To Scared to go down the gym anymore

[Janieb]

I think a lot of my panic kicked off when I was down the gym one day working my behind off and all of a sudden I felt week, my one side of my body went tingly and wow I went into overdrive I was convinced I had had a stroke or something was wrong somewhere.

Every since then I find it hard to go to the gym, bit of a catch 22 because I need to loose weight and get it off to feel better about myself, but I am so worried that if I go and work out. I will have a brain bleed and die half way through. Every time before I even spin I go into a right state just because I feel throbbing in my head and think this is the end, my spinning sessions which I used to adore have become such a big chore!!

I need to get over this, but I have no idea where to start I am petrified I have a brain bleed mid way exercising. But I so desperate to loose weight.

Anybody have similar situation, how did you go about tackling it, or does anybody have any suggestions.:blush: :shrug:

[clickaway]

Hi Janie,

Whilst I haven't been to the gym in years, I do feel I need more exercise but the very thought of that puts me into a spin.

So I am trying to just get out more at the moment with some walking in order to gain confidence and get my muscles working. I get rather nervous walking in the countryside and get fed up walking around town and so I'm going up to London and walking up there when I can.

Maybe in time, I will start going swimming again. I have been once this year, so know that is possible in the short term.

I'm also cutting down on chocolate and biscuits, but cakes are less difficult!

Good Luck!

[Pauluk]

Hi Janieb.

Looking back one of my first really bad panic attacks occurred during a martial arts lesson ,felt like i was going to faint well you know the rest. Trying my hardest not to give up i went back a few more times but couldn't shake it, at the time i had no idea what was wrong with me.

The last couple of years i've started to really exercise again i feal 100 times better for it, i use mostly home gym equipment. Maybe you could invest in some if you have the space?, at first i got quite allot of those bad fealings after exercise but now its like a wonder drug for me.

Cheers.

[honeybee3939]

Hi Janie

Been Agorophobic and house bound i became so unfit:ohmy: and piled on weight also:ohmy: . I did try the gym but it didnt really work for me, i used to get the dizzy spells and it just put me off.
I eventually joined a local walking group, we only walked an hour a week but it realy helped me get some fitness back. Im feeling alot fitter and healthier now and have started walking on my own. I make sure i walk every morning and every evening now, even if its only for a 20 minute stroll, im definatley feeling the benifits now.:yesyes:

love
:hugs:
Andrea
xxxxxx

[peach]

i so so understand this problem.

from my prev posts, i did go the gym for a while, and it was a little easier each time, though still got dizzy lots.

unfortunatly, we moved house away from a gym, and my feet stuffed up, as i had started to jog a little...so now im back in a rut . bad feet- paying off feet inserts to be able to run again, and not near a gym, also walked a few times but got really dizzy from it, so put off now. but like you in know i will feel much better if i get in shape.

trying to get home gym stuff now, gotta see if i can work part time so i can affordthe stuff...lol..very much a catch 22!!!!!!!

good luck with this to you! and the rest of us needing to do this too!

[beauty]

Hi Janie,
Im in the same situation...i joined the gym last nov and went about 4 times a week and loved it! THEN my panic began to creep back and my first big attack happened at the gym, this was about 2months ago and since then ive hardly been going and i only go when my mum is which usually ends up being about once a week..
It upsets me cos i was maintaining a healthy lifestyle and enjoying myself there, and it was one of my hobbies, its frustrates me that i cant go anymore!!
And when i do go back i automatically associate the place with panic and therefore think about it the whole time im there and am constantly scared to get out of breath (which isnt ideal at the gym) Im honestly tempted to pack in my membership cos im not getting my money's-worth anymore, but i know if i did the panic would have won so i wont!!
Is there any way you can go with a friend of family, would this help? xx

[hypochondriacastrid]

Hi there-

OMG and i thought I was the only one! I joined a gym and woudl only go when a friend would come with me- which only ended up being a couple of times. I love the gym and just love swimming but whenever I go now, I feel like I loose my breath or have something stuck in my throat- consequence, i start clearing my throat excessively or benidng down to try and breathe... We should serioulsy set up gym buddies to go to the gym with! If anyone lives in London please let me know.. i'd be happy to go with someone else and finaly get fit and healthy!!

Astrid xxx

[angstsoup]

Hello Janieb,
I know where you are coming from though mine is not related to the gym per se.
I have found over the past years that I have become reluctant to lift anything of a heavy nature- picking upi laundry basket, grocery bags and the like.
I am not even speaking of anything what the " normal " person would consider heavy.
I was explaining this to my counselor and told her that it has to do with a fear of pulling something in the chest/upper body area. Pain of any kind in my upper body always triggers anxiety big time for me as I am cardiac obsessed of late. I mean even when I go for a mammo I get anxious not with the results but fear of it causing me pain which in then in turn triggers anxiety and so on.
Needless to say, I have lost upper body strength.
I used to work out with free weights with a VCR tape at home way back when.Sigh.
I even avoid opening and closing windows and the like.
Anyone else have this?
So in a nutshell it may be similiar to your fear of going to the gym though in a slightly different sense.
Sending you warm wishes.
You go to the gym and I will try to work on this too.