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Anxiety Community

This patient support community is for discussions relating to generalized anxiety, anxiety and eating, anxiety and sleeping, mood swings, and phobias.
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Health Anxiety

by Jon10, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
Hi

I would like to talk to someone/people who suffer from Health Anxiety. My health Anxiety has been hitting new heights over the last week or so and i`m finding it hard to bare. Right now i have a back ache, keep flushing, cold sweats, dizzy, and everytine i stand up i feel asthough something is pushing me down(vertigo).
I`m writing from an office in London when i should be doing work, but i just cant. I had a terrible experience yesterday where i went to hospital with chest pains and dizziness, i was very hungover due to a big drink on the Saturday night. Doctor told me to go home as he is getting tired of me turning up wasting peoples time. There isn`t a day that goes by that i don`t think i`m going to die. It goes up and down, sometimes i can go a week without any problems then i have three days of disabilataing symptoms. I find it so hard to accept that this is anxiety and not something serious. This has been going on for Seven months now and it manifests in different ways. The doctor has perscribed me anti-anxiety drugs but i wont take them as my dad reckons they are a slippery slope and i need to tackle this myself. How can i have such a bad pain in the side of my back caused by anxiety, could it be all the vomiting i do? I make myself vomit to try and make me feel better alot. Could this cause chest and back pains?
Is there anybody who is similar to me? Someone who i could talk to now would be great.


Thanks
Member Comments (13)

by bip, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
Anxiety can do so much to you. It will make you sick believe me I have anxiety for years now and you just don't feel good. I get dizzy, chestpains, shortness of breath, you name it. You sound like you have a postive attitude that is good cause me I don't I always think Im going to die. Im here for you cause I been going through anxiety for years and others to. this forum is awesome....

by Jon10, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
Thanks bip, you are very kind. What symptoms do you get bip? Do you ever feel sharp pains in your chest? do you feel dizziness when you stand up? Sometimes i feel my balance is affected. I stand up and i sway from side to side. The things i fear the most is sudden cardiac death, heart attack, stroke and brain haemorrhage. But my dad rightly points out that all these things happen suddenly and dont take time and build up, you either have them or you don`t, Despite this logical outlook my dad has given me it doesnt stop me fearin the worst.

by bip, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
To: Jon 10
Oh ya I feel I those symptons Im always thinking Im having a disease you name it. It's terrible. My worst fear is heartattack and I smoke. (LOL) that makes sense. shouldn't but I do.  Take care....

by suzi-q, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
TAKE THE ANTI-ANXIETY MEDS THAT THE DOCTOR GAVE YOU!!!  If your symptoms subside, then you know it is all due to anxiety...I suffer also with Health anxiety too.  I can talk myself into any disease imanginable!  I know how terrible it can be!  Yes, your symptoms can definitely be from anxiety and the drinking doesn't help...it is great at the moment, but expect worse anxiety and depression the next day or two....if you have anxieties, take the MEDICATION and get off the sauce!!!!!  Feel better....just take deep breaths!!!!

by Jon10, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
I see what your saying but, if i decide to take the meds and they dont make me feel any better then i will think "oh sh*t, maybe this isn`t anxiety and that will be even worst. Atleast at the moment i have the possibility of it being anxiety. I know i`m going to die soon, without a doubt. My body is shutting down as we speak.

by suzi-q, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
To: Jon
I know that you truly feel that you are dying...I have been there, and there is nothing I can say or do to convince you otherwise.  I am making one request..TRY THE MEDICATION!  IT WILL WORK!  I PROMISE!

And if by chance, which I doubt immensely, it doesn't work...IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ARE DYING!  There are many simple things that it can be.

but lets cross one bridge at a time....TRY THE MEDICINE!!!

by heartfluttersflyawayplz, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
yes plz try the meds whjat did he give you , i take ativan when needed and if i didnt have it i would end up in the er a lot last two weeks, try the meds you will see how much better you feel.

by Jon10, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
My doctor has given me citalopram? Does anyone know about this? I really don`t want to take it because i dont like the idea of not being in control of my feelings. I dont want to feel ok artificially. I want to feel ok all the time. My dad wont let me take them anyway. How can i tackle this without meds. Phyciatry doesnt work for me.

by TonnaB, Jun 11, 2007 12:00AM
i take the citowhatever, generic for celexa. I break it up and only take 5mg, going up yo ten tomorrow. It helped for a bit, but now am feeling like i have swollen glands again and connot stop obsessing(crazy fear of cancer), so I am bumping it up to ten. The dr said 20mg, but i had night sweats and that fueled my fear, so i went from 10 to 5. Try it, take ten, it really does help. I think anyway.

by RCA7591, Jun 12, 2007 12:00AM
To: Jon10
"My doctor has given me citalopram? Does anyone know about this? I really don`t want to take it because i dont like the idea of not being in control of my feelings. I dont want to feel ok artificially. I want to feel ok all the time. My dad wont let me take them anyway. How can i tackle this without meds. Phyciatry doesnt work for me."

--end quote--

Jon,

How could you possibly say that "Psychiatry doesn't work for you" if you haven't even tried it?

Furthermore, this is YOUR problem, not your father's. If your father ever had the pleasure of experiencing anxiety, he would have a different outlook on your situation, and would be much more open to accepting the fact that these disorders require some form of treatment.

Unfortunately, at this point, your chances of successfully dealing with these issues on your own are slim to none. Anxiety disorders involving somatic complaints and obsessions over health typically get worse without treatment.

To properly address your issues, I would suggest that you speak with a Psychiatrist. I would also refrain from using any form of alcohol, as over the long term, it will only contribute to further degrade your illness. Often times, folks will self-medicate with alcohol for years before seeking treatment, and this is not a good approach to take.

Citalopram is an SSRI, and it is best reserved for depression, or depression presenting with anxiety. In my opinion, it is unlikely to help you (and it may, in fact, make everything worse). If you do see a Psychiatrist (and I strongly recommend that you do), I would ask about Chlordiazepoxide Hydrochloride, 25 mg QID (four times daily). The trade name is Librium. It is a very mild anti-anxiety drug. It carries little to no side effects, and it will not alter your "feelings". It is also of benefit in those who have overused or abused alcohol. Librium is much more likely to be effective vs. the Citalopram, and with virtually no side effects.

-Ryan

by Jon10, Jun 12, 2007 12:00AM
To: RCA7591
Thanks very much for your detailed post Ryan, it was very helpful to read.
Its interesting to hear your thoughts on citalopram, i had my doubts. With regard to my fathers attitude towards all this, he suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for a while but a lot later on in his life. He was in his forties. He completely overcame it himself without any help from phyciatrists or medication. He wants me to do the same. The thing is Ryan, i still haven`t even accepted that all this is anxiety. I still believe that i have a terminal illness. The sympoms i had yesterday and this morning (chest pain, severs dizziness, neasua, and back pain) were far to real and severe to be anxiety. Infact i dont know what i am writing on the anxiety board for i should go to a terminal illness forum. I have been going through this for about seven months and have had blood and heart tests all come back fine. But i`m sure they have missed something. Is it possible to feel this ill and be completely well biologically? I feel the end is near.

by suzi-q, Jun 12, 2007 12:00AM
To: Jon
Yes, it is possible to feel like you are at death's door and be completely healthy at the same time.  How do I know this?  Because I was there at one time...the weakness, nausea, headaches, chest pains, crying all the time, heart palpitations,shakiness,  total feelings of fear and doom.....yes, it was depression with anxiety.  

Many people (especially the older generation) see seeking help as a form of weakness and that stigma remains attached to this day.  However, I see it as a sign of strength to see a problem and being pro-active about it.

If I did not seek help, I would not be where I am today...that is a basically happy functioning, respected individual.  Please take that first step.  It is not fair to YOU to have to live your life this way.