Please read my story. Have you felt the same?

[jenfen1982]

Hi my name is Jenny, I am 23 yrs old. My anxiety started last September.
I was on holiday with my boyfriend, everything was fine until 9 nights in, I was sat in a chinese restaurant.
My palms started to sweat and i couldnt focus on the conversation any longer. Everything seemed unreal. I went outside and thought that would make me feel better...It didn't. We went back to the hotel where I searched frantically for my hospital insurance documents. I thought i was dying.

I coulnt sleep that night, my body would not let me, It kept jumping as i tried to relax. The days after that wasnt better.

I came home and went to the hospital, They put an ECG on my heart and said that it was 46bpm. The doctor said it seems slow. Well this panicked me even more. I felt light headed.

I was sent home with no explaniation. I then developed n addiction to constantly be checking my heart and pulse rate.
I went back to the doctors where i was told it was anxiety and that I should take antidepressants, I didnt want to as i have heard that they bring on worse side affects.

The panic seemed to go away for a while, but then it came back witha vengance. I'd be out partying with friends as 23yr olds do. The next day wasnt just a hangover.. I actually thought i was going to die. I begged my boyfriend to call me an ambulance..He wouldnt and said it ws all in my head. I begged for him to take me. I phoned the nhs direct. They calmed me down. I was ok again until next time I drank.

I cannot go to the cinema anymore, I know i will have an attack in there. Its very difficult for me to go for a meal...
Its nearly a year now and im due for my holidays again. I dont think i can do this.
I did go for a couple of sessions of councilling but at that time I was convinced i had something wrong with me and didnt want to do little excersises as i thought i had a tumour or heart defect.
I really should go back as i dont see what else i can do.

It is affecting my lifestyle. I don't think people will understand unless they go through themselves.

jen x

[nicjay]

Hi Jen

Welcome to the forum.

You are not alone in your problems there are many others who feel the same. It sounds like you have got health anxiety where you mistake the symptoms of anxiety for a serious health problem. This is good as it means there is nothing serious physically wrong with you and can be treated through medication, counselling, books etc..To ask for help is to choose to change your life for the better-so well done.

Feel free to pm me if you need to chat.

Love n hugs
Nicola
xxx

[Karen]

Hi Jen

Welcome to the forum. You are certainly not alone and it would be worthwhile to give therapy another go.

You might also like to have a read through the following information as a place to start:

First Steps (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=firststeps)

Symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=symptoms)

Health Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=healthanxiety)

Links post: Links to posts about Common Problems (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7784)

You will find a lot of help and support here.


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[chucklehound]

Hi Jen and welcome to NMP

Take care

Chuckle

xxxx

[giddy]

Welcome to the forum Jen
love Helen

[mom12234]

Do you find when you drink for a while its really good and the next morning you feel soo bad and guilty you could die I used feel like i had hurt peoples feelings and done really bad stuff when i knew i hadnt any one had that?

maree

[flutterby]

Hi Jen,

I know how your feeling, My first panic attack was about 9 months ago, just happened when i was going to bed.
i too have had panic attacks when i've been out partying with friends (i'm 24 so of course its got to be done). i only go out now with people i feel comfortable with. they know i have PA's and what to say to me if i have one.
Councelling does help i'm going back again for more help this week but being on this site has helped me just to know others feel the same.

please pm me or msn if u fancy a chat

xx

[shell100]

Hi jenny x
sounds like your having a rough time at the moment.
try to get into some relaxation, treat it like a medicine that u have to take 3 times a day & make sure u do it. get a tape or pratice doing your own :)
i also ended up several times in hospital thinking i had some sort of heart complaint, working in coronary care at the time was a bit bloody embarrasing as well ;(
i remember thinking i was dying & making my partner take me to hospital, its such a horrid experience & i really feel for u x
the fact u had it in a chinese restaurant may have been ur trigger, reknown for having loads of monosodiumglutomate in the food, may well just have been what triggered the fast heart rate etc. so i would avoid it if i was u, also alcohol does stimulate the heart & if ur feeling sensitive at the mo u will be more aware of what ur body is doing.
i agree antidepressants are not alwasy the answer, but relaxation will lower ur general anxiety a bit. i remember going on an advanced life support course, i was listening to my relaxation tape on my walkman, deep breathing & u name it i was doing it, whilst everyone around me was panicking during the practical i just thought "so what if i fail it, its not the end of my world"........ i did so well they asked me to be an instructor & said "wow we would love to work with u u r so calm" ..........LOL if only they knew!!
This horrid time will pass jenny,
hugs while ur going thru it
shell
xx

[manmoor]

Hi Jen,

A big warm welcome to you. You will be made very welcome here.

Take Care

Mandy
xx

[nichiren]

Hi Jenny,

As you have read, your experience is not unique. I can totally relate to the sudden onset as you described. I too, found myself sat in a restaurant (indian one this time) and suddenly freaking out, cold sweat, weird heart palpitations (fluttery feelings), and dizzyness... It's utterly horrible.

That was when I was 24 - I'm now 38, and have lead a largely active life since then, mainly thanks to advice from other people who have "been there" and recovered...

Distraction is the key. It's just very difficult to find a thought, or a pattern of thinking, that can suddenly divert your attention from the looming panic. Develop a fierce desire to conquer the panic... Your strong desire for calmness and control can help confront the panic. Also, alchohol, caffiene, and monosodium glutomate all serve to "crank" me up, and disrupt an otherwise calm mental state.

Take a close look at your lifestyle - your relationships - your work - and the way you look at yourself, and ask if there is anything there which you are not happy with - and change it - SLOWLY! It takes enourmous courage sometimes, but I believe the root of the majority of cases of depressiona and anxiety is that people find themselves in a life they are not totally happy with. Just don't go making radical changes overnight - little steps...

DON'T spend time worrying about your heartbeat, or avoiding the cinema, or eating out. Tell your partner that you want to "have a go" at going out.. just go for a takeaway to start with... then work up to a simple sit down meal of just a small single course... and if you get there and can't handle it, then come home... and try again next week... eventually you WILL get fed up with your own reaction... You just need supportive people around you, who understand you may need to escape a situation. Half of the pressure of going out for a meal or cinema, is feeling trapped there for fear of disappointing your friends or lover. DON'T put yourself through it. If your friends or lover cannot accept and understand your problem, then you may have to find someone else to go out on these little "adventures" with...

Goodness I'm rambling!!!!

Above all, REMAIN FAITHFUL that once the negative aspects of your life are removed, you WILL improve.

Have a great week

Steve

To truly see existence as it really is, would be the greatest gift!

[nomorepanic]

Hi jen

Welcome aboard and lovely to see you here.

Hope you get some great help here and advice.

Nicola

[emma chant]

Hi Jen..
Iv'e got same problem as you anxiety and people
don't understand unless go through it like you said.


e chant

[jackie]

jen do go back as i know how horrible this thing is and you must get help

it is good to be on here and know too that you are nto alone but go back to your councillor as it sounds like you were getting cbt and it is really valuable

take care

jackie

[polly daydream]

Hi Jen and welcome to the forum.

Polly

[Twila]

Hi Jenny , Hope you can find some comfort here at the forum. No, no one can understand how it feels to have this horrible anxiety unless they have gonethrough it themself , because most people look at me like I am crazy or something when i am in the middle of a panic attack. My husband says i need to go the mental ward. And he is of no help.[Sigh...] Which makes me depressed and sort of mad at him for his lack of concern.

We here at this forum understand what you are going through and you are not alone. Take care and hope you can find some comfort here!:)

Twila

[Dom]

I was 27 in Greece when I had a sudden and unexpected panic attack. It has has lasted 14 years. Since then I have been divorced and remarried and qualified as a Lawyer. I have had derealisation to some degree all the time and I am so jealous of anyone who has not got it. I would gladly give up a limb to free myself of this curse.

However, I have had times when it has been almost better and I have managed to struggle along. Cognitive therapy was the ebst thing for me and I agree that making litle life changes to slowly put yourslef in the place you want to be has slow but positive effects.

As you may have guessed Im having a bad time at the moment and I keep telling myself that it will ease. I am so glad to have found this site. Just reading the experience of some one else who has derealiation made me cry.

Best wishes and all the support I can give to you.

[Catwoman]

Hi Jenny. Yes know the feeling, I think a lot of us have been carted off to A&E thinking we were on our last legs. I had a bad migraine and it has reacted with some strong pills I had taken which had caused my left side to go completely numb. I thought I was having a stroke and that I was on my last legs. When I was taken into A&E I remember looking at my small son thinking I might never see him again. Horrible terrible feelings. Awful and indescribable unless you have done it.
I take anti depressants but get very concerned about my health when not on them, keep thinking I am dying etc.. so glad I found this place as my family and friends, except for a few don't understand.
Please message me if I can be any more help.

[biggy007]

Hi,

Im new to this site but can SOOOO realte to you, I had my fiance take me to hospital after a night out with the lads on the beer, like you say it wasn't just a hangover I truely thought I was dying, I have not been drunk since,

If I go out I limit myself to 3-4 drinks and then I drink bottled water,

I noticed my anxiety also played up whilst I was on holiday, although I had it before I went away I thought that being in Florida with the hot sun and all the theme parks and fun things to do that my mind would be taken off my anxiety but it still managed to take a grip of me there too,

Like I said I can really relate to you as can many others on this site, fingers crossed it gets better,

Ben. . .

[kellie]

Hiya :welcome: to NMP its lovely to have you here.
You will get lots of support/advice/reasurance and make some great friends along the way

[DJ Trace]

Hi Jen,

Just Wanted To Offer You A Huge Warm Welcome.

Stay Safe and well.
Love Trace Xx

[weeble40]

Hi and a big welcome to NMP its great to have you here, hope to see you in chat sometime,

Take care

Emma xxx

[pooh]

Hi there and welcome along to NMP

Pooh x