ANYONE ELSE SUFFERING AS BAD AS ME?

[Aff123]

it makes me feel better as i can see i aint the only one suffering however although i know it is anxiety that is most probably causing all the different symptoms i have been experiencing for about 5 months now! its all so HORRIBLE and i hate it, i feel as though it is taking over my life and im scared its just gonna get worse even though i know i shouldnt think so negatively, ive experienced a few panic attacks and they have all been so threatening tingling sensations, tight chest, breathing difficulties, feeling as though im about to faint etc. however i also suffer every single day even when i am not experiencing an attack, i feel faint at times and get head pressure tightness and also wierd feelings as though my brain is blank and wierd i get so scared i either got to run outside for fresh air or just rest it off but it doesnt ever seem to completly go away, theres always some sort of symptom lignering each day! its got to such a point i get worried about going out and meeting friends, ive started staying in because of it and i dont want it to take over my life this way im starting university in september and i really do not want it to interfear! is anyone else this bad? at one point it had got better and then it all came back and just got worse, i used to be able to go out shopping and etc but now i cant even do that, the last time i went shopping i started feeling really wierd and unbalanced and nearly fainted! the other day i went to see my cousins and felt the same there as well now im scared to step foot out the house! ive had blood tests and an MRI which was all apparently normal. im thinking to go back to the doctors as when i spoke to them about anxiety before they didnt take me that seriously and just gave me a leaflet on panick attacks!!! what am i gonna do :( i REALLY want to get back to my old days and feel normal again..can i help myself i really dont want to give in to medication!

[Aff123]

Thanks! just thought id update you all..ended up having to go back to the docs and i am now on citalopram for my anxiety! and will also be recieving CBT! lets see if any of it works..i will also do my part aswell and keep positive etc!

A quick question for anyone that may know is night nurse ok to take if your asthmas mild? as it says either do nt take with asthma or caution with asthma etc but mines not severe???

[ljp128]

Good for you!!  You will have a wonderful time!  

[Aff123]

Thanks!! and yeh i got some rescue remedy today as well as 5-htp! im gonna give them a try and see how i get on but i will mainly focus on the way i think and try and be less dependant on medication or supplements etc! and i really am gonna try and have a really good holiday!

[ljp128]

Rescue Remedy is a natural thing you can buy at the drug store.  I had a vacation planned with my new baby girl and boyfriend to go back home to see my parents and I had to fly... I was so nervous about having a panic attack on the plane but I did great!  No problems at all.  I just focused on how excited I was to be taking the vacation and how relaxing it would be!  You ARE in control of your feelings and as soon as you start believing that the sooner you will start to feel strong and know that you can get thru each day anxiety free!!

I do hope you enjoy your vacation!!!!!

[Aff123]

Thank you joapepe! and yeh it is a hard situation to be in and have to deal with! and i really do hope and believe the day will come things will go back to normal! and yeh thats the thing like even when you start feeling anxious and experiencing symptoms i find that eventually i always manage to like 'stay alive' should i say! although its a terrible feeling it does just either pass or settle down after a while! and yeah maybe a holiday will help! and i defo need to do something before september as i certainly do not want to be suffering while i start university! that would be the worse thing for me. funny how things like this always happen at the worse times!!! i just feel awfull these days as i keep experiencing horrible feelings everyday and its starting to really ANNOY me :(

[joapepe]

And just wanted to mention, i was on holiday when my latest relapse started and i flew back alone as my kids are staying on with their dad and when he left me at the airport i was convinced i would freak out massively on the plane and die but i didn't... please go on holiday and try to relax... i could just be what you need to come out the other side x i always find in situations where i have to be calm i do just about mange which is a positive sign that hopefully we do have some control even though it is hard to find it x

[joapepe]

I understand exactly how you feel and you are not alone here thats for sure... The symptoms feel so real that its hard to even begin to understand that they may not be.. I have been suffering on and off for 12 years with anxiety and panic and have been fine for 3 years and then all of a sudden a relapse fro no reason but rest assured, it DOES get easier.
You have done the right thing by going to the Doctors. Like me, i am healthy but have these hideous feelings. I am trying to deal with them. As aff said therapy can be very helpful Try and see if you can self refer youself to a local group.. in the uk there are several such as mind.....they run anxiety workshops. Atm i am finding exercise, being it a walk or swim very helpful, even though it can be daunting as you feel your breathing may go funny or get a weird head feeling... Focus on one thing at a time.. i am doing things that require my complete attention..
I too feel things even when im not having a full on attack, its so horrible, but please be assured it WILL pass. You must try and put it aside, easier said than does obviously as we would not be on here if it was easy xx i also feel that being around people helps..

Sending you lots of positive thoughts and again you are not alone..

[Aff123]

Thank you guys! it seriously does make me feel better seeing that i aint the only one going through it all and talking about it really does feel good! its hard when i try to talk to family and friends because their not experiencing it therefore i cant get across how i really feel!

yeh i always tell myself not to give in and to go out and carry on with my life but its just when i try to i get the symptoms and it really puts me off :( but i guess i just have to keep trying untill i push passed it because i know i can, well i HOPE i can anyway :( i might be going on holiday in a few weeks aswell i just hope i dont feel anything at the airport or while on the plane that would be the worse thing for me! ill be so angry with myself even though its out of my control!

ive heard of rescue remedy, its an over the counter med aint it? does it really work? i might have to give it a try!! ive tried chinese herbs before too dont think i saw much of a difference..:(

[ljp128]

I sympathize with you completely!!  About 2 months ago my anxiety had gotten SOOO bad that I could barely get out of bed.  The panic was awful and I had all the symptoms: tight chest, hard to breathe, shaking: I missed 3 days of work because the thought of getting in the car and driving just made me feel even worse.  I was put on Wellbutrin XL.  I took it for 1 month and I felt worse.  I am tapering off of it now, I have 2 weeks to go until my body is rid of the drug completely.  I have gotten some great advice from articles online and from people on this site about natural ways to get past the anxiety and be happy again.  Just the anxiety alone causes you to go in a hole and not socialize anymore... that makes the anxiety worse!!  The 1st thing you have to tell yourself is that you KNOW what you are feeling is just anxiety and while it is scary it cannot physically harm you.  How many panic attacks have you had in the past and you didnt have a heart attack or die?!  And once you got past them didnt it seem silly that you were so worried?  I always felt that way.  Like I couldn't believe I let my mind believe that my feelings could hurt me.  Next you need to pay attention to your breathing, take sloooow deep breaths where your belly moves up not your chest and then sloooowly exhale thru your mouth and watch your belly lower.  This alone has helped me so much!  Its the shallow quick breathing that gets us started panicking.  Just by not being afraid of the anxiety makes me feel better.  If you stay inside and don't go about your usual routine because you are afraid of having an attack outside of your "safe place" then anxiety has won and you lost.  Get out there and have a good time with your friends again and don't think about "oh my am I going to lose it?!"  because you know that you are going to be just fine.  Just by talking about your feelings with others who UNDERSTAND can make a world of difference!

I hope that this helps you out!!  I have tried Rescue Remedy in the past with success.  Its just a liquid that you drop under your tongue when you start to feel the anxiety coming on.  Might want to give that a try.... I keep it in my purse everywhere I go, just in case!!  

[slim_runderpants1009]

I'm sorry to hear about what you have had to go through. I have found that some form of therapy has helped a little to make my anxiety a little more copeable, there are ways and means of helping the symptoms without having to have meds, I would have flushed them down the toilet if I were prescribed them; even though sometimes I end up getting so paranoid I end up hallucinating and delusionating. :/ I'm kind of a recluse at the moment. I understand how you want to be yourself again as I've also been searching for that for a year and a half. I can try to help you as much as possible, if you want you can Pm me and I can give you advice on what to do and try to help you with feeling normal again. I would definately recommend therapy.