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Numerous symptoms, only answer is "Anxiety"? Please help?
Wasn't sure which topic this came under... Sorry...
Okay, to fully understand and help me, please answer read this.
So I'm 17 years old now, female. Not very active, but I am becoming a little more active as time goes on. I eat quite well, but not a lot of red meat, so I ensure when I do eat it, I try to get the most iron I can. I'm about 48kg and 160cm high (if this helps at all?). For about 6-7 years my family life has started to tumble down a hill that's very spiky and aflame towards the bottom of it. Despite that, I've always been quite happy and healthy, rarely sick and mostly cheerful. I had my ups and downs as any teenager does, but I never had any strong issues with anxiety or depression or anything. This was when my life was crap. I had an idiotic boyfriend who just used me because he wanted to screw me and I didn't let him so he cheated on me and you get the gist, I won't go on. Life was ****, I was happy and extremely naive thinking everything was fine.
But now, I have an incredible, loyal.... etc amazing boyfriend, my family life is still heading for the spiky flamy pit at the bottom of the hill but I'm getting by, I have more depressing times during these days.
Just last year, during November or December I was 16 years old here, my school always has a Presentation Night for the first time in my life I had excelled in my favourite subject and receiving an award, I was thrilled. We were notified a week beforehand, but of course when it came to the night of the ceremony, I started to feel a bit nervous, I thought at first.
When I sat in my seat I felt worse and worse, I felt like I couldn't breathe, which resulted in me gasping for breath a lot.I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and I became very worried so I went to the bathroom thinking some water would help, if I just splashed my face a bit. Sure it helped for a moment, as soon as I found a new chair to sit on, it worsened. I dealt with it for maybe 10 minutes before I began to feel an unbearable tingling in my extremities. My hands and feet were getting pins and needles, so I began shaking them trying to keep my blood circulating to get rid of it... This made it worse. So I left the room. Still having these difficulties, I then began to feel dizzy, then faint like I would pass out at any moment. Every now and again I'd think I was having a heart attack. I was so scared, still having trouble breathing and dealing with my pounding heart beat I went in and out of the stage area. I was very lucky to see my boyfriend (the good one) receive his award for excellences in math and science. Then I was lucky enough to hold myself still in order to receive my away and not pass out while doing so.
I left the ceremony early because I couldn't stand to be there, but I begged my mother to take me to the hospital, so she did as my symptoms only worsened. The tingling didn't subside for a very long time, especially the dizzy, faintness as well as the difficulty breathing and pounding heart. A nurse told me I was just having an anxiety attack, that my heart rate was a little higher because I was quite distressed and my oxygen absorbency percentage was very good. But the episode was out of nowhere and I've had no past experiences with anxiety... Ever. She told me to do some relaxing breathing techniques and just rest.
When I got home, I did something I'd never done before and I googled my symptoms as I did not believe it was anxiety. I saw things like Pheochromocytoma, which was the main thing I believed it was. I feared it was this but was always to afraid to bring it up. I worried it may be that. I went to one doc about it who also diagnosed it as anxiety, I still didn't believe it.
It has never recurred to this extent since, but I have had the separate symptoms sometimes appear at certain times. Since that day though, I've had a constant struggle with the "breathing difficulty" and started yawning to make myself feel like I'm getting enough oxygen. Sometimes I'll still get the throbbing heart beat just out of no where and have since developed new symptoms such as infrequent but very sharp headaches, sort of like a knife going through my skull, chest pains on both sides of my chest sometimes high, sometimes low, and a few others I will add in if I feel anymore...
So my question is, what is this I'm experiencing? Is it just anxiety? Pheochromocytoma or something else? I can't figure it out and it's causing me a lot of mental distress. I'm in my final year of high school and I really need my head in the right place so that I can do well and achieve my dreams. Please help me, it's hard to know who to turn to. Even just tips on helping me manage the "anxiety" if that's what it is, would be very much appreciated...
For those of you who took the time to read this, thank you very much, I truly appreciate it :)
Okay, to fully understand and help me, please answer read this.
So I'm 17 years old now, female. Not very active, but I am becoming a little more active as time goes on. I eat quite well, but not a lot of red meat, so I ensure when I do eat it, I try to get the most iron I can. I'm about 48kg and 160cm high (if this helps at all?). For about 6-7 years my family life has started to tumble down a hill that's very spiky and aflame towards the bottom of it. Despite that, I've always been quite happy and healthy, rarely sick and mostly cheerful. I had my ups and downs as any teenager does, but I never had any strong issues with anxiety or depression or anything. This was when my life was crap. I had an idiotic boyfriend who just used me because he wanted to screw me and I didn't let him so he cheated on me and you get the gist, I won't go on. Life was ****, I was happy and extremely naive thinking everything was fine.
But now, I have an incredible, loyal.... etc amazing boyfriend, my family life is still heading for the spiky flamy pit at the bottom of the hill but I'm getting by, I have more depressing times during these days.
Just last year, during November or December I was 16 years old here, my school always has a Presentation Night for the first time in my life I had excelled in my favourite subject and receiving an award, I was thrilled. We were notified a week beforehand, but of course when it came to the night of the ceremony, I started to feel a bit nervous, I thought at first.
When I sat in my seat I felt worse and worse, I felt like I couldn't breathe, which resulted in me gasping for breath a lot.I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and I became very worried so I went to the bathroom thinking some water would help, if I just splashed my face a bit. Sure it helped for a moment, as soon as I found a new chair to sit on, it worsened. I dealt with it for maybe 10 minutes before I began to feel an unbearable tingling in my extremities. My hands and feet were getting pins and needles, so I began shaking them trying to keep my blood circulating to get rid of it... This made it worse. So I left the room. Still having these difficulties, I then began to feel dizzy, then faint like I would pass out at any moment. Every now and again I'd think I was having a heart attack. I was so scared, still having trouble breathing and dealing with my pounding heart beat I went in and out of the stage area. I was very lucky to see my boyfriend (the good one) receive his award for excellences in math and science. Then I was lucky enough to hold myself still in order to receive my away and not pass out while doing so.
I left the ceremony early because I couldn't stand to be there, but I begged my mother to take me to the hospital, so she did as my symptoms only worsened. The tingling didn't subside for a very long time, especially the dizzy, faintness as well as the difficulty breathing and pounding heart. A nurse told me I was just having an anxiety attack, that my heart rate was a little higher because I was quite distressed and my oxygen absorbency percentage was very good. But the episode was out of nowhere and I've had no past experiences with anxiety... Ever. She told me to do some relaxing breathing techniques and just rest.
When I got home, I did something I'd never done before and I googled my symptoms as I did not believe it was anxiety. I saw things like Pheochromocytoma, which was the main thing I believed it was. I feared it was this but was always to afraid to bring it up. I worried it may be that. I went to one doc about it who also diagnosed it as anxiety, I still didn't believe it.
It has never recurred to this extent since, but I have had the separate symptoms sometimes appear at certain times. Since that day though, I've had a constant struggle with the "breathing difficulty" and started yawning to make myself feel like I'm getting enough oxygen. Sometimes I'll still get the throbbing heart beat just out of no where and have since developed new symptoms such as infrequent but very sharp headaches, sort of like a knife going through my skull, chest pains on both sides of my chest sometimes high, sometimes low, and a few others I will add in if I feel anymore...
So my question is, what is this I'm experiencing? Is it just anxiety? Pheochromocytoma or something else? I can't figure it out and it's causing me a lot of mental distress. I'm in my final year of high school and I really need my head in the right place so that I can do well and achieve my dreams. Please help me, it's hard to know who to turn to. Even just tips on helping me manage the "anxiety" if that's what it is, would be very much appreciated...
For those of you who took the time to read this, thank you very much, I truly appreciate it :)
Best Answer
Jess u had a classic panic attack at ur award, u gasping for breath is what u call hyperventilating, this will trigger the brain into fight or flight mode thus diverting blood away from the arms, legs, face etc and pumping that extra blood to the heart and lungs to get the body ready for action. That is the reason for the numbness, pins and needles. To control hyperventilating u need to use a paper NOT plastic bag and hold it over ur mouth n nose and re-breath ur carbon dioxide, this will settle ur breathing and return ur blood chemistry to normal stopping the faint, dizzy feeling. It isn't dangerous, just very unpleasant.
Thank you very much for your answer :) I appreciate it very much! I will ensure to carry a paper bag with me always, just in case :) So thank you
Thank you very much for the quick feedback, I really appreciate the responses, I was never able to bring up Pheo in front of my mother and the doctor and I know a bit about it so I think you're both right, probably anxiety and depression related symptoms :)
I'm not really the sort of person that likes turning to medication for anything, unless very serious, so although I will consider anti-depressants or anxiety medication depending on what a doc would prescribe for me as I've never really been properly diagnosed with anything. So to start I will try therapy or something like that, it may help me :)
Thank you two very much, I really appreciate it!
I'm not really the sort of person that likes turning to medication for anything, unless very serious, so although I will consider anti-depressants or anxiety medication depending on what a doc would prescribe for me as I've never really been properly diagnosed with anything. So to start I will try therapy or something like that, it may help me :)
Thank you two very much, I really appreciate it!
I wouldn't worry too much about it being Pheochromocytoma. You didn't describe a lot of the symptoms (sweating, weight loss, high blood pressure, etc.) that are associated with it, not to mention the fact that it is extremely rare. I think you are pretty safe there. A massive panic/anxiety attack (which is what it sounds like you had) can often times lead to a series of events like you are having. You're young and your stress level is high and your body just flipped out on you. Now, you're worried about what's going on. Anxiety creates more anxiety. This started with a little "nervousness" about your award and spiraled out of control. Anxiety is crazy little beast, it sneaks up and bites you when you least expect it and if you aren't careful it can take over your life. You're at a serious point in your life and it means a lot to you, you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself and from the sound of it, there is a lot of stress at home that may be affecting you more than you realize. There are a lot of options, one or a combination could be the right one for you. There are medications just for anxiety, there are medications for mood, there is therapy, there are breathing techniques (not my personal favorite, although taking a deep breath when I feel the pressure building does help) and most important is remembering to take things one day, one step at a time. You are only one person and you can only do so much. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself (I know that's easier said than done). I don't know if this has been any help, but I tried. Good Luck and I know you'll be okay.
Hi Jess
To me it all sounds anxiety and depression related when i had my first panic attack mine came from nowhere and I thought i was going to die and never see my husband and children again but after getting over it with the help of my family and anti depressants which to me are amazing I learn to deal with a panic/anxiety when it comes and just breath through it and just reasure myself it wont kill me it will pass in no time and then i carry on with the day/night. You mention your in you last year at school and will be doing exams that wont help with stress and anxiety unless you have it under control coz you will worry urself you want to do your best and then get urself all worked up and bring on the anxiety.Just try to stay calm and relax. hope this helps Jessica
To me it all sounds anxiety and depression related when i had my first panic attack mine came from nowhere and I thought i was going to die and never see my husband and children again but after getting over it with the help of my family and anti depressants which to me are amazing I learn to deal with a panic/anxiety when it comes and just breath through it and just reasure myself it wont kill me it will pass in no time and then i carry on with the day/night. You mention your in you last year at school and will be doing exams that wont help with stress and anxiety unless you have it under control coz you will worry urself you want to do your best and then get urself all worked up and bring on the anxiety.Just try to stay calm and relax. hope this helps Jessica
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