Just joined

[Clover]

Hello, I haven't started reading or posting in the forum yet but looking forward to.

I've had problems with anxiety since age 10 (I'm now 23). My biggest fear (during the last 3 years) is feeling nausea and I really don't think I'll cope when I catch a bug :( I'm painfully shy with people, can't relax at all even with family and I don't have much hope for my future. The glass is always half empty. I'm also extremely sensitive, always getting my hopes up too much and then feeling let down by all the little things that don't work out. I've been on a few different medications (currently effexor) but I don't notice many benifits. I'm thinking of trying a higher dose.

In my last year of school I felt sick quite a lot and the doctor didn't find anything physically wrong with me. After a while I realised that eating made the nausea go away. So you'd think it was to do with hunger but the feeling has woken me up in the night and come at various times in the day, roughly every 2-3 hours. I've tried glucose tablets but my body seems to want something filling whether I feel hungry or not.

In August 2001 I felt sick everyday for a month. I was worried I had a bug and the worry made things a lot worse. I was petrified of whether I should eat or not (because of the problem I mentioned above) and I completely lost my appetite. I was scared to go out the house incase I needed to be sick (which never happened once). I started to think I'd never get better and felt very low. The date still haunts me. I feel like I'm just waiting for something similar to happen again. I don't trust my mind anymore.

Sorry this post is so long. I've probably not made much sense. I'm not good at explaining things

[Karen]

Hi Clover

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear you have been suffering for so long. I've had depression and social phobia since I was 12 and it's not much fun coping with all the other teenage stuff at the same time.

I understand what it is like to not feel comfortable with people and know how it can isolating it can be. That's why forums like these are so good. I too am extremely sensitive and I know what it is like to get upset over the smallest thing. You will find you are not alone in a lot of the things you describe.

I am sure you will get a lot of support here.

Briary

[sal]

Welcome to the site Clover

Read all you can and you will get so much information and realise there are so many people on here who can support you.

Look forward to hearing from you.



Love Sal xxxxx

[Meg]

You did fine at explaining Clover

Welcome to the site.

I'm pleased to read you do get your hopes up as you still have optimism which is great . What sort of things let you down ?

With the nausea try a few big swigs of tonic water which will make you burp and often dispell the nausea. If it has been going on for a long time in combination with anxiety you may have a touch of reflux. Have you tried gaviscon , zantac etc

To relax have you tried regular relaxation Cd's, lavender oil burners, yoga, tai chi , exercise , meditation etc

Keep away from pure glucose - try something much more substantial which gives your tummy something to use the acid up on to digest it like nuts, dried fruit, wholemeal bread.







Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

[sal]

Hi Clover

How ever hard or bad it gets remember the glass is half full mate whatever you feel.

Hope grows on hope, and been positive however hard it is makes strength.

No one has an ending but answers to a beginning.

Where there is doubt turn that into hope.
Where there is despair turn that into reasons.

We all have reasoning capabilities, we all might forget them but when needed they are there.



Love Sal xxxxx

[tara]

Hi, hopefully being part of this forum will help you see that you glass is half full, not half empty. Was on effexor for a year, how you getting on with it ? Tara xxx

[minny]

Hi Clover!

Sorry youve had a rough time but welcome to the site.

When you feel your glass is half empty, pop in here and let these guys fill it up for you! :)

Good luck

Minny..xx

[KW]

Hi Clover

Welcome to the site. Sorry you've felt this way for such a long time. I've had social phobia that results in panic attacks since i was 13 so understand the difficulty of coping with something like this for a number of years. You'll find lots of advice and support on here

KW

[seh1980]

Hi Clover,

Just wanted to welcome you to the forum!! I'm sure that you will benefit from all the support and advice that you will get here.

Sarah :D

[nomorepanic]

Hi Clover

Welcome aboard. Sorry to hear that you are a sufferer too but we will all support you on here and you will get loads of advice so stick around ok?

Nicola

[Marc]

Hi Clover,
Sounds like you're having a tough time with life, and I know how that feels.
I know also about how things keep happening to knock you back just when you start you think things might be getting better.
Life is hard. And often it feels like it's not worth the struggle....

But all you can do is keep trying. This site is good, lots of nice people who know what it's like to feel down and helpless.
Stick with it, things will get better if you keep trying and believing.
That's what I keep trying to tell myself anyway :)
Good luck, and stay in touch.

Marc

[davebrum]

hi clover
how can i start this but WOW i have had the same problem as you for about the last four years on and off. waking in the night feeling like you need something sugary? and feeling really sickly? i now take a bar of choclate to bed with me and if i have the feeling i have a chunk or two.
i was tested for diabities and hypoglycimia (excuse spellings) but there was nothing i too feel nausea when i go out - i tend to sit down and have a hot choclate or sweet tea and a biscuit or cake. im so pleased to have read your post - sorry that sounds horrible - what i mean is - i to thought i was on my own. tell me has your gp given you any advice ?
ill be watching your post for any advice you get
take care
love david x

[davebrum]

p/s im sorry tohear you are having a hard time if you fancy a chat anytime or if i can help im here for you
love david xx

[Clover]

Thank you for all the replies and welcomes. You're all so supportive :)

Meg - I often feel let down by people who assume I'm stupid because of the embarrassed and quiet way I act. I'm very different at home alone but once I'm outside, another me takes over.
I've never taken gaviscon or zantac, haven't really had many problems with indigestion, heartburn etc.
Yoga is definitely something I need to do more of as my muscles are very tense even without the anxiety. I got a book once but I never stick with things.

Tara - I take 75mg Effexor each morning. It's hard to tell if it's helping me. I really don't feel like I'm taking anything except when I miss a dose I get light-headed and shaky. Did you notice any benefits?

davebrum - When I get the empty/nausea feeling I actually prefer to eat something savoury like bread as sweet things can make me feel more sick. I wondered if I had a low blood sugar level but blood tests showed it was fine. My GP organised for me to see a dietician a long time ago but neither of them had an answer.

[Meg]

Hi Clover,

If you've never done yoga before its realy hard to do it from a video or book as you need someone to check your postures and lead it so do find yourself a class and rememebr that nearly everyone there will also be having some sort of issues.
I found enormous support for the yoga group I joined .

As far as the nausea is concerned pure sugar is the worst thing you can have. It makes the body suddenly produce a big spurt of insulin to deal with the sugar and then once its dealt with it their is usually a surplus of insulin which leaves you swinging low on blood sugars and the cycle starts again.

You do not have to clinically hav e alow blood sugar to have problems with a swinging glycaemic level. Its how your body feels - so Dave try wholesome things in the night that will produce smaller amounts of insulin and take longer to digest so keeping your blood sugar more stable and not this swinging one.

Clover the social thing is common and often linked to self esteem . Slow exposure and small sucesses are key to overcoming it.






Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

[vernon]

hi clover welcome to the gang, If you feel you are to shy why not pop in the chatrrom and have a chat or just come in and watch? we all love to see new faces and u would be welcome take care Vernon

[jill]

Hi Clover,

Welcome to the site,
I am :( sad to hear that you have had this
problem for so long. You have come to the
right place there are lots of nice people here
who will give you support and advice.

TAKE CARE

Jillxx

May your troubles be less
and your blessings be more
and nothing but happiness
come through your door..

[jo-jo]

Hiya Clover

A big welcome to the forum hun :D

I've just read your post and can so relate to many of the things you've said. One of my biggest fears is being sick (there are loads of us like that here) and I too have to eat really regularly to keep the nausea at bay - I always have a cereal bar stashed in my bag for emergencies!

Although I've only recently been diagnosed as having panic and anxiety by my GP, when I was at school I remember a time when every night for weeks I felt sick at the same time and I was so worried cause I didn't know what was wrong with me. Looking back, I'm sure it was anxiety as I was a painfully shy kid and didn't have many mates at school. Over time all that has changed and I'm quite outgoing now but I do still have the odd problem and I'm not keen on being out with a big crowd of people, I always prefer the company of a small group.

Meg is so right about sweet food - I've got such a sweet tooth but I'm really trying to steer clear of too much refined sugar and I'm sure its helping. Caffeine isn't good either!

Look forward to hearing how you're getting on.

Best wishes, Jo x