Hi

[stucoo]

Hi,

Recently found this conference and I thought I would join.

Where do I start ? December 2003, lying in bed and a strange feeling washed over me from head to foot. It was like I had been injected with a drug. After that I felt as though I might collapse at any time ( I never did) and generally spaced out all the time. I was able to functiom and still go to work but didn't feel right. I then started to get anxiety and tension with headaches and this led me to believe I had a brain tumour and that caused more anxiety. A doctor said i was suffering from stress and needed to relax and that I was getting tension headaches. Other symptoms included dizziness, blurred vision and more and more anxiety. After visiting another doctor i was diagnosed with a somatization disorder (mental anguish causing physical symptoms) I was on AD's for 5 months. Over the course of 2004 I have seen in 4 doctors, an psychologist, an eye specialist and two therapists. For the last 5 months I have had inner child therapy (childhood experiences causing adult anxiety - not sure if it has helped) but still suffer from bouts of dizziness, aching limbs and worries that I have a serious illness such as MS. All the doctos have told me that I do not have a serious illness.


Will this ever end ?

[FAN]

hi welcome to the forum im sure you will find it very helpful

fan x

[Meg]

Hi Stucoo,

All the symptoms you mention can be attributed to anxiety and in light of your doctors opinions maybe its time you went with that diagnosis for now and tried to help yourself over it .

First Steps : First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=942)

..and read the health anxiety and symptoms pages on the home pages

You can get over this with some dedication and hard work .



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

[lainey]

Hi Stuco

You ahve come to the right place chuck. All the symptoms you mention are classic symptoms of anxiety, I haev had all of the ones you mention!
I am sure, as Meg says with dedication and hard work you will overcome this, I have - 95% and getting there.

Welcome to the site

Take care

Elaine x

[sal]

Hi and welcome to the site.

You have had the all clear from the doctors and all the symptoms you are suffering are related to anxiety. It does end with a lot of hard work and learning to understand it. On here you will realise you are not alone and will get lots of support and help and someone is always around to give you a lift if you are having a bad day.

Take care and look forward to hear how you progress.



Lots of Love Sal xxxxx

[nomorepanic]

Hi Stucoo,

Welcome aboard the forum.

It is a pain that we get so many phsyical symptoms of anxiety isn't it?

I hope we can be of some help to you on here.

Nicola

[Karen]

Hi Stucoo

Welcome to the forum. As others have said these symptoms are common with anxiety and you can get over this.

You'll get some good help and support here.



Karen



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

[bubbles]

Stucoo,

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear that you are getting so many physical symptoms. It does get better with determination & support.

Loads of help & support on here.

Linda. x

Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.

[delta]

Hi stucoo
Welcome to the site. You will find it very supportive and helpful.
Take care
Donna

[stucoo]

Thanks for all the messages of support. Its comforting to know I am not the only one suffering. I think my first step is believing the doctors. In the past I could not believe all these symptoms wee caused by anxiety. I've had anxiety in th past when attending an interview, driving test etc, but this is a constant day to day feeling that seems to be flowing under the surface and then errupts. [Sigh...]
I'm looking forward to chatting to everyone else and getting over this so I can get on with my life. :)

This is a really good site and congratulations to everyone involved.

Thanks again,

Stuart

[Tracy68]

Hi Stucoo
Welcome the site. As you can see you'll get plenty of help and support from everyone to help you through these difficult times.
Take care
Tracy
x

[lisarose]

Hi Stucoo

Welcom to the site, you will find it very helpful and you will get lots of help and support from a very friendly bunch of people who understand what you are going through.

Take care
Love Lisa

[jill]

Hi Stucoo

welcome to the site,
There are lots of nice people here who will help
and support you.

TAKE CARE LOVE JILLXXX


All problems have a begining and an end

[clickaway]

Stuart,

Welcome to the site, but also may I say I can very much relate to your issues, including the December 2003 date!

I've had a lot of varying symptoms over that time, some only last a week or two and then are replaced by something else, or if I'm lucky they all take a holiday!

At the moment I've aching arms, so I know how you feel. Unless I'm really good, I often have 2 or 3 symptoms on the go.

Between 1993 and 2003, I just had panic attacks, but remember one in particular. Soon after I got up I had this amazing sensation down one side of my body - it was the the weirdist and scariest moment. Whilst the sensation only lasted a short time, the ensuing panic attack resulted in a trip to the GP and then to be checked out in hospital.

I remember my g/f wanting to turn back whilst she took me in, as she was convinced there was nothing seriously wrong with me. There wasn't of course, but try telling any of us that!!

This is an almighty powerful disorder, more than many people realise.

I too am having psychotherapy as I know my anxiety is born out of childhood and teenage year issues. Those things are discussed a fair amount with my therapist, but he also gives me reassurance of my physical symptoms and I learn a lot from him. He is also a great person to offload, and even cry to.

Take care mate,

Ray

[henri]

hi there,

i think you are absolutely right - believing the doctors and accepting that there is nothing physically wrong with you is such an important step - i've felt a lot better since i started believing that my symptoms are purely anxiety related, that i'm not going to die etc etc.
anyway, welcome to the forum,
take care,
henri x

[jo-jo]

Hi there and welcome :D

I have experienced many of the symptoms you mention, especially that feeling of your body being flooded with something toxic (its adrenaline).

Glad you've found the site, hope we can reassure you that what you have experienced are common anxiety symptoms and that there is nothing more sinister other than the unpleasantness of the feelings.

Best wishes
Jo xx



"courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear"

[clickaway]

Stuart,

You said that your 'inner child therapy' wasn't helping much, but just wondered

a) can you identify that your anxiety is child related, and
b) what did your therapist tell you once you had told him a brief outline of your life.

I'm 51 and believe my issues go back 40 years or more. He has told me that it will take me up to two years with him and I may get worse beforehand as we uncover the more sensitive child experiences. I take the two-year thing with a pinch of salt - who knows what progress I'll make.

I've being seeing my man for 4 months; I don't feel better as a result because its a long term treatment. My ups and downs are more geared to other events in my life.

By the way, don't forget the chatroom that this site has
http://pub4.bravenet.com/chat/show.php/342349380
Lively every night from 8.30 till late. Gives a lot of light relief, but also practical support too. Nicola, the site owner pops in fairly often.
Give it a go!

Ray

[stucoo]

Hi Ray,

To answer your questions about my therapy.

My father left the marital home when I was 6 years old. Although he has still been involved in my life he has left me down on several occasions. The therapist has identified this as a issue (My kids are also approaching this age and that may have something to do with it). Also she believes that I still have not got over the death of my mother 9 years ago. The therapist said she could help me and that it would take time. I suppose after 5 months I expected to be 'cured', but this is not the case.

She says that I am showing resistance to the therapy and must believe that it will work and take a leap of faith. I had 'talking' therapy before that concentrated on dealing with stress, but didn't get to the root of the problem. I don't know what the problem is. I have a lovely wife, a well paid job, 2 great kids - and all this crap feeling.Why? I just don't know. The doctors say I do not have a phsyical illness.

I'll give the chat room a try - sounds fun!


Stuart

[nomorepanic]

Stuart

When I did CBT and also hypnotherapy they both tried to go back to childhood memories and find something there that would explain all my problems.

To be honest it upset me too much cos I had a lovely up-bringing and although my mum and dad got divorced when I was about 10, it made no difference to my childhood - mum gave us everything she could and we have always been a loving family.

So, I gave it up once they started going down this route as I just ended up crying at every session cos some of it was painful (mainly the stuff related to my dad as he was an alcoholic) but I couldn't see how it was helping me and yes I grew up without a dad's support but I didn't see what difference that made to my life today!

Anyway, I hope it helps you and you find something that explains some of your issues.

Nicola

[stucoo]

Nicola,

I would really like to know how you have dealt with you anxiety and what you did after you found the CBT etc did not work for you.

Thanks,

Stuart

[sal]

Hi Stuart

Can totally appreciate what Nic is saying. Some off us find it really hard to talk face to face and typing on a screen like this is great.

I had CBT and although i really do feel it helped me i never let her know who i was as i find it hard to talk about my emotions and was taught as a child never to cry, so now i still do that when by myself. Scared to appear like a failure. Suppose some of our traits are build in from childhood.

Hope you managed to get into the chat and have a laugh.



Lots of Love Sal xxxxx

[nomorepanic]

Stuart

The CBT was a really big help but I did it for about 9 months and the last 2 months were all about childhood memories etc so I felt that I couldn't gain anymore from it so I discharged myself from seeing her.

The way I cope is with determination and trying to accept that I am not going to die of this, it is just uncomfortable and not atall pleasant but it can't hurt me.

It has helped me enormously setting up this website and forum as I get loads of support on here and tips on how to overcome it all. Meg has been a huge support for me and still is when I get wobbly!!

It just takes time and patience and acceptance and sticking at it. Sounds easy and I know that it is far from that but I am still working at it and you can too.

Nicola