Hello, nice to be here.

[headcase]

I am sorry that so many people feel as I do. But I am glad you are here. I used to be a normal person before anxiety and panic took over 5 years ago. I started by having strange obsessive thoughts and weird out of body feelings. I landed in the emerg during a panic attack because I thought I was dying. Thank goodness I found out what it was, but I was floored. I am a strong woman, I can do it all, this can't be happening to me. It seems my body tells me when I can not cope. I read extensively on the topic and was able to help myself for the most part. I greatly reduced the stress in my life and I could talk myself out of anxious feelings. 4 months ago I started feeling poorly again. This time I thought I was dying of cancer or a brain tumor. I've lost 15 lbs and have bouts of nausea. My head feels foggy and my face goes numb. I wake up at night in full panic mode and can not get back to sleep. My symptoms never get worse and they come and go, I never die. It must be all in my head right? Bloodwork and various scans are always normal. I can't shake it this time. I just want to feel normal again. I just want to be present in the moment not stuck in my own head. I want to be a fun Mom. Perhaps it is time for meds. Can I get through this?

"Lot's of bad things have gone on in my life and some of them actually happened" - Mark Twain

[Piglet]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote"> Can I get through this?

"Lot's of bad things have gone on in my life and some of them actually happened" - Mark Twain

<div align="right">Originally posted by headcase - 29 December 2006 : 22:14:12</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Yes you can - while we can't learn to totally eliminate anxiety because it's normal part of life, we can learn to live alongside it.

I didn't say all that myself, I read it in Claire Weekes book 'Self help for your nerves but I do totally relate to it :D:D:D

What sort of things have to tried up till now??

Love Piglet :)

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[feels_like_home]

Hi,
You can get through this. There are so many people here who understand exactly what you are going through. I have had anxiety for about 3 years. The first year was the worst because I had no idea what was wrong. Once I learned as much as I could I started to feel better. I felt good for about a year and then the symptoms started to return. I have started to see a psychologist and that has helped me learn to cope with anxiety. I know what it is like to be stuck in your own head instead of living life. You will feel better again. Have you tried therapy, counselling etc? I find this really helps. I still struggle with the idea of taking medication. So far I have decided to take vitamins, eat better, exercise and take rescue remedy which helps. You will find what helps you cope.
Take care.
Michelle

[headcase]

Thanks for your words. No I have not been to any type of counselling and I have never taken any drugs. I know I need to get out more and increase my activity level. I am a stay at home Mom with 1 year old and 7 year old in school. I am reluctant to seek professional help.

[Dreamer029]

i thought the same thing, i am such a strong female...but they say that anxiety hits the strong ones. i also landed in the ER when i was having my first anxiety attacks, it lasted days. you will get through it!! talk to your doctor if you feel like medicine will help. i have recently started meds...i was so scared to start, but as i have learned if you have an imbalance you may need them! i am studying to be a Physician Assistant (here in the USA its in between a nurse and a doctor) so i am sorting out my health anxieties... sometimes i get more anxious when i learn about a disease and other times i find that when i learn more about it i can really tell if its possible. PM me any time. i like to answer and explain health questions if i can

Lauren

[manmoor]

Hi There,

A big warm welcome to you.

Take Care

Mandyxx

[trac67]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends.

Try the following link for the first steps to overcome panic/anxiety:

First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=942)

Take care

Trac xx

'Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain'

[nomorepanic]

Hi there

Welcome aboard and lovely to see you here.

Hope we can be of some help.

Nicola

People will forget what you said
People will forget what you did
But people will never forget how you made them feel

[keepemlaughing]

Hello and welcome. I can relate to your strong woman statement. I have always been very strong and independent. When my last serious bout of anxiety and the following depression hit, I could barely function at all. I am seeing a great psychiatrist now and I am on meds. I feel better, although I have my brief feelings of total insecurity. This site is very helpful. Again, welcome, and have a Happy New Year.:D

Sheryl

Why stay in prison when the door is wide open?

[sandlin]

Hi

The strong woman bit strikes a cord with me. Always thought admitting you had a problem was a sign of weakness but you have to accept it yourself before you can move forward.

Linda xx

[Melina]

I feel exactly the same. It's only since leaving work a month ago that I am begining to learn about anxiety and panic and how many other people it affects and only over the past week or too that I even know this type of site exisited. I think I was so consumed by stress, worry and panic that I could not think clearly enough to try and seek help and I assumed because my mother suffered with mental health problems (before she died 2 years ago) that I must be going mad but that I could beat whatever was happening to me by going to the gym, herbal medicine, accupunture, massage, self help books on confidence and how to talk to yourself etc etc because I have always been a strong woman working long hours in a very tough industry for the past 15 years and I could not accept that what the industry always joked about with other people that "could not handle it", were "cracking up", "loosing the plot", it could not be happening to me, I am far too 'strong' and been through too much in my life to crack now.

I'm beginning to learn about people who seemed to have learned to 'manage' their anxiety and panic and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm hoping to find that light personally and I'm sure you will too and wish you the very very best.