How best to control stomach clenching anxiety?

[catwoman105]

Hi everyone, this is hard to explain but it's a problem that's been manifesting itself more and more for me recently and I'd be truly grateful for any help - thanks in advance!

I've had a *lot* of life changes recently, all very positive ones - voluntary early retirement/redundancy from one of my half time posts has meant financial security for the first time in many years and the opportunity to explore my creative side and (hopefully) turn that into a second career.  So everything *should* be rosy but the reality is that I'm a total wreck!!!

I'm generally fine when I'm at home but when I'm out and about or at work I am constantly anxious and irritable and also sometimes on the verge of tears. Any most probably normal twinge or slight shortness of breath (I'm asthmatic) and I'm convinced I'm going to faint, or have a stroke or a heart attack, or that I've got a brain tumour or something equally bad. I absolutely love my job and while the town I live in has its fair share of problems I take sensible precautions to stay safe so I just do not understand why I'm getting like this!

I generally start the day feeling absolutely fine but then the smallest thing can literally make my stomach clench and everything goes downhill from there.  I stop breathing properly, then I get lightheaded and then I think I'm going to faint; this just makes the shallow breathing worse and so it goes on.  The other day I actually got pains in my left arm and thought I was having a heart attack!

There have been a few mornings recently, though, when I've woken up with a deep seated feeling of impending doom which has totally freaked me out and which I find completely inexplicable. I literally feel it in my gut and sometimes even think I'm going to be sick.  

It's all been made worse by the fact that my asthma is bad at the moment, due to the high pollen count and also because I'm still feeling the after effects of a virus a couple of months ago that went to my chest. I'm taking extra preventer inhaler (under advice from my practice nurse) and it's helping me cough up some of the residual phlegm, after which I do feel better for a while but I'm going to go back to see her next week to see if there's anything further she can suggest. (Sorry, tmi about the phlegm!)

The worst thing is the stomach clenching, I just feel that if I could only break this part of the vicious circle then things overall would start to improve. I wonder, do any of you have any favourite techniques for quickly and easily re-instating diaphragm breathing? Or any other advice at all that might help me, as I'm beginning to feel totally desperate and would be deeply grateful for any input. Apart from the asthma I am, as far as I'm aware, in reasonable health for my age (though I do have a tendency towards high blood pressure and from time to time have problems keeping my blood sugar stable).

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any help, sorry it's been such a long post!  

[Nutana]

Have you tried stopping GLUTEN?  That helped me with gut and anxiety.

[29sillygirl]

I relate to your dilemma.  In my case, many physical and nervous symptoms showed up when I retired @ 70. Glancing @ a  week of blank pages in my daily planner was enough to send me into high anxiety.

I can laugh about it now, as have been retired for almost 5 yrs, and being diagnosed with anal cancer within 2 yrs kept me occupied for some time:).  One of the reasons I left the library, was the constant symptoms of IBS........which was the wrong diagnosis for anal cancer.  So irony abounds.  

It seems to me you might be helped by having purpose in your life: whatever it is.  I joined the Y .  It gave me a reason to get up and out: some exercise and socializing.  Am thinking of getting back to it.   Have to recover from latest post cancer surgery first.

We who are free from structured work can create our own reality.  And it can be a great time.  I think I've gone through about 5 phases since the day I left work.  Agoraphobia kept me apt. bound for awhile, but I am moving out most days now....baby steps!

Do keep posting.  I have received some of the best support ever right here or in the agoraphobia forum.  

[libour9]

well, I am not a dr but since I have been on anti depressants and anti anxiety meds most of my life I  can offer some advice. Xanax is the absolute best for anxiety or valium. Just dont take it more than prescribed, both can be habit forming. Are you open to trying like an antidepressant? they use alot of anti depressants for anxiety too. Paxil is good for treating both but if your looking for the quickest affect again xanax or valium if you want something less potant ativan is good. Other stuff that can help are like group therepy I know you don't understand why you are feeling so much anxiety all of the sudden chances are it is connected to something going on now or has gone on in your life that you subconciously need to deal with. Therapy is a good rout, you mentioned being creative, you might also enjoy art therapy groups, hot baths are great but you cant very well do that at work. I know it is a scary feeling but don't give up, try to find good therapy and ask your dr to refer you to a good psychiatrist. They can help you figure out what is going on. Anxiety is not the end of your life even though it probably feels that way now.

[alvaa]

I don't think it would hurt to take a Prilosec in the morning. I have border line acid reflux and when my anxiety starts up it usually kills my stomach, and I have your same symptoms. I have been taking acid reflux medications and by the most part my anxiety-induced stomach problems have stopped.