MarcW
19-01-14, 20:43
Hi,
I'm new to this site after finding it whilst i was trawling the web trying to understand or find out what is wrong with me. Let me start from the beginning..
I'm a 32 year old from the north east of England. I enjoy (Or once enjoyed) socializing, attending football matches, (I have a season ticket at Sunderland) I have a partner and a 5yr old daughter both of which are healthy. I have a good paid job, live in a nice house and have no debt! Perfect right? WRONG
It all started in the summer of July 2013. Friday afternoon I finished work early and as it was a hot day I decided to stop by a nice little pub situated on the river bank close to the office for a refreshing pint with some colleagues. As is the "norm" in the north east and no doubt anywhere in the uk, the 1 refreshing pint turned into a session.. sound familiar right?
The next morning I woke up with a slight hangover, nothing to serious but i didnt really have time to reflect before I was dragged off by the wife shopping. We ended up at a huge mall (The Metrocentre) and that's when i had my first "attack". On entering the mall I felt what can only be described as a rush of blood to the head, I felt dizzy and sick and I swear I was seconds from passing out. Making excuses to my family I headed to the toilets just to get away! I dont know what I was getting away from all i knew was that i needed "time out". Splashing water on my face and staring into the mirror I felt terrible my heart was racing, the cold sweat dripping out of every pore in my body had me soaked and i was shaking like a street alcoholic. What was happening to me!? Was this a start of a heart attack?!
Coming out of the toilets i was met with a bottle of water from my partner and i was told that I looked in a bad way probably down to the day/nights alcohol taking its toll on my system. I thought this made sense and after finding a restaurant, the dizzyness and feeling faint subsided and although I felt better after something to eat I just wanted to go home.
1 week later (No repeated instances or "Attacks")
I headed to the lake district with the family. We hired a holiday home for a week which was ideally placed to discover both cumbria and Scotland. The first morning we headed into Carlise. After parking the car we took the elevator into the shopping mall when BANG it happened again, Dizzy, feeling sick, feeling faint, shaking, heart pumping, Christ.. i could hardly walk! I had drank a few cans the night before but nothing to excessive. What on earth was going on! My mind started racing.. Am I a Diabetic? Have I got high blood pressure? Have I developed a sensitivity to Caffeine? Although I could hardly focus on my phone i ran the battery dead on google searches alone! The feelings only subsided once I had returned to the car.
These attacks repeated every day of the holiday, more or less the same patterns. However in between "attacks" I still felt unwell. It was hard to describe to my family. "A knott in my stomach as if something bad is going to happen" I would say or "My eyes arent going with my head" I had also noticed I couldnt be bothered with anyone, I had no enthusiasm or energy. Then the "Attacks" would come.
My Family couldnt take it anymore, I had ruined the holiday. An appointment was made to see my GP and we cut the holiday short so I could get checked out.
The Doctor checked my heart rate & blood pressure - all fine. I remember saying to her "Your wrong, My heart is pumping out of my chest" After a few lifestyle questions she delivered her diagnosis.. "Your having anxiety attacks" She sent me away for blood tests to help rule out anything else - They also came back fine (cholesterol was a little high but i was told it wasnt concerning) I was given Propranolol 10mg and told to take 2 tablets 3 times per day.
Taking the tablets stopped the attacks of dizzyness and light headedness but my energy levels continued to plummet and I constantly felt weak and although the attacks had stopped I still felt jittery and anxious all of the time, it was constant and I started to withdraw from social situations.. even family!
It is now January and I feel my life has stopped. Ive been back to the doctors 3 times since July, twice to be given more propanolol. However on my last visit 2 weeks ago i demanded to be referred as I feel the tablets are masking some sort of underlying issue. I was told to continue with the medication but this time I was given Bedranol which is a one a day slow release propranolol. 2 weeks later = no change.
My life as stopped..
* No Alcohol
* Avoid social situations
* No Caffine
* No Energy
* No Enthusiasm
* Constant feeling of "down"
Basically... the opposite of everything that makes me "tick"
Hope someone is able to help
I'm new to this site after finding it whilst i was trawling the web trying to understand or find out what is wrong with me. Let me start from the beginning..
I'm a 32 year old from the north east of England. I enjoy (Or once enjoyed) socializing, attending football matches, (I have a season ticket at Sunderland) I have a partner and a 5yr old daughter both of which are healthy. I have a good paid job, live in a nice house and have no debt! Perfect right? WRONG
It all started in the summer of July 2013. Friday afternoon I finished work early and as it was a hot day I decided to stop by a nice little pub situated on the river bank close to the office for a refreshing pint with some colleagues. As is the "norm" in the north east and no doubt anywhere in the uk, the 1 refreshing pint turned into a session.. sound familiar right?
The next morning I woke up with a slight hangover, nothing to serious but i didnt really have time to reflect before I was dragged off by the wife shopping. We ended up at a huge mall (The Metrocentre) and that's when i had my first "attack". On entering the mall I felt what can only be described as a rush of blood to the head, I felt dizzy and sick and I swear I was seconds from passing out. Making excuses to my family I headed to the toilets just to get away! I dont know what I was getting away from all i knew was that i needed "time out". Splashing water on my face and staring into the mirror I felt terrible my heart was racing, the cold sweat dripping out of every pore in my body had me soaked and i was shaking like a street alcoholic. What was happening to me!? Was this a start of a heart attack?!
Coming out of the toilets i was met with a bottle of water from my partner and i was told that I looked in a bad way probably down to the day/nights alcohol taking its toll on my system. I thought this made sense and after finding a restaurant, the dizzyness and feeling faint subsided and although I felt better after something to eat I just wanted to go home.
1 week later (No repeated instances or "Attacks")
I headed to the lake district with the family. We hired a holiday home for a week which was ideally placed to discover both cumbria and Scotland. The first morning we headed into Carlise. After parking the car we took the elevator into the shopping mall when BANG it happened again, Dizzy, feeling sick, feeling faint, shaking, heart pumping, Christ.. i could hardly walk! I had drank a few cans the night before but nothing to excessive. What on earth was going on! My mind started racing.. Am I a Diabetic? Have I got high blood pressure? Have I developed a sensitivity to Caffeine? Although I could hardly focus on my phone i ran the battery dead on google searches alone! The feelings only subsided once I had returned to the car.
These attacks repeated every day of the holiday, more or less the same patterns. However in between "attacks" I still felt unwell. It was hard to describe to my family. "A knott in my stomach as if something bad is going to happen" I would say or "My eyes arent going with my head" I had also noticed I couldnt be bothered with anyone, I had no enthusiasm or energy. Then the "Attacks" would come.
My Family couldnt take it anymore, I had ruined the holiday. An appointment was made to see my GP and we cut the holiday short so I could get checked out.
The Doctor checked my heart rate & blood pressure - all fine. I remember saying to her "Your wrong, My heart is pumping out of my chest" After a few lifestyle questions she delivered her diagnosis.. "Your having anxiety attacks" She sent me away for blood tests to help rule out anything else - They also came back fine (cholesterol was a little high but i was told it wasnt concerning) I was given Propranolol 10mg and told to take 2 tablets 3 times per day.
Taking the tablets stopped the attacks of dizzyness and light headedness but my energy levels continued to plummet and I constantly felt weak and although the attacks had stopped I still felt jittery and anxious all of the time, it was constant and I started to withdraw from social situations.. even family!
It is now January and I feel my life has stopped. Ive been back to the doctors 3 times since July, twice to be given more propanolol. However on my last visit 2 weeks ago i demanded to be referred as I feel the tablets are masking some sort of underlying issue. I was told to continue with the medication but this time I was given Bedranol which is a one a day slow release propranolol. 2 weeks later = no change.
My life as stopped..
* No Alcohol
* Avoid social situations
* No Caffine
* No Energy
* No Enthusiasm
* Constant feeling of "down"
Basically... the opposite of everything that makes me "tick"
Hope someone is able to help