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My anxiety is taking over my life and I don't know what to do?

Posted , 10 users are following.

emily1991
emily1991

I have suffered with anxiety for the past 2 and a half years! Some days I will be fine and feel great then all of a sudden I feel my stomach drops to the pit of my stomach and I start panicking. I worry about worrying and before things even happen. I am feeaking out about going on holiday in June already incase of a panic attack or illness. I am worrying before things even happen. How do I snap out of this vicious circle? I have nothing to be anxious about. Great family great job and just started a new relationship with a guy I really like. I take propanolol as and when i need to and this does help calm me down. I have also had CBT. This worked for a few weeks but all anxiety comes back and I have forgotten what we spoke about. I just want a resolution and to feel normal again! Any advice will be much appreciated,

1 like, 71 replies

71 Replies

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  • elaine43064
    elaine43064 emily1991

    Posted

    Hi Emily , I feel the same way as you, I have no reason to be anxious at all but have always felt the same since childhood , in the last 2 years this has worsened and I now take 3 propanol a day . I plucked up the courage to see my dr again and his had given me some paraoxtine but guess what I'm too anxious to take them, if I get the courage to take then I will give you a update on whether they work or not xxx
    • emily1991
      emily1991 elaine43064

      Posted

      Hi Elaine, that's the thing. I was petrified before I first took propranolol incase it made me poorly or I died. It sounds totally ridiculous saying it out loud! I hope you get on well. Yes that will be great thank you x

    • christine46281
      christine46281 emily1991

      Posted

      Dear Emily and Elaine.

      Snap I feel the same.

      I worry and worry and have just had the worst Christmas / New Year due to a bit of a health scare which sent me through the roof.

      I am hopefully starting CBT soon and have my first appointment next week.

      Sometimes the panic and anxities just take over your life don't they.

      I take propanlol you wil be fine.

       

  • jade65828
    jade65828 emily1991

    Posted

    Hi emily I suffer from anxiety aswell as you I have suffered for 4 years now, I have tried different medication and currently on sertraline. I am waiting for cbt at the moment. Have you tried rescue remedy its a herbal type of carming agent I had this before my driving test and it does keep your nerves at ease so that could help you while you are boarding your flight etc. I cant work because of my anxiety and panic attacks so you are doing really well by working. All I can suggest is if you feel like your having anxiety attacks a lot more maybe you need to change medication I would speak to your doctor and see if they can advise you on what to do next smile I was due to go on holiday and I couldn't board the flight due to my anxiety been so bad sad hope this helps x
  • tracy20257
    tracy20257 emily1991

    Posted

    Hi Emily. Sorry you are feeling bad. Are you taking any anti depressants? My doctor told me propandapol only helps with physical symptoms and not emotional ones. I have just started Escitalopram and definitely feel an improvement in my anxiety. I'm going to ask for CBT too. I had it years ago and it did help. I found it helped me to replace a negative thought with a more positive one. There's also an app on here called Companion which is like a mini CBT session when you need it. Check it out. It helps me when my anxiety gets out of control. Take care and good luck. X
  • athol91131
    athol91131 emily1991

    Posted

    Hi. Just to reassure you about taking propranalol. I'm taking 3 x 10mg tabs three times a day (that's 9 total) at the moment as anxiety very high. I have no bad effects and I certainly havent died! (I think my doctor might be in a lot of trouble if I had! joke). The only side effect I have is cold feet, so I wear super thick socks all the time. IT does cut down the physical symptoms, particularly the fast heart beat so it helps a lot with feeling anxious about what's happening in your body. In the past, when not so anxious I have just taken 1 or 2 in the day, you can vary it and can safely take up to 12 a day of 10mg tabs (spread out, not all at once).

    Hope this info helps.

    There is very good self help leaflet from NHS Northumberland Tyne and Wear which can be downloaded free. I quote ' Whilst relaxation, breathing exercises and distraction techniques can help reduce anxiety it is vitally important to realise that anxiety is not harmful or dangerous. Even if we did not use these techniques, nothing awful would happen. Anxiety cannot harm us, but it can be uncomfortable. These techniques can help reduce this discomfort.'

    I found this quite reassuring as it is written by a leading expert on anxiety.

    Hope it helps.

    Be strong and relax. It will pass xx

    • RVF
      RVF athol91131

      Posted

      Hi Athol

      I also take Propranalol but not on a daily basis as physical symptoms not too bad most of the time - I do have bad nights with pain and then get exhausted which is when the anxiety kicks in.    Do you think taking one in the night may help me get back to sleep?    Also do you find they can make your bowel sluggish?    It's the digestion i have great probs with and by taking more am worried theyc ould   slow down the  bowel movement even more.

    • athol91131
      athol91131 RVF

      Posted

      There would be no problem intaking one in the night. They seem to take 20min to half hour to work. I havent noticed any bowel problems myself. Anxiety itself seems to churn up the stomach and digestion and slows it down because when 'fight or flight' reflex kicks in the nervous system withdraws blood supply from stomach as it is not needed in running away or fighting so it doesnt digest so well. best wishes and hugs xx
  • beth79547
    beth79547 emily1991

    Posted

    Hi Emily. I am 22 and for the past 2 years i have suffered with extreme to mild anxiety. I am petrified of being sick and always have been but over the past 2 years it has got progressivley worse. I know worry about fainting and having upset stomach. I have been diagnosed with IBS and since this my anxiety has hit the roof. Your not alone!! Its controling my life,affecting my relationships with everyone and i cant get over it. I too have a holiday in May where my boyfriends parents are getting married, weve paid ALOT of money for this holiday and im afraid im going to worry and ruin it. I have a great life but this is dragging me down. My boyfriend and family have recently come down with the stomach flu and this has put me right on edge!! I find talking about it helps smile
    • emily1991
      emily1991 beth79547

      Posted

      Hi Beth, I am 23 and around the time of my 21st birthday there was a sickness big gojng around and I was petrified I was going to catch it and not be able to go to London and celebrate my birthday. On the morning of going to London I became that anxious my body reacted by me having a dodgy stomach and I convinced my self it was the start of a bug! I took some Imodium and this made me feel better bit the whole day I felt on edge. I couldn't enjoy my meal as of fear of being ill and had a panic attack in the middle of a beautiful restaurant and had to go stand out side. I felt like a right weirdo. This went on for months and I became prone to taking Imodium pretty much every day. I then had CBT which did help but it was only me that could help myself. I then found something else to worry about like we do and this issue then disappeared. Sorry this isn't much help to you but I think hearing other people with the same issues does help. Try not to worry about going away and think of the positives like chilling and getting a tan. Have you been to your gp about how you feel besides about the ibs ?
    • beth79547
      beth79547 emily1991

      Posted

      i am exactly the same and im glad im not alone. i know many people who suffer with this. this year i plan to get a house with my long term boyfriend, i have a holiday, spa day and another wedding yet i cant look foraward to any of it as im scared i will get ill. i went to gran canaria last year and i barley ate due to anxiety and i ruined the holiday. my doctors have been crap apart from this lady i saw recently who listened and percribed me a mild relaxant but to be honest its not helped much so far lol. i find talking about it helps loads but people are sick of me going on about things that they feel are pathetic daily issues. im buying holiday bits now and thats exciting. im also getting back into the gym which helps unless im anxious then i tend to make exuses not to go! such a viscous circle!! 
    • emily1991
      emily1991 beth79547

      Posted

      I know I find I drive people mad but this forum is great to get things of your chest! Oh know that's not good at all. I have just started a new relationship and I am totally freaking out about gojng away with him. He is supportive but I don't want to freak him out! I had to tell him on our first date about anxiety as I couldn't eat my didn't: great start but he seems to of stuck with me so I must be doing something right ha. Te thought for me is being stuck on a plane and having a panic as I just want to run away! I have been on planes so many times but this time I am freaking out. Have you had CBT Beth? It helped me quite abit but then I forget what we spoke about and it starts again. Going to the gym is great for the mind and does relax you but yes I get the feeling when you feel down all I want to do is hide in my room and stick friends on and my mum to comfort me. Where is it you are going to for the wedding ?
    • beth79547
      beth79547 emily1991

      Posted

      I feel better already today by joining this so it definatley helps. Especially with my job being so boring i have alot of time to over think things. I have had CBT in a group at a place called options in plymouth but they were only telling me things i already new so it didnt help much. plus now i work full time i cant go to anything else as its all in working hours. My mum was sick saturday night and she is NEVER ill so that put me on edge so bad lol so now im in work like ahhhh i just wanna be home watching netflix or something!! Im going to a pricate island called palm island for my boyfriends parents wedding. its amazing and theres been talk about a proposal  smile so i need to overcome this anxiety to enjoy the experince especially if im coming back with a ring on my finger lol!! im lucky hes supportive but i do think theres only so much a person can take so i tend to offload to my mum about how im feeling. where are you off to on holiday? im fine with planes its just the fact im so far away from home and could get ill. ive heard to many horror stories thats my problem lol.
    • emily1991
      emily1991 beth79547

      Posted

      Oh wow that is so exciting! But I an understand how you feel. My friends always think I am crazy and say I have nothing to worry about but it is so hard when it is in your head isn't it? I am off to santorini in Greece, first holiday with the boyfriend and I am freaking. Just trying to turn them in to a positive and think the sun will do me good! Yeah mine is the same aswell I feel so far away from my comforts and always think the worst. I have a headache and I always think the worst.
    • beth79547
      beth79547 emily1991

      Posted

      yeh my friends are the same apart from a few who understand to a certain extent. im very open about how i feel but at the same time i feel like im crazy. i feel awful because there are so many people going through horrific tims in there lives then theres us like `oh no i may get a bug` but its just an unconrtollable feeling. Greece will be sooo nice and like you said just focus on the positives and treat yourself to a few holiday bits that always helps bring on the excitment! its home comforts i miss so much but when i got back from gran canaira i was like damn i wish i could go back and enjoy everyday instead of being a baby. you will have a great time and if youve told your partner already that you get anxiousat least you dont have to bottle it up at any point if you feel a bit wobbly.
    • emily1991
      emily1991 beth79547

      Posted

      Yeah me too! I am open about it which does actually help like at work I can just say I am having a weirdo day today and they will pick me up and make me feel better which is lovely and understanding and actually helps when I am at work. I know I feel so selfish worrying about stupid things when there are people so much more worse off and talking to people like you Beth has made me feel a lot more positive today and I do actually feel a bit brighter. Just hope it lasts but again it's that "how am I going to feel tomorrow feeling" "will I feel anxious again" and I suppose turning these negative thoughts in to a positive. Talking about a holiday has now excited me. This cold weather doesn't help. Yes he is great bless him. He works away for months at a time so as soon as no start to feel ok he then has to go away and it's like it comes back. I suppose it's a change which can bring it back. I don't deal with change very well lol
    • beth79547
      beth79547 emily1991

      Posted

      yeh it definatley does help talking about it. i work with 2 fitness freaks so there not very sympathetic they tend to be like get a grip and the very few others i work with are very quiet so i think thats why i struggle whereas before i worked in a salon and i loved it. the office im in now has no windows either so its like a fish bowel very intense.  I dont deal well with change myself but if you can get through not seeing each other for long periods of time then something as silly as a bit of anxiety you will breeze through lol. thats the thing with anxiety is they say we focus on things that have not yet happened which is true. im not a great sleeper and this morning i woke up at 6 like ohh no i have to be up in an hour then i couldnt drift back off... nightmare. i quite like winter as im also a mobile hairdresser and i used to dred going to a clients house when it was hot and having to stand there and do there hair. im not good with heat unless im on a beach with the water near by!! 
    • emily1991
      emily1991 beth79547

      Posted

      Yeah I am hoping it will get better. Oh I'm

      The same I wake up and my mind starts running and can't get back to sleep. It's worse if I go out and have a few drinks I wake up at like 5 with horrendous palpitations hence why I don't drink much anymore. I'm not either if I get to hot I panic that I am going to pass out. I think I need this holiday more than anything !

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