Hi all
First time using this forum, despite reading all the comments over the past few months. I have generalised anxiety and it is totally controlling and ruining my life. It all started out of the blue about 3 years ago and before it struck, I was a happy, confident, care free person who never took life too seriously......now I have no life and apart from ruining my life, its got to be affecting my families too (although they are very supportive).
Don't want to bore you with my long list of anxiety symptoms, but my latest addition to the long list is ectopic heartbeats and boy do they scare me. I can handle the little flutters, but sometimes it feels like my heart stops for about 5 seconds, I get the strangest sensation wash over me and feel like am about to pass out (which I haven't). This then throws me into a huge panic attack, then back to my normal anxious state, dreading it happening again. I couldn't take it any more, so off I went to see my GP who has prescribed me with Sertraline (in addition to the propranolol I have been on for 3 years). My initial dose was 50mg, but the side effects were that bad (diarrhoea, dizziness, headache, anxiety through the roof) we decided to start on the 25mg and am pleased to say the side effects on this dose were no where near as bad. I've been taking them for 2 weeks now, due to increase to the 50mg tomorrow in the hope that I will eventually get some form of relief from this constant anxiety, which is getting me so down. At present I am terrified to go anywhere on my own, for fear of my heart stopping and going into cardiac arrest. I couldn't face work for 2 weeks but was determined to try and get through this, convincing myself that there is light at the end of the tunnel and it will get better. I came back to work yesterday and have been in constant anxious mode, ectopic heartbeats are beating away and I feel totally drained. Please someone tell me that what I am experiencing is normal for generalized anxiety and that one day I will get my life back??? Forgot to say that I am attending a psychologist on a weekly/fortnightly basis and also had my first week of mindfulness meditation. I am determined to beat this for my families sake as well as my own, but need reassurance that I can do it.......and one day I will be 'me' again! Thanks for listening to me.