Aa
im not convinced its anxiety
for the pat 9 months ive been goin through hell. ive been feelin like im dying. ive been to the er 12 times and they keep on saying its anxiety ive had 8 ekgs 4 cat scans and numerous blood work done and they dont find nothin but i dont have panic attacks i literaly go through this from the time i wake up untill the time i go to sleep it dosent go away ever all daybut hear are my symptoms i go through everyday i feel like im gonna fall out i have heart palpaltations i get these hot burning sensations every time i walk when im at work. i feel unbalanced i feel dizzy i feel like there is a lump in my throat i have uncontrollable muscle spasms like stuff goin on in my whole body i get these weird weak feelings in my body that makes me feel like im gonna drop i wake up every morning feeling like real dizzy and am just gonna faint ive lost two jobs cuz of this stuff and ive never been like this my whole life untill last june and it just wont stop. i dont get it even when im happy and havin fun this stuff still happens thats why i dont belive its anxiety i belive its something else im realy scared and everyday is another challenge for me to even get through i just want my life back but is there anyone who can relate to this is there anyone who can actually make me feel like this is really anxiety cuz mabey if i hear it from some one else and there goin through the same thing mabey i can belive it more that it is really gad and not something else
Hi! Just by reading your posts, I can almost feel your anxiety and panic: in your words, the way you are writing. If I put myself in your place with these panicky questions I can see myself wringing my hands until they were raw. I've been there. The previous suggestions for help are good advice. I have been where you are now. It was a forum just like this but out of Australia that helped me the most with my GAD. What a blessing. **The feelings come "out of the blue". Your body doesn't have to have a reason to feel anxious. For people who have Generalized Anxiety Disorder we are in a constant state of anxiety. You may not be worried about anything in particular or you may not have experienced a traumatic event but the chemicals in your brain are out of sinc. This causes the rush of feelings to whoosh through your body, the panic anxiety sets in and you think something catastrophic is happening and you try to flee from the feelings. Am I right? This is called the fight or flight syndrome. The only thing is, that big scary monster with dripping fangs that your body thinks is coming right at you full speed ahead, really isn't there. And your response is to run like crazy from the fear and sensations going on in your body. But if you try to run, you take the feelings with you. There is no monster. So, the best thing to do is see both your family doctor who knows you and will take the time to help you and to see a psychologist to help you talk about the mental and emotional feelings/thoughts. BE HONEST with him. If you are not honest and tell it all, you are not helping yourself get better. I was so afraid I was going crazy with the feelings/thoughts that I was afraid to be alone with my children. I was afraid I would go insane and hurt them. When my husband, took me to a doctor the very afternoon I had a horrible panic attack, it was a blessing to talk to someone who would listen. I cried the whole time. When he told me I was not crazy, that I would not hurt my children, my healing with that began. Because GAD is a disorder, I believe I have always had it even as a child but it came to the forefront after my children were born. Because I experienced the same and more of the feelings you have described, it has taken longer to help ease the feelings. Cognitive Behavioral therapy helped me control my thoughts to keep from totally freaking everytime I had a new sensation and when needed I have clonzepam to help take the edge off if I feel the feelings coming back strongly. I am happy to say I don't need them but rarely. My anxiety comes out strongest when I get stressed. If I don't take time to take care of myself: listen to the doctors. There is nothing wrong with me. Accept it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The tests show it. Eat properly. Sleep well. Exercise of some sort. Do yoga or meditation. Focus on things other than myself. I know it is not easy to get control back after this disorder begins. But, you can get control back and get your like back on track. It does take work. But, it can be done. I know. I have just weaned myself off Lexapro. I feel good. The withdrawal zaps are gone. I can concentrate on things. My libido is back. Hurray! But, because I will always have the tendency to have the feelings, I continue my mindfulness of my body to help alleviate the worst of the systems when they start to show up. I know you can have the same success as I and many others who have posted before.
For me, I was like you, in a constant state of anxiety. My muscles were always tense, especially my shoulders and neck, I had horrible headaches. Not because I had a brain tumor like I wanted to believe, but because of the tension in my shoulders. Please go ahead and talk with your doctors. Believe the tests results when they show nothing wrong. Continue talking with people who have the same disorder. It is one of the best remedies. Talk it over with a friend. A friend who will listen and understand. Take a few deep breaths. You can have your life back. I wish you much luck!!
For me, I was like you, in a constant state of anxiety. My muscles were always tense, especially my shoulders and neck, I had horrible headaches. Not because I had a brain tumor like I wanted to believe, but because of the tension in my shoulders. Please go ahead and talk with your doctors. Believe the tests results when they show nothing wrong. Continue talking with people who have the same disorder. It is one of the best remedies. Talk it over with a friend. A friend who will listen and understand. Take a few deep breaths. You can have your life back. I wish you much luck!!
Relax dear...please. I had the same exact thing. I've read most of the posts here and I don't see anywhere where you are taking an anti-anxiety medication. You have GAD...Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Most often, that doesn't come with panic attacks. By now, you should be seeing your doctor and they SHOULD HAVE PRESCRIBED SOMETHING FOR YOUR ANXIETY - A Sedative! I take Ativan for my GAD and it gives me MY LIFE BACK. I felt the same way you did and finally after being tested for just about everything under the Sun, I got my medication prescribed.
Before I forget, I was NEVER depressed and, at first, my doc. prescribed Lexapro and Prozac...these are anti-depressants (UPPERS basically). These medication will MAKE YOUR NERVES AND ANXIETY WORSE! Those medications are only for true depressive states as Lexapro sent me to the ER with an anxiety attack. I've stated this on a number of posts and most doctors want to treat GAD with an anti-depressant instead of anti-anxiety medication. Make certain to tell your doctors what you have and refer back to the what the ER told you..you have anxiety - THAT SHOULD IMMEDIATELY GET YOU A PRESCRIPTION FOR AN ANTI-ANXIETY MED.
Before I forget, I was NEVER depressed and, at first, my doc. prescribed Lexapro and Prozac...these are anti-depressants (UPPERS basically). These medication will MAKE YOUR NERVES AND ANXIETY WORSE! Those medications are only for true depressive states as Lexapro sent me to the ER with an anxiety attack. I've stated this on a number of posts and most doctors want to treat GAD with an anti-depressant instead of anti-anxiety medication. Make certain to tell your doctors what you have and refer back to the what the ER told you..you have anxiety - THAT SHOULD IMMEDIATELY GET YOU A PRESCRIPTION FOR AN ANTI-ANXIETY MED.
I just tell myself everyday that if I was dying of something I would have been long gone and dead by now. I have been battling anxity off and on for 2 years and I havent died yet! It is so hard to convince yourself though!
As you no doubt can tell by the OVERWHELMING popularity of your post on this forum, you're complaint has made the Top 40 of the Panic Hit Parade.
Maybe you're right -maybe it IS something else, but Ace, the time has come for the "Duck Test."
If it smells like a duck and if it quacks like a duck...you know the rest.
All the advice you've been given so far sounds right to me -and a lot of it came from people who didn't believe they had it, either. But they did.
I won't add anymore to what you've seen thus far, except THIS: One of the BEST ways to get the most out of this forum to work is to JOIN it - become a part of it. Its easy -just click the Join Link -enter some profile information about yourself -even a picture if you care to- and anything you think would help us get to know you faster and better, and you can change this material whenever you like. You will also be accessible to receive private messages when other members click the name you've given yourself -sort of a "push to talk" feature. After you've done that, spend some time just using various features of the forum. For example, to see all the posts or responses that someone has made, just click their handle, go to their profile, click Posts, and read to your heart's content. You may also enter search terms -including member names- in the search box at the upper right of your screen and the system will retrun everything matching the term(s) you entered. This INCLUDES a drug database that will give you both user posts about drugs as well as the medical information about the drug. A great way to get quick answers about therapeutic effect, side effects, interactions, etc.
One of the profile categories is your mood, which you may change anytime you like.
Along the right side of your screen is a section of Recent Activity, which not only alerts you to new posts, but new ANYTHING, including journal entries and mood. This is a way to telegraph the community at large without actually creating a separate post. Thus, if you see a friend's mood has changed while you are working on a response or post, it can alert you to send them a private message to learn more or simply let them know you're thinking of them. Likewise, if you are going to be "out," you could enter something like "off line for the night" as your mood, and people would know you're away from the forum for awhile.
If you do this kind of exploring and experimenting right away, you'll be up-to-speed quickly. If you see the message you are reading now as part of a direct response I (or anyone) has made to one of your posts, it was probably copied and pasted from this journal. I hate form letters and auto-responses as much as anyone -but I also hate forgetting to tell people what they need to know, so this is my safety-net. Consider it as part of your "Welcome" kit. So -please join and try things out.
You might also want to read my entries for the "Right Click Trick" and "When in Haste, Use Copy 'n Paste" for some other convenient time-savers.
You may think that everyone is just looking for an argument right now, but I promise you, we are all here to HELP YOU -just as we have helped each other. Nothing would please us more than to find out it was NOT anxiety at all -but just some odd-ball vitamin deficiency that was cured by sleeping on a pillow stuffed with lizard lips.
But I doubt it.
Hang in -we WILL get to the bottom of this. NOW: follow the advice to get in front of a doctor who can take the lead in getting you what you medically NEED. We'll take care of the support, tips and tricks here on the forum.
Welcome aboard.
JS Geare
Maybe you're right -maybe it IS something else, but Ace, the time has come for the "Duck Test."
If it smells like a duck and if it quacks like a duck...you know the rest.
All the advice you've been given so far sounds right to me -and a lot of it came from people who didn't believe they had it, either. But they did.
I won't add anymore to what you've seen thus far, except THIS: One of the BEST ways to get the most out of this forum to work is to JOIN it - become a part of it. Its easy -just click the Join Link -enter some profile information about yourself -even a picture if you care to- and anything you think would help us get to know you faster and better, and you can change this material whenever you like. You will also be accessible to receive private messages when other members click the name you've given yourself -sort of a "push to talk" feature. After you've done that, spend some time just using various features of the forum. For example, to see all the posts or responses that someone has made, just click their handle, go to their profile, click Posts, and read to your heart's content. You may also enter search terms -including member names- in the search box at the upper right of your screen and the system will retrun everything matching the term(s) you entered. This INCLUDES a drug database that will give you both user posts about drugs as well as the medical information about the drug. A great way to get quick answers about therapeutic effect, side effects, interactions, etc.
One of the profile categories is your mood, which you may change anytime you like.
Along the right side of your screen is a section of Recent Activity, which not only alerts you to new posts, but new ANYTHING, including journal entries and mood. This is a way to telegraph the community at large without actually creating a separate post. Thus, if you see a friend's mood has changed while you are working on a response or post, it can alert you to send them a private message to learn more or simply let them know you're thinking of them. Likewise, if you are going to be "out," you could enter something like "off line for the night" as your mood, and people would know you're away from the forum for awhile.
If you do this kind of exploring and experimenting right away, you'll be up-to-speed quickly. If you see the message you are reading now as part of a direct response I (or anyone) has made to one of your posts, it was probably copied and pasted from this journal. I hate form letters and auto-responses as much as anyone -but I also hate forgetting to tell people what they need to know, so this is my safety-net. Consider it as part of your "Welcome" kit. So -please join and try things out.
You might also want to read my entries for the "Right Click Trick" and "When in Haste, Use Copy 'n Paste" for some other convenient time-savers.
You may think that everyone is just looking for an argument right now, but I promise you, we are all here to HELP YOU -just as we have helped each other. Nothing would please us more than to find out it was NOT anxiety at all -but just some odd-ball vitamin deficiency that was cured by sleeping on a pillow stuffed with lizard lips.
But I doubt it.
Hang in -we WILL get to the bottom of this. NOW: follow the advice to get in front of a doctor who can take the lead in getting you what you medically NEED. We'll take care of the support, tips and tricks here on the forum.
Welcome aboard.
JS Geare
I am a little confused, is the ER vist free where you live? Or less than a med doctor? There are many doctors in most areas that will work on a sliding scale, or will let you pay in installments. I am not sure what the cost is in your area, but a doctor visit here is about $70. I do realize that this is $70 more than someone has if they do not have much at all - but this is important. If you have a car and it gets you to and from work and it breaks down, I bet most people would figure out a way to get it fixed no matter what. This is the same type of situation.
And there are PLENTY of people who have it as severe as you do - in fact, worse in many cases (the guy in the link that I passed along is one of them). However, I am not discounting your feelings at all. I realize (from personal experience) that many times we feel that NO ONE could possibly no how bad it is or us mainly because it is JUST THAT BAD. I personally was nearly immobilized for 2 years, losing jobs, places to live, friends, etc. However, just as bad as I had it and as fast as it seemed to have come, I have chosen treatment options that have made it go away almost as fast. It just takes a bit of effort (and NO I am not at all saying that you are not trying, just stating facts surrounding my own experiences).
What do you think is going to happen to you? If you are like most people, I bet your answer is that you are going to die. Join the crowd, we have all thought that, otherwise, what would the anxiety be realtive to? If you think that and that you have some grave illness, why hasn't it happened in the past 9 months? Like I said, any major illness will cause you to get worse and worse each day - this as it seems has not as you are still able to get on the computer and type in the forum. Also, you mentioned that everyone is telling you that it is merely anxiety - logically, why would everyone be wrong?
Again, WE ALL share your experiences and while it is true that some do not have it as bad as you, there are also some that have had it worse...and still do. If you have not already done so, I advise going through as many posts as you can to read and discover that you are not alone.
Mike
And there are PLENTY of people who have it as severe as you do - in fact, worse in many cases (the guy in the link that I passed along is one of them). However, I am not discounting your feelings at all. I realize (from personal experience) that many times we feel that NO ONE could possibly no how bad it is or us mainly because it is JUST THAT BAD. I personally was nearly immobilized for 2 years, losing jobs, places to live, friends, etc. However, just as bad as I had it and as fast as it seemed to have come, I have chosen treatment options that have made it go away almost as fast. It just takes a bit of effort (and NO I am not at all saying that you are not trying, just stating facts surrounding my own experiences).
What do you think is going to happen to you? If you are like most people, I bet your answer is that you are going to die. Join the crowd, we have all thought that, otherwise, what would the anxiety be realtive to? If you think that and that you have some grave illness, why hasn't it happened in the past 9 months? Like I said, any major illness will cause you to get worse and worse each day - this as it seems has not as you are still able to get on the computer and type in the forum. Also, you mentioned that everyone is telling you that it is merely anxiety - logically, why would everyone be wrong?
Again, WE ALL share your experiences and while it is true that some do not have it as bad as you, there are also some that have had it worse...and still do. If you have not already done so, I advise going through as many posts as you can to read and discover that you are not alone.
Mike
As Kim said, if tests rule out a cause for your anxiety then you have to accept the fact it could be anxiety. The first time I went to therapy, I did not believe for over 6 months. I was just like you, thinking to myself, they are all wrong and that their is no way I could be possibly going through panic. When I first started to 'recover' I accpeted the fact that I was indeed facing an inherent fear of panic and death. Once I recognized the anxiety and that I was still here on this good Earth after thinking that I was dying everyday, I started to say to myself this could possibly be my nerves.
For me, medication and counseling really helped me return to normalcy, but I am dealing with it again. Don't get me wrong, it is hard to accept and work through, but it can be done:)
For me, medication and counseling really helped me return to normalcy, but I am dealing with it again. Don't get me wrong, it is hard to accept and work through, but it can be done:)
but man ive been doin this for 9 months everyday all day and it never goes away i cant afford to go see an actuall doctor so i run to the er everday and right now im in therapy that is free and she says the same thing u say and i just dont belive it i read other people story and they dont sound as sever as mine i just want to belive its anxiety and get on with my life do u have anything to say that might make me belive its realy axiety
Make an appointment with your primary care physician. Tell him/her exactly what your symptoms are so that they can rule out any medical conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms. If all the tests come back negative, then you need to realize that anxiety is causing these symptoms and its time for you to get help.
Ask for a referral to a good psychiatrist/counselor to help you beat this. And also, read and write to the forum for support.
Take care and keep in touch!
Ask for a referral to a good psychiatrist/counselor to help you beat this. And also, read and write to the forum for support.
Take care and keep in touch!
well ive benn in therapy for about six months and it is not working and my symptoms are so sever i cant live my life and they never go away so are u sure it is anxiety cuz i dont belive it is its just hard cuz nothin tragic happend in my life 4 this to happen im really scared cuz i dont want to die and everyday i feel like i am but are u shure this is gad
"i can belive it more that it is really gad and not something else"
Based solely on the information that I have read here and the fact that you have had all these tests all with passing results, you my friend more than likely have GAD. I have GAD, but am in the later stages of such and am nearly cured.
Reading your post could have been the same as reading mine when I first started having anxiety. EVERY SINGLE THING. There is nothing that you mentioned that I, nor many others on this forum, have not (and still may be) experiencing.
You said that you do not have panic attacks...what do you consider a panic attack? It sounds to me (having been to the ER so many times and all those tests) like you may be having them and just do not realize or, or have an alternative view of what they really are. However, do not be fooled, GAD does not always HAVE to come along with panic attacks. In fact, those illness are two different things. There is GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and GAD w/ Panic Attacks. You may have the former. Now, that being said, many people think that anxiety is something that should come and go (like a panic attack); however, GAD is not an "attack". GAD is a disorder and can cause symptoms every hour, minute, second, etc. of every day - the same symptoms that you have.
Another major symptom is being convinced that all the doctors all the test, etc. are wrong and that you MUST have something else wrong with you that they cannot find and are probably going to die soon. This is simply not true. If you have some mystery illness that makes you feel the way you do, you more than likely would have gotten much sicker by now.
Are you prescribed ANY medication at all for this? Are you seeing a mental health pro - like psychaitrist? I highly suggest both - in fact it is imperative at this point.
I am assuming that because you have lost several jobs because of this that you have no insurance and am guessing that going to the er 12 times and 8 ekgs and 4 cat scans and numerous blood tests done has added up to tens of thousands of dollars so far. Do not get yourself further into debt battling something that the doctors say are not there. Sure there are horror stories of misdiagnosis; however, rest assured, that this is the EXCEPTION to the rule - most doctors are very good at diagnosis. The odds are astronomical in favor of you having GAD over any other illness if they say you do not.
So like I said, I am willing to bet that 90% or more of everyone in here has thought (and still may think) that there is "something else" wrong with them. Even after taking a battery of tests that all come back fine they may think that have some "hidden illness" that no one can find - that is usually very unlikely. I could write a short novel about all the diseases that I was convinced I had. I am not at all trying to make light of the situation, but only to share the experience that everyone with anxiety has. The reason behind this is simply because the symptoms are so "real" and is hard to associate with something that is inherently intangible as emotions and mood. We tend to belive more in something that is a "thing" like a broken leg or heart condition before we would emotional illness, which many of us have a hard time considering a thing. So as long as you have had proper medical evaluation that has came back good fortunately (and unfortunately all the same) you probably do really have anxiety/panic.
Here are my main suggestions:
1.) See a REGULAR doctor, not one in the ER - they can spend more time with you on this and more than likely prescribe a med that will help alleviate some of your more crippling symptoms.
2.) See a psychaitrist, or at the very least a psychologist.
3.) Get a book by Dr. Claire Weekes, called Hope and Help for your Nerves. This will help you realize that what you have is simply a case of sensitized nervous illness.
4.) Visit this website and listen to the story that this guy shared, it is very inspiring and soothing: http://www.controllinganxiety.com/dsp_downloads.php
Good Luck,
Mike
Based solely on the information that I have read here and the fact that you have had all these tests all with passing results, you my friend more than likely have GAD. I have GAD, but am in the later stages of such and am nearly cured.
Reading your post could have been the same as reading mine when I first started having anxiety. EVERY SINGLE THING. There is nothing that you mentioned that I, nor many others on this forum, have not (and still may be) experiencing.
You said that you do not have panic attacks...what do you consider a panic attack? It sounds to me (having been to the ER so many times and all those tests) like you may be having them and just do not realize or, or have an alternative view of what they really are. However, do not be fooled, GAD does not always HAVE to come along with panic attacks. In fact, those illness are two different things. There is GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and GAD w/ Panic Attacks. You may have the former. Now, that being said, many people think that anxiety is something that should come and go (like a panic attack); however, GAD is not an "attack". GAD is a disorder and can cause symptoms every hour, minute, second, etc. of every day - the same symptoms that you have.
Another major symptom is being convinced that all the doctors all the test, etc. are wrong and that you MUST have something else wrong with you that they cannot find and are probably going to die soon. This is simply not true. If you have some mystery illness that makes you feel the way you do, you more than likely would have gotten much sicker by now.
Are you prescribed ANY medication at all for this? Are you seeing a mental health pro - like psychaitrist? I highly suggest both - in fact it is imperative at this point.
I am assuming that because you have lost several jobs because of this that you have no insurance and am guessing that going to the er 12 times and 8 ekgs and 4 cat scans and numerous blood tests done has added up to tens of thousands of dollars so far. Do not get yourself further into debt battling something that the doctors say are not there. Sure there are horror stories of misdiagnosis; however, rest assured, that this is the EXCEPTION to the rule - most doctors are very good at diagnosis. The odds are astronomical in favor of you having GAD over any other illness if they say you do not.
So like I said, I am willing to bet that 90% or more of everyone in here has thought (and still may think) that there is "something else" wrong with them. Even after taking a battery of tests that all come back fine they may think that have some "hidden illness" that no one can find - that is usually very unlikely. I could write a short novel about all the diseases that I was convinced I had. I am not at all trying to make light of the situation, but only to share the experience that everyone with anxiety has. The reason behind this is simply because the symptoms are so "real" and is hard to associate with something that is inherently intangible as emotions and mood. We tend to belive more in something that is a "thing" like a broken leg or heart condition before we would emotional illness, which many of us have a hard time considering a thing. So as long as you have had proper medical evaluation that has came back good fortunately (and unfortunately all the same) you probably do really have anxiety/panic.
Here are my main suggestions:
1.) See a REGULAR doctor, not one in the ER - they can spend more time with you on this and more than likely prescribe a med that will help alleviate some of your more crippling symptoms.
2.) See a psychaitrist, or at the very least a psychologist.
3.) Get a book by Dr. Claire Weekes, called Hope and Help for your Nerves. This will help you realize that what you have is simply a case of sensitized nervous illness.
4.) Visit this website and listen to the story that this guy shared, it is very inspiring and soothing: http://www.controllinganxiety.com/dsp_downloads.php
Good Luck,
Mike
I went through the same exact thing three years ago. Went to the ER multiple times, had all sorts of tests done, and did not know why I was having panic attacks all day everyday. I got a whole bunch of symptoms, from being dizzy, to having chest pain, to back pain...everything my body did I tended to catastrophicsize a 'normal' body feeling.
The good thing; anxiety is treatable. Have you tried to see a psychologist or psychiatrist? I had a return of my symptoms last month and am now in therapy and on some medication. Another good tool is joining this forum. There are many people in here that know EXACTLY what you are going through and really care about how you are doing.
The good thing; anxiety is treatable. Have you tried to see a psychologist or psychiatrist? I had a return of my symptoms last month and am now in therapy and on some medication. Another good tool is joining this forum. There are many people in here that know EXACTLY what you are going through and really care about how you are doing.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?
