Rise in Diastolic BP

[flowers0911]

Hi all.  Two years ago, I had a severe vertigo attack.  Lost my balance.  Couldn't walk straight for weeks.  Had vision problems and developed a very bad case of anxiety.  The Neuro. thought maybe I had Labyrinthitis.  My PCP said it was depression.  The therapist said anxiety.  I never told my Neuro and PCP what lead to my attack of vertigo.  I refused to believe, however, that anxiety could really cause such a severe attack.  After researching anxiety, I've read that it can.  As I look back though the years, I have always had anxiety, but I thought the feelings I was having was normal.  My children even recognized it in me.  They said I was always a worrier.  Certain things, they refuse to tell me.  Now that I'm truly aware of what's going on, I now fear anxiety itself.  Since the attack, I don't feel like my usual self.  Everyone has noticed a significant change in me.  I sometimes wonder if I've had a nervous breakdown.  I'm now so fearful, that I want to run away and hide somewhere.  I fear losing my mind even more so.  These latest feelings of wanting to run away, I believe is causing my blood pressure to rise, expecially the diastolic.  It's 90.  I was just wondering if anyone's pressure goes up whenever they are being bothered by troubled thoughts.  My heart is pounding, I have brain fog, and I just don't feel well.  I've been doing deep breathing exercises also.  My next stop might be ER.  Any comments?

[remar]

I do understand. There is nothing like the fear of your children being in possible danger. I'm so glad to hear everything turned out fine and your youngest daughter is cured.
Yes, I would recommend getting back into counseling. I know how hard it can be to talk about things in your life. It's something you should do though. Get everything out and the counselor will help to give you ways to cope with your feelings.

[flowers0911]

My youngest daughter, 28 at the time, had surgery for colitis.  I felt so afraid of losing her.  I think this was because my oldest daughter 37, has had Lupus since the age of 11.  For so many years I've lived in fear of losing her.  When the youngest one became ill, it was so unexpected and I don't think I could handle it.  She had three major surgeries, and she is now cured.  I've had anxiety for years, but facing something so traumatic was just so much for me.  I lost a cousin who lived with us when I was young, and this was the first real time I remembered experiencing this sort of fear.  I was so afraid that I couldn't sleep at my home.  My cousin lived with us at the time.  Shortly after that, my mother died.  I believe these two things were what started my fears.  I did see a therapist for six weeks.  I think I probably need to return.  There were a lot of things I never mentioned.  I held so much in because I didn't want to cry.  I think if I ever got started talking about my life, I may never stop crying.  Perhaps I do need to get it all out though.  I read somewhere that anxiety was actually caused by holding things in.

[remar]

Yes, anxiety can raise your blood pressure.
Can you say what triggered your attack two years ago? Sometimes a panic attack can come out of no where. I remember the first one I had. It did just come out of no where. But, after I got in to counseling I realized it had been building up for a very long time.
Have you ever been in counseling? If not, I would recommend going. There are also meds to help with anxiety and depression.