MAXXIMUS
12-03-07, 16:33
Hello,
I have just joined the forum. I am new to all of this and have spent my past week reading so many things about anxiety and panic attacks. I'm sure this is what I have. I am petrified & no one seems to understand because it is just not me. I was recently on holiday in Portugal and went to the restaurant for my evening meal. Everything was fine - I was laughing and joking with my husband etc. It was all great (by the way I had never experienced a panic attack before). I went over to the buffet counter to get my second course and suddenly felt very dizzy, my heart was racing, I was scared and thought I was going to pass out. I told my husband who helped me back over to the table where we were sat. I was sweating and was sudden:y very hot and very shaky. I asked for a bottle of ice cold water and drunk that so quickly. My mouth felt dry but the shaking was getting worse. The rep came over to the table as I had apparently gone very white and drawn looking. To save me any embarrassment she walked out of the restaurant with myself and my husband. She said I could be dehydrated and tired from the travelling, which I thought made sense. Any way, it eventually seemed (after 5 bottles of water) to calm down and we went back to the hotel room. That night I woke up sweating and shaking from head to toe - it was as though my whole body had turned to ice from the inside out, but my husband said I was very hot to touch. I felt tingly in my left arm. We put it down to a virus of some kind and went to see the doctor out there as it seemed to be getting worse. He told me I was having a panic attack and was hyperventilating, which naturally came as a shock to me as I had never experienced one before. It is a standing joke that I am such a laid back person that if I became any more laid back I would be asleep! It simply didn't make sense. I had and still have no depression, no debts, no worries really? Anyway, this then carried on for the whole of the holiday - getting worse when we went back to the restaurant! I put it down to association and talked myself out of it. It ruined my holiday - the first one I have had in over 8 years! When we returned home everything seemed fine for the first day. Then the following day it all came back but worse - the same things as described above, but with pains in my chest, tingling in my left arm, cramps in my shoulders and numbness in my face. I was petrified. I thought I was having a heart attack. My husband phoned for medical help and they told me I was displaying all the symptoms of an anxiety attack! Again it didn't make sense. All these things seemed to carry on for a few weeks, then came the butterflies in the stomach, the dry mouth, loss of appetite etc. I felt like there was something wrong with me. I was getting so angry and frustrated with myself and couldn't stop crying. My husband was worried. So, I went to my doctor's, explained how I was feeling (although he could see my whole body trembling) etc. He told me it was anxiety but sent me for blood tests anyway - routine and thyroid to rule out any problems with medical & said they would phone if anything came up - obviously it hasn't, as I have heard nothing back. He prescribed me beta blockers - ' Propranolol', which has stopped the shaking instantly (I started to shake all day every day). From the second I opened my eyes in the morning I felt nervous and emotional with shakes following - and then the day went downhill from there. I am so desperate with this. I find myself getting more frustrated by the second. I am still having aching in my chest and shoulders. My food all tastes the same! What is wrong with me? There is nothing on my mind and nothing I can think of which could be causing this. My husband must be worried sick but he had been an absolute gem. I have just purchased the Linden Method as I have heard and read many excellent things about this. I will try anything! ANYTHING! I just want to be me again - I never used to stop laughing, I was the life and soul of the party. I feel exhausted with this & alone. Am I going mad? If so, why? :shrug:
I have just joined the forum. I am new to all of this and have spent my past week reading so many things about anxiety and panic attacks. I'm sure this is what I have. I am petrified & no one seems to understand because it is just not me. I was recently on holiday in Portugal and went to the restaurant for my evening meal. Everything was fine - I was laughing and joking with my husband etc. It was all great (by the way I had never experienced a panic attack before). I went over to the buffet counter to get my second course and suddenly felt very dizzy, my heart was racing, I was scared and thought I was going to pass out. I told my husband who helped me back over to the table where we were sat. I was sweating and was sudden:y very hot and very shaky. I asked for a bottle of ice cold water and drunk that so quickly. My mouth felt dry but the shaking was getting worse. The rep came over to the table as I had apparently gone very white and drawn looking. To save me any embarrassment she walked out of the restaurant with myself and my husband. She said I could be dehydrated and tired from the travelling, which I thought made sense. Any way, it eventually seemed (after 5 bottles of water) to calm down and we went back to the hotel room. That night I woke up sweating and shaking from head to toe - it was as though my whole body had turned to ice from the inside out, but my husband said I was very hot to touch. I felt tingly in my left arm. We put it down to a virus of some kind and went to see the doctor out there as it seemed to be getting worse. He told me I was having a panic attack and was hyperventilating, which naturally came as a shock to me as I had never experienced one before. It is a standing joke that I am such a laid back person that if I became any more laid back I would be asleep! It simply didn't make sense. I had and still have no depression, no debts, no worries really? Anyway, this then carried on for the whole of the holiday - getting worse when we went back to the restaurant! I put it down to association and talked myself out of it. It ruined my holiday - the first one I have had in over 8 years! When we returned home everything seemed fine for the first day. Then the following day it all came back but worse - the same things as described above, but with pains in my chest, tingling in my left arm, cramps in my shoulders and numbness in my face. I was petrified. I thought I was having a heart attack. My husband phoned for medical help and they told me I was displaying all the symptoms of an anxiety attack! Again it didn't make sense. All these things seemed to carry on for a few weeks, then came the butterflies in the stomach, the dry mouth, loss of appetite etc. I felt like there was something wrong with me. I was getting so angry and frustrated with myself and couldn't stop crying. My husband was worried. So, I went to my doctor's, explained how I was feeling (although he could see my whole body trembling) etc. He told me it was anxiety but sent me for blood tests anyway - routine and thyroid to rule out any problems with medical & said they would phone if anything came up - obviously it hasn't, as I have heard nothing back. He prescribed me beta blockers - ' Propranolol', which has stopped the shaking instantly (I started to shake all day every day). From the second I opened my eyes in the morning I felt nervous and emotional with shakes following - and then the day went downhill from there. I am so desperate with this. I find myself getting more frustrated by the second. I am still having aching in my chest and shoulders. My food all tastes the same! What is wrong with me? There is nothing on my mind and nothing I can think of which could be causing this. My husband must be worried sick but he had been an absolute gem. I have just purchased the Linden Method as I have heard and read many excellent things about this. I will try anything! ANYTHING! I just want to be me again - I never used to stop laughing, I was the life and soul of the party. I feel exhausted with this & alone. Am I going mad? If so, why? :shrug: