I need support with my GAD

[butterfly84777]

I have never posted before!! I decided to post after spending so much of my time constantly fearing and feeling so crumby all the time.. I find more comfort in reading your stories as strangers then talking to doctors or my family and friends!! I recently got diagnossed with GAD and I simply cannot believe stress can cause you to feel so physically sick 24/7.. Ihave so many symptoms from cronic everyday chest pain, to a dizziness and "not there" feeling constantly all day. I don't have insurance so having to find a way to pay for so many test and medications is also stressfull, especially when they are all always coming back normal, it feels like such a waste and makes me feel like a hypocondriac!! I am still in denial and just tired of feeling awful everyday and over an illness I don't fully understand!! Just a little about myself I am a 25 year old female, non smoker, non drinker, epileptic for over 15 years well controlled with medicine, seizure free for ten years, I am a mother to a 6 year old boy, very happy and outgoing until my symptoms started about 6 months ago and a panic attack three months ago!! I would love to share stories and try and find some relief and support!!! Thanks for hearing my story :-)

[M4Y0U]

Hello there,

My symptoms started 4 months ago ( tight neck, pressure in forehead, sinus pain, back of the head pressure and headache. I did a CT scan that came back normal and some neck x-rays normal again.

I'm in denial too that anxiety could lead to such severe physical symptoms but i guess those scans can't lie hehe but i wil still do an MRI jus in case and that should help me accept the fact that i'm havin anxiety.

Me too it's 24/7. I wake up often because i need to check if my symptoms are worse or better and i wake up jus about the same as i was when i got to bed... So basicly i guess i'm having anxiety even when i sleep so yes it is very probable to have symptoms 24/7.

I started going to the gym and it helps alot i sugest it to you. It makes you body make all sort of hormones and chemicals that are good for you and your anxiety. Unless going to the gym makes you anxious hehe.

I wouldn't sugest you taking benzodiazepines since it's not for long term effect and the withdrawal is jus awful trust me... But you can try for 2 weeks to see if you have some symptoms that go away, that way you will be able to rule out physical disease and that will make you less anxious without the medication.

I know it's hard to beleive all the thing anxiety can do to your body but mind and body is one not 2 so understanding that is one step futher to the cure. Have you heard about shadow pains? Those you are missing a leg will still feel the pain in that leg even if it's not physically there so i guess that proves the strong effect of the brain of the body and vice versa. I remember when i had my first panic attack i thought i had a brain tumour. Next panic attack i thought i would have a stoke or aneurysm. I had the physical symptoms but it was jus an over reaction of the body to a stressed mind.

So my tips are: physical activities, healthy diet ( that will make you feel healthy so you will focus on health rather that diseases ), taking time for yourself, going out doing something you really like, join talking groups or stuff like that if you feel that talking about it will help.

I hope you will feel better soon and don't let this anxiety kill your life there are a lot of remedies.

Feel free to answer me back and if you wanna talk you can write me a message and add me to your friends.

Best regards,
M4

[Meg2318]

I feel the same way you do. I too, am a 25 year old female and I am without insurance and trying to manage it on my own. It's comforting to hear that there is someone else who is having these feelings all the time, and not just during a panic attack.  Do you kind of feel like you are sending yourself into a panic over the thought of living with the anxiety?

It seems like this came out of the blue and I feel sad when I think that there was a time where I could go through my day to day activities and not have this constant anxiety. I wish there was something I knew triggered it so I could just avoid that and live normally the rest of the time.

I think you mentioned that you have that not there feeling on a daily basis. Does it feel weird when you're talking to people like your eyes can't really focus and it seems like things are going really slow? I also have a constant lump in my throat and always need to be chewing gum or something so I don't notice it as much...the more I try to swallow the more anxious and scared I become.

It sounds like we have some similar symptoms so if you would like to talk, I'm here. I am new to all of this over the past several months or so and I know it can be really scary.

[girlwithnolife]

Hi I have had panic attacks since I was 6 and am now 50. I consider myself an expert on them. LOL I think that I am genetically predisposed to them. I took no meds till 19 when they gave me valium. I take it as needed which isn't to often now that I am on Paxil CR. I have never become addicted to my meds but I make sure that I don't. If you are responsible enough to know not to overdo them they help tremendously. I worked and lived with my panic and GAD up until last year when I started going through menopause then, boy, did it hit the fan. I have been told by my psychiatrist that hormones and menopause can worsen symptoms but man it sux. I ended up on disability as it got so I couldn't go to work. (Or not too many other places either). I guess I am so used to this that I can't remember a time I didn't feel scared but I always tell myself there are plenty of people worse off than me. Panic attacks can and will mimic just about any symptom you are really scared of. I never went to hospital like alot of people do cause I'm scared of them too (lol) but I just decided that unless I pass out on the floor or something equal to that I am going to assume it's panic. It's worked for me so far. Alot of people put down paxil and meds but for me they are a lifesaver. When I first started taking it my first thought was is this how normal people feel? How great. But I still have some GAD. I rarely have any panic as the paxil will just shut it down when it starts but my anxiety levels are still very high and I guess unless I want to become a zombie on meds (which I don't) I will live with it. Hope every one stays calm. Steph