orchidaloha
25-04-16, 17:45
This is my first post here and I'm posting because I need help. And support.
I have been suffering with bad anxiety and panic attacks for about a year and a half now. I have suffered and been susceptible to both my entire life, but for the most part it's very controlled, but in November 2015 I had a huge panic attack and I've struggled ever since. The whole period came on slowly with one stress after another and then I became basically an anxious, sick mess due to a very toxic work environment. During the peaks of my anxiety last year, I was taking medication every day for months straight and it was rare that I managed more than around 4 hours of sleep.
I finally got a new job, which I started at 2 weeks ago and I really like it, it's a huge breath of fresh air compared to my old job and early last week I even had moments where I felt like myself! I haven't felt that way in over a year and a half! When I got the job offer 4 weeks ago, I actually slept all through the night for over a week straight, that's something that I haven't done in so long, it was amazing! I also lasted 14 days without any kind of medication.
In addition to the new job, my life in general makes me very happy.
But, after feeling SO much better, the symptoms of anxiety came back and I had two bad panic attacks and managed to fight off a third. I also had 4 bad nights sleep-wise, which has left me feeling physically and mentally drained. I feel like I can't take much more of this! I guess I was hoping that once I quit the job, the anxiety would just go away and I would feel better. Wishful thinking, huh?!
I have a doctors appointment to see if there is anything physically wrong with me, but it's not until next week and so I wanted to post here to see if anyone had any experience with this kind of situation.
My biggest issue is the physical symptoms I get... I can be feeling completely fine and relaxed, and then out of nowhere, I get hit with the physical stuff. I have been to doctors (although my last appointment was around 5-6 months ago) and there doesn't seem to be anything actually wrong, but sometimes I feel SO sick that I can't imagine that it could be just anxiety causing all of this.
- Stomach issues: this is by far my biggest physical problem. I get intense nausea, stomach cramps, bowel problems, heartburn, bloating, trapped gas feeling. It's getting to the point where there is something wrong pretty much every day and I just don't see how doctors can say that there is nothing causing any of this!
- Headaches: mostly I wake up with them. They could be down to sinus and allergy issues and a dry environment, but I think anxiety makes them worse because they were never this bad or this frequent before the latest bout of anxiety
- Sleep: I don't usually have a problem falling asleep, it's staying asleep that's the issue for me. I wake up in the middle of the night sweating and feeling sick, and then I can't fall back asleep. Last week I woke up at 12:30am and didn't sleep at all after that. This can happen 2-3 times a week
- Derealization/brain fog/dizziness: I get this usually when I'm having a good day, which in turn makes me feel anxious and sick
- Facial tingling/gagging/mouth watering: I get this usually when I'm experiencing derealization and it makes me think I'm about to throw up... I haven't thrown up *knock on wood*, but it has triggered some pretty intense panic attacks
I find that one of the biggest problems I have lately is once I have an attack, it takes me weeks to get over it. It's like my body and mind are too exhausted to feel better, and I'm always on edge feeling like another attack is on its way. It's making all of this extremely exhausting to deal with at times.
Does anyone have any experience with these symptoms or this kind of situation? Any words of advice or support would be greatly appreciated!
I have been suffering with bad anxiety and panic attacks for about a year and a half now. I have suffered and been susceptible to both my entire life, but for the most part it's very controlled, but in November 2015 I had a huge panic attack and I've struggled ever since. The whole period came on slowly with one stress after another and then I became basically an anxious, sick mess due to a very toxic work environment. During the peaks of my anxiety last year, I was taking medication every day for months straight and it was rare that I managed more than around 4 hours of sleep.
I finally got a new job, which I started at 2 weeks ago and I really like it, it's a huge breath of fresh air compared to my old job and early last week I even had moments where I felt like myself! I haven't felt that way in over a year and a half! When I got the job offer 4 weeks ago, I actually slept all through the night for over a week straight, that's something that I haven't done in so long, it was amazing! I also lasted 14 days without any kind of medication.
In addition to the new job, my life in general makes me very happy.
But, after feeling SO much better, the symptoms of anxiety came back and I had two bad panic attacks and managed to fight off a third. I also had 4 bad nights sleep-wise, which has left me feeling physically and mentally drained. I feel like I can't take much more of this! I guess I was hoping that once I quit the job, the anxiety would just go away and I would feel better. Wishful thinking, huh?!
I have a doctors appointment to see if there is anything physically wrong with me, but it's not until next week and so I wanted to post here to see if anyone had any experience with this kind of situation.
My biggest issue is the physical symptoms I get... I can be feeling completely fine and relaxed, and then out of nowhere, I get hit with the physical stuff. I have been to doctors (although my last appointment was around 5-6 months ago) and there doesn't seem to be anything actually wrong, but sometimes I feel SO sick that I can't imagine that it could be just anxiety causing all of this.
- Stomach issues: this is by far my biggest physical problem. I get intense nausea, stomach cramps, bowel problems, heartburn, bloating, trapped gas feeling. It's getting to the point where there is something wrong pretty much every day and I just don't see how doctors can say that there is nothing causing any of this!
- Headaches: mostly I wake up with them. They could be down to sinus and allergy issues and a dry environment, but I think anxiety makes them worse because they were never this bad or this frequent before the latest bout of anxiety
- Sleep: I don't usually have a problem falling asleep, it's staying asleep that's the issue for me. I wake up in the middle of the night sweating and feeling sick, and then I can't fall back asleep. Last week I woke up at 12:30am and didn't sleep at all after that. This can happen 2-3 times a week
- Derealization/brain fog/dizziness: I get this usually when I'm having a good day, which in turn makes me feel anxious and sick
- Facial tingling/gagging/mouth watering: I get this usually when I'm experiencing derealization and it makes me think I'm about to throw up... I haven't thrown up *knock on wood*, but it has triggered some pretty intense panic attacks
I find that one of the biggest problems I have lately is once I have an attack, it takes me weeks to get over it. It's like my body and mind are too exhausted to feel better, and I'm always on edge feeling like another attack is on its way. It's making all of this extremely exhausting to deal with at times.
Does anyone have any experience with these symptoms or this kind of situation? Any words of advice or support would be greatly appreciated!