Anxiety and feeling faint

Hi Pindi, it must have been horrible for you feeling so desperate but on the other hand at least it spurred you into action. I should think speaking to your Dr will have given you some much needed reassurance. The propranolol will alleviate some of the physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, which should help you feel a little calmer. Therapy is an excellent idea and will no doubt help you a lot. I hope there isn't a long waiting list for that. All the best.

hiya peeps

go easy on the zimovane (zopiclone) pindi as they can be addictive but are excellent for sleep in the short term.

cheers,

Ken~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

hi many thaks for your replies ive been out all day with my partner and our dogs havent had a bad day got bit panicky about half an hour ago might be just the tablets in my system, the one thing that is bothering me the most is the feeling that my legs dont belong to me the feeling im going to fall that does give me a stange feeling and makes me feel sick (any ideas please cause in my mind i think i got some terrible disease cant seem to shift that thought wont go at mo any one else have the feelings with there legs would put me at ease a bit if i new some one else got these feelings) thaks again for replies

hi hows every one hope you are all well and coping how was every ones jubilee weekend ive been on propranolol for four days now (has any one been on them or on them at the mo? if so how are you ment to feel i know they make your heart slow so for some one like me who is a control freak and suffers with bad anxiety its quite frighting as the slow beat of the heart also worries me think its going to stop just one vicious circle went out with a friend today to my local high st to browse the shops was there in body but found it very hard to concerntrate on anything was like a zombie lol gonna keep trying though got on choice also mislaid my debit and credit cards seem to forget everything is well just a bloody mess really have to laugh!

Hi Pindi, I have been on proranolol, but they didn't do that much for me, like you say, you become conscious of whatever your heart is doing, quick or slow and so it didn't really calm me down. I do know what the legs not feeling like your own is like, I have had it for years and although it isn't quite as bad now, it is still there. You feel that your legs aren't going to support you and that you are just going to collapse. A good book to read on all aspects of nervous illness is anything by Dr Claire Weekes. She has it spot on and although it is hard to try to relax and float through the feelings as she says, the book at least tells you why you are feeeling as you do.

Memory loss and being generally being three sheets to the wind is another commone anxious symptom as your mind is just tired, this was a scary part for me as I am/was generally very quick and on the ball with things.

I am coming down off my medication now as they didn't seem to be helping my anxiety although I won't know until they are out of my system properly as the withdrawal symptoms are making me want to cry and I feel very tired and zombified- its all a big trial and error and when you want instant results it just seems like your living in hell, in fact your not really living at all, you are just existing.

Hey guys my names Dan. I can totally relate to Pindi's symptoms.. I'm a young guy is his twenties.. never had anxiety or anything like it.. the occasionally angst if i smoked pot or something but other than that, normal and healthy.

I started getting symptoms at the gym.. if i worked out too heart and my heart started racing and i could slow it down.. I would rush out of there feeling like i was going to faint and be nervous that i wouldnt make it home to lay down. Now I feel like i bring it on myself.. i can a little anxious at random times and i think, "oh no here it goes again".. and my hear races and my breathing gets shallow.. its scary! I keep feeling like i have some underlying issue thats causing it which makes it worse!

I'm really against meds.. I think that just masks the underlying issue. These attacks do pass and i think the key is to fight through it and eventually you will get over it.. idk what to do in the interum tho! I used to be such a social guy now i'm scared to go out and deal with this..

Hey guys.. i tried posting on this earlier but i guess it didnt go through..

I'm a young guy in his twenties.. recently experience symptons a lot like Pindi.

I first felt like this a few times at the gymm.. i couldnt control my breathing and my heart rate, felt faint and felt like i was going to black out and fall over. i've rushed home a few times and felt like i was barely going to make it home to my bed.. i crash for a bit then i'm fine.

Now i feel the symptoms in different situations.. and i know its in my head, i make it worse thinking i have something wrong with me. i've gotten tested for everything, i know im healthy.. but my brain tells me, " oh no its happening again and i get all worked up" it eventually passes.

I'm getting these more and more and i know its my brain messing with me.. Its hard to not think about it. I'm against meds,.. I feel like you need to figure it out in your own head and get over it.

Also i'm sleeping like crazy.. my head feels heavy, been sleeping for 10-12 hours at a time. It sucks bc i'm usually a really social guy, now before i go out i think, "is it going to happen again" and i work myself up..

Idk what to do!

Hi Dan, your description of what you've been going through sounds exactly like panic attacks to me. I say this because I went through similar experiences when I was in my twenties. Age has nothing to do with it of course as panic attacks affect people of all ages and seem to come out of nowhere. Like you I was physically fit and realised it had more to do with my head than any other medical condition but it doesn't really help knowing that does it? The physical symptoms are horrible.

Like you I used to get that feeling that I just had to escape, to get back to the safety of my home. I would urge you to go and see your GP in the first instance because there's a lot of help available even without resorting to medication. I tried to cope alone for ages but there's nothing as good as talking to someone who understands what you're going through and who can guide you in the right direction.

GPs see patients with anxiety problems a lot so there is absolutely no need to feel awkward or embarrassed. I used to see it as a failing in myself and tended to blame myself, thinking I should be able to pull myself together but I now realise that was quite the wrong approach. You've already taken the first two big steps forward towards getting help. You've recognised that you have the problem and have plucked up he courage to try to find help.

I found it helped to say positive things to myself when I felt a panic attack coming on. It took me a long time to realise this and it was only after reading books for advice and practicing again and again that I managed. It was a matter of staying calm and accepting what was happening and reminding myself that it was just that old feeling again and that it would soon pass. That might sound too simple and obvious but believe me it's not. It's a useful approach to keep in mind though.

Please please make an appointment with your GP. You can certainly get through this and life will improve greatly even if that sounds impossible right now. Let me know how you get on.

Hi jlc,

I have also had anxiety for many years, in varying degrees and also depression (3 times) Your post struck a chord with me as I too experience the faint, light headed sensation, with the very scary feeling that my body is just going to drop to the floor. I am then left feeling weak, shaky, fatigued and 'spaced out' So I have total empathy with your symptoms. Do your legs sometimes feel like jelly? Or your hands and feet feel weak, like you are unable to make a fist?

Hi all, I have the same problem and have no idea what to do. It's happening for more then 2 years with breaks from time to time but past couple of months was really bad. I'm afraid to go anywhere because of that feeling.. it seems like I will faint any time. Had job interview today and it happened so was not able to talk properly or understand questions as was only thinking what will happen if I faint.. my vision was blur hands was shaking and it was just awful. I tried antidepressants but side effects were to bad to continue and I did not feel any better.

Seen my GP, had my bloods and ecg done but all fine. Signed up for counselling and had my first over the phone assessment and now waiting for my therapy but meanwhile it seems like I cant cope anymore.

When I get these attacks at work I can't do anything, cant concentrate or talk to people and it's really scary. I keep thinking I will die soon during one of these attacks and it makes me feel even worse.

Has anyone managed to cope with it anyhow without antidepressants? Or does anyone know any over counter drugs that would help and would not cause side effects?