New to Forum

[Katie6]

Hi there everyone, i am new to this forum but certainly not a new anxiety sufferer, i have been unwell from the effects of anxiety on and off for the last 16 years, i have had well times in between but i could honestly say i have rarely felt "Well" it all started when i was 13 and almost fainted at school, i was ill for several months had every test under the sun, but eventually got dignosed with M.E i do however wonder if this was the correct diagnosis. i have had many relapses always seem to manage to get on with it eventually. I am now 29 and i have had a major relapse i have been unwell for almost a year, to the point of being bed ridden alot of the time, i have no normal life at all, i barely leave the house as i feel so unwell all the time, i,m not even able to cook meals or do house hold chores. we have had to move 100 miles away to be closer to family, which has ment my husband having to leave his well paid job, my ilness is ruining our lives and i just don't know how to overcome it, i was diagnosed as having M.E in february of this year, however i do doubt the diagnosis as i do feel anxious all the time about everything and having read the symptoms are....
Dizzyness, which varies sometimes i feel faint, sometimes i have a vertigo sensation, sometimes i feel very light headed almost like being drunk a few times i have actually passed out

Exhaustion not like normal tiredness, sleeping doesn't[ make me feel refreshed, and it is really debilitating

Weekness I often feel very week but at the same time feel very heavy

Headaches i get frequent headaches

Eyesight i find it difficult to focus on things, i also find my eyes very sensitive to light and find electric lighting almost unbearable, the worst day i have with the other symptoms the worst my eyes feel

Ears On a bad day i find noise too much, even just normal noise like people chatting a little loud or music

Hot and cold flashes my tempreture control seems to go from one extreme to the other

Digestive i sffer with IBS, i feel sick alot shere is anyomomtimes i like to eat alot and sometimes the thought of food is just too much

these are my main symptoms but the list goes on, i want to get this under contol if it is Anxiety, as i feel i am missing out on so much, and i am scared about also becoming agoraphobic. Please if there is anyone who has any advice or that can share their experiences with me i would really appreciate it

[nomorepanic]

Hi Katie6

We just wanted to welcome you aboard to NMP. We hope you enjoy your stay here and get all the support and advice you need.

Please take some time to read the website articles on the left as well for loads of advice and tips.

[june]

:welcome: most of the things you mention are very common to anxiety sufferers.
As Nicola suggested - read some of the articles on left of screen:yesyes:
Personaly speaking-
My favourites are 'Anxiety' 'Symptoms' and 'Health Anxiety' ( this is where i get my comforting info from) also the shop has two very good books.
Both by Claire Weeks.
Hope you find lots of help on here (i do)
best wishes
June
:hugs:

[Southern_Belle]

Hi Kate,

Welcome to NMP. Many here will understand how you are feeling and will give their support. I'm so glad you found us.

Take care,

Laura

[Katie6]

Thank-you all, it feels like i am the only person in the world who suffers as no-one ele i know has suffers with anxiety. it will be really nice to chat to people who understand. I wish i could just snap out of it and get on with my life but i feel trapped and just don't how to

[JaneC]

Hi Katie,

Wish I could offer solutions but all I can give is sympathy. I have suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for the best part of two years, not as badly as you, but it's had a devastating effect of my life in that it cost me my job, has stopped me doing the things I enjoy and led to a major escalation of my problems with depression, anxiety and panic.

Can I ask what help you are getting from your doc? I have medication which really helps my IBS and something else which is good for vertigo (I'm also on anti-depressants). I have also read that cognitive behavioural therapy can be useful for helping people come to terms with having ME/CFS, although I don't have personal experience of that.

Please tell me if I can help you in any way :hugs:

[Katie6]

Thank-you Jane, i'm not really getting any help at the moment, as becusece of this illness we have had to up stick and move 100 miles away so we now have family support around, where i lived before my doctors were excellent but i was having to go through the whole rule everything out thing, i was diagnosed with having chronic fatigue syndrome and a peripheral vestibular disorder in feb this year, but what confuses me is i know i get anxious and panicky alot in normal situations, but is this what causes me to be ill or is the diagnosis of M'E the right one. or is the anxiety just an extension of the M.E. I am ill all the time even when i am at home relaxing, kids taken care of and absolutely nothing for me to worry about. I haven't even registered at my new doctors yet i know this sounds ironic but i feel to ill to go, so any advise on medication or anything tips you could give me would be very appreciated
Kate x

[barrywin]

Dear Kate,

Please try when you can to go and see a new GP. It could be a new opinion/diagnosis will give you the correct medication. I suffer with IBS (20 years on and off) and terrible anxiety and occasional panic attacks which is now leading to agrophobia. I take Lexapro, Mirtzapine and Xanax which DO help but which I firmly believe believe are not the long term answer. I fully understand your frustrations as I used to be such an outgoing extrovert before the nervous breakdown/major panic attack 3 1/2 years ago and I now honestly feel like a shell of my former self. I'm now 44 years old and cannot believe what has become of my life like the things I used to take for granted like just going out. On my bad depressed days I can't possibly leave the house and the nervousness and stomach problems and constant worrying tiredness and lack of energy are things that I honestly thought could never happen to me in a million years. Even though I have to admit I don't like medication -- they really are like lifesavers to me at times.
Please try and see a new GP --- Best wishes, Barry

[JaneC]

Katie,

You really need to get yourself a new doc in the hope they can give you some support of whatever kind. I know it's hard but could you phone a surgery and explain and see if someone could come out to you? Or could your husband do that for you?

My CFS and increased panic and anxiety followed on from a vestibular problem - labyrinthitis. I still suffer from vertigo at times but take something called Serc (betahistine) for it. I only have it because a friend recommended I ask for it, it was never offered it by doc, but it really does help. I also used to suffer from severe nausea due to IBS but Colofac (mebeverine) has been a huge help with that.

As for CFS and anxiety, they seem to be interlinked but no one seems to know which is the chicken and which is the egg, if you know what I mean. I can only say that I have suffered from panic/anxiety/depression all my adult life (I'm 48) but have always been able to pretty much get on with life until the last two years when I've been completely floored. Of course, there is no way of getting an absolute diagnosis for CFS, so you never really know if that's what wrong or not.

Anti-depressants aren't for everybody but I have taken them since I had PND after my second son was born 15 years ago. I have recently gone back on prozac and after some ups and downs with it I think it is helping.

For me, probably the worst thing about CFS is there is no treatment and you don't know how long you'll have it or whether you'll ever get better. I hate having to rely on my husband so much and not being able to be there for my kids as I want to be.

I really hope you can find some way of seeing a doc, though x :hugs: