taking the plunge!!!!

[egodeff]

ok so i would like to start out by saying that i am a little nervous posting on here but i thought that it was time to take the plunge, thus this is my first post so please be nice :)

let me give you a small rundown on my anxiety/ panic history, i have always had some form of anxiety as long as i can remember (e.g intense worry about things out of my control like global warming etc) but around two years ago i experienced my first panic attack which i would attribute to excess cannabis and MDMA use as well as taking a overdose of TCAs combined with family issues and a bad relationship experience. at the time i though i was having a heart attack as i had a tightness across my chest i could not describe, shaking, vision issues etc. i have been clean as of that exact moment and have moved on to university and have turned my life around in most places apart from my anxiety.

my anxiety issues have progressively gotten worst despite my best efforts to do the right things.

recently i have been suffering from chronic chest pain for which i have had more ecgs than i can count, a 24 monitor, an echo, a cardio ampimonitor and a ct scan. which have shown good results :)

i have had terrible experiences with anti depressants and am apprehensive to take them again.

i have a few questions that i really would love to know if anyone in the community could help me answer/ relate to. so here goes:

1) is it possible to have "mental" panic attacks with no physical symptoms?

2) is it possible for my anxiety and panic attacks to morph in form as though evolving like a virus e.g presenting different symptom combinations that change in different instances?

3) do meds actually help?

4) am i the only one to have an obsessions with my heart stopping and death?

5) does anxiety and panic cause others "shiny" and hard to focus vision problems?

6) with good cardiac test results will i still die of a heart attack?


7) does it ever get any better?

some what of a long post and i appreciate all who read this very much. stay strong

egodeff :yahoo:

[t0mmy]

Hi Egodeff

I can tell you from my experience that my vision is usually the first sign that I'm starting to have a problem. I can't focus on anything without really concentrating which can be quite scary.

As far as the heart stopping worry goes, that seems to be one of the main worries when panic sets in. I used to monitor my heartbeat and when it slowed down I was convinced it would just stop. I've read quite a bit on here about people who have that worry too so it sounds quite common (but still terrifying).

I hope you start to feel better. I've found this forum is brilliant for helping to distract you and normalise what you're going through. There usually seems to be someone on here who says "oh yeah, I had that too!"

[sial72]

1) yes, it is possible
2) totally typical
3) they do help some people, I personally stay away from them
4) not only are you not the only one, Ivwould say most of us have had that at some stage
5) totally, for me always
6) no
7) it can do, especially if you are pro-active
Xxxx

[egodeff]

thank you all for your kind replies, it is good to know i am not the only one on the world who feels like this i appreciate this a a lot :)

[meche]

You're definitely not the only one. I can relate to at least half of your list!! I've suffered them individually, altogether or different combos. I don't have huge anxiety issues anymore but I still have off days so have faith that it can and does get better. My head is usually the first to suffer - headaches, lightheadedness, trouble focusing... just to mention a few. Not nice!!

I hope you feel better soon. This is a great place to share your experiences and gain comfort. Big hugs. xx

[egodeff]

thank you guys you are all awesome people.

this is the first time i have ever spoken to others in the same boat as me its really comforting :)

peace and love

[Pepperpot]

Hey - welcome :)

My experience...

1) is it possible to have "mental" panic attacks with no physical symptoms?
I believe so - I think there could be a thread on symptoms on here where Gingerfish reckons mental symptoms are worse than physical ones)

2) is it possible for my anxiety and panic attacks to morph in form as though evolving like a virus e.g presenting different symptom combinations that change in different instances?
Totally - I have different symptoms from one day/week to the next.

3) do meds actually help?
According to lots of threads on here they do - I don't take them

4) am i the only one to have an obsessions with my heart stopping and death?
Not at all - not too long ago I was taking my pulse at every opportunity

5) does anxiety and panic cause others "shiny" and hard to focus vision problems?
I believe it can cause vision problems - I sometimes struggle to focus

6) with good cardiac test results will i still die of a heart attack?
Highly unlikely


7) does it ever get any better?
It does, and it will :)
xx