Another newbie with panic attacks

[nicktaylor]

Hi all,

I've been reading the forums for a while now and thought it was about time I posted.

I've been having panic attacks and anxiety since May. It was caused by huge amounts of stress from really bad neighbours (a manically depressed mum who was convinced she wanted us out, flooding our flat and waking myself and my boyfriend up during the night... and her 4 teenage kids who are really scummy, playing blaring music, etc).

My first panic attack convinced me I was having a heart attack and nearly fainted - I got tunnel vision and went numb and everything.

Since then, I've had quite a few (probably 30 or so, on average a couple a week). I have a continual fear that there's something wrong with my heart. I've had a number of ECGs, both in A&E after getting scared and calling an ambulance, and also as part of a 'well man' checkup, and they found nothing.

I know in my heart it's in my head - I get lots of other anxiety symptoms, but can't seem to shake it. I often have real scary aches in my chest, but I've had dizziness, derealisation where everything seems 'surreal', and lately (the past few days) I've felt like I'm choking or I'll be sick.

It's got a lot better but I still get quite scared by it all... today's panic attack was brought on after leaving the gym... but not whilst I was there. How stupid, if I was really dying it'd happen whilst I was in the gym!

I also have an appointment to see a consultant about therapy on Tuesday.

I'm hoping I can be rid of it soon. My boyfriend also has some anxiety - but his is mostly just about not sleeping, rather than the full on panic and days of shakiness that I get.

Hopefully between self-help books, these forums and a therapist I can get rid of it all. I was offered propranolol but I try not to take it as I don't really want to take drugs for it.

So anyway, that was a long hello!

Nick.

[clickaway]

Welcome to the site Nick.

Congratulations on deciding to post and also making that appointment about getting some therapy.

I too believe that is the way forward rather than drugs - let us know the outcome.

Cheers,



Ray

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

[tammyg]

Welcome! You will get some good support here. It sounds like you have taken some positive steps already.

Tam x

[Quirky]

Welcome Nick,

I sympathise with you, I have been living next to neighbours from hell for 2 years. I live in the middle of nowhere with only one neighbour and they're awful. They have made my life hell and my health has really suffered as a result.
I hope things improve for you now and that you get the help you need.
Take care,

LJ

[in1peace]

Hi Nick!
Welcome! I've found that just being at this site has helped me greatly. You'll find a lot of support here!
I'm sorry that you are suffering through this!
My panic attacks started in May too.
If you need anything, we are here for ya!
PM me anytime if you need someone to chat with.
(((((hugs)))))
Andrea

"Honey, if ya ain't feelin' the bumps in the road, ya ain't goin' nowhere!" (A wise Georgia Granny's take on living life to the fullest! LOL!)

[Karen]

Hi Nick

Welcome to the forum. It is good you are being proactive about getting some help for yourself and some CBT would help your recovery.

Also have a read of the First Steps (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=firststeps) article. You'll get a lot of help and support here.


Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

[pinkscrumpy]

Hi Nick

Welcome aboard, you are not alone with the heart scares there are many of us on here who suffer and think exactly the same

:D:D

MANDIE XX

Will I ever escape this?
Will I ever be free?
Wake me up from this nightmare.
Please just give me the key!

[pips]

Hi Nick,

A BIG warm welcome to the site. I do hope it helps you.

Take Care,

Love PIP'S X X X X

[nicktaylor]

Thanks for the words of support all, it's much appreciated.

Had a really bad night's sleep last night. Jetlagged from holiday and then full on anxiety about getting enough sleep to come back to work today, of course that kept me awake.

Still, have my appointment tomorrow, and it looks like the council might be evicting the evil neighbours. Now I just have to sort my head out :)

Quite hard to avoid feeling anxious on a day like today - lots of work stress and feeling dizzy from being tired, and the odd chest pain. Have a hard time resisting constantly feeling for my pulse, but I know obsessively checking will just make me worse.

[Meg]

Nick, sounds like you're doing better overall and understand it all and mostly coping too

First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=942)
Lets try to keep our thoughts in perspective (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=283)
Mind Games (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1789)
obsessive thoughts & anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3096)
Still suffering this damn "suggestive" thing.. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4288)

The Battle that Rages in my Head (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4149)


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[jill]

Hi Nick

WELCOME TO THE SITE

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXXX

[trac67]

Hi Nick,
Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of advice and make a lot of good friends here.
Take Care
Trac xx


its "just a thought"

[Elaine1]

RE: Welcome

A big welcome to you.

A great site with lots of people willing to help.

I found the site last week and have had lots of support and help, I truely hope you find this to.

Hope your appt went well today.

Take care


Elaine

[seh1980]

Welcome aboard!! :D

"Life is too important to take seriously" Corky Siegal

[nicktaylor]

Hey folks,

Not sure if I should carry on posting to this thread or if it's better put somewhere else.

I went to see the consultant this morning, and he's said it sounds like it's all just stress from my neighbours that triggered it all off. However he's agreed that I should have a 'full cardiac exam' which I'm going to tomorrow, to reassure me there's nothing wrong with my heart, including the treadmill and resting ECG. After that, assuming there's nothing there, then I'll have some sessions of CBT.

Good news on the neighbour front, the council have said they'll almost certainly evict the neighbours now, they're applying to court to do that, and that if I get a letter from the consultants saying I'm ill that'll help.

So it looks like the source of my stress will go away, and that with any luck they'll prove there's nothing going on with my heart... so then it's just down to me and my head to get over it all.

Thanks for all the words of support... it probably all sounds a bit short and sweet having only posted recently, but it's very helpful to have been reading about people in the same boat! I'll keep reading for sure and post in the forums for people who have similar, I know how reassuring it is to have read so many 'yes i've got that too' mails!

Nick.
:D

[Meg]

Nick,

Those are all positive steps both from your doctor and from the council.

I hope it goes smoothly tomorrow.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[sal]

Hi Nick

Hope it goes well for you tomorrow. As for the neighbours hopefully they will be out of you way and you can get back to normality very soon.

Keep in touch and let us know how it is going.

Love Sal xx


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


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

[Cinders4]

Hi. It does take a lot of courage to admit things to yourself.... I did this years ago, but each time I go through a bad period, I cant help but let that little bit of doubt take over and its no time before Im convincing myself Im about to have a heart attack or a stroke.

Anyway... Therapy will help you Im sure, but you have made the most important step by accepting that you are an anxious person and suffering wioth panic.

The site will give you the chance to talk to lots and lots of different people from all walks of life, who have all experienced similar symptons from you. You can unload on people with out worrying about how you will be viewed or the impact on them... Its great, and has helped me no end..

Welcome x JO

[nicktaylor]

Thanks all for the positive words!

I went to see a cardiac specialist yesterday - how quickly these things go... thank god for my work health insurance :D

I explained what had happened, and we went through my family history. He said given my general fitness and history, it wasn't likely anything was wrong. He listened to my heart with a stethoscope, and then gave me an ultrasound and ECG. It was pretty weird seeing the blood flowing in and out of my heart - in bright colours and sound! I'm not sure what the ECG said as it was done by a technician. The ultrasound was 'perfectly normal' though.

They've also given me a 7-day monitor, so now i have lovely wires stuck to my chest all day! He said this was to try and catch me having a panic attack.

I've got to write a diary - today I went to the gym, and managed to not have an attack (i did on Sunday when I went)... but I did feel like someone was strangling me for most of it. I reckon this was mostly the anxiety, but it didn't feel to good! My heart's back to normal now, and I'll be writing down what I felt. Wearing the monitor has helped me feel more 'normal' all day, knowing whatever happens will be seen.

I also got a call from the therapist saying I can start sessions next week. I got a doctor's certificate too saying my stress was caused by the neighbours, so hopefully the council will take note of it and chuck out the evil scummers upstairs! [}:)]

All I can say to anyone with heart anxiety - go to your doctor and try and get to see a cardiologist, it's VERY reassuring. I've still felt a bit weird (intermittently wheezy and tight chest today, and the odd bit dizzy), but better than earlier in the week.

I'll keep you all posted on how things go. It's quite therapeutic writing all this down, and hopefully it's useful to other people to hear!

Nick.