Hi guys
I am slowly recovering from agoraphobia and health anxiety (my health anxiety comes and goes depending on my stress levels)
I'm seeing a clinical psychologist and am working on the mental side of my illnesses, but for the past month my physical symptoms have gotten worse due to certain triggers. I want to reduce them but I don't know if beta blockers will help me.
My physical symptoms are:
1 - can't catch my breath, keep needing to yawn, chest pains, tight band around chest, hyperventilating
2 - very tight muscles esp in jaw, neck, shoulders and back
3 - derealisation, depersonalisation
4 - lightheadedness (especially when standing up), dizziness, wobbly legs, difficult to walk in a straight line
5 - problems eating, sensation that my throat is closing up, hard to swallow etc
6 - sweating, trembling
7 - night terrors, hypnopompic hallucinations (seeing coloured dots when I wake up in the middle of night - goes away when I come round properly - apparently it's normal lol)
8 - difficulty to sit still and not want to leave e.g. when eating out
I do have a high blood pressure when outside e.g. at the doctors, but I'm guessing it must drop when I'm inside. I also have a very fast heartbeat when I'm anxious but it drops again when I'm inside and managing to relax (atm it's 65 bmp)
I'm also worried about exercising while on beta blockers as I want to keep going to the gym to do weight lifting, aikido class, swimming, etc. I haven't been able to do much the past couple of weeks because of my anxiety but I've read that it's hard to workout while on them? I also have very cold hands and feet already (Raynaud's) which I'm anxious about!
The doctor prescribed me 80mg of modified release capsules but I realised it might be a bit too high and that maybe I should try a lower dose first (and a fast release beta blocker) so I'm going to ring them tomorrow.
At this rate, I don't know if I can make myself take any medication as I'm terrified of side effects!