can it be anxiety? or something else?

hey everyone, I've been lurking on this website for about a week now and just decided to sign up and ask my question, so bear with me. since highschool i suffered from hyperhydrosis (i am now 22) which just made me sweat under my arm pits for no reason A LOT. then around two years ago, one day out of nowhere in a college class I began to realize that i had been yawning all day and not because I was tired, but to catch that deep, satisfying breath that comes with it. from then on for the next few months all day i was always trying to catch a deep breath and i became more and more aware of my breathing, because i felt like i was constantly holding my breath in- even when i was breathing. (weird- i know, hard to explain.) no docs were able to figure out anything physically wrong with me. one doc ordered a halter monitor test for 24 that would record my heart rate and rhythm and found that my heart rate went from 40 to 140 at night while i slept. i didnt notice this at all. so i saw a cardiologist and he prescribed me metoprolol 50 mg twice a day. i was on it for the past 2 years and while i was on it, i began to notice during the day a fast heart rate. then i noticed during these two years that i got more and more nervous with social occasions, going to class, having to speak in front of even a small group, interviews etc.. i got more and more aware of my heart rate, it would beat so loudly and fast on these nervous occasions and i would tell my cardiologist and he would just say im fine im fine. now these past couple of months havent been good. i was just sitting on my couch watching a baby show with my nephew when out of nowhere my heart skips a huge beat, beats, skips another one, beats, skips another one and then races to over 150 bpm. i got really nervous, stood up, got tunnel vision, felt really nauseous and shaky and didnt want to move. went to the hospital, everything came back fine. since then iv been having these completely random, out of nowhere episodes where my WHOLE body will get a surge of nervouness, dizziness, weakness, shakyness, and nauseousness and then a second later, my heart will race to 150 bpm again. I've been nauseous, fatigued, very weak, tired and agitated and irritated. i feel as if my heart and chest and brain is nervous but i am mentally not. now i just had a new halter test done and the doc said i have some PAC's and some irregularity and when i got the feeling of nervousness and pushed the button on the halter, the doc said the machine would go fuzzy a little bit, he suggested maybe i was shaking or wet but i assured him i wasnt. the doc wants to chalk this up to anxiety and gave me lexapro which i have yet to take because im just too afraid of taking an SSRI.

i guess my question to you guys is this- is it possible it is anxiety? i mean im not a nervous person, i was my highschools class clown, i was sort of the "rebel" in my grade and school, i dont generally care what people think about me, im funny, im cocky and sometimes even a jerk. the fact is- i have had a normal childhood (no abuse- mentally, physically or sexually) and these episodes and my overall feeling of dizziness, nervousness and fluttering in my chest 24 7 have no trigger to my knowledge. can it just be anxiety from nothing? anyone have a physical illness that cause these similar problems?

[kalie1979]

Wow very detailed. It is obvious that you have been well checked out by a doctor, so I'm leaning more on its anxiety. Your symptoms are anxiety, sounds like when it builds up, you have a panic attack. These feelings you are going through would make you pay more attention to your heart, flutters, and etc. Once you experience a true panic attack and anxiety, you pay much more attention to your body. Its scares you so bad its almost like having major trama. I have been on lexapro for years, when I first started on it, when it kicked in (which takes about 3 weeks) I felt like my old self again. It does help, once it helps get the anxiety undercontrol, you can wean off. Im sure you will have more tips on here. So good luck, just know you are not alone  :-)

Kalie

[batmanjoey]

lol yeah its a bit long, sorry about that. but thank you so much for your reply Kalie. what still gets me is that i can be having a great day, feel fine, and out of nowhere comes the rush, from head to toe, of a surge of nervousness and like I'm about to just die and pass out or have a seizure G-d forbid, and then from then on i feel so crappy and nervous and shaky. its hard to believe something to mental can affect my physical well being. but it surely is nice knowing I'm not alone. but yeah, I'm **** scared of even trying the lexapro, I've heard of a lot of people saying the first few weeks were HELL and made anxiety worse. haha how the hell do you get an anxiety filled person to take his anxiety meds!? vicious cycle…

[nay3050]

Your probaly having anxiety then a panic attack. you may not be having anxiety mentally but anxiety can also be physical. I've had anxiety for 2 years...sometimes still have panic but I know whats happening. Have had depression and panic attacks since 1998. Got a hold on the panic though.  Panic attacks can last anywhere from 10 minutes to longer. Your body goes through a fight or flight response. which in the end you feel drained and tired. If you have web access, go to psycology.com or calmclinic.com...theres test you can take there that will kinda let you know if you have an anxiety or panic disorder. keep in mind...you still want to go to a professional to be diagnosised. I wish you the best!

[kalie1979]

Thats funny, because I know a lady that has horrible anxiety and to get her to take any meds is like pulling teeth...lol But after a year long battle she did, and after the meds kicked in she is doing Great and now she does not take anything. Just a question: i know your young so thats why im asking have you ever did any drugs at a party or something? Because that could have set off a chemical imblance in your body. If you did not thats Wonderful. But I used to smoke years ago and I truely believe thats what started mine.

Kalie

[batmanjoey]

HA. Ive actually thought that more than a few times to be quite honest. I used to smoke weed in highschool and at one point it starting giving me a paranoid high, I would get anxious and my heart would RACE. so naturally, i listened to my body and just stopped. so i probably smoked from 16-17 and then quit by senior year… thats interesting- maybe i should bring it up to the doc? or maybe hell just laugh in my face.

[nay3050]

I've never done drugs, weed or anything. I've always been an anxious person though and from what I've read...some people are predispositioned for anxiety...its a certain personality types that fall into those categories. I don't even drink so idk...just happens

[nay3050]

Also people who are stress sensitive get anxiety. But as I can see...medication alone won't help. You have to find it within yourself to take up deep breathing, meditation or whatever works. medication does help some but it doesn't get rid of the underlying causes