Does ANYTHING help? GAD + Hypochondria?

[mnkyluvr68]

I thought I had my anxiety under control and now after two years with no meds I am back to daily xanax. It all started again with pain in my shoulder blade that went into my chest and thinking it was a heart attack...of course it was not. After months of suffering and diff tests my docs said my gallbladder had to come out. That brought on all new anxiety, fear of being put under, blood clots, infection etc... I have come to the conclusion that I am also suffering from Hypochondria...if I get a headache it's a stroke, dizziness means I'm going to pass out and die, leg pains are blood clots, I'm sure you get the point. I'm so afraid of dying but at the same time I don't want to live like this.

So I had the gallbladder surgery 2 weeks ago and it went well but my symptoms did not go away. Dr is doing blood work and checking things out but I think it might be anxiety related, not sure. I now have pain where my gallbladder was, I'm sure this is completely normal, except for in my head, lump in throat after eating, back and chest pain. The big problem for me now is I get dizzy and my head tingles, sometimes other parts of my body and I feel like I'm going to pass out. I was suppose to go back to work Mon and only lasted an hour...I was pale, shaky nauseous and again felt like passing out. I am for the most part locked in my house, it used to be a safe place but now having more attacks here too and become afraid of sleeping for fear I might die.

I am 40 years old, female and oh so tired of living this way. My mom thinks I'm crazy (she tries, sometimes, to be supportive) but I manage to hide this from the few friends I still have. My son (19 who also suffers from panic attacks) knows I have this but does not know how bad it is. I feel alone and scared every day. I cry a lot and wonder if I will get past this again. It took nearly 20 years the first time and I just don't think I have it in me to go through this again. I should mention, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia about 4 years ago so always have pain. I apologize if this is long winded or if I seem to be rambling, sometimes it helps.

If anyone has any suggestions I am willing to try anything that may help... I just want my life back. Thanks for listening...

[remar]

I had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago and it's normal to still feel a little sore after two weeks so try to take it easy for awhile.
When you feel a panic attack coming on do deep breathing. We breathe shallow when we're having one and that's why we feel like we're going to pass out and get shaky.
It sounds like you may need a longer acting anti anxiety med. Are you in counseling right now? That would probably be a huge help.
We're always here to talk. Take care. Remar

[qarib]

Several new anxiety treatments are showing promise as complements to both therapy and medication. In mild anxiety disorder cases, these treatments may provide sufficient relief on their own.

Exercise – Exercise is a natural stress buster and anxiety reliever. Research shows that as little as 30 minutes of exercise three to five times a week can provide significant anxiety relief. To achieve the maximum benefit, aim for at least an hour of aerobic exercise on most days.
Relaxation techniques – When practiced regularly, relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing, and visualization can reduce anxiety and increase feelings of relaxation and emotional well-being.
Biofeedback – Using sensors that measure specific physiological functions—such as heart rate, breathing, and muscle tension—biofeedback teaches you to recognize the body’s anxiety response and learn how to control them using relaxation techniques.
Hypnosis – Hypnosis is sometimes used in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety. While you’re in a state of deep relaxation, the hypnotherapist uses different therapeutic techniques to help you face your fears and look at them in new ways.

[M4Y0U]

Hello there,

What i recommend the most with people suffering from anxiety is;

Number 1: Physical activity; physical activity will make your body produce a lot of hormones that helps regulate the body and mind and it is essential for us human being to be active since we were just make like this, we are a machine and a machine need to work. If you do a lot of cardio work out your heart will be more healthy as it will need to beat less often for the same amount of blood delivered to the body meaning a lower heart beat at rest and better general health. If you are doing weight lifting it's ok but don't forget cardiovascular training. Lemme talk to you about one hormone that you produce during physical activty called endorphins.

Endorphins

An endogenous opioid from the pituitary gland that blocks pain, decreases appetite, creates a feeling of euphoria (the exercise high), and reduces tension and anxiety. Blood levels of endorphins increase up to five times resting levels during longer duration (greater than 30 minutes) aerobic exercise at moderate to intense levels and also during interval training. Also, after several months of regular exercise, you develop an increased sensitivity to endorphins (a higher high from the same level of endorphins), and endorphins that are produced tend to stay in your blood for a longer period of time. This makes longer duration exercise easier (you're feeling no pain) and it causes your exercise high to last for a longer period of time after exercise.

Number 2: Healthy diet; In pretty the same way physical activity will help you , healthy diet will do wonders to for you anxiety since you will feel more healthy and happy about it and this applies to the hormones production too. Don't forget that healthy diet is crucial with physical activity to supply the body with what it needs to maintain good performance.

Number 3: Talk therapy with a good therapist that will help you with you anxiety.

Number 4 : You can try luminotherapy. Luminotherapy means light therapy and usually involves half-hour sessions in front of a bright lamp (10 000 lux), specially adapted to treat seasonal depression. The principle is simple: light exposure slows down melatonin production, fighting sleepiness and depression. The light reaches the brain through the retina of the eye, as nerve impulses, to alter hormone levels, which in turn reset your body clock and boost your immune system. Some doctors and health farms offer luminotherapy as a treatment, but there are also special lamps on the market for home use.
Advice:
Check with your GP or optician before you start luminotherpay, especially at home, to make sure your eyes are strong enough to take the bright light. Most people have no problems, but it's best to check that you won't be doing more harm than good!

Hope this will help you!

Best regards,
M4

[mnkyluvr68]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I am currently not in therapy at this time but have been considering going back. Remar, what type of long lasting meds are there that I can talk to them about? I was on Klonopin a long time ago and it seemed to help. I really need to get this under control or I'm afraid I will lose my job. Today I had to go back for a post op appt for my gallbladder and I barely made it through it. I had a full blown attack and had to go into the bathroom, sit on the floor and try the deep breathing. My heart was pounding so hard I thought I was going to die. As I was driving home I had a palpitation that seemed to make my body tingle and go numb, thought I was going to pass out at the wheel. I had forgot my xanax but took one as soon as I got home and felt a little better. Do any of you have the tingling and warm numbing feeling with palpitations, is that part of the anxiety attack or is it something more serious? I was only out of the house for and 1 1/2 hours, this is ridiculous to me, no wonder people think I'm nuts! M4YOU, where can I find the specialty lamps? I have already started a healthier diet due to the gallbladder issues and am wanting to start an exercise program but am fearful due to the heart palpitations, go figure. Qarib,  do you have any suggestions on how to do the controlled breathing and or relaxation techniques? I try to breathe slower and deeper but does not always work, am I doing it wrong? Thanks again to all of you, I feel a bit less alone in this :-)

[M4Y0U]

You can try to find special luminotherapy lamps in any hardware store like HomeDepot or maybe in some pharmacies and i'm sure on Ebay you will find some at good price if internet shopping is your thing. About the heart palpitations i would not worry about these and physical exercise but it is good to consult a cardiologist or your doctor before engaging physical activity, especially cardiovascular work. Remember that i'm not a doctor and all i am doing is suggesting you things that should be good for you. Consult your doctor.

[mnkyluvr68]

Thanks for the info :-) Yesterday was a bit better, got out of the house for a couple of hours. I'm finding that my fears are coming back full force though. I went to my doctor appointment for another post op but found myself unable to take the elevator! I have had a fear of elevators but still used them regularly, this time I opted for 4 flights of stairs and had a panic attack in the stairwell. Took me almost an hour to calm down enough to drive home. I really just don't want to leave the house anymore, problem is I am scheduled to go back to work tomorrow! How am I going to cope with that, what if I have an attack like last time. I'm thinking of taking a xanax while getting ready so that it kicks in before I get there. Not sure what to do. I'm panicking because I might panic LOL, how can I not laugh at myself, I feel like such an idiot! Believe me I know this is not funny, I am living in fear every day and have had suicidal thoughts because I don't want to live like this. Don't worry, I can't be that selfish, my son is my life and I would never do that to him!!! I just wish I could get a grip! Thanks for listening!