"Waves" of anxiety?

[Nat45]

Please help.. I`m feeling pretty dreadful. I have suffered with anxiety on and off for many years now, but struggling with new symptoms, which are worrying me.
It`s difficult to explain just how dreadful they make me feel but here goes....

For example, last night I went to bed feeling reasonably happy and relaxed. In fact I was in a positive frame of mind. As I was trying to drift off to sleep, my mind started wandering, and then Waves of a dreadful feeling came over me. I say "waves", because this feeling travels through my body....a tingling, throbbing, pulsing sensation, and a feeling of dread. I get pain in my stomach, my heart rate goes up, and I feel like I need to yawn to get enough breath. I appreciate that the yawning and heart rate increase are due to anxiety, or panic setting in, but why these waves of dread and this horrible sensations in the first place? What is that all about? The episodes tend to last at least an hour, and they scare me. It has happened to me today , twice too. It leaves me feeling headachey, and my muscles ache all over.
Any ideas please as to what this is? I`m worried that this is more than anxiety.

[feels_like_home]

I find that anxiety tends to hit me when I am relaxed. When I am busy I don't have time to focus on my symptoms. Maybe that is why these waves hit you while you are relaxed. I have had waves of panic travel through me as well. It feels like it hits every part of your body. I hope you feel better soon.

[Utility]

Hi

Feelings of dread, for what seems like no reason, are very common with anxiety sufferers. It can come and go in waves and for differing periods of time. It is nothing more sinsister and it is best to approach it in as calm a way as possible. Try relaxation, slow breathing or distraction methods and it should help.

[Nat45]

So the "waves" are normal then? Just anxiety? pheww! Thank you ! I feel relieved to hear this.

The ones that I am suffering through the day, I find a bit easier to cope with,as i can just try and distract myself, but the night time ones are horrible, and so scary as everywere is dark and quiet. They badly interfere with my sleep patterns, and in the summer led to insomnia, and me having to go on sleeping pills for a while. Even the breathing tecniques that my Doctor taught me, don`t seem to help at night. I just have to sit it out until it passes or I fall asleep through te exhaustion of it.

[NervousNellie]

My husband used to get these "waves" with his panic disorder. He used to suffer from debilitating panick attacks. He described the waves as electrical shocks. I've experienced this as well, usually when I was dozing off to sleep at night., but it only happens to me once in a while, usually after a long period of stress that has finally been resolved. It's all related to panic and anxiety. The good news is that my husband finally learned to accept them and they went away! Now I have to learn how to do that!

[Nat45]

Thanks Nellie. It`s reassuring to know that others experience this too. I have had a lot to cope with recently so probably this has sparked these attacks off again. Your hubby does very well to ignore them. I get too scared to do that.

[Meewah]

I think I get these also. I have had a great day today keeping myself busy and all then I came inside had some lunch and my wife asked me to visit a relative...I agreed then it started I felt flushed. A wonderful feeling as if the hairs on my head where standing up and then a feeling of dread which came after I realised I had the other symptoms....I started to ask myself what had caused it. Was it BP? was it because I had just eaten? Could I be diabetic? Question after question, Then It went when I forgot about it.

I Have noticed it comes on when I am not occupied when I have time to turn up the volume on my feelings and symptoms.


I am still wondering if it is something else and when I get that feeling again I will start all over again.

Mee

[Reggie]

I've just been describing these waves of anxiety to my sister, I think anyone who has experienced them with their anxiety knows exactly what you are talking about and I'm sure it's connected to your anxiety - it's like your tummy turns over, like a wave crashing.

[ThreeBee23]

I have not read all the responses, but I get exactly what youa re describing when I get serious anxiety or panic attacks. Not sure why we react this way, but just know you are not alone in your symptoms!

[andie73]

Hi

I suffered badly with this last year and the feelings really scared me as I too had suffered anxiety for years yet never felt this before. Evntually when I stoppped being so panic stuck when they came on they started to disappear. I still get it now and then when I've had a very stressful time but now I just then to shrug of the feelings instead of analysing what they might mean.

I used to discribe them as electric shocks. It's like a tinglely wave, almost a burning sensation. I think it's a rush of adrenaline and I noticed it much more at night when I was trying to sleep. Sometimes it would wake me up just as I was droping off.

Try not to worry too much and understand that sometimes when we have suffered anxiety for years we get so used to recognising the symptoms then something different comes along and it really freaks us out, thereby making that the worst and most frightening symptom we now have. We are constantly on the alert looking out for this new and mysterious feeling, wondering when it is next going to strike. Anxiety can bring along new feelings, I got depersonalistion last year too, I thought I was losing my mind and I have had anx for over 20 years.

Take care and hope this helps a bit