Really bad day

[Emmie]

Hi everyone,
i hate to moan but i am having a really bad day and i dont want to keep whining to my friends about it because most of them dont really understand and the ones who try to understand dont really know what to do or say and i hate to put this on them all the time.
I'm having a really bad day today- i came back from my night shift (which i found really hard last night-but i got through) and i felt kind of ok. However now i am feeling a constant headrush sensation even when im just sitting down and i feel as if i am going to faint. Even just sitting here i have to hold on to the chair and when i walk around i am constantly grabbing onto things to steady myself because i feel so groggy. This feeling is really scaring me-im now thinking it isnt anxiety and also that it will never go away and i will never feel normal again. I know these negative thoughts are not helping at all but it's so hard to push them aside and think more positively when you feel this way.
Me and my boyfriend both have the day off tomorrow and i am so tired of having to say 'wait and see how i feel' before we can make any plans. I hate feeling like a letdown and an inconveinience.
Anyway im sorry to moan- i will try to be more positive in the future- im just really scared.
I hope you are all doing well and i honestly wish everyone all the luck in the world.
Love Em xxxxx

[seh1980]

hi Emmie,

I know exactly how you feel hun. As bad as the symptoms get, it is just anxiety. As long as you remember that, you will be fine. It's when we convince ourselves that we have something more serious that our anxiety really rockets. I'm sure your bfriend understands and doesn't feel that you let him down. Hope you feel better soon!!

Sarah :D

[carlin]

Hi Emmie,
you are not moaning darling, just scared, as we all get, i can so relate to the way you describe the headrush thing, gosh, isn't it awful? i have this quite often and all i can say is, as yet, i have never fainted nor collapsed, nor none of the things we dread. but i still get scared, not much help am i? What i do know is that working shift work, usually causes your body to change, and a lack of sleep, change of hours etc... does really weird things to your body (i'm sure you know all of this) it is anxiety, lack of sleep and the mind working overtime, as for tomorrow, i would have a lovely bath tonight, read together, watch a dvd together, and on waking see how you feel, if you don't fancy doing anything, so be it, spend the day together, just relaxing and enjoying your well earned day off. take care.

[EmmaJane]

Hi Em,

Yeah I agree with Sarah, this is one of the scary symptoms of anxiety. Try to concentrate on your breathing and tell yourself that you will be fine. Maybe do something to take your mind off it. ( Possibly a day out tomorrow, with your boyfriend. While were all working :D )

Try not to worry, you will get through this.

Feel free to PM me, if you want to talk.

Emma xx

Keep focused, keep positive.

[mjh74]

Hi Em,

I too am having a bad time of it since Sunday for no reason. I had exactly the feeling that you've mentioned about 30 mins ago whilst my friend was here (mentioned in my other post). Not only did I get that burning/tingly head rush, I had it over my entire body. I took a valium because I felt so despirate. When I feel like this I seem to be clumsy and bump into things. I'm going to do some breathing exercises tonight though and am trying to fight this right until the bitter end.

I hope you feel well enough to do something tomorrow. It really is the best distraction especially just something nice and relaxing.

Best Wishes,

Mark x

[Emmie]

hi everyone and thank you for your replies.
Sarah-I am going to try to start thinking positively and remembering its anxiety. I find it hard though because as soon as i feel bad again i instinctively think it cant be anxiety and that im dying or something. Oh dear this sounds depressing! lol

Carlin-i think i am definitely going to take your advice and have a nice relaxing bath tonight and pamper myself! I know what you mean about the shift work-im starting to think maybe i should ask not to do night shifts for a while although it does make quite a lot of difference to my pay packet! However, thats not really important in the scheme of things.

Emma ad Mark-i am definitely going to have to give this breathing thing a go. Do you find it helps? I havent been able to do it properly before so that it actually helps but i will try again. Mark-i just read your post and i also have those throat feelings you described. Sometimes when im eating in front of people i find it hard to swallow because of it. Im sorry to hear you are having a bad time too-i hope you start to feel better very soon! I have valium too but ive never taken it yet-im a bit scared to.

Thank everyone
Love Em xxx

[mjh74]

Hi Em,

I have exactly that feeling of not being able to take a swallow either in front of people or when I'm feeling really anxious. I haven't had my tea tonight because I just can't face it. (I am a bit porky though so not too bothered about missing the odd meal :D).

As for the valium, I find it just takes the edge of things when I feel really despirate, I only take it when I have to though. I had been taking 2mg 3 times a day for 2 months which is a lot longer than you should apparenly but I stopped it quite easily so I'm not bothered about taking it just when I need it now.

The breathing can REALLY help if you persist with it. I just lay my head back on the settee or in my bedroom and just take a minute or two to become aware of the sounds around me, birds tweeting, central heating noise, someone speaking outside etc etc... when I have all that in mind I start to breath as deeply as I can until my stomach bloats out, hold the breath for a few seconds and then release slowly. I do this for a few minutes and find that it does help a lot.

Hope this helps!

Mark xx

[kirgray]

Hi Em

Im so sorry your having a bad day, you know that I have the dizziness bad aswell and I really symaphise Em its such a horrible symptom I get it all the time and I always feel like its a battle to keep my head up, Im like yourself I try to tell myself its anxiety but then my brain says well why do I get shooting pains and dizziness and forgetfulness I must have a brain tumour!!. Ive had my eyes tested loads been the doctors and was thinking the worst that I had a brain tumor, and yet here I still am, and you will be as well Emmie keep going girl, I think if your tired from night shifts aswell that can make you worse Im the same when im in work at the un godly hour of 6:30 am!!!! Enjoy your pamper night you deserve it!XHUGX P.S. Dont forget the chocolate!!ha ha

[LisaD]

Hi Em,

I'm sorry you're having a rough go at the moment...the other's suggestions of shower/bath, chocolate, movies etc sounds perfect.
WOuld it be possible for you not to work night shifts for a while? I'm only asking because of an experience a friend of mine was having....extreme depression/anxiety, chronic insomnia etc etc. The docs put him on a number of different anti-depressents, and prescribed benzos, but it didn't help him. Finally, he took a term off from medical school, and all of the sudden he was a lot better, and came off the meds with no problems. Turns out that the night shifts he was working was having a very strong effect on him. As soon as he was back into a "normal" schedule, everything cleared up on its own. It might be worth it to try to avoid night shifts for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference. This is just one person's experience, but you never know!!
Please let us know how you're getting on,

Lisa

[Emmie]

Mark- i have been trying the breathing. it seems to make me feel breathless but i will keep trying til i get it right so thanks for your advice!

Kirsty-thank you so much for your reply. I dont know why i didnt think of chocolate before! Genius! lol.

Lisa- i was starting to think that maybe i should try to get out of the night shifts-sounds like a good idea. I just didnt want to have to explain to the people at work but maybe i should.

Thanks everyone for your support xxxxxx

[sal]

Hi Em

sorry to hear you are having such a hard time and i do understand how you feel. You have had some great replies and i really hope they have helped you.

You take care and it will get easier.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[Emmie]

Thank you very much Sal-it really does mean a lot xxxx

[sal]

Em

Making plans at the last minute is quite common for how we feel as we cant commit and we are unsure if what we do commit to that we can keep with.

I know it is hard but you are doing really well and trying so hard and that is a positive step forward.

Look at how well you have being doing and remember that we all get blips and that they do pass.

Enjoy your day of and well done for getting through another night shift.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[Piglet]

Hi Em,

I agree with the post about working nights affecting you adversly.

Years ago I worked nights (well before anxiety days) and I have never felt so rough.

Its certainly worth thinking about.

Love Piglet

[sal]

Hi Em

How are you feeling today?

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[Emmie]

Piglet-i think i will ask if i can lay off the night shifts for a while. Although the only good thing about them is that i know work wont be able to make me go out anywhere so i dont have to worry about having to run errands while im feeling dizzy. Still, it might be for the best to avoid them for a while.

Sal-i woke up at 7.30am and i thought id just get up so that i didnt end up sleeping in and feeling more groggy. I felt quite positive but the constant dizziness is still there today so its hard. My boyfriend is picking me up in about an hour but im not sure if i fancy going very far today. Sometimes if i try and then have to come home i end up feeling worse. I may give it a go though-i want to get some of those fish oil capsules although i have a feeling they will be huge and i hate swallowing tablets! lol. Anyway on the plus side i am trying to stay happy even though i feel so dizzy. It's even my nickname from my boyfriend now! lol. I hope you are ok and thank you for your support.

Love Em xxx

[lainey]

Hi Emmie

Just caught up with your post.

I used to get the dizziness and the headrushes when my anxiety was acute and what really helped me was lying on the bed and putting on a relaxation cd, it seemed to reregulate my breathing and help me calm down.
The dizziness is not nice I know but it will go, and once yoy accept it is just the anxiety that helps to alleviate it as well, although that can be hard at times.
I hope you manage to get out today even if it's only for an hour.

Take care
Elaine x

[Meg]

Emmie,
If you have never fainted previously it is highly unlikely that you will now.

You do need to push through the dizziness and continue to go out and about regardless of it.

I used to go to places where there were facilities and people in case I 'really' got into difficulties.
Praps go back to basics and check you're doing as much as you can to help yourself with lifestyle etc

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

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[sal]

Hi Em

Well done for getting up and making the most of the day. That alone takes effort when you feel like you are feeling, so you are on the right track and not going to be beaten by how you feel.

Hope today has being okay for you and you had a nice time with your boyfriend.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[Emmie]

Elaine, Meg and Sal- thank you very much. I have just re-read the first steps link you sent me meg-it is stuff i already knew but you are right in that i need to keep reminding myself of it in order to prevent negative thoughts coming back in. It does help to keep reading what you should do to help because when you are feeling bad it all tends to go out of the window so thank you.
I did manage to get out yesterday! we went for lunch and then we went into town and i bought some of those omega 3 capsules (they are like horse tablets-they are huge!!!! lol) Anyway it was a pretty good day and i had a big smile on my face on the way back to my boyfriends house! That may also be due to the fact we were singing along and dancing to the radio! lol
I felt a bit bad again last night and when i woke up today-feeling dizzy, but i feel slightly better now and i am off to work this afternoon. I wont let it beat me!!!
Love Em xxxx

[Meg]

Good for you hon ..


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...