New here, need help

[LisaT]

Hi all, I haven't posted before but I've been reading posts a lot. My problems started about 2 weeks ago after my husband almost drowned in the sea on the last day of our holiday, I've always been a big worrier anyway. My very first symptoms were like being lightheaded as if I wasn't with it, this progressed to breathing trouble and it felt like i had a tight band across my chest, I visited my doctors 3 times in that week before going to casualty on the thursday night, I had an ecg that was fine and my breathing was fine, the doc asked about stress and said that it sounded like anxiety, this made me feel better for a while until symptoms started returning. tight chest, just feeling scared for no reason, mini panic attacks and fast heartbeats, i've just about coped with all this by reading here and seeing that its all normal for anxiety but last night my chest started fluttering and this really scared me, i couldn't catch my breath either, i tried to relax with breathing but it didn't work to well, i went to sleep quite easily surprisingly but when I got up this morning I thought about it and it started again, I was 99% certain it wasn't anythig serious but I went to casualty again, this wound me up again as I don't want to be a pest and be thought of as a hypochondriac. They did another ecg which was normal except for ectopics?? which they said were perfectly normal and not harmful and I had actually read about those on this site last night, they took blood and i have to go back on thursday. I should feel reassured but I'm not very tbh cos its still happening even though the rational part of my mind says its anxiety and I'm making it worse by thinking about it. Has anyone else had this and how did you overcome it? It's soooo hard to relax when you think your gonna drop dead :( I haven't actually seen my own GP and had a proper diagnosis cos I've been to anxious grrr but I'm gonna go on wednesday to see a female doctor as I feel better about this, sorry this has been so long but I feel very desperate at the moment.

Lisa.

[kellie]

Hiya, Welcome to NMP its great to have you here
The eptopics are cause by the adrenalin that is rushing through your body. Adrenalin rushes are quite normal with anxiety and panic attacks
( its the fight or flight syndrome) The eptopics of cause are very scary but they dont mean you are having a heart attack or that you are going to die. You need to release that adrenalin by doing some form of exercise, like going for a bike ride or swift walks or what ever you may enjoy doing, even putting some music on and doing some fast dancing around the house. you may think this is nuts but it does help.
keep posting and we will help you as much as we can.

kellie.xxxxxx

[LisaT]

Thanks so much for that, more reassuring than the doctor who just said it was normal, it was the nurse who did the ecg said they were eptopics and were normal but no explanation. I'm sure I'll be posting here a lot more!!

Lisa.

[titch]

hey hun .. yer all your symptoms match up to anxiety...welcome to nmp you will find loads of help here because we all suffer with the similar things.. pop into chat sometime..everyone on here is lovely.. hope to speak soon take care xxxxx

[thinker_bell]

hey hunni , yeah they r completely normal, they jus give them these fancy words i think coz its easier than sayin there adrenalin buildin up blah blah blah but my mums a nurse n says they r sooo common n normal that most nurses n docs dnt even mention them as there everyday things to most people and not dangerous what so ever, they prob shudnt have told u with u bein a worrier but they did and i hope we have reassured u more than they have...
anyway welcome hunni, were all here to help and have the occassional winge 2 :hugs: xx

[LisaT]

Thanks so much for all your reassuring words. I think of them when I get panicky and come on and read them over and over lol. Its good to have others who totally understand xxx

[katiedarling]

Lisa,
Im so glad you are on here. This is such a good place for you to be, Im sure you can already tell people are so caring and understanding and helpful here. You will find people who really know what it feels like, and who have experienced and feel the same things you are feeling. I really hope that it puts your mind at ease. Sometimes, that is all the help I need, just to come on here and know that so many other people have felt the same feelings and its just anxiety.
You are going to be fine darling, Hang in there. Keep talking.

[robertz]

hey LisaT, i went to the ER for the same feelings, they did all sorts of tests and i was really scared the whole time. they told me nothing was wrong and that it was anxiety. they gave me lorazepam to calm me down because my heart rate was through the roof. when i got home i went to sleep and when i woke up the feelings had returned all over agin. i went to a different doctor who told me that it was anxiety also. i had blood work done, scans and exrays of my chest and even urine tests done. what your going through with your symptoms were just like mine so don't worry your not the only one! I know its really scary but your going to be just fine! :) wish you the best!!!!!

[LisaT]

Thanks again guys, Its so helpful, I went to my GP this morning and explained everything, she listened to my chest, heart and BP and all was fine, said it sounds like anxiety and is referring me for counselling to learn relaxation and breathing techniques. After i just sat down to eat fluttering started again grrr, i finished my meal and tried to relax and tell myself i just went and was fine it can be so hard though can't it? you feel those feelings of fear rise again and it makes it worse :( I've come on here now to read and be reassured and am trying desperately to ignore it.