New and Need Guidance

[Tmec1088]

Hello All,

My name is Tiffany. I have been having a lot of anxiety issues lately. I am recently suffering from Thanatophobia (a fear of dying). I will explain my situation a little further so you can better understand my anxiety issues.

I have had panic attacks before (about twice) where my blood pressure and heart rate would go through the roof and I would go to the hospital in fear that I am having a heart attack both occurred over a year ago. I noticed that when I would consume caffeine it would trigger these attacks and my anxiety to rise but during both attacks, as soon as I got to the hospital, I would start feeling better and calmer and my BP and heart rate would decrease.

Since those attacks, I have had some life altering things occur. I had lost my job in June due to cut backs and I was freaking out looking for a new job being that I work to keep a roof over my own head. After 3 weeks I found a great job in which I still work for. On my second day working at my current job, my grandmother suddenly passed away of a heart attack at 68 years old. My grandmother and I were VERY close; I lived with her before I moved out on my own. She practically raised me so of course I am devastated. THEN about 2 weeks ago my former boss who laid me off died suddenly at 37 years old of a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung). He and I were on good terms, he gave me a great recommendation to get me the job that I currently have; he left behind a wife and 4 little kids, so of course this is very upsetting.

A few weeks ago, my anxiety started getting a little high; I was getting paranoid about my job. I would get these fears of something happening to my significant other, like if she didn’t answer the phone I would start panicking thinking something happened to her. Then finally a week ago I started feeling chest pains and tightness so I started freaking out while I was at work and drove myself to the hospital. My blood pressure was so high when I got there and of course it went down after an hour of me being there. They gave me and ECG, blood work, chest X-Ray, and left me on a heart monitor while I was there for a few hours, everything came back normal (just another panic attack). Usually when this happens I go back to normal after I realize it was just my anxiety, but I haven’t been normal since. For this whole week I still have this horrible fear of me having a heart attack of a blood clot in my lung, I am so freaked out constantly. Probably because both my grandmother and my former boss saw a doctor days before passing away and were told nothing was wrong, I just don’t feel reassured anymore.

I went to my doctor, had my kidneys looked at, and my doctor put me on blood pressure medication (Diovan). I was on the Diovan 12.5mg for 3 days and the symptoms from that alone made my anxiety worse but he was more concerned because it made my blood pressure too low. It gave me chest pains, back pains, dizziness, elevated heart rate so my doctor changed my medication to Metroprolol 25mg and also added Lexapro for my anxiety. I didn’t start the Lexapro yet because you shouldn’t mix it with Diovan and I didn’t want the Diovan to still be in my system so I took half of a Metroprolol to see how I would react and I am SO dizzy from it, even worse than the Diovan made me. I am just so scared and upset and I can’t focus on anything. I think I need to just take the Lexapro by itself for a week or so and see if I calm down.

I am sorry that this is so long but if there is anyone that can relate or give me some advice, please help!

[vicky23]

hi and welcome,
well you certainly have some definite triggers there it's no wonder you're feeling so anxious!
It's good you're under the care of a Dr, have you had any therapy at all? I see you're in USA so I understand things are different in getting treatment to UK. If you aren't in a position to see a therapist there are some good sites that offer CBT online- see the links sections of this site for recommendations.
I also found books helpful, Dr Claire weeks is very popular.
I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get a lot of replies, unfortunately sometimes people find it hard to concentrate long on here and so a longer post sometimes gets ignored because people just can't gets their brains to focus enough for a reply! But take this as a positive that a lot of people know what you're going through in terms of the not being able to focus part! You are by no means alone in feeling like this and I hope you get some relief soon

[Edie]

Hi Tiffany, and welcome. I'm sorry you've had such a hard time and two losses.

Trying the Lexapro by itself seems a sensible decision, if the other meds have not helped. Different meds suit different people, and sometimes it can take a little experimentation to find the right one. The Lexapro will take a little while to become effective unfortunately. It can take up to 8 weeks, but may be as soon as 2 weeks. I hope for you it will be sooner!

Something that can really help is therapy, particularly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It can help you to identify the ways you think and change them to more healthy thoughts. It can give you long-term coping strategies, whereas medication can only help while you're taking it. There is definitely a role for medication for many people, and it can help ease your symptoms enough that you can benefit from therapy.

[Andria24]

Hey Tiffany, welcome

I read through, I can still do that much at least! Anyway ... I perfectly understand your anxiety and I know it's bloody hard to get yourself onto an even keel.

Like Vicki and Edie have already said, therapy is a great way forward. I hope you find solace on the site, there are so many of us with similar problems, so you're among folks that truly do know how you feel

[Tmec1088]

Thank you all for your responses. This really helped me a lot! I am taking the lexapro for now but I do plan on going to therapy as well. This is all new to me and the support really helps, Thanks again!