Savannah
05-12-12, 14:54
I wasn't sure where to post this as I used to suffer just from health anxiety but I could really do with some advice and support so thought here would be more appropriate with my anxiety being so generalised at the moment.
I am a 33 year old female, married for 13 years with 3 lovely children. I have a happy family life, I couldn't ask for a better husband.
When I was 19 I started with anxiety about health issues and panic attacks, it came on after a nasty flu virus one winter. I lived in a stressful environment, my parents did not get on, there was alot of violence and my Dad would rather be in the pub than at home with us. I had to grow up very quickly being the eldest of 4, I helped my Mum bring up the children and I took got caught up in my parents violence. I knew that was where my anxiety issues came from. Counselling helped alot.
Everything was fine until 8 years ago when I had a misscarriage, I started suffering with severe health anxiety and mild depression. I was put on a tricyclic anti depressant as I had an allergic reaction to an SSRI. It worked well and I was on it for 18 months in total. During this time I had our 3rd child. I weaned off and I was fine. I have had little health anxiety blips here and there but after a course of CBT I have never been too bad.
3 years ago I started with seriously heavy periods which caused me to be terrified each month, I was so scared. After suffering for 3 years and my iron levels taking a battering, this July I took the doctors advice and started the combined pill, it has changed my life and I am so glad I did it. My periods were causing such severe anxiety each month it wasn't nice at all.
In July this year my Nan suddenly passed away, I was always so close to her and had dreaded that day all of my life. I still can't accept she has gone and I am devastated. I cry daily and can't stop thinking about her. I hear her laugh, her voice..... it really tears me apart that she isn't here anymore:weep: I was closer to her than my own Mum, I am not that close to my siblings either so now I am feeling pretty lost and upset. I have close friends, they have been great.
Last summer my brother came to my home and attacked my husband and terrified my 10 year old son. My son has since needed counselling for anxiety, which I am so angry at my brother for. My brother suffers from serious mental health problems, he is a very angry man and aggressive. We used to be so close before he changed. He is in control of what he does, he says he knows what he does is wrong but does it anyway, my GP says he isn't ill he is just a bully and looks for an excuse not to work and abuse people. Maybe he is right. In September this year my brother accused me of talking about him, he has since realised I had not said a thing about him and it was infact his cousin that was discussing with his mother that my brother wasn't working and was ill, etc.... but anyway, my brother chased me in his car, I went to the police station for safety as I knew what he was capable of. He came into the station and went to attack me, shouting, punching the desk and swearing..... he got himself arrested by the police on a public order offence. I was taken into safety and he was also issued with a harrassment warning. I have since blocked him on all social networking sites, changed my number, I avoid him at all costs.
After that day I became very withdrawn, I was afraid going out, very jumpy in shops even with my children with me. I slowly became more and more scared to go out. Then I felt anxiety kicking in, I became anxious about my health a little bit, but mainly just felt butterflies in my tummy alot, twitchy legs and toes alot even when just relaxing watching tv...... Then one day whilst shopping I suddenly had a horrible hot flush in my face and I felt shaky and heart started to race. I thought it was strange but it soon passed. 4 days later it happened again at home, this time the panic attack hit with it and I was hot in my face for about an hour. I became very scared of the heat in my face sensation because whenever it hit my heart raced and I was shaking. I saw my GP and he said it was stress related and it was how my anxiety attacks started. Now I have had anxiety most of my life, I get spaced out a little in shops from time to time, I had panic attacks when I wsa 19 but never have i had a sudden rush of heat to the face like this. I couldn't accept it was anxiety so my GP did bloods, all normal, BP all normal. He said it was anxiety and stress and possibly I was suffering from Rosacea as my face is very dry, red and spotty, always has been but these heat spells are new.
I have noticed in the last 2 weeks when the heat hits it is when I am out of the house in a shop, under pressure sat face to face in a doctors room etc.... surely it is just anxiety, can anyone relate to this problem?
My son was rushed into hospital last Thursday, 2 hours later he had to have an operation. I was so worried, and scared for him. I had to push past my anxiety and go into a big hospital, sit on a hot ward, talk to doctors and nurses. I could feel my face burning at first so I knew it was anxiety causing it . As I got used to being there the heat feeling went and I relaxed, I had no choice as it was our home for a couple of days. Then 2 nights ago my son became unwell and had to see the GP, whilst there another GP walked into the room to see him, he had missed my sons condition earlier last week which could have been very serious if I hadn't have taken him back 2 days later (mum knows best). He was apologising to me, saying how sorry he was for missing it, I told him not to worry and suddenly my face went on fire, I could feel how hot it was and I felt dizzy, shaky etc.... I counted to 10 in my head and it passed. Anxiety???? It has upset me alot. My husband said of course it was anxiety, the doctor had upset me the week before, my son had to go back into hospital..... it was all stressful.
SO basically alot has happened. I saw my GP 2 weeks ago and am due to go back for a check up on the 13th of this month to see how I am feeling. He suggested meds when I last went but I had an allergic reaction to an SSRI 8 years ago so he said he wouldn't want to try and SSRI. I was on Dothiepin/Dosulepin 8 years ago but he said in our health authority they can no longer prescribe it as it has been proven to cause serious heart problems. He doesn't think I am depressed as such but the anxiety of what my brother did to me he thinks has caused my anxiety about leaving the house and when I do go out (I push myself daily and go to shops, Costa etc... but always feel anxious and hot) which in turn is making me feel quite low. Losing my Nan is causing me to cry alot and deep down I am upset about how I have changed and hate feeling anxious about going out, scared of the hot flushing, hate feeling anxious for no reason. I have a good life, wonderful husband and children, I shouldn't be suffering like this:weep:
I have close friends and have told 2 of them how I feel, but I am cutting myself off, I rarely see them at the moment due to the hot flushing and anxiety hitting. I am not that close to my family so I just talk to my husband about it if I can, I find it hard to open up. I am home all day, I work part time from home but lately I have taken a little break. My son needs me right now too as he is recovering.
Sorry I have rambled on. If anyone has any wise words, advice etc...... I would really appreciate it, I feel so alone right now and don't know what to do.:blush:
---------- Post added at 14:54 ---------- Previous post was at 14:51 ----------
I forgot to add. I don't want medication, but is this anxious feeling something that will go away without medication? I feel fluttery in my stomach and legs pretty much all of the time. I keep pushing myself to go out, and I do daily but I always can't wait to get home, it just isn't me, I miss being a shopaholic, my husband is happy though as he is saving a fortune;-)
I am a 33 year old female, married for 13 years with 3 lovely children. I have a happy family life, I couldn't ask for a better husband.
When I was 19 I started with anxiety about health issues and panic attacks, it came on after a nasty flu virus one winter. I lived in a stressful environment, my parents did not get on, there was alot of violence and my Dad would rather be in the pub than at home with us. I had to grow up very quickly being the eldest of 4, I helped my Mum bring up the children and I took got caught up in my parents violence. I knew that was where my anxiety issues came from. Counselling helped alot.
Everything was fine until 8 years ago when I had a misscarriage, I started suffering with severe health anxiety and mild depression. I was put on a tricyclic anti depressant as I had an allergic reaction to an SSRI. It worked well and I was on it for 18 months in total. During this time I had our 3rd child. I weaned off and I was fine. I have had little health anxiety blips here and there but after a course of CBT I have never been too bad.
3 years ago I started with seriously heavy periods which caused me to be terrified each month, I was so scared. After suffering for 3 years and my iron levels taking a battering, this July I took the doctors advice and started the combined pill, it has changed my life and I am so glad I did it. My periods were causing such severe anxiety each month it wasn't nice at all.
In July this year my Nan suddenly passed away, I was always so close to her and had dreaded that day all of my life. I still can't accept she has gone and I am devastated. I cry daily and can't stop thinking about her. I hear her laugh, her voice..... it really tears me apart that she isn't here anymore:weep: I was closer to her than my own Mum, I am not that close to my siblings either so now I am feeling pretty lost and upset. I have close friends, they have been great.
Last summer my brother came to my home and attacked my husband and terrified my 10 year old son. My son has since needed counselling for anxiety, which I am so angry at my brother for. My brother suffers from serious mental health problems, he is a very angry man and aggressive. We used to be so close before he changed. He is in control of what he does, he says he knows what he does is wrong but does it anyway, my GP says he isn't ill he is just a bully and looks for an excuse not to work and abuse people. Maybe he is right. In September this year my brother accused me of talking about him, he has since realised I had not said a thing about him and it was infact his cousin that was discussing with his mother that my brother wasn't working and was ill, etc.... but anyway, my brother chased me in his car, I went to the police station for safety as I knew what he was capable of. He came into the station and went to attack me, shouting, punching the desk and swearing..... he got himself arrested by the police on a public order offence. I was taken into safety and he was also issued with a harrassment warning. I have since blocked him on all social networking sites, changed my number, I avoid him at all costs.
After that day I became very withdrawn, I was afraid going out, very jumpy in shops even with my children with me. I slowly became more and more scared to go out. Then I felt anxiety kicking in, I became anxious about my health a little bit, but mainly just felt butterflies in my tummy alot, twitchy legs and toes alot even when just relaxing watching tv...... Then one day whilst shopping I suddenly had a horrible hot flush in my face and I felt shaky and heart started to race. I thought it was strange but it soon passed. 4 days later it happened again at home, this time the panic attack hit with it and I was hot in my face for about an hour. I became very scared of the heat in my face sensation because whenever it hit my heart raced and I was shaking. I saw my GP and he said it was stress related and it was how my anxiety attacks started. Now I have had anxiety most of my life, I get spaced out a little in shops from time to time, I had panic attacks when I wsa 19 but never have i had a sudden rush of heat to the face like this. I couldn't accept it was anxiety so my GP did bloods, all normal, BP all normal. He said it was anxiety and stress and possibly I was suffering from Rosacea as my face is very dry, red and spotty, always has been but these heat spells are new.
I have noticed in the last 2 weeks when the heat hits it is when I am out of the house in a shop, under pressure sat face to face in a doctors room etc.... surely it is just anxiety, can anyone relate to this problem?
My son was rushed into hospital last Thursday, 2 hours later he had to have an operation. I was so worried, and scared for him. I had to push past my anxiety and go into a big hospital, sit on a hot ward, talk to doctors and nurses. I could feel my face burning at first so I knew it was anxiety causing it . As I got used to being there the heat feeling went and I relaxed, I had no choice as it was our home for a couple of days. Then 2 nights ago my son became unwell and had to see the GP, whilst there another GP walked into the room to see him, he had missed my sons condition earlier last week which could have been very serious if I hadn't have taken him back 2 days later (mum knows best). He was apologising to me, saying how sorry he was for missing it, I told him not to worry and suddenly my face went on fire, I could feel how hot it was and I felt dizzy, shaky etc.... I counted to 10 in my head and it passed. Anxiety???? It has upset me alot. My husband said of course it was anxiety, the doctor had upset me the week before, my son had to go back into hospital..... it was all stressful.
SO basically alot has happened. I saw my GP 2 weeks ago and am due to go back for a check up on the 13th of this month to see how I am feeling. He suggested meds when I last went but I had an allergic reaction to an SSRI 8 years ago so he said he wouldn't want to try and SSRI. I was on Dothiepin/Dosulepin 8 years ago but he said in our health authority they can no longer prescribe it as it has been proven to cause serious heart problems. He doesn't think I am depressed as such but the anxiety of what my brother did to me he thinks has caused my anxiety about leaving the house and when I do go out (I push myself daily and go to shops, Costa etc... but always feel anxious and hot) which in turn is making me feel quite low. Losing my Nan is causing me to cry alot and deep down I am upset about how I have changed and hate feeling anxious about going out, scared of the hot flushing, hate feeling anxious for no reason. I have a good life, wonderful husband and children, I shouldn't be suffering like this:weep:
I have close friends and have told 2 of them how I feel, but I am cutting myself off, I rarely see them at the moment due to the hot flushing and anxiety hitting. I am not that close to my family so I just talk to my husband about it if I can, I find it hard to open up. I am home all day, I work part time from home but lately I have taken a little break. My son needs me right now too as he is recovering.
Sorry I have rambled on. If anyone has any wise words, advice etc...... I would really appreciate it, I feel so alone right now and don't know what to do.:blush:
---------- Post added at 14:54 ---------- Previous post was at 14:51 ----------
I forgot to add. I don't want medication, but is this anxious feeling something that will go away without medication? I feel fluttery in my stomach and legs pretty much all of the time. I keep pushing myself to go out, and I do daily but I always can't wait to get home, it just isn't me, I miss being a shopaholic, my husband is happy though as he is saving a fortune;-)