Just checking.. how do these symptoms sound as anxiety/adrenaline induced??

[VioletWings]

Hey to whoever reads this,

Well I've posted before on here not long ago as my anxiety symptoms started appearing again since I've been coming off citalopram. Been off it for about a month now -this is because I'm pregnant and the doc doesn't want me on it due to poss associated risks.
Anyway I had like a meltdown a few days ago and since then it seems like my body has just been pumping adrenaline and I feel like I'm on the edge of a panic attack much of the time. My panics aren't quickly over either when they escalate (so yes I am kind of afraid of them escalating which I know doesn't help!)

I've been medicated for about 3 years and been much better so I have kind of forgotten everything anxiety can make you feel, so just looking for some reassurance that these symptoms I've had last couple days can indeed be panic..

Fast heartbeat, even when just apparently at rest
Weary feeling in body -as if energy has just disappeared
Feeling prone to or breathless.
This morning I woke with a pain in my left arm/chest which comes and goes, just a stabbing/sharp sort of pain just for a moment under left breast area.
When my heart goes faster it then starts skipping sometimes

Replies appreciated!!

[.Poppy.]

Yes, these things can be caused by anxiety.

Just imagine that you're taking a walk, alone, in a forest. It's getting kind of dark outside and the forest is quiet. All of a sudden, you come around a tree and there is a giant grizzly bear looking at you. The grizzly has a cub and you've come to close to it, and now the mama bear is snarling and approaching, ready to defend her baby.

Your heart begins to race, maybe it skips a few beats. You begin to hyperventilate. You feel sick to your stomach. You probably feel dizzy.

Well, the bear decides that you are not a big threat, takes her baby and walks away. Now you're exhausted. You may feel sore because you've been in such a tense state. Your heart is most likely still racing, but your breathing may be approaching normal.

All of this is adrenaline related to the fear response. Anxiety is the same way. The difference here is that anyone would react this way to the scenario above. Being that you suffer with anxiety, life in general is like a bear in the woods and your body is going through these very normal adrenaline responses, just without that bear as the trigger.

I'm glad the medicine was working for you, but maybe since you can't take it now you need to explore ways to calm yourself down that aren't medicine related. Have you tried therapy of any kind? How about changes in diet and exercise? And I've found that sometimes it makes me feel better just to curl up with a good movie or TV show - looking forward to that can make any day seem almost bearable.

Hope you feel better :)