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Could do with some advice.

Posted , 3 users are following.

phil34809
phil34809

Hi. I'm a bit new to all this really. I've read plenty of forums when I'm feeling anxious but never posted anything.

It started about a year ago but I've only just started accepting ive got anxiety instead of some life threatening condition. It's still kind of ruining my life at the moment though. Normal things like getting a taxi, going shopping, socialising are starting to become a bit of a task.

The main thing that is troubling me, as it does with plenty of other people, is the light headedness. I've been for plenty of tests and got the all clear but when I'm out of my comfort zone it's comes on pretty fast. It feels like the area just above my nose is completely blocked and I start feeling feint, breathless etc. As soon as I am home and with people I feel safe with, you guessed it, it goes away.

I was just wondering if anyone has any tips or can refer me to some sort of instant relief/medication because it's getting out of hand and a bit embarrassing. I heard there was a nasal spray? 9/10 times I can talk myself out of a full blown attack but there's always that possibility of the one time I need to down tools and hide away until it's over. I'm 28, I kind of want to stop having to ring my mum!

I know I can google this stuff but I'd rather ask actual people. Thank you in advance. Phil

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • elizabeth2244
    elizabeth2244 phil34809

    Posted

    Hi I myself suffer from anxieties and i know what you mean when you say you get lightheaded. 

    Last Thursday i was having anxieties and as I was walking to the bathroom I was feeling weak and i was feeling like I was going to fall out and in the bathroom my heart was racing fast to where i had to have someone help me to my therapist oofice I had to ask my therapist if she could get one of my case workers to take me home. 

    There are a lot of medications that help with anxieties. There is ativan generic brand is lorazepam then there are the SSRI's they help with anxieties and depression I would talk to your doctor and see what he recomends for you. 

    Good luck and i hope you feel better 

    Elizabeth

    • phil34809
      phil34809 elizabeth2244

      Posted

      Thank you. Sorry to hear about what happened, must of been scary. It's a very awkward thing to have to deal with, especially in public places. You are right though, I need to go back and see my gp. I just find it hard explaining it to my doctor, for some reason I always forget what to say when I sit in that chair.

      Good luck to you as well. It's just a temporary thing I'm sure of it.

    • elizabeth2244
      elizabeth2244 phil34809

      Posted

      Your telling me i was scared that I was going to fall out and my heart rate racing that is scary and then feeling weak 

      Elizabeth

  • jay67544
    jay67544 phil34809

    Posted

    Phil - one of the things you can take back from Panic Attacks is that its VERY rare for someone to faint from them. This is due to the effects of Adrenaline and Blood Pressure - but its rare.

    What I find that works pretty much every time is two things a) Breathe from the belly. So breath in 4 seconds and breathe out 8 seconds. And do that till your attack passes [it does help and majority of times works. What you are trying to do here is average out your breathing and thus carbon dioxide levels from fast breathing - this is what causes the light headedness]. secondly maybe get in front of cool air or get outside if possible. Theres two reason for this - the brain registers other things to think about and also the fresh air will help in your breathing.

    • phil34809
      phil34809 jay67544

      Posted

      The breathing is the hard part for me. Although I've read it so many times and even been told by doctors, for some reason my brain doesn't trust it and initially makes me feel worse. BUT I know it does help, especially about 5 or 10 minutes later when my minds been taken off it. The thing I hate most about the breathing exercises is that by doing them, I'm accepting that I'm having an anxiety attack in the first place which I'm obviously trying to avoid. A vicious circle I know.

      Thank you for your reassurance. I appreciate the suggestions. Il give them a go.

    • jay67544
      jay67544 phil34809

      Posted

      totally get that - but dont think of Anxiety of the problem - see it and accept it as a thing that just happens. Once you accept its not going to kill you - it will get better. At the moment you are fretting [naturally so] at the thought of it and when it does happen its getting worse. Once you just let it happen - you remove the whole excitement and reaction of it.
  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 phil34809

    Posted

    Have you initiated getting into cbt? It will explain a lot and give you the needed skills and tools to help manage the anxiety level and anxiety attacks. Panic attacks even if not full blown can easily create anxiety rules about what you think is safe or a comfort zine and what isnt. They are all safe in reality so really a good idea to address whats going on so you can begin to learn to manage it. Your gp can probably helo you with all this as well.
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