrying that if I started shivering and shaking again that I would end up being sick.
And then I did start shivering and shaking all over. I was like that for about 2 hours, looking at my clock every 20 minutes or so. Eventually I just fell asleep.
BUT even though I did go to the toilet at one point, I wasnt sick nor did I have diarhea. The next day I felt fine (though rather tired).
This was the point where I decided to make a doctors appointment (though I couldnt do it until the following monday) and begin trying various herbal things to relieve anxiety (ive been drinking a couple cups of chamomile tea most days lately).
The doctor called me last tuesday (I didnt get a face-to-face appointment, only a doctors callback) and after hearing a summary of my problem, said that I seemed to have OCD and anxiety, and that she could write me a prescription for Citalopram.
I havent started taking this yet though, because when I read the side effects for it (as well as reading up about it online) I became VERY anxious about taking it lol. The fact that it seems to be guaranteed to make anxiety and panic symptoms *worse* for 2-6 weeks after taking it, made me severely against taking it, as that would basically mean I'd be unable to work or function due to worry and lack of sleep for over a month.
I spoke to the doctor again a couple days later, and she said I could try herbal remedies if i wanted and see how things went. For over a week I had no real issues other than general anxiety during the day and some insomnia.
MOST RECENT:
Last night, after a very very long day and staying up too late, being very tired again, I finally went to try to sleep.. And again, being unable to switch my brain off, I began to shiver and shake all over. I tried to convince myself this was just a panic attack or something, and occasionally I would get up to go to the toilet or to read up on forums to convince myself that this was a normal panic attack, but it still lasted for about an hour.
But at one point, I almost seemed to manage to decide it was all in my head... and the shivers stopped over a period of a couple minutes, and I seemed to feel more relaxed. And it stopped. And I managed to fall asleep at last (though only for about 5/6 hours).
As far as medication goes, yesterday I took a herbal Nytol before going to bed (I heard valerian and hops were good for anxiety...worth a try I guess), because I was trying to avoid taking any more Diphenhydramine antihistamine (which is what I usually take to help me sleep, but I try not to overuse it).
However once the shivering started, I took an antihistamine anyway to hopefully fall asleep (not sure if it helped or not).
And thats my story! Sorry it was so long... and its probably not very easy to read or understand, but hopefully there will be enough information there for people to start giving me feedback and hopefully.... some help and advice!!
Thankyou to anyone who reads all this, I really appreciate it, and if theres anything you want to ask me or want me to clarify just let me know.
Anyway, I wanted to try and divulge as much of my story as I can think of, in as organised a way as I can, both to get it all clear and straight in my own head, as well as to get some advice and feedback from people out there who know more about it than i do!
Ok so first things first, my long term history!
I have always been an anxious kinda person, I always tended to worry a lot in my own head. In the last couple years, I've also had a lot of OCD tendancies, all of which involve my fear of germs and being sick. This would basically mean I would wash my hands a lot when preparing/eating food, and I would never lick my fingers or anything (though I used to, just not lately). I would also have to make sure my plates and cutlery were clean, and as I live in a shared house this means I was my own dishes and put them in a seperate cupboard so that I know they are clean.
I was also a fairly heavy cannabis smoker, up until a month ago. Every so often (maybe once a week) I would get a weird sick feeling and feel very anxious, and would usually put it down to anxiety and take gaviscon or stomach settling tablets. Though lately I have realised the "sick feeling" was possibly just all in my own head, as I was *worrying* about being sick.
The More Recent Events:
1 month ago, I had some sort of gastroenteritis/food poisoning. I went to bed feeling kind of normal, but started shivering and shaking all over like I was very cold. Then I had diarhea (sorry lol) and went back to bed, still shivering heavily, which repeated a couple times before I finally fell asleep after an hour or so of this. I woke up a couple hours later and was sick, but went back to sleep soon after. After a day or so though I was feeling back to normal.
This was the same time I quit smoking though, as I didnt feel like any when I was feeling sick, and it seemed as good a time as any to stop completely. I went cold turkey and havent smoked at all since.
HOWEVER...
Since this had happened, I'd had a few anxious feelings, as well as a day of feeling like I was ill (constant flushed feeling in my cheeks, very tired and lethargic). I didnt end up being sick, but I was worried I would be. But the next day I was fine.
THE START OF THE BAD PART:
A week or so ago (2 weeks after I recovered from the stomach bug), very late at night and feeling extremely tired, I went to try and sleep. Turned off my light and lay back, with a bit of a dodgy feeling in my stomach (just like a bit of gas, in hindsight, nothing special).
However, because of this feeling, I immediately starting worrying that it was going to be more stomach problems, worrying I would end up having to deal with diarhea and vomiting again... worrying that if I started shivering and shaking again that I would end up being sick.
And then I did start shivering and shaking all over. I was like that for about 2 hours, looking at my clock every 20 minutes or so. Eventually I just fell asleep.
BUT even though I did go to the toilet at one point, I wasnt sick nor did I have diarhea. The next day I felt fine (though rather tired).
This was the point where I decided to make a doctors appointment (though I couldnt do it until the following monday) and begin trying various herbal things to relieve anxiety (ive been drinking a couple cups of chamomile tea most days lately).
The doctor called me last tuesday (I didnt get a face-to-face appointment, only a doctors callback) and after hearing a summary of my problem, said that I seemed to have OCD and anxiety, and that she could write me a prescription for Citalopram.
I havent started taking this yet though, because when I read the side effects for it (as well as reading up about it online) I became VERY anxious about taking it lol. The fact that it seems to be guaranteed to make anxiety and panic symptoms *worse* for 2-6 weeks after taking it, made me severely against taking it, as that would basically mean I'd be unable to work or function due to worry and lack of sleep for over a month.
I spoke to the doctor again a couple days later, and she said I could try herbal remedies if i wanted and see how things went. For over a week I had no real issues other than general anxiety during the day and some insomnia.
MOST RECENT:
Last night, after a very very long day and staying up too late, being very tired again, I finally went to try to sleep.. And again, being unable to switch my brain off, I began to shiver and shake all over. I tried to convince myself this was just a panic attack or something, and occasionally I would get up to go to the toilet or to read up on forums to convince myself that this was a normal panic attack, but it still lasted for about an hour.
But at one point, I almost seemed to manage to decide it was all in my head... and the shivers stopped over a period of a couple minutes, and I seemed to feel more relaxed. And it stopped. And I managed to fall asleep at last (though only for about 5/6 hours).
As far as medication goes, yesterday I took a herbal Nytol before going to bed (I heard valerian and hops were good for anxiety...worth a try I guess), because I was trying to avoid taking any more Diphenhydramine antihistamine (which is what I usually take to help me sleep, but I try not to overuse it).
However once the shivering started, I took an antihistamine anyway to hopefully fall asleep (not sure if it helped or not).
And thats my story! Sorry it was so long... and its probably not very easy to read or understand, but hopefully there will be enough information there for people to start giving me feedback and hopefully.... some help and advice!!
Thankyou to anyone who reads all this, I really appreciate it, and if theres anything you want to ask me or want me to clarify just let me know.