chrissy87
12-05-08, 05:57
I've been a member for a few months and found NMP an amazing help when I was suffering from severe panic attacks. I may sound terrible for admitting this but I kind of forgot about the site for a while (I'm sorry!) but now I'm back.
Full blown panic attacks have now gone away - I'm still quite anxious most of the time and suffer from mild panic attacks - none as bad as before. The last really bad one I had was at the end of February (woo!). Fact is, I still get them and they still debilitate me. I'm unable to sleep properly because I'm insanely worried about arm pain, tingling, slight chest pains...everything really. Usually I find it hard to sleep because just as I am drifting off or sometimes even when I've just closed my eyes because I WANT to drift off - my breathing changes and I feel like I'm breathing far too slowly. As soon as I open my eyes, it's fine but I am still left with random pains/aches/tingles which I of course think is something more. I usually sleep with either 999 or NHS Direct's number typed in on my phone so if I need to I can just press the call button. It doesn't help that I do not get on with any of my flatmates - to the extent that I would rather call 999 than wake them up in the middle of the night to ask for help.
Although I have not had a full blown panic attack in a few months, I am still getting the odd pains and aches that definitely don't feel right. My anxiety symptoms often change. Does this happen with anyone else? Sometimes it'll be a pain in my inner left arm and the middle or left side of my chest (we all know what I think I'm having at the time) sometimes it'll be tingling and a dull ache on the left side of my entire body...again...we all know. Sometimes it's just a really odd tingling sensation in my upper back.
I went to see my GP who was quick to put all my symptoms down to anxiety as soon as I mentioned panic attacks. Which, fair enough, it probably is. But he never mentioned doing any tests to be absolutely sure. He said - "you're 20 years old, you don't have angina and you're not going to have a heart attack."
I still smoke heavily (I know, I know) and am overweight. I've also started the contraceptive injection which you shouldn't be on if you're prone to blood clots etc. I don't know if I am, but I'm paranoid that I am! The only substantial changes I have made to my lifestyle is taking up a bit more exercise (only because I now have a job that involves brisk walking...everywhere...for the entire shift) and cutting down on alcohol (I very very rarely drink now) and massively cutting down on/some days cutting out completely - my usual 300 cups of tea a day. I am going to focus more on changing my lifestyle as I know this will not only help my anxiety but my general health! But for now, I'd like to know if anything is wrong with me. I know for most people it's as simple as ringing up your doc for an appointment and saying you want to be sure, but every time I have been to see mine he passes my symptoms off as anxiety straight away. Any advice? What kind of tests should I be asking for?
Sorry for the long waffling post! Hopefully someone will read it!
Good to be back.
Full blown panic attacks have now gone away - I'm still quite anxious most of the time and suffer from mild panic attacks - none as bad as before. The last really bad one I had was at the end of February (woo!). Fact is, I still get them and they still debilitate me. I'm unable to sleep properly because I'm insanely worried about arm pain, tingling, slight chest pains...everything really. Usually I find it hard to sleep because just as I am drifting off or sometimes even when I've just closed my eyes because I WANT to drift off - my breathing changes and I feel like I'm breathing far too slowly. As soon as I open my eyes, it's fine but I am still left with random pains/aches/tingles which I of course think is something more. I usually sleep with either 999 or NHS Direct's number typed in on my phone so if I need to I can just press the call button. It doesn't help that I do not get on with any of my flatmates - to the extent that I would rather call 999 than wake them up in the middle of the night to ask for help.
Although I have not had a full blown panic attack in a few months, I am still getting the odd pains and aches that definitely don't feel right. My anxiety symptoms often change. Does this happen with anyone else? Sometimes it'll be a pain in my inner left arm and the middle or left side of my chest (we all know what I think I'm having at the time) sometimes it'll be tingling and a dull ache on the left side of my entire body...again...we all know. Sometimes it's just a really odd tingling sensation in my upper back.
I went to see my GP who was quick to put all my symptoms down to anxiety as soon as I mentioned panic attacks. Which, fair enough, it probably is. But he never mentioned doing any tests to be absolutely sure. He said - "you're 20 years old, you don't have angina and you're not going to have a heart attack."
I still smoke heavily (I know, I know) and am overweight. I've also started the contraceptive injection which you shouldn't be on if you're prone to blood clots etc. I don't know if I am, but I'm paranoid that I am! The only substantial changes I have made to my lifestyle is taking up a bit more exercise (only because I now have a job that involves brisk walking...everywhere...for the entire shift) and cutting down on alcohol (I very very rarely drink now) and massively cutting down on/some days cutting out completely - my usual 300 cups of tea a day. I am going to focus more on changing my lifestyle as I know this will not only help my anxiety but my general health! But for now, I'd like to know if anything is wrong with me. I know for most people it's as simple as ringing up your doc for an appointment and saying you want to be sure, but every time I have been to see mine he passes my symptoms off as anxiety straight away. Any advice? What kind of tests should I be asking for?
Sorry for the long waffling post! Hopefully someone will read it!
Good to be back.