Please help....desperate!

[Fred526]

I have suffered from what I believe to be anxiety for over a year now and I have experienced many symptoms that scare me such as a feeling of tightness in my neck or throat (choking), unable to take a deep, satisfying breath, mucus build up in my lungs which interupt breathing, lightheadedness throughout the day but especially after excercise, feel of restlessness, and usually panic at public or new places or enviornments or around new people. I recently have been able to get a little better through controlling my breathing but I still have not gotten completely rid of it even though I face my fears daily. I was never like this before and would like to be feel normal again. Can you please explain each and every one of these symptoms and reassure me that it is anxiety and not hazerdous to my health or life threatening. The summer heat also seems to provoke my anxious feelings and I have recently had an allergy test which resulted in me being allergic to many things, took xyzal for 2 weeks, felt like I could breathe better but anxiety remains. I alwasy have the fear that I will pass out, please help me understand that this is not going to happen and is not dangerous, thank you!

[Fred526]

Does anyone know if dizziness or lightheadedness is associated with anxiety? it seems like I have had less anxiety the past few days but I have been feeling very light headed and some what dizzy throughout the day.

[marcc64]

Yes it's the same for me, it's never as bad at home than when i am out by my self, it's the worse feeling in the world, i have a fear of being alone outside when having a anxiety attack, i think i am going to faint and embarrass my self int front of strangers, is it the same for you? a couple of months back i had a big attack walking home in the morning, i was just walking down the street and all of a sudden i felt like i couldnt breath properly this made my heart beat fast, it was the biggest attack i ever had it felt like i was going to die, i just ran all the way home scared, when i got home everything was normal the panic went. I live in fear of having another big attack like this :( of course i have had panic attacks since that one but not as bad. I suppose the moment you make it rule your life then it's going to be worse. Hang in there hopefully we will both get better soon. Marc

[frue13]

If you have had anxiety for a year now you have devloped some habits of thinking that need to be broken.  You probably asociate certain places and things to these attacks.  You must give your body a break through out the day.  The pattern is very simple one stress, worry, anxiety, and then panic.  You become stressed then you worry after enough worry the body goes in to anxiety mode, after anxiety we all know what coming these panic symptoms.  Most people are afraid of the symptoms in turn keps them in  anxiety mode. Any little thing will trip them up and go into panic.  It takes a while to get from anxiety down to normal stress but you can do it.   Please go download claire weeks audiobook passing through fear at itunes.  

[Fred526]

I am sorry you are going through this as well, I don't wish this upon anyone's life, I hope that we can both get better because we need to, our families are counting on us for sure!

Fred

[Fred526]

Hello and thanks for your response. to answer your question, I do always feel this throught the day but it  isn't always the same, for instance at home I feel it less than anywhere although I have paniced at home before. usually situations in which I need to speak with people or go places stress me out so the fear of feeling those feelings makes them come of course. But if nothing triggers that and I am just out and about I will feel mild anxiety.

Fred

[Fred526]

Thank you for your response, I will try what you said, at times I feel hopeless like I will never get better. I am a performing musician and the stress of performing makes me nervous which leads to anxiety. I hope that I can over come this because it seems that my greatest passion in life is unattainable because of this anxiety, before this I had it all, a great job, doing great in college, had a girlfriend, and now it seems that all that has taken a turn for the worst but what hurts the most is not being able to live my dreams. I hope to God that I can beat this entirely, thank you for your time!

Fred

[frue13]

go get a physical to make sure there is nothing wrong.  once this process is over and presumably your are alright.  Its now time to get down to the fact it is anxiety.....  Does meds help? yep but it does not cure.  If you have insurance go see a  therapist who specializes in anxiety. If you do not go to itunes and download claire weeks book on passing through fear.  Do  not get sucked into these 100 dollar books that do not help.  Once you understand how anxiety works you will be better equiped to face it.  I was one who got caught up in all the schemes (which I feel they take advantage of people with anxiety)  You will pay anything to get better.   They should be ashamed of themselves charging 70-150.00 dollars for this material.  I am sorry I will get on track.
You must get a hold on anxiety fast the longer it goes the harder it is to kick.  Get all the test done first MAKE SURE YOU ARE HEALTHY.  Buy claire weeks download its 10 bucks.  STOP checking anxiety sites this adds to the never ending process of anxiety.  Right now you are having waves of anxiety all day long so what you need to do is take baby steps. Fear is the culprit so you must nip that in the but now.  See when you think on anxiety all day long all you are really doing is worrying and stressing the body.  So the body then goes into fight or flight, then you worry some more, so it kicks in more, and you worry some more.  you have worry on top of worry.  You think eat and sleep worry.  What I did to give my body a relaxation from worry is I took a hot bath.  For 45 min it gave my body 45 min break.  This break gives your body time to heal.  You must find your hot bath what is it that gives your body a break from anxiety.  Do that for 45 m in.
Once you can give your body breaks everyday it will get better.  But if you keep on scowring the internet looking for symptoms and magic cures it will flare it.  Start with 45 min break then maybe next week it will be 2 hours then it will be days and weeks.  You can beat this If i can do it anyone can......  I almost lost everything because of this disease all created in the mind.  It was not untill I found claire weeks book that I found my way through the maze.
I also would like to give God the credit because it was on Sundays in Church that hel;ped realize he cared for me and directed me to the right places and people to help me.
I was on meds out the yang.  bought all the books and all the gimics.  The best med I used was ativan.  I do not recomend it because it is addictrive, but I did not get addicted.  I took it for five months.  Sometimes three times a day. The best advice I can give you is get to Church, buy claire weeks download and try to give your body a break from the anxiety.
This thing was not created in a day it will not go in a day but over time with rest it will go.  Hopo all this mumbo jumbo helps a bit.

[EroToo]

I have the trouble breathing system where I am constantly thinking about my breathing or lack thereof.  I went to the ER, all normal.  Have had this for 40 years, since I was 18.  Was bad when I was younger.  Finally, meds were discovered to help with panic attacks and mine were on an even keel for years.  Then a couple of weeks ago, poof, back to where I started.  I am on new meds now hoping they will work and start to kick in.  Meanwhile I suffer (but not in silence).  I drive my kids nuts.  Even though the ER gave me a clean bill of health, I am going to the Breath and Lung Institute in Hackensack, NJ to look deeper into my problem.  If they say it's nothing, I will TRY to believe them.  I hope they say it's nothing.  My fear is that they will find something that the other docs missed.

You can email me at erotoo1 at aol.com if you'd like to chat on line.

Karen

[marcc64]

I have been having the same thing for a about a month now, i went to the hospital where they done an ECG, tested my oxygen levels, blood tests and a chest x-ray all were normal, but of course this still has not put my mind at rest because i am still having these symptoms sometimes bad sometimes not but they are always there :( do you have this feeling constant? have you had any tests done to rule out any physical problem? Marc