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Im scared im dying...how is it anxiety!

The last 2 years if my life has been pretty stressful. I lost custody of my oldest daughter. The grief I experience from that is immense pain.I had a new baby 7 months ago.  I lost my dad 3 months ago and I lost my best friend 1 month ago. Ive always had anxiety and panic attacks but now I struggling with depression. The anxiety Ive experienced this last month is nothing like my regular anxiety.

Usually I'll have a panic attack and just snap.out of it. This time im not snapping out of it and keep having panic attacks because im scared im dying. Scared im going to leave my babies motherless.

I went to er last night because i've been having shortness of breath and not feeling right. They did ekg and ct scan for blood clots all were negative.

Im still scared i have something wrong with my heart and lungs. Why cant i stop worrying? My current symptoms are extreme panic. Constant achiness in legs and arms. Feet are literally ice cold all the time. And its 100 degrees yet im freezing and constant shortness of breath and feeling light and woozy. A slight headache. These have been constant 24/7 for 5 days now.

I dont know what to do im either going nuts or im dying. How can my symptoms be constant. How can i feel this anxious all the time? Im so scared. I do take anxiety meds but none are helping thats why i fear this is not anxiety and the length of symptoms that are being relentless I just want to feel normal again

Also last night i literally thought i was fading away. My chest went ice cold and empty. My heart rate didn't increase as with usual panic attacks has anyone every experienced this?

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Avatar universal
Is there a man connected with this recent child?  Or are you in this alone?  When you spiral as you're doing now, that's when medication is most helpful.  It's more of a crutch when you're doing okay but just not as well as you'd like because drugs don't cure anything, or at least not yet, but therapy might.  So don't let the drugs pacify you that everything's okay and let the therapy slip.  And make sure your therapist specializes in the treatment of anxiety.  You can waste a ton of time chatting if you don't see someone who understands anxiety needs action, not chat.  As for your recent losses, that's grief, not anxiety or depression, but when they pile up as they have for you, you need help from whoever is in your life who won't run away.  Time is the only thing that dulls that kind of pain, but I will ask, why did you lose custody?  There's a story there that is probably part of what's going on with you given the incredible tilt toward keeping kids with the Mom.  Again, when bad things pile up, sadness and grief can turn into depression much more readily, and that just makes your anxiety that much worse.  By the way, chills are a common side effect of anxiety.  Heart racing and all that actually isn't.  It happens, but most people just think it is and after countless trips to the ER finding out nothing is actually going on they finally accept that.  There are relaxation exercises that can make things easier -- yoga, meditation, abdominal breathing -- but if you're a single Mom you're going to have to find help so you can help yourself so you can be that great Mom.  If I were to hear someone spiraling the way you are, I'd tell them to see not just a psychologist but a psychiatrist to talk meds, but as you're already on meds, it's possible they stopped working.  That can happen at any time, but it can especially happen when an onslaught of bad stuff hits.  I once had a med completely stop working when someone I loved broke up with me.  Just completely stopped working.  Meds are like that because they don't treat the illness, they only treat the symptoms.  So whatever you do with meds, and the ones you're taking aren't working anymore, do get that therapy.  And don't stop any of the meds abruptly -- they have to be tapered off of slowly until you successfully stop them.  Just keep hanging in there until time puts some distance between you and the sadness you've experienced so you can focus again on the illness part of it.  Peace.
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I meant to add, who isn't afraid of dying?  It becomes anxiety when one obsesses about it to the point it gets in the way of life.  In your case, however, you show absolutely no signs at all of dying, so relax about that if you can.  
973741 tn?1342342773
Ahhh, hon. That's a lot. First, I will just say mom to mom, losing a child in a custody battle (or in any way) must be so very painful. Our kids are just a part of us and if we can't be with them? Such pain.  That's just such deep pain we never get over. And you've had other painful losses and they are recent.  That you are sad, well. It would be natural given those circumstances. I lost my mom years ago.  Will I ever fully be over that?  I'm just not sure. It hurts less though. But the first year was so hard!  AND, you've had a baby recently.  Post postpartum is real!  This very well could be going on. Are you still nursing (or maybe you never nursed, but that keeps hormone fluctuations going).  

Sweetie, you need help. Really, sincerely. You have a baby to take care of and yourself too.  You have to talk to your doctor about the depression and anxiety/panic.  I'm just going to say that medication is a personal decision and nothing to enter in lightly, however, it can be a game changer. When I've taken it myself, it helped. When my started it in April for severe depression and suicidal ideation and extreme anxiety, it was a game changer. Then talk therapy is so beneficial. Do you have any insurance? So many therapists are practicing teletherapy right now which makes it so convenient.  But you need support, hon.  

I've had panic attacks and yes, I have felt like you describe too.  Stay in touch.  Let's keep talking, okay?
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I have been taking meds for depression and anxiety my dr is aware of my issues and referred me to psychology but I didnt do anything with the referral at the time because i seemed to be managing. I have an appointment tom. With her to ask to get some additional tests done but will ask again about psych referral. I feel so hopeless at this point. How can anxiety be so debilitating? How can panic symptoms last all day long? How do I trust that I am not dying?
Yes I am still breastfeeding. Which makes taking drugs hard. I want to stop breastfeeding but cant because she wont take a bottle. I have another annoying symptom i forgot to mention half my tongue seems to be tingling and numb this is what i believe started the extreme anxiety
Ya, nursing does make medication hard.  My second son was a relentless nurser and did not want to stop. Your baby will get to a better and better place to begin weaning if you need/want to.  I had to eventually or my son would have nursed til he is 10, I think. But at 7 months, your baby is eating solid food and from that point on, it's easier.  We went straight to sippy cup with my second as he nursed until after his first birthday.  My first child weaned easily as I started supplementing with a bottle when he was 5 months.  Mostly because I found out I was expecting my second baby at that point!  I'm not wonder woman.  I couldn't do it all. Anyway, yes. nursing will make it harder to take various meds.  If you are having this debilitating of symptoms and you've been on your medication for awhile, it likely isn't working. :-(  My son really engaged in DBT therapy and CBT therapy that was started when he was in the hospital. He continues that through psychologist appointments.  I got things online on amazon that he does on his own as well. A DBT journal.  A work book.  He says it helps.  They have groups too (some meet online).  Take that referral and set up talk therapy!  Get a friend, cousin, sister, aunt to watch the baby and you get some you time.
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