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Can the physical symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack last all day, every day??

Posted , 14 users are following.

ray2029
ray2029

Hi all, I’m here just looking for suggestions, advice or just an understanding voice.

I’m a 34 year old male and just over one month ago started to have many physical and mental symptoms of an anxiety or panic surge. The problem is that they have been relatively constant throughout this entire time. The symptoms consist mainly of

-severe anxiety that can turn to dread

-a “crawling out of my skin” feeling

-inner restlessness

-general weakness and stiffness

-constant sweating in the palms and soles

-intermittent numbness and tingling in the legs, hands and face

-loss of appetite

-“lump in the back of the throat” feeling and mild nausea

-heat or cold intolerance

-a general sense of hyper alertness or awareness

-a feeling of malaise or sickness

If these symptoms came in distinct episodes lasting a few minutes to an hour, I may be a bit more relieved. However the problem is that these symptoms have been present virtually all day, every day in the last month. The severity can fluctuate but never truly go away to the point that I have ever felt “at baseline”. These symptoms are most severe in the morning and I can wake up with them or they crash in like a wave in seconds and can last hours. The anxiety can lessen a little towards the evening/night but other times they get worse and prevent me from sleeping. I cannot tolerate anything that increases adrenaline even in the slightest. If I start watching a thriller or take just a sip of coffee, the anxiety drives me over the edge to the point I cannot sit still and must get up and pace. Just over a month ago I used to drink coffee without any problems. The feelings of inner restlessness and anxiety can make my job very difficult, which requires me to basically sit in front of a computer all day long. However, most concerning is that even on a boring weekend, with absolutely nothing going on, I can try to surf the web or read a book and the symptoms will still be there. The strangest symptom has to be the sweaty palms. There never seems to be a moment in the day when my palms are not drenched with sweat. I have started Lexapro 5 mg a week ago and am still waiting for any effect. The only thing that brings relief is a low dose of Klonopin (no surprise) that can last a few hours at most. Common lab work, including thyroid, have been normal thus far. Any words of advice, suggestions, or encouragement would truly be appreciated. I have been alternately fearful, disbelieving, angry, and depressed the whole time and do not know for how many more months to come.

1 like, 41 replies

41 Replies

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  • david72166
    david72166 ray2029

    Posted

    Symptoms like that can last a long time but yr GP has checked you out then it is probably anxiety related.
  • Guest
    Guest ray2029

    Posted

    Those sound like anxiety symptoms ray, but I'd have your GP run a full blood panel just to assure everything is where it needs to be.

    One thing you might do and it has helped me is get away from computers and social media. That can really agitate you. I deactivated Facebook and Twitter because I was getting so angry everytime I turned it on and read something I didn't like. And it's all 'virtual emotions', not real emotions. You get all wound up over nothing and you can't unwind. It's not healthy.

    Like you my work has me spending a lot of time in front of my laptop. That's unavoidable for many of us. But it helps if you get up regularly and take a long walk. Meditate and try to do relaxation exercises or deep breathing exercises. Evolution did not develop us to be electronic circuit elements sitting in front of a computer screen all day. We may have that in our job responsibilities but we can break up the day by frequently getting up and moving around, talking with folks, moving our muscles and the like.

    Do you have access to a therapist? The Lexapro will help take the edge off, but therapy is a better bet for 'airing' things that are bothering you. To beat anxiety and depression you need the big 5-therapy, medication, exercise, diet and rest. You have to attack it on all fronts! Good luck.

    • Guest
      Guest Guest

      Posted

      Hi Ray, I appreciated reading your suggestions and the tone of your contribution sounds like you’ve really made some headway and have chipped away at the anxiety with positive changes.  I am in the midst of *attacking* anxiety with the “big 5” as well.  Before it was just therapy that helped some and meds that didn’t help much.  Did your plans for proactivity on all fronts come from a therapist/doctor, or did you make changes based on your own research (ie duration of exercise and specialized nutrition, sleep habits)? 

      Thanks—-

    • Guest
      Guest Guest

      Posted

      Yikes, sorry Ray for all the repeat posts I was trying to respond to Phil’s helpful suggestions.

      Hi Phil, I appreciated reading your suggestions and the tone of your contribution sounds like you’ve really made some headway and have chipped away at the anxiety with positive changes.  I am in the midst of attaching anxiety with the “big 5” as well.  Before it was just therapy that helped some and meds that didn’t help much.  Did your plans for proactivity on all fronts come from a therapist/doctor, or did you make changes based on your own research (ie duration of exercise and specialized nutrition, sleep habits)? 

      Thanks—-

    • Guest
      Guest Guest

      Posted

      I did a lot of research myself AnxietyIsReal and also discussed it with my Therapist. I really don't like to take medication in general, but in the case of Depression/Anxiety I have to make an exception-if I am without it my depression gets out of control. But, I want to use the other tools as well, so I'm not relying entirely on medication. Who knows? Someday, I may be able to ween off the medication entirely.

      Medication can control the worst symptoms of Anxiety and Depression, but to really cure yourself you have to understand what causes it. That takes Therapy and it's a lot of work-but the payoff is good, you will feel much better about yourself!

    • Guest
      Guest Guest

      Posted

      Thanks Phil, and I’m glad you’ve found a skilled therapist.
  • Guest
    Guest ray2029

    Posted

    Hi Ray, I appreciated reading your suggestions and the tone of your contribution sounds like you’ve really made some headway and have chipped away at the anxiety with positive changes.  I am in the midst of attaching anxiety with the “big 5” as well.  Before it was just therapy that helped some and meds that didn’t help much.  Did your plans for proactivity on all fronts come from a therapist/doctor, or did you make changes based on your own research (ie duration of exercise and specialized nutrition, sleep habits)? 

    Thanks—-

  • matt45001
    matt45001 ray2029

    Posted

    Two years ago, I was diagnosed with somatization, where anxiety (conscious or subconscious) manifests into physical symptoms like trouble breathing, chest pain, sweating, back pain, burning sensations, numbness, blurry vision, etc. 

    For the past two years, I’ve been feeling great and I though I was well enough to slowly come off my meds.  I felt great for 4 months off of the meds and then a few weeks ago had another flare up.  Even if you aren’t anxious about something in particular, medicine really can help keep the chemicals in your brain from getting out of whack

    • Guest
      Guest matt45001

      Posted

      Yes, Matt.  I’ve learned that while there may never be a magic pill for me, I can see that medication may be necessary for balancing out the chemicals.  

      I have the same kind of “conscious/unconscious” anxiety, I feel you, ok!?🙌

    • Guest
      Guest matt45001

      Posted

      Great point, Matt. That's why it is so important to use Therapy to try and determine the root causes of why we are prone to anxiety reactions. Medication can treat the symptoms, but therapy can help address the causes. Even those of us who have a genetic predisposition towards anxiety and depression can benefit from therapy.

  • shannon48514
    shannon48514 ray2029

    Posted

    I've had constant anxiety symptoms without relief for 4 weeks! Constant! Been to a&e 3 times and my doctors 3 times about it. sad torture. Just started a new antidepressant 2 days ago to try and see if that will relieve me. But yep pressure headaches are scaring me most . Because there never gone. Always feel something in my mind sad

    • shannon48514
      shannon48514 jill19850

      Posted

      Hey jill yes sleep issues. 1. I'm afraid to sleep... but I'm also an insomniac. The doctor pecribed me amtryptaline 10mg to help me sleep and it's an antidepressant. But it does absaloutly nothing for me at the minute. It's been a horrible few weeks . And more to come it seems sad

    • shannon48514
      shannon48514

      Posted

      Ohh forgot to mention that just as I close my eyes my body jumps. Like all the muscles jump me up. It's scary too. I close my eyes again and jump again. It's a nightmare.

    • jill19850
      jill19850 shannon48514

      Posted

      Omg Shannon- that’s exactly what I’m experiencing. As soon as I’m about to drift off to sleep, i startle awake. It’s awful.  This has been going on for 6 weeks.  I’ve also noticed that I startle very easily. Even the message ding from my phone scares me. 

      Do you have any answers yet from doctors? I’m desperate. 😢

    • shannon48514
      shannon48514 jill19850

      Posted

      Hry girl I'm the same. Any loud bang or ping on my phone is making me freak. I went into the shop earlier and they banged the staff door and I jumped out of my socks. Ihave to have the radio off in the car and I've even deactivated my Facebook because I can't deal with it right now. The doctors have said it's anxiety.... I'm not denying it isn't. It probs 100% is. I'm waiting to see the nurologist in the next week so I will keep you posted if you keep an eye out for me replying or even send me a message. And I'll keep you up to date. The silly thing is I actually work in crisis volenteering and usually I can talk people oyt of anxiety and depressive episodes but I can't do it for myself. So I've taken time off from it too. So I can get myself on track. Are you on any antidepressants atm? Maybe reply to me in messenger of you'd rather. But from my experience and from having server depression and anxiety 9 years on and off a string of antidepressants, (duloxetine) has been one of the best of all of them for me. Google duloxetine reviews. They are brilliant even my doctor today agreed that they are one of the best. They are a srni, Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. So basically they boost the serotonin in the body. Serotonin is the feel good hormones we need to be happy... at the moment I'm on amtryptaline because I don't want to jump off the medication because of withdrawal but in a week I will be switching to duloxetine xx

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