Iwant2bhealthy
12-04-17, 15:26
Hi everybody,
I joined this community today, after reading multiple forum threads for the past few days. I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety, mainly related to my health. Since a few days I am staying at home with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, panic attacks and burnout, and your forum is what helps to keep me sane.
The last couple of months I have been pushing myself way too hard at work, working in the evenings and on my days off. I thought it would help me feel in control but Instead I begun to feel more and more anxious about myself and my work performance. The anxiety was already there but the panic attacks showed up when I started to work 4 days a week instead of 5. In my head I set an unrealistic target of doing exactly the same amount of work in 20% less time. When this didn't work I started to doubt my intellect and my ability to keep the job I have. Additionally, my fiancée lost his job recently, and is currently collecting unemployment. It is a stresfull situation for me. I feel ashamed and I worry about the image it gives us. I realise how shallow this is, but it is hard to control since when I was growing up, the most important thing in my famiły was the image that we present to the outside.
My main anxiety at the moment is related to my health.I am very much afraid of having a heart attack, so every time my heart beats a bit faster, when I feel chest tightness/pain or simply have sweaty palms I immediately imagine that my heart has given up on me. I am an overweight woman in my early 30's, suffering from PCOS and occasional allergy triggered asthma. The PCOS adds to my fears, as I know that without the estrogen protection my heart could potentially be more suspecable to a heart attack.
The reason why I decided to search for help was amassive panic attack I had a few weeks ago. The panic was so bad that I went to the ER. They checked me thoroughly, and told me that my heart is working just fine, and the only issue at hand was very low potassium levels. After having a potassium drink I was sent home with a note that I should contact my GP. I am currently on Escitalopram and Aloprazolam. Both medication were prescribed by my GP to treat my panic and anxiety. I trust my GP, and I know she is a good professional but I have some fears that maybe she missed something? I sleep only a few hours each night, and never longer than 2 hours in a row, and it makes me fear heart attack even more.
On a rational level I know that the ER staff would never let me leave the hospital if I was in danger, and although I was sure I was dying I survived, but it's really hard to explain it to myself when I feel the panic taking over... I noticed that reading posts of other people who had similar symptoms help me a lot, afterall if they survived it so will I, right?
---------- Post added at 14:26 ---------- Previous post was at 14:25 ----------
P.S. I'mean sorry if this post is somewhat chaotic. I just had to let it all out :-)
I joined this community today, after reading multiple forum threads for the past few days. I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety, mainly related to my health. Since a few days I am staying at home with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, panic attacks and burnout, and your forum is what helps to keep me sane.
The last couple of months I have been pushing myself way too hard at work, working in the evenings and on my days off. I thought it would help me feel in control but Instead I begun to feel more and more anxious about myself and my work performance. The anxiety was already there but the panic attacks showed up when I started to work 4 days a week instead of 5. In my head I set an unrealistic target of doing exactly the same amount of work in 20% less time. When this didn't work I started to doubt my intellect and my ability to keep the job I have. Additionally, my fiancée lost his job recently, and is currently collecting unemployment. It is a stresfull situation for me. I feel ashamed and I worry about the image it gives us. I realise how shallow this is, but it is hard to control since when I was growing up, the most important thing in my famiły was the image that we present to the outside.
My main anxiety at the moment is related to my health.I am very much afraid of having a heart attack, so every time my heart beats a bit faster, when I feel chest tightness/pain or simply have sweaty palms I immediately imagine that my heart has given up on me. I am an overweight woman in my early 30's, suffering from PCOS and occasional allergy triggered asthma. The PCOS adds to my fears, as I know that without the estrogen protection my heart could potentially be more suspecable to a heart attack.
The reason why I decided to search for help was amassive panic attack I had a few weeks ago. The panic was so bad that I went to the ER. They checked me thoroughly, and told me that my heart is working just fine, and the only issue at hand was very low potassium levels. After having a potassium drink I was sent home with a note that I should contact my GP. I am currently on Escitalopram and Aloprazolam. Both medication were prescribed by my GP to treat my panic and anxiety. I trust my GP, and I know she is a good professional but I have some fears that maybe she missed something? I sleep only a few hours each night, and never longer than 2 hours in a row, and it makes me fear heart attack even more.
On a rational level I know that the ER staff would never let me leave the hospital if I was in danger, and although I was sure I was dying I survived, but it's really hard to explain it to myself when I feel the panic taking over... I noticed that reading posts of other people who had similar symptoms help me a lot, afterall if they survived it so will I, right?
---------- Post added at 14:26 ---------- Previous post was at 14:25 ----------
P.S. I'mean sorry if this post is somewhat chaotic. I just had to let it all out :-)