Some things I'd like reasurring about

[MissSunshine]

Hi all

I havent really posted any of my symptoms im getting other then my first post with IBS.
Theres a few things id like to get off my chest and id like to know if you get them too.

-Black outs, (eye sight goes black, i dont mean fainting) been getting these alot lately when I stand up or reach up for something (i.e from the top draw of my wardrobe)

-Hot sensations in head and 'zaps' in temples. Today my head and scalp feels like its burning!

-No energy. I hardly have any and wanting to eat all the time

- sudden feeling of fainting, a latest symptom.. I have been out a couple of times and a big wave of fear flies through me, my back and head feel heavy and i feel sick so i have to go back home.

-belly and ovary pains, doctors are certain its IBS. but im still worried even tho the ibs tablets im on are helping.


I have reached the point where im scared to go out, as i have feeling suddenly sick. Im not sure if its the heat because its happend twice when it was hot and sunny.

I'm always thinking its some sort of cancer :(
I have had blood tests in the past all came back fine ( last one was last year) my white blood cells (platelets) were higher then normal but the doc said not to worry as it can happen from a minor infection etc.

Is anyone else in the same boat as me?
I'm 21
female
have never and will never smoke
I do not drink alchole either
I am slightly underweight but im back to eating better now

Lauren xx

[debs71]

Hi Lauren,

You are not alone hun. I have experienced all of your symptoms too. I have had anxiety/panic attacks for 7 years now and unfortunately, these all sound like typical physical symptoms to me.

I get the headrush/blackout thing a lot when I stand up from lying down/sitting, like a momentary blackout which quickly clears. Weird. I have low blood pressure though, so that that probably affects it too.

I also get the heated feeling, the head zaps and the fatigue too.

The faint feeling is a problem for me, as I do actually faint when I have a big panic attack, though in theory it shouldn't happen as your blood pressure rises when anxious, but I think it is due to hyperventilating, so what I try to do now is take big, deep breaths to get through it. So difficult but it can be done.

I also have IBS which was diagnosed before I had anxiety, but is all linked I think to being stressed, so I get the tummy stuff from that, and griping pains when I am anxious....oh the joys of anxiety, lol!!

Anyway hun, please try not to worry that it is anything serious, as I am pretty certain they are all anxiety related. You are not alone, though I know that is not much consolation.

xxxxxxx:hugs:

[Lindy]

Most of those sadly sound familiar too. I hope that reassures you a bit now two of us recognise them. I'm sure others will say the same too. Anxiety comes out in so many ways, I swear I've had them all at some point!

I always feel sick with panic, and that usually increases the panic. The feeling that I'll black out, also increases the panic. I went through a spell of fainting in my late teens/early twenties and unfortunately I find that panic symptoms are somewhat similar to fainting. This has caused me to both a) panic that i'm fainting when I'm just panicking, and b) faint because I think I'm just about to panic and thus just ignore it till i keel over! sometimes you just can't win eh?

[debs71]

The feeling that I'll black out, also increases the panic. I went through a spell of fainting in my late teens/early twenties and unfortunately I find that panic symptoms are somewhat similar to fainting. This has caused me to both a) panic that i'm fainting when I'm just panicking, and b) faint because I think I'm just about to panic and thus just ignore it till i keel over! sometimes you just can't win eh?

Gee, this sounds just like me Lindy!!

I panic that I am panicking and that I will faint, and the worrying that I will faint MAKES me faint, lol.

So frustrating and irrational.

I do however think that there is some comfort in a way of knowing that it IS anxiety caused as it gives reassurance that it is not something more serious in a physical sense, and can be overcome by altering your mind set. I tend not to faint so often now as I basically 'have a word with myself' and have found a way of distracting myself to cope with it.

It is so tricky but it really can be done I promise.xxx:winks:

[MissSunshine]

Hi Debs and Lindy, thank you for your replies.

It has made me feel a whole lot better that there are others like me as I feel so alone most of the time, thinking i have a very serious illness and that no one understands.
I have only ever fainted once, on the train whilst sat down, i was pregnant at the time, I never had any breakfast and I was panicking that I was going to miss the London train. My partner was SO worried.

and im with you girls its a viscous circle and you cannot win, panicked and worrying about fainting is what makes it worse, but you cant help it.. I was in town and all of a sudden I felt sick, my back was really aching and i thought i was going to fall, this panicked me even more and I just wanted to get home asap. Now im worried it will happen again!

Debs you sound so like me, if you ever need to chat im here you too lindy xx