Extreme anxiety! I really need help

[Tardisbrain]

I've posted before but not got much response. I've been suffering extreme anxiety for 3 months and I'm losing all hope. I'm having problems sleeping, I'm sick everyday, I have weakness, shakes, breathing problems, palpitation and hot flushes. My mind races all the time and I get super depressed and agitated/restless, I also have lost over 1 and a half stone as I have zero appetite and have to Force feed myself and also derealisation. I've not had 1 moment of feeling myself and I'm terrified I won't get better. Is there anyone who has been through the same and recovered or anyone going through the same who could chat? I'm really desperate and no one seems to care. I'd really appreciate some support.

---------- Post added at 09:56 ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 ----------

Seriously, not one person :( I keep trying but no success. I just don't want to feel so alone in this.

---------- Post added at 10:19 ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 ----------

Why is no one answering? Please, I have 2 children who need me, 1 who's is going through puberty and my youngest who has autism. They have been blowing wishes that mum gets better and it's so heartbreaking. Both my boys need my support and I can't even cope with living

---------- Post added at 10:23 ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 ----------

Please help me

[MyNameIsTerry]

You can get better. I was lost to it all a few years back and never thought I would get the tiniest bit better after my relapse, but I did.

Ignore the thread reading numbers on here, most of that is made up of web spiders and watchers according to Admin. It can take a little time to get some responses, but you will get some.

There are a couple of other mum's on here who have children with autism and some adults with autism themselves. Have a look at Carolin's thread on the depression board about that for people who understand how hard that can be.

[Tardisbrain]

Thanks for replying, I have been diagnosed with aspergers also but it doesn't affect me so much now as it did when I was younger. I'm just so scared. No one seems to be as bad as me and this makes me even more scared as I'm not sure I can recover. I'm living in hell x

[MyNameIsTerry]

There are people on here with severe levels of anxiety. Some around here have been in & out of hospitals, respite homes, etc. The more you are around, the more you will come across people in some very difficult situations. They will understand how you feel.

A few years back I was a shaking mess sitting on a settee all day long afraid of even brushing my teeth or eating & drinking. That's what my med did to me at the worst of it but my med really wasn't suited and if I had known what I know now from talking to others on here, I never would have allowed my GP to pass it off as my anxiety and demanded a switch.

Try to build in relaxation exercises where you can. Sometimes they help. I found it took some time of doing them every day before it seemed to work though.

[Tardisbrain]

Ah it's so horrible. I was fine before the meds, just a little stressed. It's the worst mistake I have ever made and wish doctors wouldn't hand meds out like sweeties. I stopped them after 3 days but never improved and I'm scared I have done some serious unreparable damage to my brain. After the first one I took I became seriously dizzy and could not straighten my eyes or keep them open. That is not so normal reaction to meds surely

[MyNameIsTerry]

Well you won't have damaged your brain, that's for sure. All these SSRI's are aiming to do is increase Serotonin in the space between the sending receptor and the receiving one. This means the sending one doesn't reabsorb everything in that "space" between them quite so quickly and the receiving receptor can spend longer using it up. After a while on these meds they cause "down-regulation" which just means they "plug" holes in that sending receptor where it reabsorbs the Serotonin hence you get it trying to reabsorb less too.

When you stop the med, it just reverses that.

They do tend to impact some other areas to a much lesser degree, and it differs by SSRI which may be one of the reasons some are not suited to certain people.

They do give them out to readily. I doubt many GP's have a clue about how they effect us or how they work.

You would be surprised at the effects they can have. There are plenty of posts around showing how they can cause some very strange effects quite quickly. The side effects sheets tend to be as long as your arm with SSRI's.

[Tardisbrain]

Thanks. I think I've read way too much about everything. When you had your relapse did you have a constant weird pressure in your head that effected your ears? It'seems like mine feel like they are popping but they are not. It also feels like my head needs to pop if that makes sense

[MyNameIsTerry]

No, but I have had it since then and for a periods of months although not constantly all day every day. I've found what I eat can affect it too.

I had many symptoms in my relapse and courtesy of the med I went on, I had many more. The agitation was horrendous from the new med.

[Tardisbrain]

It effects me when I eat! Like it gets worse when chewing the very little food I can. I have my second appointment with cpn tonight. I hope she can help. I had to wait 2 months on urgent before I could see anyone and I never knew what was wrong with me so I had to try and figure it out by myself. I've now had to wait another 4 weeks for second appointment as she was on holiday, I got days mixed up as had to move and she was off sick

---------- Post added at 12:20 ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 ----------

I don't feel there is very much help. At the beginning I was pleading to be locked up and very suicidal and no one really gave a shit...basically said I have to attempt to kill myself before they'd do anything

[Beckybecks]

I really do sympathise with you. When I started this journey I was terrified, thought I was going mad in fact. As you say, it's like a living hell. If only I'd had a place like this forum to come to. It's great to find people you can relate to, who understand what you're going through.

I too lost a lot of weight in the beginning, I found it so hard to eat.
But I survived, didn't go mad, and I put all the weight back on. (Plus some !)

I've learnt a lot through my experiences and through others' on here.

I was on meds for years but I found while they masked the symptoms, they didn't actually sort out the problems. I eventually gave them up and used other methods to face my fears. I recommend CBT, exercise, keeping your mind occupied, healthy lifestyle and diet.
Everyone's different of course but this is what works for me.

If you want to chat please pm me. It always helps to feel someone cares and to have people to talk to who understand what you're going through.

[Tardisbrain]

Thank you its much appreciated. My first appointment with my cpn gave me some hope but as I've had to wait 4 weeks to see her again things have got so much worse. I do hope she can help. I have my second appointment tonight.

---------- Post added at 13:00 ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 ----------

I know everyone's different but can I ask how long it took you to feel better and how it happened? Was your symptoms severe and constant and if so how did they start to change? Most people who say they feel the same are still able to go to work (even though they feel terrible) I am pretty much unable to do anything. I'm trying a little at a time but I just feel so terrible that it can make me worse and yet I still try. Practising getting outside and back to normal life would probably be so much easier if I could feel some relief when I'm in my house but this is permanent and I'm getting no respite

[pulisa]

I can empathise with the constant agitation. There is no "safe" place with this type of severe anxiety and it affects everything. The more you focus on it the worse it is though. I've been hospitalised with it twice-the second time as a result of SSRIs (seroxat).

My daughter also has this and is also on the autistic spectrum. It is supremely difficult to manage but you are no going mad and you will come out of this if you can get your emotional arousal levels down. Good luck with your CPN appointment and I hope you get some good advice and support. Mental health support services are pretty basic though.

[Tardisbrain]

Thanks Pulisa. I'm just so done in. This will be my second appointment, my therapist seemed nice and she says she has also been through this. I'm so hoping I can recover x

[pulisa]

Believe you can recover because you will. The fear that you won't is just fuelling the anxiety. I know how hard and gruelling it is to keep going with an autistic child and to "perform" as normal when inside you are all over the place and struggling with all sorts of overwhelming physical and mental symptoms.

It's helpful that your therapist has experienced some of these symptoms which will give her some idea and not just words from a text book which she has studied x

[Tardisbrain]

Thanks again. Yes I'm just back, she is so lovely and explains things so well. 2nd appointment and I always feel so much hope once I've left her. I have my first appointment with psychiatrist on the 1st and she's coming with me. I can't make it to her the week after so she is coming out to my house. She also gave me some better tips on breathing which I hope will work ( it's the opposite of what I have normally been told to do)

[busterrufus]

Hello tardis I just seen your post, I have all your symptoms a nd more. Don't know how much I can help you because I,m going through a very bad spell but just thought I,d let you know your symptoms are common with anxiety. Good luck with your treatment.

[georgewing]

Well you search for a good therapist or at least a psicholog ? maybe its uncomfortable for you to search a doctor but you must do it ,it will help you .We can give you some adcices but i think the most qualified on this its the doctor .And yes you can do better for sure i was also in same situation like you and now i am more better just dont go more in negative shadow