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Viscious Circle!!

Hiya everybody, i've done this question based on something i think is very common for people such as myself and others here that suffer with anxiety.

I have had in the past and still continue to put up with episodes of depression, stress and anxiety which has come and go since my late teens. i've lost count the medication i've had to take for depression and recently i've gone through a spiral of antibiotics and allergie related meds.

The problem with me is, i am a very big hypochondriac, the slightest sign of any dizziness, headache, discomfort or unsettling feeling throws me off and i panic, which i think many of us in this community  can relate to such as when something happens you immediately think...

"its something serious!!...."

"I'm gonna die I'm gonna die!"

"I'm gonna faint, this is something terrible!!!"

with those thoughts going around in my head it has and still brings me to my knee's almost keeling over. i was told thoughts like that are whats known as the Vicious circle i.e you get something crop up, it bothers you longer than a few minutes, you keep thinking on it, and so on and so on.......


Currently the biggest worry and its something i cannot stand...

DIZZYNESS AND HEADACHES!!!!!!


i cannot begin to explain the amount of distress and upset it puts me through, i put up with head pain, neck complaints and dizzyness that is physically making me sick!, i've been running in and out of my doctors in a stupor trying to find out what is going on, and with my situations at home not being ideal to cope with my complaints, its harder to deal with.

i'll list what i have, its the only way i find easy to explain what is going on....

Current medication i'm on is Amitriptyline 10mg, was on amoxillian for what the doctors thought was Sinustisis and chest infection but i'm not even sure that was a positive diagnosis...

Dizzyness - it happens DAILY, it strikes at any time and lasts all day or periods on and off. worse when i move around, use the laptop, tilt my head forward or worry a lot. feels like going down on a plane or floating and the worst sensation is the pressure that emitts from the back of my neck and shoulders on my back..it comes in a like, shiver or hot flush feeling and makes me cringe, like my head is heavy and i'm about to faint!

Headaches and pains - (doctors think migrainous nature) - again DAILY!!, can start from the onset in the morning all through the day, from small and dull ache to burning pain on my right side  (sometimes both sides) of the head,neck,temple behind my right ear (or both sides!) and shoulders and back,and in my jaw! like a toothache. i can hear a sort of crunching noise under my ear both sides when i move my teeth (TMJ maybe???!!!),

Fatigue - it is chronic, i cannot sleep some nights and if i do its a few hours at most.

Panic attacks and Rapid heartbeat

Mental confusion and Stress off the scales

i'm too the point of terrified these are serious and fatal conditions :(, i struggle with social interactions and hide everytime i go to the doctors because of pure fear that i'll be admitted for an MRI or CT scan. which they as yet haven't felt nessassery to do.

i dont like to admit defeat but, i'm at a loss. most of these things could be something so stupid and minor, but, in my mind its something i just cant deal with, and i need to last a month before i can see the GP again (thats how long i'll be on the new meds)

No matter how small the advice, i'm open to anything from someone who's been through this or is going through it.

it has to stop eventually, i know that much.

thankyou in advance.

Matt
7 Responses
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Avatar universal
I really second the earlier posters explanation about coughing with the heart skips a beat. I have been doing this for a while now, and it works!!! Anytime I feel like my heart rythym is out of wack, I cough as loud and as forcefully as I can and usually it only takes once to put itself back in check. PLUS, it feels good like you know you can do something to "fix" the symptom. Sometimes knowing that is helpful in itself.

It is a vicious circle, and I often describe it that way. You panic about some little body sensation and then it makes it worse, and then you panic more..and pretty soon you've worked yourself up into such tremendous worry and fear or a full blown attack over something simple. *****.

Also, I suffered from a pinched nerve in the neck and it caused me a TON of pain and problems like you described..and a chiropractor helped me out tremendously at that time.
Another thought about all of the neck and jaw pain and behind the ear pain- I too was having this and I was checked at my dentist office because I wondered about TMJ or a jaw or tooth injury that maybe was radiating pain and we figured out that I grind my teeth and jaw when Im anxious..sometimes I dont even know it. It was causing TMJ like symptoms and a lot of pain like you are describing. It makes sense..if you are anxious a lot and clench your teeth a lot or if you do it in your sleep, maybe that could be contributing? Just a thought! I have to constantly remin dmyself to unclench my jaw and relax my shoulders. it seemed to help.
Hope it gets better!!
Helpful - 0
1049259 tn?1295088478
I have dizziness daily, somedas are worse then others and the description you said,"going down on a plane" that is how I feel or being sucked in like I am going to faint. I can't sit still when I get like this and if I do I curl up and cry from frustration. I get the fast rapid heart and irregulat beats too but usually it is headache, dizziness and palps. they come and go and sometimes I even sweat, hot flashes, rock or pace when I am going through a panic attack and after I get shaky, tired and have headaches.
I am really thinking mine are from me being underweight caused by the panic attacks and pregnancy loss. All I can say is DAMN those cycles of "WHAT IF" I have had a nice list of what ifs going for awhile
Infection
Animia
Dehydration
heart issues (Both normal ekg's)
brain tumor
hormone imbalance
Rabies <--- YES, I said Rabies lol


thing was, when I had my blood tests done everything was normal
No anemia, I was a little dehydrated and everything else came back fine
I want to get an MRI done and check for blood clots and everything but a 5th er visit is a tad obsessive isnt it? and to think my panic attacks all started when I was pregnant in october and stressed about everything under the son. after the loss I have been worried about myself.

best thing to do is ride it out and try to work on it
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow you just desribed most of my day today LOL

I just got over the flu and i am so fatigued & weak and that set off my panic big time. The entire time I was at work i felt on the verge of fainting, at the store same thing, even at home i tried to vacumn & felt terribly weak, thats it its my heart. Stupid vicious cycle of what ifs and negative thoughts wrecked toll on me. I dont know why when us anxiety sufferers are run down or ill our anxiety level increases more.

Better days are ahead,that is what we all have to remember.

Be Well.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hiya Cnote, again sorry for the delay responding to you!

Also like you i go through those similar phases, its like one thing after another, and it just gets out of control!

thankyou!!, it cant and it WILL not last forever!, sure there will be nights where it'll strike at its worst, but like yerself, i just plain refuse to give in completely!

(sorry this is a short reply, typed this on my cell/mobile)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
THANKYOU!!

Sorry for the delay in my response! (been busy like a bee lol)

I know its a case of trying to keep my head in the calm zone but my goodness  its hard sometimes as you know, reading your response that you finally got relief and was able to be at some control i was really glad!, good on ya! :D i'd like to spare a thought for you as that surgery approaches, i myself wont go near hospitals unless dragged there!, keep yer chin up! :)

and also...

Thankyou!, your reply has made a difference!



Helpful - 0
358304 tn?1409709492
I totally feel for you. Do you take any type of a minor benzo to help relax you? Anxiety can do soooo many things to your body physically it's unreal.

I've been to the Dr so many times the past couple of years bc a symptom will turn into a fear.... For instance, I had a little red blemish show up near my nose and I convinced myself it was cancer.

Of course that spiraled into full blown anxiety. And my main evil symptom with anxiety is a killer nervous stomach that doesn't go away...

Even after the dr told me my blemish was nothing, I was still stuck in anxiety mode with a nervous stomach.... Which then led to bowel issues... And my dr said I pretty much gave myself IBS... That lasted for a couple months... It was terrible... Then I started a new symptom that feels like my throat is tight and I can't breath right and a sensitive gag reflex,..

So each new symptom scared me that I would be convinced something is seriously wrong with me and he's just saying it's anxiety.

About a week ago I came home feeling like I had the stomach flu... Was in bed for 2 days... Had no appetite, nauseous, stomach bloatedness... Which caused even more anxiety... Bc who likes to feel sick? Or who likes to think "am I gonna barf? Is this the stomach flu?"

anyways today is day 8 since then and I've been having stomach issues still! I havnt been to the dr bc I am almost positive it's anxiety and my nervous stomach causing my stomach issues! Today was actually a pretty good day... Actually got appetite back and freakin ate Mexican food for lunch. Lol.

Now, these past 8 days I've been worried I had a bacterial infection, an ulcer... A flu bug or what not... And I just told myself " look, if you had a serious issue, you'd be vomiting, and you havnt... And if you had a stomach ulcer you'd know it! And Mexican food wouldn't feel good lol."

so what I'm trying to say is... Learn from your past... Trust your dr when they say they don't think anything serious is wrong... And just try to tell yourself "ya know what... This probably is all just caused by anxiety... And not enough sleep."

try and treat the anxiety first.. Then see if your issues dissapear.

Good luck to you. I've had those symptoms before too, and it's no fun. But remember... You know just as good as I do that "it won't last forever"...

Keep your head up. :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi...You know...reading your post i thought i had written it years ago!!! Im serious!  I can totally understand...first let me tell you...you need a chiropractor!! you have pinched nerves in your neck!!  all your symptoms are just like the ones i had..i finally went to a chiropractor and OMG it was wonderful...I have suffered from panic attacks for years...i finally have a good handle on them now...i learned alot over the years. when id get the rappid heart beats i would run cold water over my wrist and that slowed it down, and when my heart would skip beats all id have to do is cough and that put it back into a normal pattern. I know what you feel...trust me..its very very scary. I hate going to the doctors and have major panic attacks when i have to go..and im going though an ordeal now and have to have major surgery in a little over a week and ive been freaking but i dont have a choice. Ive been putting this off for a little over 3 years..lol..(female trouble)..and now im so scared thinking its cancer...but im trying to keep it in perspective and talking myself down from the big fear roller coaster. If i can do it...anyone can do it!!! Hang in there!
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