I'm New.. Do I have Anxiety Problems?

[MarcW]

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

[just_do_it]

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

Hiya marc, hope your having a lovely evening :) firstly, i can completely relate to everything you have explained, and most on here probably can. have you read the information on here about panic and anxiety, and how to deal with the attacks? they helped me alot. also try to trust your doctor, panic and anxiety is surprisingly common, and can be easily banished from your life if you work at it. don't avoid the situations that once triggered the attacks, go face them, you cant predict the future, so whats the point in worrying about what "might" happen? focus on the now, live your life. The more you face the situations like shopping centres, the more you will get stronger and realise that this is not a big deal. i know its absolutely petrifying when its actually happening. but even so, just replace the what ifs to so whats. so what if you have another panic attack, they aren't going to harm you. your healthy. a panic attack will be over quick enough and you will get over it. i definitely think you should read the advice on this site, it will help you get on with living :) i hope this has been helpful for you :) :noangel:

[MarcW]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply and the advice. I'm going to have a proper look about on here!

Its mad because I think I can handle the attacks, its the general, constant feeling of being on the bottom, no enthusiasm or energy.

The only time I feel anywhere normal is when im at work.

[Bekzie]

Hi Marc
Well it definitely sounds like anxiety to me, once you have that first attack the fear builds. You have done the right thing getting checked out and I was given the same tablets by my doc, from what I have read they are common for people with anxiety.

There are many other ways people use to manage their anxiety, I used herbal remedies. Ask your doctor about cbt, it's a type of therapy used to help anxiety sufferers.

I, and many others here, have been exactly where you are now. No matter how bad things seem it can and will get better! Last march was the worst for me I was having daily panic attacks, scared to eat drink or leave the house but this site and all of the support helped me so much. I still have bad days but am much better than I was. There is hope no matter how hopeless things feel. You WILL get through this

[MarcW]

Hi Marc
Well it definitely sounds like anxiety to me, once you have that first attack the fear builds. You have done the right thing getting checked out and I was given the same tablets by my doc, from what I have read they are common for people with anxiety.

There are many other ways people use to manage their anxiety, I used herbal remedies. Ask your doctor about cbt, it's a type of therapy used to help anxiety sufferers.

I, and many others here, have been exactly where you are now. No matter how bad things seem it can and will get better! Last march was the worst for me I was having daily panic attacks, scared to eat drink or leave the house but this site and all of the support helped me so much. I still have bad days but am much better than I was. There is hope no matter how hopeless things feel. You WILL get through this

Thank You, It gives me confidence!

[KLP]

I hope I can help in some way, my problem started only since mid Oct 2013. But the difference between yours and mine is that mine started as a health concern which escalated into A really bad anxiety episode (ongoing). I too am in the north east (not that, that's any difference) but if it's anything at the hightened part of my anxiety I had no energy whatsoever all your symptoms plus more... The symptoms have improved by 50% apart from my vision! Apart from my vision and my newly found IBS-D, and the consistent gentle feeling of nerves running throughout my body. I'm still in two minds whether mine is anxiety or not. But having continual tests that come back fine, and the timeline of the events, I have to confidence myself this is anxiety along with the physical symptoms. Once excepting this, my symptoms have very slowly improved. They can raise in an environment such as shopping malls and supermarkets. But you must keep facing the fear, as this WILL help you in the long run. Also talk about what your going through, even though people may not understand its good for you to get it off your chest.

I'm also on a nhs course for CBT. Good luck

[MarcW]

I hope I can help in some way, my problem started only since mid Oct 2013. But the difference between yours and mine is that mine started as a health concern which escalated into A really bad anxiety episode (ongoing). I too am in the north east (not that, that's any difference) but if it's anything at the hightened part of my anxiety I had no energy whatsoever all your symptoms plus more... The symptoms have improved by 50% apart from my vision! Apart from my vision and my newly found IBS-D, and the consistent gentle feeling of nerves running throughout my body. I'm still in two minds whether mine is anxiety or not. But having continual tests that come back fine, and the timeline of the events, I have to confidence myself this is anxiety along with the physical symptoms. Once excepting this, my symptoms have very slowly improved. They can raise in an environment such as shopping malls and supermarkets. But you must keep facing the fear, as this WILL help you in the long run. Also talk about what your going through, even though people may not understand its good for you to get it off your chest.

I'm also on a nhs course for CBT. Good luck

Cheers!

One thing I did miss out which may or may not be related to anxiety is that over Xmas I did have stomach trouble. It cant be blamed on eating junk as it started on the 20th. I managed a xmas dinner but could only stomach dry toast the rest of the time. Then again, It may have been a little bug or Virus

[KLP]

Anxiety can affect your digestive system. And your swallowing reflexes. At its worst, it affected mine, plus I gad a full blood count test done and came back a low white blood count and all consultants I've seen, all say viral!!!!