When will it go away ???

[littleworrywart]

I am a 52 year old Special Ed Teacher who recently has been suffering from what I would consider severe anxiety. It started 5 weeks ago and continues. I know that I have typical causes which include a difficult marriage, money issues, job stress etc. I also know that there will be no definitive answer to my question of when will it end. But I have to ask for some general thoughts on my "situation". Being a teacher I have the summer off which means I go back to work the day after Labor Day. My anxiety hits me hard, raising my already elevated blood pressure pretty high during attacks. (as much as 190/110 or so on occasions). I have gone on blood pressure meds which help, and just started Lexapro 10mg 4 days ago. I know that the Lexapro can take anywhere from 1 - 6 weeks to become effective. If I had to start work right now I probably would not make it. Thank God I still have 6 more weeks. The anxiety is heavy. It comes and goes and can last hours. I also have Klonopin .5 mg pills to use on an as needed basis. I try to ride out the attacks before resorting to the klonopin. I have been trying some meditative type audio and visual things on youtube, which are relaxing but only for the past several days.....I guess I would just like some input from anyone on whether they think my sept. starting date for back to school is in jeopardy. I am well aware that I would have to give a whole lot more information in order to get a solid opinion, but I don't want to bore everyone with all details of my stress. Maybe someone could just kind of guess ??....LoL.....I have basically been confined to my house for the past several weeks as I have become totally unconfident to go out and risk ongoing anxiety attacks. The brutal heat here in NY is also hurting because for whatever reason, the heat almost instantly triggers heavy reaction.....Thoughts ??

[nursegirl6572]

Hello and welcome to the forum!  It may be better for you to start your own thread.  You'll get a better response that way, and you can have your own discussion instead of adding to another person's thread!

We'd be glad to help you and I'm glad you found your way here...you are definitely not alone!  MANY people suffer with anxiety and panic.

Copy your posts and start a new thread by clicking on the green "Post a Question" button on the top left side of the page.

Welcome again!  I'll be looking for your thread1

[mrawesome99186]

I also forgot to mention that i have a life ahead of me, and i don't want to waste this precious time feeling like crap.

[mrawesome99186]

Hey guys, I just turned 13, and I've been having this panic attack/anxiety thing for almost a year now, AND I AM SO GLAD I FOUND AN ANSWER TO THIS AND IM SO HAPPY THAT IM NOT ALONE!! I've been having these strange feelings kind of like my life isn't real, or it's just kind of a dream. I also don't feel like myself. I'm just so confused and I seriously need some help.

[loimmarmar]

Hello and yes you too bmckee99,
   I follow along and drop in my 2 cents here and there, This time it is a quarter....
  As far as CLAIMING the condition, I say, I'm showing symptoms of ------ or ------. I was diagnosed with------- or -------., but, I DO NOT Say, I HAVE IT, (whatever it is). Therefore I never call it my-----.

   As I am finding, If you all would just think of this, for a moment.
      You are in the middle of an attack,  HOW ARE YOU BREATHING?

   I know that fear, panic, being,scared, frightened, it causes our bodies to go into fight or flight mode which changes the brain chemicals released, and, depending on how you are breathing at the time, it starts a cascade effect that can and does over time change our metabolic structure ,and even down to the dna, epecially shallow, quick breathing.
   When you start to have an attack, stop it and see how you are breathing, then get control of that....Slow, deep in through nose and out through a pretend straw.  Remember to concentrate on the top of the stomach area as it rises when you breath in, and falls as you breath out, slowly. It is the stomach moving not the breast plate. Getting control of your breathing can       PULL you right out of the panic and stop the attack.          It can then become your trigger to stop such attacks. Just as there are "TRIGGERS that start things, There are also "TRIGGERS to stop the things we do not want.
   When you feel a panic, your body is retaught to go to check in on breathing and that changes the chemicals released in the brain and so on...
   You know, we only use 10% of the capabilities of the mind!
    littleworrywart, THANK GOD for teachers as you. I can hear the love of your job in the words you wrote. Please do keep up with the relaxation methods that you have found, because you do know that....Where the mind goes, the man follows. And I know, that is the place to find your guidance of the inner peace that keeps you ready to work. I have a great feeling that the beginning of this school year will be fantastic and fullfilling for you, and that will flow to your kids. It is important for us to get refocused and strengthened for the tasks at hand. Not our strength. No one would ever have the strength on their own.
  Have a wonderful Blessed Day!!!!    GOD BLESS!!!!    loimmarmar

[littleworrywart]

Yes, the driving thing hits me too. Not all the time but with any anxiousness at all I feel like my reactions are not quick enough to safely drive. I have definitely lost appetite too. In fact, if I even slightly over eat, it seems to increase my anxiety somehow until I begin to digest the meal.
I hope you are right about the 4 weeks thing, because Im going back to work in 6. I appreciate you taking the time to give me your thoughts. Hopefully we will both be fine in time. One thing is that I have been finding good relaxing techniques online, including some excellent videos on youtube that are like 8-20 minutes. They can help relax if you focus and practice.

[bmckee99]

I am 30 years old and can relate to EVERYTHING you just said. My anxiety attacks started last year after a nasty episode with the swines flu. I went completly down hill after that I actually thought I was going crazy! I haven't been right since...mood swings and severe anxiety...trouble with concentration and sleep along with appetite loss. Hot flashes and cold sweats...irrational thoughts and loneliness along with the fear of being alone and of driving! Wierd right? Our minds can play serious tricks on us. I am currently taking 40mg once a day of celexa and .25mg of xanax when needed. It took about 4 weeks for me to start feeling better,so I think you will be fine, however like I said i am not out of the woods yet. Somedays are really good but then there are those bummer days where I just feel lost and alone. I hope all goes well for you! Would you please let me know if you have ever had any of the symptoms I described?