A new set of symptoms

[AmandaB]

Hi

I haven't posted here for a long time but to cut a long story short I have suffered from severe anxiety since I was a child. I never really suffer panic attacks just a general feeling of anxiety both at home and more severely when out. I try to control things as much as possible but recently I have been going through quite a stressful time.

Anyway for the past two weeks I have had a different set of problems, firstly I have been having more palpitations than usual (the dr has said I should have an ECG, but the thought of going to the hospital is terrifying me) but my main problem is when walking home I keep getting this weird feeling; my eyes feel weird, blurry sort off and I feel like i'm about to pass out, my legs get heavy and my vision feels weird, distant, unreal and like i'm about to lose consciousness. I race home and then feel a little better. Does this sound like panic. I don't feel particularly more anxious than I do all the time. I have had my glucose, BP and thyroid checked which are okay.

[joebloggs]

Hi. Amanda. It is a good thing your are having an ECG although I feel the doctor may be doing it for your own peace of mind rather than fearing anything wrong. Some GP's know how important reassurance is. Your symptoms are all classic and you can be assured that you can recover from all of them. Yes you can; although, at the moment, this may seem impossible. Many on this site have been like you and have recovered or are recovering.
But it does take time. Do not be impatient with time. I Had my first palpitations over thirty years ago and if I could count the ECG's I have had it would amount to a lot! (Not that you will take thirty years!)I still get them on and off but they are now meaningless to me so I just accept them. Anyway they have not killed me after all those years. The feeling of unreality is so disconcerting and is one of the most difficult of all symptoms. To feel 'out of this world' is not pleasant. First of all accept that your med checks came back OK as, I am sure, will the ECG. Try and accept how you feel at present. This is not easy but it can be done. It may not lift you up immediately but you wont sink into despair. Also accept that your symptoms have reached their peak and you probably have had all that anxiety can throw at you. There is a limit as to how much adrenaline can be secreted in fear. The other symptoms you describe are not necessarily panic but anxiety. YOU WILL NOT LOOSE CONCIOUSNESS. Many have felt as you do and I have never heard of anyone fainting, although they all feel they will. In my counselling experience I never had a patient pass out! (In spite of what I said to them!!). You will come through this, probably a better person (most do), so try and accept and not worry too much about the symptoms. Good luck. joe.

[AmandaB]

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately it happened again today. Walking home I felt so unwell my eyes felt blurry and strange and I was close to passing out. Also when I got home I got really bad vertigo. I had labyrinthitis a few months back but I am unsure whether its was labyrinthitis at all. I seem to get bad vertigo when my neck is really tense and I feel out of control. Can that cause vertigo?

I just feel that everything is a constant struggle and I desperately want to feel normal.