Are these just physical manifestations of Anxiety?

[Jansell84]

Hello,

My story begins about 6 months ago... I had an apparent vasovagal reaction and passed out, followed by what appeared to be a little seizure. Since this episode my life has been a living hell. In the days following the episode I had several panic attacks, as well as some other very physical symptoms. I was referred to a cardiologist, a neurologist, and to both a psychiatrist and therapist. Initially I was diagnosed with having Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Depression. I have undergone a battery of medical testing, including extensive testing of the heart. I was found to have very mild Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, presumably from long standing high blood pressure. I wore an event monitor for 3 weeks as well which found that I was having bouts of sinus tachycardia accompanied by PACs. Just a few days ago I underwent a CT angiogram to check for any signs of heart disease and my arteries are clean as a whistle (HUGE relief).

Anyway the most troubling symptoms I'm having are being frequently lightheaded/dizzy, feeling weak (especially in my upper arms and my legs), and my heart races (not ridiculously high but can get into the 120s or 130s if I'm standing). These all seem to come at the same time. I can be lying in bed and feel dizzy and weak, and getting up to do anything is when my heart decides to go bonkers. So I don't necessarily think that the symptoms are being caused by a fast heart rate since it stays in the 70s when I'm seated.

I'm a male, 32 yo and I'm not super healthy. When all of this began I was about 250. I'm now 195 but lost the weight due to lack of appetite. Fear and depression have kept me in bed for the better part of this 6 months so I'm sure I'm severely de-conditioned. I just want to pinpoint the cause of the dizziness, weakness, and increased heart rate. Is this anxiety? I'm very confused and lost. I want to take my life back but my mind isn't allowing me to think logically. I don't know what to do. My brain still wants to think there's a physical cause for all of this and that it's not anxiety. I'm still seeing my psychiatrist and therapist but they're over an hour away so I see them once a month if that. I'm currently taking Remeron as it's the only anti-depressant my body would tolerate. I weened off of Ativan successfully a month ago. Has anyone else experienced frequent episodes of dizziness, weakness, and tachycardia with anxiety?

[Paxiled]

It doesn't really matter at this point if the initial problem was anxiety -- and it probably wasn't.  What matters is how your brain reacted to it, which was to give you the fear you're now living with.  You have to deal with this, and a therapist specializing in anxiety treatment is a good first step.  A good psychologist, if CBT or whatever form of anxiety treatment they try doesn't work, will probably suggest you try medication and can help with a diagnosis.  Think of it as a kind of PTSD -- you had a bad experience, and for whatever reason the way you responded was to get scared all the time.  That's what you need to get over, so you can better take care of the medical part of it.