Anxiety is ruling my life!
Posted , 5 users are following.
It seems that for the last two years anxiety has been taking over and tearing me apart in all kinds of ways. To begin with I had anxiety about migraines, I was afraid to go anywhere or make plans just incase I got a migraine as I used to suffer really bad with them. That was just the start. From then it spouted off to all kinds of things, one of them would be phone anxiety where I was too afraid to answer the phone or read my texts, just incase I recieved some bad news. Ive also used to get very anxious thinking my ex girlfriend didn't love me and want to be with me (I was right about that). And now I suffer severely with health anxiety, more particularly about my heart. This is the worst one yet, I just can't get my mind off of it. I go through day by day all day convincing myself I have heart disease. I get chest pain, back pain, rib pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, a feeling that my heart is beating irregularly and the worst I get is palpitations. The palpitations are by far the scariest symptom. All these symptoms of anxiety have drove me to go to AnE where the doctors listened to my heart beat and then did an ECG, only to tell me that my heart is fine and I need to stop stressing and to calm down. That helped for at least a week before I started googling stuff like "how accurate is an ECG?" I spend a lot of my time googling symptoms of heart disease only to compare my symptoms causing me to have a panic attack. Ive tried sertraline for two weeks and that didnt help at all, the doctors gave me a beat-blocket to stop the palpitations but im too afraid to take them. Ive changed my job, moves in with my partner and started eating healthy and nothing helps. I cant even get out of bed without getting a fullness in my chest and out of breath. Yet I can go all day at work carrying heavy turf without a problem. I really do need help, cause I cant go on living like this.
0 likes, 4 replies
anna61518 reece24678
Posted
You know anxiety is making you ill it makes you feel like you have an illness. Your starting your adrenaline off all the time and it's causing muscle tension and headaches etc. You need to find a way to calm your mind and body. Tell the doctor everything and see if you can get counselling. That's the only answer. Every time you notice your own body try to tell yourself you're not ill it's how you FEEL.
edwina97301 reece24678
Posted
Every symptom has a knock on effect. You worry about migraine it will get worse , I concentrate and worry about my migraine so much I have constant tension headache( very similar and constant muscle tension. My heart races with anxiety sometimes feels as though itv misses a beat. I have had anxiety so many years I acknowledge it but know it will pass it's just scary and frustrating. We all on this site would love all our symptoms to go as sometimes it's worse and we never seem to get a minutes peace from worrying. Try to relate to people here, you will see how common these feelings are and that your not alone fearing the worst . Beta blockers will not harm you if used as prescribed, sertraline, you probably didn't take long enough to see any results( lots of people with varying results from these meds here. Ask gp about counciling, don't google, doesn't help anyone with anxiety, just makes you think what if I have this, what if I have that. Be positive and think what if I talk to people here who have experience of this also your gp. Know it's worrying , we've all been there, hope you get replies you can relate to and get some reasurance, know it feels pretty hopeless at moment, I felt like there was no hope many times, now try to reasure others I can have bad patches but understand anxiety better now and how to cope. Great people here, nothing like talking to someone who gets what's going on in your head??
Italia06 reece24678
Posted
Reece,
I've been through this. Your issue sounds like generalized anxiety disorder...the severe health anxiety. i've suffered for a long time but have had bouts of remission....years of remission. i'm in my early 40s now and have had generalized anxiety disorder since childhood. first panic attack came at the age of 24. every single symptom you've read regarding anxiety symptoms i've had. you're fearing heart issues but i've feared much worse more along the lines of neurological and it can be overwhelming.
keep working through it...keep going to work. regardless, of how bad physical symptoms are. i remember being at a stop light feeling like i couldn't breathe in a panic to get home some days. i would always fixate on something physical then google away. as difficult as it is...i enjoy life and have interests...so i'd continue doing daily routine stuff. i have to go to work...trash needs to get thrown...etc...
likewise, you mention not wanting to read texts fearing bad news. i wasn't that extreme but if my wife called complaining or panicking immediately then telling me why and it ended up being nothing...i'd flip out. i'd be so p****d because of the initial anxiety caused by her panic...and her complaint would be about nothing essentially.
anyway, the palpitations are normal...for me it'd feel like my heart would stop for several seconds...then start beating again.
see you're doctor again if you're able. CBT therapy might be best for you at this point. and above all...don't let your anxiety keep you from doing things regardless of how fearful you are. push through it. good luck!
jen1978 reece24678
Posted
I can relate completely as I have severe generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder. It sounds like you do too and need to see your GP who can offer counselling. I have been on Citalopram on and off for years and find that this is the best medication for me. You do have a few weeks feeling worse due to side affects but then I feel like a new person. No anxiety. No palpitations. No panic attacks. The fact that you are fine when busy would indicate it is anxiety. I am fine when distracted. I feel anxious and feel palpitations when at rest and when I am at home sitting watching TV. Try meditation which you can find on Youtube. Anxiety starts in your mind so if you calm that down all your symptoms will calm down too. Good luck x