Nervous Everyday..... very worried

[Vickid]

Hi everyone.

I've been on this site reading some of your stories, which draw lots of similarities to my own situation.

Basically, for the past 3 weeks I have been suffering from what the doctors (six medical professionals have stated) that I am anxious and stressed. I have been in A&E 6 times worrying, as I wake up every morning nervous and breathless. The only time I'm alright is when I'm dropping off to sleep and when I first wake up (when I'm settled and relaxed). I have had an ECG Scan done on my heart, which was fine as well as a chest x-ray and urine samples done to test for infection as when I wasn't eating, I got acid reflux along with glucose and ketones in my urine. Scary stuff! the doc took a bit of blood from my thumb to test suger levels and it was fine so I was discharged.

I get most scared when I have to go out on my own, fear of panicking as I get breathless and dizzy, scared and feel faint.

I am at university in my 2nd year and whilst I was a bit stressed...... I can't recall feeling overwhelmed with the workload, as I am a strong person (that isn't to say that I think people who have depression or stress are weak, I really don't) but I never thought it would happen to me.

I suffered a panic attack three weeks ago and it scared me so much that after that I could barely face going out, I was breathing erratic most days, nervous ALL day, which is so so upsetting. I convinced myself I was suffering from a terminal illness as I had never felt so ill and odd. Dizzy heads and not eating. My period is late as well spotting inbetween, which is odd - that has never happened before.

The final straw was A&E Thurs night, when they examined me again and gave me diazapam. Yep, they are working a bit, 2mg to take three times a day. I have only took them twice a day for two days now. They have helped, yesterday I felt really relaxed, today, because I went for lunch with my partner to a cafebar, I was a bit aggitated, but I went and managed it. I think today I'm still worried about being ill - but I don't feel particularly physically ill. I'm just a bit breathless and nervous.

The docs have all said anxiety. I went to my own GP yesterday and got Citalopram to start taking. I don't know whether to start taking the citalopram today or take the full course of Diazapam (as the doctor in A&E prescribed me a weeks worth of 2mg) with a view to go onto something else less addictive afterwards.

I haven't been to uni for two weeks or work, I'm still abit nervous and breathless, although last night I felt really settled but still in my head I feel like something underlying is happening. It's paranoia. I get these shivers at the side of my head, they don't hurt but it's like a shiver washing over my head, a few times a day, for the last week. I hadn't taken ANY medication when they started.

If anyone can shed some light on my experience, I would welcome your thoughts.

Regards

x

[Vickid]

Hi Tetley.

Thanks for your reply :-) much appreciated.

I am having councilling but the nervousness is still there. Every morning I wake up, I'm a bag of nerves. I'm 29 years old, and I think "why is this happening to me". I don't smoke, rarely drink. I have thought of all sorts of illnesses I could have, but that just ties me up in knots.

It's awful :(

x

[andie73]

Hi Vicki

Firstly you must realise that anxiety and panic attacks are COMPLETELY harmless. It's hard to convince yourself of it as the symptoms are sooo bad, I know, but it's the truth. No one has died of a panic attack, I've had them for over 20 years and I'm still here.

Once you accept that nothing bad will happen then that is the key to learning to cope with them. It's NOT easy and it WON'T happen over night so don't be impatient.

I too suffer from health anxiety, as do many people on here, and feel that I've got something deadly regulary. But I try to tell myself that panicking isn't going to cure me if I do have anything bad, which usually eases the symptoms, telling me that it's just anxuety.

Another important piece of advice from someone who has been there many times, is not to avoid any situations. Panic thrives on avoidance, try to stick it out. Never escape from a situation when you are in full panic, as it is NOT the place that is making you anxious, it's your thoughts.

Try to slow your breathing down, this takes alot of practice but it works. Breathe in to the count of nine and breathe out to count of eleven. The number doesn't really matter but try to make your out breath longer than your inhalation. This will slow you down but it takes a good three or four minutes to work.

Panic attacks are upsetting because they come so out of the blue. You might have been stressed about something a few weeks ago, and felt you had coped but your system is still very sensitised and therefore your body is just responding to the high stress levels by using it's flight or fight mechanism, percieving a danger when there isn't one there, and wanting to run away.

Not eating will not help your dizziness, try to eat something light like toast or a banana. I have to eat every few hours or I feel really strange and I haven't got diabeties or anything.

Take comfort from the fact that the doctors have all said it's anxiety and read up on this site about the symptoms and how to deal with them. Once you accept that this is caused by anxiety which is totally harmless you will be taking control and feeling alot better, I promise you.

[Vickid]

Thanks Andrea.

Everyone on this site are so lovely, we're all in the same boat and helping each other. It comforts me to just come on and feel like I'm experiencing similar symptoms to others (even though I wish my anxiety and everyone elses would go).

I know there is no quick fix. It's just so awful feeling nervous everyday. I went from being a musician, performing infront of loads of people, attending uni, getting good grades, working with kids and doing quite an emotionally demanding job at times, but I love it and never thought it was affecting me mentally.

I think the crunch point was the first trip to A&E - when the doctor said "ooh, we may need to take blood". I am absoluely petrified of needles full stop and I was shaking and crying (even at 29 years old with my mum with me! how ridiculous I felt). I had a chest x-ray done and it was clear, my lungs were clear with the equipment they used as they put a thumb monitor on me which calculated the amount of oxygen in my blood - 100%. The doctor was awful though, she scared me by saying to me she wanted to check for blood clots in my lungs! If I had one, I'd ave known about it! I am eating, although when I'm nervous - I don't eat much when I pop a diazapam I am starving and want to eat, eat, eat!.

The other tests like urine have been fine, no infection. The ECG was normal and my blood pressure is fine. The only concern the doc had was my heart rate was going faster but I was terrified and that is why she prescribed me Diazapam. The nervous feeling went but the breathing is still erratic, because I'm aware of it. When I don't think about it - I breath normal.

You know what guys, I feel bad for all of you - and I really appreciate the time that both Tetley and Andrea have taken to reply to me. I am humbled, cheers.

x

[andie73]

Awwww Vicki

Don't be humbled, that's what we're here for. I hate needles too, and I'm 35, so don't worry about it. I see a lot of people hyperventilating etc cos they've had to have a blood test, I wor in a hospital coffee shop. It makes me realise I'm not alone with that fear.

Health anxiety is awful and it only takes one silly comment like the one from that doctor to send us into a spin. It just sticks in your head and you can't get past it. I know the feeling well.

This site is really good, it has helped me enormously. PM me any time you wanna talk.