EmmaSwan
05-06-18, 13:59
Hi everyone! I apologize if this post runs long, and I am going to keep it as concise as possible.
I really thought I had made a turning point with my anxiety! After many scary and miserable weeks, I felt 95% back to being myself. I went on a vacation that I had planned before my anxiety and panic set in, which involved multiple planes and being far away from the safety of home.I did great and had so much fun, and I really thought I was back to normal. The only signs of anxiety I had during vacation was a worry that my usual symptoms would come and ruin my great time, but they never manifested! I went to a zoo with my best friend, tried out many new restaurants, rode a carousel, and went to a nerd convention with thousands of people.
That was a little over two weeks ago and now I feel like I am falling backwards. I have been struggling badly with my anxiety and panic again. I have been having pervasive feelings of unreality, numbness, nausea, headaches, body jolts, feeling burning hot, no appetite, frequent urination, chest tightness and pain, and the normal feeling that I am going to pass out and/or ultimately die, or that something is terribly wrong with me and the doctors have missed it. Just before I left on my trip, I had an EKG and blood work done and both came back normal.
Two days after I returned home, my mom had emergency surgery and had to have one of her legs amputated below the knee. I have been back and forth to the hospital and rehabilitation to see her, which is a lengthy drive (I had been scared to drive once my anxiety and panic set in). I coped fine the first few days, but since Sunday I have been doing terribly. I felt very unreal when I visited her last night, and I woke up having a panic attack last night. I have not had nocturnal panic attacks in weeks.
(I apologize if it's TMI for the gentlemen out there, but I am also currently on my menstrual cycle and I have endometriosis, so this is always a painful and sick time for me as well - not sure if it could also be a contributing factor.)
Is it the stress of my mom's situation that could be causing this, and/or maybe it's just a normal relapse after feeling nearly back to 100% again? I had to call in from work today because I feel so exhausted from the panic attack last night, plus I am so nauseous. I am so tempted to go to the ER or nearest urgent care because I am struggling with these "what if?" thoughts so badly right now.
Any advice and/or reassurance would be so appreciated. I feel like I am back on the crazy train after I had finally gotten off and was heading towards full recovery! It's scaring me badly.
I really thought I had made a turning point with my anxiety! After many scary and miserable weeks, I felt 95% back to being myself. I went on a vacation that I had planned before my anxiety and panic set in, which involved multiple planes and being far away from the safety of home.I did great and had so much fun, and I really thought I was back to normal. The only signs of anxiety I had during vacation was a worry that my usual symptoms would come and ruin my great time, but they never manifested! I went to a zoo with my best friend, tried out many new restaurants, rode a carousel, and went to a nerd convention with thousands of people.
That was a little over two weeks ago and now I feel like I am falling backwards. I have been struggling badly with my anxiety and panic again. I have been having pervasive feelings of unreality, numbness, nausea, headaches, body jolts, feeling burning hot, no appetite, frequent urination, chest tightness and pain, and the normal feeling that I am going to pass out and/or ultimately die, or that something is terribly wrong with me and the doctors have missed it. Just before I left on my trip, I had an EKG and blood work done and both came back normal.
Two days after I returned home, my mom had emergency surgery and had to have one of her legs amputated below the knee. I have been back and forth to the hospital and rehabilitation to see her, which is a lengthy drive (I had been scared to drive once my anxiety and panic set in). I coped fine the first few days, but since Sunday I have been doing terribly. I felt very unreal when I visited her last night, and I woke up having a panic attack last night. I have not had nocturnal panic attacks in weeks.
(I apologize if it's TMI for the gentlemen out there, but I am also currently on my menstrual cycle and I have endometriosis, so this is always a painful and sick time for me as well - not sure if it could also be a contributing factor.)
Is it the stress of my mom's situation that could be causing this, and/or maybe it's just a normal relapse after feeling nearly back to 100% again? I had to call in from work today because I feel so exhausted from the panic attack last night, plus I am so nauseous. I am so tempted to go to the ER or nearest urgent care because I am struggling with these "what if?" thoughts so badly right now.
Any advice and/or reassurance would be so appreciated. I feel like I am back on the crazy train after I had finally gotten off and was heading towards full recovery! It's scaring me badly.