No way out- please help [Archive]

monty

02-10-06, 14:20

Hi,

I have suffered with panic attacks and agoraphobia for about 4 years and am really struggling to cope at the moment.

I am currently taking prozac, which I was prescribed about 3 years ago, but I'm not sure if the dosage is enough as I am feeling very depressed.

I have tried changing diet, exercise, acupuncture, herbal remedies, counselling and CBT but all have failed to get me back to 'normal'.

I have read loads of self help books but can't seem to get back my 'fear of fear'. I'm just so utterly terrified of having a panic attack that I can't push myself to face anywhere I find difficult to go- which is pretty much anywhere other than my home.

I am not yet house-bound, but am so low and unconfident at the moment that it seems that is where I am heading.

I don't know what else to do. My family are also finding it hard to deal with all my problems and this makes me even more worried and emotional.

My biggest problem at the moment is the sensation in my legs that leads my to believe that they are not strong enough to carry me and I will collapse any second. I used to only get this feeling in places where I feel particularly panicky but now I get it everywhere- even at home.

The only thing I can think of to try next is hypnotherapy. Anyone got any suggestions? I don't know what to do with myself anymore.

Someone please help me.

net

02-10-06, 14:33

i've tried everything and it hasnt worked at the moment i'm doing an anxiety and stress course with a therapist who is teaching me how to handle the symptoms i'm not sure thats going to work either

hypnotherapy might be a good idea
have you tried nlp i've heard that works for some people
maybe go back to gp and say you dont feel any better may change tablets

netty

the dreams of the future are better than the history of the past

Wannabeloved85

02-10-06, 14:35

Monty,

I had this feeling in my legs for about 2-3 months, i hated it, i was also getting pains and cramps. eft helped me. its a free download and its also useful for anxiety and panic.

www.emofree.com

Give it a try

Becci x

yorkylover

02-10-06, 14:39

Hi monty,anxiety has many horrid symptoms.I can leave the house with someone,but find going out alone very hard.Families are very supportive but unless they have been there its hard for them to understand.You will find lots of friends here and get very good advise.
Take care;)

Ellen XX

belle

02-10-06, 14:51

Hi Monty..
I am agoraphobic and so i know how hard it is. I was housebound for two years and i'm still pretty much housebound but i can leave the house with my mother. What is SO important for you right now is that do NOT stopping going out. Thats where i made the mistake. I had a couple of panic attacks and that was it, too scared to go out, then from that moment i decided not to go out anymore, i lived the next 2 years in a complete panic daze. It was horrendous.
Just some advice :)
Sarah

Ma Larkin

02-10-06, 16:18

Hi Monty, I'm also on Prozac & my legs feel just like yours do. I'm not housebound, in fact I've been fine for the last few months, came off Diazepam about a month ago, but still take 20mg Prozac every day/every other day (depending on how brave I feel lol!!) I feel low as well (single parent with 3 kids and I'm 40 next week doh!!). I can't go anywhere without having to take the kids with me. My eldest has her own life with her boyfriend, she does come to see me, but my youngest are only 9 (today!) and 6. Its hard for me to find something that we all enjoy, either too childish or too adultish if you know what I mean. I do enjoy the cinema cos I love Disney films etc., but sometimes I just want an adult conversation and to make a posh meal instead of burger and chips! I want to feel appreciated instead of no confidence and low self esteem and not suffer from panic attacks when everything seems to be going wrong. I've managed to control the panic attacks, but anxiety is more or less lurking in the background all the time. I do have my good days, but yesterday I just wanted to stay in bed all day and be left alone, impossible with my 2 youngest.

I've never tried hypnotherapy (seem to have tried everything else). If I was you, I'd give it a go. Anything is better than nothing, and if you've already thought about it, its worth going through with it.

Hope you feel better soon.

Les

monty

02-10-06, 16:32

Thanks for all your kind messages. I do go out at least once a day- my exercise is a 30 minute walk around the neighbourhood every night- rain or snow! I can't really go anywhere alone anymore- and mostly I go out with my mum (I'm 17).

It's really hard on her and sometimes I feel so alone- I don't want to give her any more to worry about and this sort of stuff is too 'heavy' to tell my friends. I have no social life and only see old friends from school every few months.

Thanks again for your help- keep the advice coming! It is great to get some support from others in my situation.

magicsheep

02-10-06, 17:03

Hi Monty,

I have looked into hypnotherapy as I have now tried everything else. As with everything if you go into it with an open mind and the hope that it may well work, is better.

It's good that you get out, no matter who with. It's a viscous circle, as we all know but i hope in time things will get better for you.

Love Magicsheep x

If you don't want to do it you'll find an excuse. If you want to do it, you will!

carlin

02-10-06, 18:27

Hi Monty, good to meet you. I would try hypnotherapy, i tried it a few years back, and although rather expensive, it seemed to work? You are doing well by going out on a daily basis, not only will it build your confidence that nothing bad will happen (which it won't) but it's good exercise for you and that horrible 'leg' symptom! As for mum, i am almost certain that other than being worried and upset for you, she doesn't mind one little bit. It is hard for people, whoever they are, to understand these awful feelings, why not let mum come to this site and have a look round? I have 4 kids my 2 youngest are 16 and 17, and i can guarantee nothing would be too much trouble, that's what us mum's are for!! take care and keep in touch. xxx

monty

02-10-06, 18:34

Thanks. I will hopefully be having a 'telephone consultation' with my GP on Wednesday and will ask about hypnotherapy. But I have already found someone local who does home visits (I thought it would be most effective if I was at my most relaxed- i.e. at home)

Best wishes to everyone who is having similar problems, and many, many thanks for all your help and advice- I really appreciate it.

Keep the response coming guys :)

Insomniac

02-10-06, 21:08

Hi Monty.

Glad you found this place. You can get so much support and advice here from people who know how it feels.

I read your posts and know how you feel. I was like that in the summer (being hot always makes me feel worse anyway). I got used to the feeling of shaky legs, which to me is like when you really need to eat but haven't and your blood sugar gets low. Then you feel really shaky. The anxiety does the same to me.

I am on Seroxat now, and doc has upped the dose. I'm also trying to avoid sugar and have cut out caffeine which all seem to help. Every time I felt shaky I thought it was panic, but it probably wasn't every time. Just made me fear the fear.

I'm so glad you are still getting out. Well done for that. Its certainly not easy, but whether you go alone or with someone its still a real achievement. Don't let this thing corner you. There's a section here for families as well if you think they might need some advice or support too.

Hope this helps. you're not alone.

Lisa.

becky1000

04-10-06, 20:34

Hi Monty
I suffered from panic attacks, anxiety and depression for 12 years and have now been recovered for the last 2.
I was also on Prozac. At first I felt it wasn't really helping but then realised that it was helping me cope enough so that I could work on my recovery. I started to look on it as a vitamin for my nerves. You know how vitamins work - never an over-night cure but after several months your system does improve. I imagined my nerves being rubbed raw and saw them slowly healing with the help of my "vitamins".
I made notes of the steps I took towards recover and will send them to you if you interested - just email me at becky@imaginet.co.za.

Jen84

04-10-06, 21:10

Hi
I understand how you must be feeling, its good that you have been going out, don't stop! I started having panics when i was 17. I felt like a burden on my mum but she just wanted to help and im sure your mum does to!
I get weird feelings in my legs too, not nice but i try to keep going and i havent collapsed yet!
I think hypnotherapy will help, tell the therapist you feel unconfident they can really help with that! My panics are alot to do with confidence, you dont feel you can trust yourself to do things well.
Hope you are feeling ok, keep smiling![^]
Jen x

Don't ever let go of Hope, it gives us the strength to keep going when we feel like giving up!

monty

04-10-06, 21:12

Many thanks to all who have posted replies to me- I have found the support extremely helpful and am feeling quite positive at the moment.

Work yesterday was difficult- got the terrible wobbly legs feeling. Thoughts like 'they won't hold me up', 'they will stop working' and 'im going to collapse' went round and round in my head. Almost came home but found strength enough to get through it. Definetly think I would have regretted coming home and felt like a failure so I'm glad I didn't. Although I am worrying about going in again (Friday will be the next work day for me). I just hate the feeling and I really believe that I might collapse and not be able to get back up.

Anyway, hope you're all having a good week so far, and best wishes to everyone suffering with anything panic/anxiety-related! it is very [Ugh]!

Thanks again,
Lucy

chillx

04-10-06, 21:58

Hi

My GP is trained in hypnotherapy and I am booked in for a session on Tuesday 17th October so I will let you know how it goes. She said it would be deep relaxation and I would always remain in control through out it.

chillx

monty

05-10-06, 10:47

Yes, please do let me know how your session goes. I was supposed to be speaking to my GP about it, and increasing medication, yesterday but there was a break-down in communication at the surgery. He's not back in until Monday now! Oh well!

Thanks for taking the time to write to me.

Lucy x

bev

05-10-06, 12:34

hi there, the only person that can help you is you! know one understands your syptoms but you, choose life its wonderful when you start to get better its so good to look back and remember where you were and where you are now, that might seem like a million miles away at the moment but when your at your worst remember it will get better, the worst thing for me was not knowing what was wrong with me and thinking i was the only one with it, now i know im not and havent got some underlying medical condition life is so much better. bev x

b.barnes

smithjam1

05-10-06, 16:56

Hi

I too have sensations in my legs, I think this is due to the tablets that I am taking. When I am going to work my legs feel so weak, that I feel that I might fall over. This usually stops after I have been up for a while. The reason that your family are finding it hard is because they don't understand and don't know how to help. This dosn't mean that they don't care. Whatever you do, don't stop going out. i remember having a panic attack in a Supermarket and I needed my parents to rescue me, but I made sure that I went in again the next week even though I felt physicaly sick and I was fine after that. One thing I know is that I have to accept the way that I am, that I will proberbly be like this for the rest of my life, you just need to find ways to cope. One thing I know is that I always get through this and you will too! Don't know if that helps at all, proberbly not, but remember there are lots of people on here wanting to help.

J

smithjam1

05-10-06, 17:05

monty

05-10-06, 19:57

Thank you. I am trying to accept who I am at the moment (after reading Dr.Claire Weekes' book) but it's hard not to look back wishfully at the person I used to be.

Also, I do know how important it is to go back to place you find difficult- or have even had a panic attack in- but I find that extremely hard going- I have to be feeling particulalrly brave and that doesn't happen very often!

Thanks for your advice and encouragement,

Lucy:)

smithjam1

07-10-06, 11:45

Its is difficult and sometimes I just get so mad and frustrated at myself. sometimes i can be fine one day and the next I am a nervous wreck. The last couple of days I felt rubbish, after having a good week. I wished I could just go back a couple of years ago, when I was really happy, but I can't and I need ways to cope. Yes and you are so right it is really really hard.

J

monty

07-10-06, 16:12

J- hope you have a better weekend.

Don't know if you've read my new topic but I had an awful day yesterday. Today seems a bit better. PM me anytime if you want.

Lucy:)

smithjam1

08-10-06, 19:46

Hi Lucy

How are you today? My day hasn't been that bad today, still had my moments. I have got the stresses and strains of work tommorow to look forward to. Monday's are always so much fun! - not really.[Sigh...]

J

monty

09-10-06, 09:53

I'm not too bad thanks- still can't stop thinking about wobbly legs, but it does seem to be getting a little better.

Hope work goes alright for you today. Not sure when/if I'll be going back.

Nice to hear from you- let me know how things went today.

Lucy

nigela

09-10-06, 11:22

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Hi,
Hi you sound like me-i am struggling to cope too and need help-nigela x

I have suffered with panic attacks and agoraphobia for about 4 years and am really struggling to cope at the moment.

I am currently taking prozac, which I was prescribed about 3 years ago, but I'm not sure if the dosage is enough as I am feeling very depressed.

I have tried changing diet, exercise, acupuncture, herbal remedies, counselling and CBT but all have failed to get me back to 'normal'.

I have read loads of self help books but can't seem to get back my 'fear of fear'. I'm just so utterly terrified of having a panic attack that I can't push myself to face anywhere I find difficult to go- which is pretty much anywhere other than my home.

I am not yet house-bound, but am so low and unconfident at the moment that it seems that is where I am heading.

I don't know what else to do. My family are also finding it hard to deal with all my problems and this makes me even more worried and emotional.

My biggest problem at the moment is the sensation in my legs that leads my to believe that they are not strong enough to carry me and I will collapse any second. I used to only get this feeling in places where I feel particularly panicky but now I get it everywhere- even at home.

The only thing I can think of to try next is hypnotherapy. Anyone got any suggestions? I don't know what to do with myself anymore.

Someone please help me.

<div align="right">Originally posted by monty - 02 October 2006 : 14:20:10</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

nigela

smithjam1

09-10-06, 19:39

Hi

Well my day was ok, but my workload has tripled! They taken work off someone else, because of the stress and given it to me! I started a new position about 3 months ago even though I am still in the same office as I have been in for the last 3 years, but I still have to do my old Job as there is know funding for anymore staff. Also 4 of my closest friends were made redundent last week so that has been tough. Apart from that my day has been wonderful, well maybe not, but work is my safe place. Right had my moan, I can try and get back to reality and try and understand what Eastenders is about - Just lots of shouting really! :D

J

monty

10-10-06, 12:54

J-Don't think 'reality' and 'Eastenders' can ever go together in the same sentence!

Really finding life tough at the moment. I'm struggling to go out and push myself to do things outside my safety zone. It's affecting my whole family negatively too- which makes me more worried, anxious and panicky and less likely to improve. Vicious circle...

Don't know what to do with myself. Can hardly walk around the house without having wobbly legs/ fainting feeling. Just want to curl up in bed and not have to face anything.

Still no response from GP. [Sigh...] Sick of being like this. :(

emster

13-10-06, 22:36

hi lucy
this is the most useless reply to any post ever cos im affraid i dont have any answers for you. i just wanted to say i just read it and you sound exacly like me. i know its easy to feel hopeless and trapped in this kind of position. just keep beleiving that its not forever and you will find a way out and have a deleriously happy life one day, even if the light at the end of the tunnel isnt in sight yet, if you just keep taking even tiny steps in the right direction you'll get there in the end.
easier said than done but try not to beat yourself up too much.