Please Let Me Know If This Is Normal

[yellowflower]

Hello everyone, I am new here :)

My mother sadly passed away earlier this year. The night she died I had the worst panic attack of my life. My previous panick attacks before that had been around 10 years ago and a few times when I was a teenager (although at the time I had thought they were heart attacks and gone into A& E on one occassion, so I had not really then sought help re. anxiety, etc and it had gradually resolved so I had not taken any further action).

I have made a complaint to the hospital where my mother died. I received a reply about 3 weeks ago which unfortunatley only confirmed my worst fears, that she had not been properly diagnosed to be saved. This letter has triggered a slow deterioration in my phychological and physical health. It is as though mum had died yesterday (I was beginning to recover from the grieving process before the letter arrived).

In the last few months have had two episodes of flu and 2 episodes of suspected kidney infection, which only make me conclude that I am extremely run down.

The flu and kidney problems are now sorted, but for the past 3 weeks or so, my other symptoms are getting worse, I have the following:

bloated, heavy stomach, feeling tender to the touch (right at the top end below the ribs) - could this be causing the heavy pressure on my chest ?

bad chest pains and pressure (it feels like someone is sitting on me) - the pain comes and goes, some days it is really bad like yesterday other days it is less severe

a feeling of weak legs

faint/dizzy feelings

occassional numbness in my toes and fingers

severe palpitations that wake me up

severe insomnia

shooting pains in my left arm pit (it feels as though a gland has swollen up)

twitching in my left eye

irritible and extremely unhappy thinking I will never recover

feeling fatalistic and hopeless



I have been to A&E twice and they said it wasn't a cardiac problem although I am doing more blood tests to rule it out plus thyroid test.

I have picked up Zolpidem sleeping tablets from the GP today as I only slept 3 hours last night

Could any one please tell me if they have had the above symptoms in association with indegestion or other abdominal problem like ulcers, etc ?)

I am taking gastro-resistant tablets for reflux given by the doctor. He thinks the chest pain is linked to stomach problems, but I am not too sure. The stomach problem has not gone away although I have taken the tablets for a week now, so wondering whether it really is reflux ?

I am wondring if an underlying physical problem (my stomach) may be causing the chest pain and palpitations (this is what bothers me most, the other symptoms are quite tame). This is turn is causing excessive anxiety, hence the panic attacks ?

Sorry, this is so long, I hope you will have some replies for me.

Thanks :flowers:

[maz55]

Hello everyone, I am new here :)

My mother sadly passed away earlier this year. The night she died I had the worst panic attack of my life. My previous panick attacks before that had been around 10 years ago and a few times when I was a teenager (although at the time I had thought they were heart attacks and gone into A& E on one occassion, so I had not really then sought help re. anxiety, etc and it had gradually resolved so I had not taken any further action).

I have made a complaint to the hospital where my mother died. I received a reply about 3 weeks ago which unfortunatley only confirmed my worst fears, that she had not been properly diagnosed to be saved. This letter has triggered a slow deterioration in my phychological and physical health. It is as though mum had died yesterday (I was beginning to recover from the grieving process before the letter arrived).

In the last few months have had two episodes of flu and 2 episodes of suspected kidney infection, which only make me conclude that I am extremely run down.

The flu and kidney problems are now sorted, but for the past 3 weeks or so, my other symptoms are getting worse, I have the following:

bloated, heavy stomach, feeling tender to the touch (right at the top end below the ribs) - could this be causing the heavy pressure on my chest ?

bad chest pains and pressure (it feels like someone is sitting on me) - the pain comes and goes, some days it is really bad like yesterday other days it is less severe

a feeling of weak legs

faint/dizzy feelings

occassional numbness in my toes and fingers

severe palpitations that wake me up

severe insomnia

shooting pains in my left arm pit (it feels as though a gland has swollen up)

twitching in my left eye

irritible and extremely unhappy thinking I will never recover

feeling fatalistic and hopeless



I have been to A&E twice and they said it wasn't a cardiac problem although I am doing more blood tests to rule it out plus thyroid test.

I have picked up Zolpidem sleeping tablets from the GP today as I only slept 3 hours last night

Could any one please tell me if they have had the above symptoms in association with indegestion or other abdominal problem like ulcers, etc ?)

I am taking gastro-resistant tablets for reflux given by the doctor. He thinks the chest pain is linked to stomach problems, but I am not too sure. The stomach problem has not gone away although I have taken the tablets for a week now, so wondering whether it really is reflux ?

I am wondring if an underlying physical problem (my stomach) may be causing the chest pain and palpitations (this is what bothers me most, the other symptoms are quite tame). This is turn is causing excessive anxiety, hence the panic attacks ?

Sorry, this is so long, I hope you will have some replies for me.

Thanks :flowers:

Hi Hun

I could be reading my symptons ! i went through all the same when my mum died, but had had panic attacks in the past, but have got worse since she passed. Found the whole stomac thing was down to IBS, so watch what you eat, for me it is too much bread or milk,but sometimes it just flares for no apparent reason, till i realised i must be internalizing stress, and got some relaxation tapes, which hepled. Please dont worry so much,it is easy to say, but difficult to do., also ythe tenser you are the more your chest will hurt, try a nice hot bath with lavender, and rescue remedy was for me a lifesaver. Have a big hug

[TracyL]

Hi Sweetie

I have experienced these symptons also. Try not too worry. The most worrying sympton for me is always the palpatations. I hate them but I am trying to ignore them as i'm having a bad patch at the minute.

You're not alone hun

take care
Tracy

[yellowflower]

Thanks to you both for your support. I think you are right I have to learn to relax. I am feeling a bit better this morning as I took a sleeping tablet last night and feel more refreshed. No palpitations last night :) I have a gorgeous 3 year old son and my husband works late so I have to be fit enough to look after my boy :)

[Dying_Swan]

Hello Yellowflower.

So sorry to hear about your mum. It must be devastating for you. My dad died 5 years ago, and though he was diagnosed correctly, it took far too long to make that diagnosis. It certainly doesn't help when you feel more could have been done.

Most of your symptoms really do sound as though they are anxiety-related. It's incredible really, how awful anxiety can make you feel, but it does.

Insomnia is horrible and is probably why you are so run down. How is your diet? It will be really important at the moment to ensure you are as physically healthy as possible. Eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise can work wonders, both for the body and the mind. It may help you sleep better, and also help with the stomach symptoms.

The tablets you mention - are they Zopiclone? If so, I had some shortly after my dad died. They helped me sleep, but gave me such an awful taste in my mouth the next day I stopped them. Lots of people do find them helpful.

Have you considered bereavement counselling? It sounds as though your mother's death has had a profound effect on you, and it might be good to talk it all through with someone.

I don't think your stomachy problems will be putting pressure on your chest, and is very likely to be reflux - which is common with anxiety. Reflux tends to give you pain in the upper gastric area, just below the ribs, and can also give you a sore throat etc. What medication are you on? Omeprazole is good, but you have to take a 'course' of it before you will see any real changes.

Keep in regular contact with your GP at the moment. Palpitations and chest pains are very common with panic and anxiety, but of course it is important to make sure what the cause is.

Good luck and take care of yourself xxx :flowers:

[yellowflower]

Swan - thanks so much for your lovely post.

I take Zolpidem. I did a month of these after mum died. I have had anxiety and insomnia of differing severity since around 12 or 13. The insomnia only hits when I am stressed, so thankfully it isn't always there. I was sleeping well until the sad events of this year.

I have also been taking Omeprazole for about 8 days. It hasn't really helped. I still feel bloated after a meal. So I am wondering whether it is reflux. I have been given a one month course, do I need to finish it for results ? Today for example despite have quite a big Chinese lunch in a restaurant (I know I shouldn't have, but it was a treat for my son as he loves noodles !) I have not had any stomach problems apart from feeling a bit bloated right after the meal. It soon settled. No chest pains of significance today either. I didn't take the Omeprazole tablet this morning just to see what happens. If today's test is anything to go by, I am thinking the stomach problems are not reflux, but I could be wrong. I'll wait and see what happens tomorrow.

I did feel faint and panicy on the way back home, short of breath too. I distracted myself and perhaps stopped a full blown panic attack while driving.

Thanks for suggesting therapy. I have put it off for years, but finally have met a therapist I like who agrees that I need to seek therapy for a few months or a year. She seems to think I am not able to deal with the loss so well yet as I am making myself sick. There are other complications also, like my relationship with my brother which has been a cause of stress since I was a child. Dad died very young (62) suddenly of a heart attack. This was quite a long time ago, but it is still painful.

I am going for my 3rd session with the therapist tomorrow. The panic attacks have finally pushed me into therapy.

Thanks everyone. I am so glad I found this website, it is fantastic :)