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flash
21-02-05, 15:35
HI,

was just out on the net contemplating my situation. I actually got here reading about an "amazing" cure but suspicious as I am I didn't believe it and, well, here I am.

I thought I should introduce myself and give a short or long explanation of my current situation.

So, I'm your typical swedish workaholic type of guy. 35 years of age. I have no medical history except some occational tonsillitis. Quit smoking 16'th of february 2000. Started training both cardio and muscular rather intensive for about four and half years trying to loose some of that extra fat around the belly and to increase the muscular build. It got boring, didn't get any good results and I just quit doing it six months ago. Ohh, I also read everything about food, exercise and so on. Know a lot, although it really didn't help me that much. Other than that I have allways taken care of myself. I got my first appartement at the age of 14 and have been working and studied ever since. Never taken narcotics, very little alcohol although I do drink on rare occations

So, five weeks ago, just falling asleep I felt as if something was going really wrong. I ran desperatly to the kitchen to drink some water. Went to bed again and immediately I felt as if my life was litteraly pooring out of me. Heart rate went up, felt as if I was about to faint and had pain in my left arm and leg. Immediately called he emergency ward and the ambulance came.

Once in the emergency ward they checked the ECG (EKO), took some blood and checked everything and couldn't find anything (I couldn't believe them). From that date until thursday 17'th of february I had occational "attacks", but only when trying to go to sleep. The feeling is almost impossible to explain but it feels simmilar to fainting / your life is draining in front of your eyes together with intense pain in my left hand (two to five fingers), difficulty to breath (not that much) and immediate anxiety. I had one more big attack 17'th of february and this time I had just takend a bath and eaten a lot (A really big meal). The day started good. No pain and no worries at all. I worked a couple of hours more than necessary and went home. Suddenly in the car my middle finger went white. I stopped the car and looked at the finger. Obviously there was NO blod running through my finger. It came back after about 15 minutes. still on my way home. Once Home I ate (a huge meal), after that I took a long, warm and soothing bath. After that I started up my computer and actually felt a bit worried with no reason. I looked at the news for the day on Internet and picked up my cellular to call a friend and suddenly a BIG attack. I felt a snap i my heart, intence pain in my chest, my left hand, left leg and the pulse was spinning away to ridiculous levels. I dropped the phone since I couldn't hold it anymore. I ran to the bathroom to look myself in the eyes, worried as hell. Picked up my phone and called the emergency ward and the ambulance came again. This time I was only checked for heart problems and they couldn'
t find anything. I calmed down a bit and was diagnosed with (probably) Anxiety Attack. I talked a bit with the doctor there who stated I was going to talk to a psychologist as soon as possible and I got Imovan (to help sleep) and was sent home.

This was four days ago and I still have pain in my left hand and a bit on the whole left side of my chest. I think about the possibility that it is my mind that is playing with me (Playing with myself got a whole different meaning). And I'm constantly cold in my left hand. I need to constantly move it or touch it or, you know, feel if it is there.

My biggest problem right now is that when going to sleep (I have allways had big problems falling asleep with hours of waiting before actually sleeping. Just as I feel as I'm going to finally fall asleep I get this warming feeling and as if something in my body wants to flow out of me. This is every night for the past five or six weeks. I suppose I could say it is a mini attack or something.

Anyways, that's my story so fa

FAN
21-02-05, 15:40
hi and welcome im sure you will find the forum really helpful and the people very nice

fan x

Tracy68
21-02-05, 15:44
Hi Flash
Welcome to the site, i'm sure after reading through some of the posts on here that you will find most of us have suffered similar problems. I for one can certainly relate to the pain in the left arm and like you i automatically started thinking heart attack. But after being on here I found that this is quite a common problem, and I'm still here to annoy everyone lol. You will get lots of help and support and everyone on here is so friendly.
Take care
Tracy
xx

mojo5
21-02-05, 16:18
Hi Flash

Welcome to the site.

You will get lots of help & advice here.

I have suffered similar symptoms to you, and I am beggining to realise that the mind can be very powerful especially when producing realistic physical symptoms.

Try not to worry too much as your anxiety is the likely cause.

The fact that the symptoms come on specifically at bedtime suggest that your mind has developed an association with that process.
Now when you go to bed these thoughts are triggered and you get the nasty feelings which lead to the panic attack.

You also say that medics have checked you out and found nothing untoward, so try to relax. ( easier said than done I know)

Take care
Mo

lainey
21-02-05, 16:30
Hi Flash
Welcome to the site, you will get lots of help, information and support here.
I have had all the symptoms you talk about, especially the pain in left arm and fingers, I too was convinced I was having a heart attack.
You are not alone mate and having browsed through the forum you will feel a lot better.
Take care
Elaine x

seh1980
21-02-05, 16:36
Hi Flash,

Welcome to the site!!

Sarah :D

lisarose
21-02-05, 17:02
Hi Flash

Just wanted to say welcome to the site and that I can totally sympathize with your problems as I too have had similar symptoms in the past especially the heart symptoms and pain in the left arms and fingers and I also get a lot of tingling sensations. I became so obsessed with my health that I thought I was going crazy and that I had something seriously wrong with me. It has been nearly 5 years since my first panic attack but I have anxiety feelings most days although not nearly as bad as I used to and since I have been on medication I hardly suffer any panic attacks. I can relate to the feelings you have when you are falling asleep as I had them too, it used to feel like I was falling and that I was beeing smothered and like and like the feeling you get when going down in an elevator. i used to be scared of going to sleep in case I didn't wake up and it is a very hard sensation to describe to anyone.

I have only been coming on this site for a week and have found it has helped me to know that there are so many people who are going through the same things and everyone is very friendly and supportive. I have been in the chat room a couple of times and it is lots of fun, you should ty it sometime.

I hope you feel better soon and hope to hear a lot more from you.

Take care

Love Lisaxx

jude
21-02-05, 17:09
Hi Flash,
Welcome to the site. Hope after reading through the post on here you will start to feel better.

Take care
Jude

Karen
21-02-05, 18:03
Hi Flash

Welcome to the site.



Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

nomorepanic
21-02-05, 18:55
Hi Flash

Welcome to the forum and website.

It is very scary when you suddenly get these weird things happening to you for no reason and they are very scary!

I hope you can get some advice and support on here and it makes you realise that you are not alone and we will offer all the advice we can.

There are quite a few posts about night-time panic so try the search facility at the top right hand side of the forum and you will soon see that you are not alone.

Good to have you on board anyway.

Nicola

flash
22-02-05, 10:31
Thank you all for your warm welcome.

It is really good to know you are not alone with these feelings.

I'll make sure to browse the forum...

Meg
22-02-05, 20:08
Flash,

What you've described is indeed fairly common in anxiety terms. I don't mean to damp down just how terrifying it can was for you but after these Big attacks you are still here with no disabilities.

When you panic everything in the body tightens up so much and this can lead to a few of the blood vessels constricting so not as much blood gets through which leads to feelings of numbness..

I don't think the eating a big meal and having a bath preceeding attacks is a coincidence ..

When you've eaten more of your circulating blood goes to the digestive area to aid digestion and absorption, so add in a bath which further reduces arms and legs blood flow by dilating the blood vessels and dropping your blood pressure you will heading towards a faint episode. Its no old wives tale that says - no swiming or exerting activity for 2 hours following a big meal.

The dropping feeling whilst going of to sleep may be you slipping off into beta waves - ie your body is slowing down to sleep even whilst you're still awake. People who do meditation welcome these 'drops' as it means you are dropping in concious level.

Becoming emotional is normal and good. Rather out than keeping it all in


Meg
www.overcominganxiety.co.uk
You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance