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Anxiety and all of its ugly faces
First off, I want to thank all of the people on these boards. Everyone has helped me in times of need here. I do not take pleasure in knowing what you are going through but it does help me cope when I see that I am not alone. I have had to take off the past 2 days because of anxiety. I am not having an attack, I am just having weird symptoms and it is making me physically sick. I woke up yesterday feeling like I was in a dream, not being myself. I tried to go into work but it got worse. By the afternoon I had a headache and my heart was racing to about 120 and my blood pressure was up to 150 over 105. I take blood pressure medicine and when I went to the doctor 2 weeks ago my BP was 120 over 78. I am, what my psychologist calls, a catastropher. I don't always think I have something, but when I do, I think it is the worst. So what I am getting at is, I want reassurance that I am having anxiety because this isn't my typical attack of breathing hard, getting dizzy and nauseated. It just seems to come in different ugly forms.
About getting my heart checked out...I also have a deep fear of waiting for results. I had blood work done back in February and the 5 or 6 days it took to come back just about killed me.
My doctor put me on Cymbalta for depression. I have Clorazepate for anxiety, but I absolutely hate taking it because it drowns me out so bad.
My doctor put me on Cymbalta for depression. I have Clorazepate for anxiety, but I absolutely hate taking it because it drowns me out so bad.
Nothing helped my panic attacks, except when my son was born and i started obsessing about EVERYTHING possible to do with him , and not myself. I know what you are going through, and its so very hard to find anything to work when in the middle of it... but id take that type of anxiety over what im going through now :(
I realized that quitting smoking made HUGE diff for me, and so did taking something like an ativan and a mint tea ( really hot ) ... i hope you figure things out... its weird how our minds work. I think what happened with me, is that my mind has let go of the health things to do with myself and put them on any kind of misfortune happening to my son , or daughter, and thats y my panic attacks have decreased... and now i dont worry that im dying if i feel a slight flaw in my breathing or chest. I no longer believe im having a heartattack, because i remember 3 different times going to emerg and thinking i couldnt breathe when my oxygen level was 100 %
I realized that quitting smoking made HUGE diff for me, and so did taking something like an ativan and a mint tea ( really hot ) ... i hope you figure things out... its weird how our minds work. I think what happened with me, is that my mind has let go of the health things to do with myself and put them on any kind of misfortune happening to my son , or daughter, and thats y my panic attacks have decreased... and now i dont worry that im dying if i feel a slight flaw in my breathing or chest. I no longer believe im having a heartattack, because i remember 3 different times going to emerg and thinking i couldnt breathe when my oxygen level was 100 %
This statement you wrote...................."It is hard to tell with anxiety. Some times it feels like a heart attack, sometimes you have no idea what is going on."
Couldn't have said it better myself. And that is why I recommended you get a thorough physical to rule out symptoms that cause you so much anxiety. Most specifically cardiac issues. The problem with anxiety and panic attacks is that they can mimic a heart attack so well. But if you've had your heart checked out by a cardio, and if you can make yourself accept their diagnosis that your heart is fine, you will know the next time you have a panic attack that it is your mind doing this to your body and it's your mind that can stop it.
But I know about panic attacks and I know that during one, calm and logical thinking are impossible, and you're left with the mind-numbing fear that you're dying.
You might want to discuss your medication with your psychologist. Cymbalta is an antidepressant used for major depressive disorder and neuropathic pain associated with diabetic neuropathy........even it's unlabeled uses do not inclue anxiety. In fact, one of it's side effects IS anxiety. I am not a doctor and I certainly don't mean to second guess a psychologist, but in my Nursing Drug Reference for 2010, the information above tells me that Cymbalta is doing nothing for your anxiety.
You can also talk to your pharmacist about this med being used for anxiety. I don't believe everything I read................
I really do wish you well
Peace
Greenlydia
Couldn't have said it better myself. And that is why I recommended you get a thorough physical to rule out symptoms that cause you so much anxiety. Most specifically cardiac issues. The problem with anxiety and panic attacks is that they can mimic a heart attack so well. But if you've had your heart checked out by a cardio, and if you can make yourself accept their diagnosis that your heart is fine, you will know the next time you have a panic attack that it is your mind doing this to your body and it's your mind that can stop it.
But I know about panic attacks and I know that during one, calm and logical thinking are impossible, and you're left with the mind-numbing fear that you're dying.
You might want to discuss your medication with your psychologist. Cymbalta is an antidepressant used for major depressive disorder and neuropathic pain associated with diabetic neuropathy........even it's unlabeled uses do not inclue anxiety. In fact, one of it's side effects IS anxiety. I am not a doctor and I certainly don't mean to second guess a psychologist, but in my Nursing Drug Reference for 2010, the information above tells me that Cymbalta is doing nothing for your anxiety.
You can also talk to your pharmacist about this med being used for anxiety. I don't believe everything I read................
I really do wish you well
Peace
Greenlydia
I seen a psych nurse and she sent me to a ppd / pp anxiety group, which is helping but i think i need more than that.
My anxiety went from panic attacks a couple yrs ago, and worry, to full blown paranoia, overanalyzing, fear, excessive worrry when i got pregnant in 08.. the zoloft i was on ... ten folded the symptoms, and now that ive been off it for 5 weeks, i actually feel a bit better.
I have raised my pillow up to 3 instead of 2. I also make sure not to eat within 2 hours of going to bed. Both of these seem to have helped. I need to start eating more healthy and drinking more water and less diet cokes. I think a good diet and exercise would help my anxiety a whole lot.
It is hard to tell with anxiety. Some times it feels like a heart attack, sometimes you have no idea what is going on.
It is hard to tell with anxiety. Some times it feels like a heart attack, sometimes you have no idea what is going on.
i know all those ugly faces, and it is hard to tell whats going on. I hope you feel better.
i understand what you mean when you say you have woke in the night strangling on stomach acid i have acid reflux i think anxiety and stress has caused it. what i found helped me was to raise the head of the bed a few inches i used some really thick hard back books and the doctor has started me on a gastro resistsnt tablet it seems to have done the trick it is very frightening when it happens i used to be scared to go to sleep and that doesnt help the anxiety i wish you well take care pengi07.
My family doctor first diagnosed me with an anxiety disorder about 13 years ago. I finally went to see a psychologist this past February and he diagnosed me with panic disorder with anxiety. I take Cymbalta 60Mg. I am researching the idea of having acid reflux. I know I tend to get indigestion a lot and I am not a healthy eater. I have woken up at times in the night strangling on what seems to be stomach acid. The past 2 days I was convinced I was having a heart attack.
Have you actually been dx'd with an anxiety disorder, and if so, what kind? You apparently are not on an antianxiety med. You said that yesterday you woke up feeling like you were in a dream, not being yourself. That feeling is often refered to as "depersonalization" or "derealization." Pretty much as you described it.......almost an out of body experience and very frightening. Feels like you're about 1/2 a second behind reality. Most of can relate to that feeling and it's horrid.
Your psyschologist has called you a "catastrophizer," and that is a good term, as far as it goes............but it is not a legitimate diagnosis. In my humble and totally non-medical opinion, I believe you ARE suffering from an anxiety disorder which needs to be properly diagnosed so you can begin receiving proper treatment.
Anxiety can present in a huge number of ways and while most of us have many in common, some of us have very unique manifestations.
I would recommend that you go have a very thorough physical, from A-Z and rule out any organic reason for your symptoms. If anxiety is what's left on the table, then you, your doctor and your p-doc need to work as a team to get you the right treatment.
Time to get pro-active in your own mental health. Start doing research and learning about different types of anxiety and meds because knowledge is power.
You are intelligent and strong and motivated. Use those three qualities to get the support and treatment you need.
You'll be fine, trust me.
Peace
Greenlydia
Your psyschologist has called you a "catastrophizer," and that is a good term, as far as it goes............but it is not a legitimate diagnosis. In my humble and totally non-medical opinion, I believe you ARE suffering from an anxiety disorder which needs to be properly diagnosed so you can begin receiving proper treatment.
Anxiety can present in a huge number of ways and while most of us have many in common, some of us have very unique manifestations.
I would recommend that you go have a very thorough physical, from A-Z and rule out any organic reason for your symptoms. If anxiety is what's left on the table, then you, your doctor and your p-doc need to work as a team to get you the right treatment.
Time to get pro-active in your own mental health. Start doing research and learning about different types of anxiety and meds because knowledge is power.
You are intelligent and strong and motivated. Use those three qualities to get the support and treatment you need.
You'll be fine, trust me.
Peace
Greenlydia
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