I want to be panic FREE

[Karen0109]

Hi everyone-

I am new to this site. I found it while I was on Attacking axiety and I really like it. I have been suffering since I was 27. I am now 33. I have been to dr.'s & pysch's and have been on Lexapro, BusBar, Effexor, Prozac and now Zoloft and Xanax. I get heart palpatations, sweating, shakes, nausea, heart pounding, dizziness, lightheaded, you name it I get it. I am afraid to die or have a heart attack or faint. I am married with a son who is 9 1/2 and a daughter who is 6 almost 7. I have a great job, a great husband, a beautiful home, my children are great in school and in sports...so what is my PROBLEM!!!!!! I am so scared of these feelings and if I have them what do I do, you would think I would know by know I have them everyday. I have it worse in the morning, with this weird stomach feelings and shakiness. Then sometimes it passes, sometimes it doesn't. I can sometimes talk myself out of it. I hate when I can't focus either. I have a BP machine at home or always have the nurse check it at my school. I have been to the ER about 4 times and have had the ambulance here 2 times. It is so upsetting. My kids actually thought I had a heart attack. I definatley have health anxiety, if it is not me it is my son or daughter or husband. If my kids have the stomach flu, I freak it is cancer or appendics or pancreas or something, not just the bug!!! If I have a mark on me, it is scleraderma, which is what my dad has which also freaks me out. I am sorry I have been balbling!!! I can't wait to meet more of you!! THanks for listening Karen:yesyes:

[Alisonj]

Welcome! I know exactly how you are feeling as do most of us on here. This is an excellent forum where I am sure you will meet amazing people and get great advice!

[Captain America]

hi! i am new here too, but not new to what you're feeling. my medical folder is 4 inches thick. i have health anxiety and am still not convinced something isn't wrong with me...but i'm getting better.

i went through every test, and then started to go around again assuming someone missed something.

i'm getting better now. basically i have personified my anxiety. i call him chucky. when i start thinking my heart is acting up, i jog in place for 50 or 60 steps. i say, 'watch this chucky' and do it. basically i just started doing the opposite of what i fear, bringing my little friend along with me.

and i started doing this when i'd just had enough, and got to the point where i was almost thinking, 'i can't do this anymore. if i have a heart attack, i have one' and sort of tried to 'force' one. of course it never came. in fact, after jogging in place my chest pain goes away. the absolute reverse of what should happen if it was my heart!

so i guess i hit the end of the line. anxiety is a pattern of reassurance. the more you do, the closer together it gets until that's all you do. you have to start behaving differently. symptom? don't google. doctor test? don't call every day to get results when you know they're going to call you. chest pain? jog.

etc etc. i does work, albeit slowly...

good luck

[diane07]

aww karen,

welcome to nmp, anxiety is a pain in the backside but you can overcome it, everybody has anx in their lives but not all learn to panic with it, the good news is panic attacks can be controlled.
we'll help you all we can.

best wishes

di xx

[Karen0109]

Thank you all for respondong, I do not want to live my life this way...I just want to enjoy what I have!! I am glad I found this site!!:yahoo:

[lorac]

Hello Karen

:welcome: to the site I am sure many on here will understand how you are feeling and you will get some good advice and support on here.

Take care

Carol

[nomorepanic]

Hi Karen

I just wanted to :welcome: you aboard and lovely to see you here.

You will get loads of support and advice on here and meet some lovely people.

[milly jones]

hi hun

welcome to nmp

love milly xx

[ronski]

Hi Karen

Welcome to this forum. I think the thing that is continuing to drive the panic is that you are scared of the feelings and that is the main crux in feeding the panic.

The secret in conquering panic attacks is not to fear them, but welcome the feelings and in your mind say to it, well you have arrived, so do your worst. The reason for doing this is to show yourself that it is yourself that is driving the sensations. Once you realize that the attack will dissipate in intensity and you may never get another full blown attack. You may get the start but they will not be so troublesome.

Put away the blood pressure monitor as that can also wind up health anxieties. Live in the present , not the past or the future as your brain has no concept of time so thinking and worrying about past or future events can kick in the fight and flight response. I also suffer from strange stomach sensations,chest pains, dizziness and other visual problems, very unsettling at times but if your doctors happy then mark it down as anxiety.

Try and find an interest that will totally absorb your thinking, this will distract you from negative thinking patterns. Enjoy your family and centre your life at present on them not on yourself. I found that at my worst point with anxiety I became very selfish with my thinking, and all my sensations took over my life. Now that I have got a bit better I now recognise that I was blinkered and could not see the wider picture and that in itself was not a healthy place to be.

Captain America is right, do not look for continuous reassurance regarding health, just live your life and look on the positive side to life. Anxiety is a protective mechanism. Your brain is trying to protect you from harm. Your brain pattern matches your past experiences with an emotional response so that it can quickly react to present experiences and protect you from harm.
So by doing the same things you are enforcing the harmful and destructive emotion. CBT can change your thinking pattern effectively and so with time can help enormously. Get your doctor to refer you. I have gone down the CBT route and it really does help, also if you do it in a group session you realize you are not on your own with this demoralizing condition.Anxiety is a behavioural condition not a personality disorder, so therefore can be changed for the good. I hope you get better soon.
Ron

[Lindalou64]

Hello Karen And Welcome To The Site,wish Ya Well,linda