Crippling anxiety

[ringringdogandbone]

Crippling anxiety.
Had a close family member in hospital and I think the worry, lack of sleep and stress has triggered my anxiety.
He’s out and has a fairly good prognosis so thought I’d be feeling better now, but no.
Not had it like this for about 5 years.
I can’t stop sighing and huffing and puffing as I feel so so bad.
There’s a knot in my stomach. Like I feel guilty and have a feeling of dread.
I can’t eat or sleep, getting about 2 hours a night and cannot face leaving the house and having to talk to people.
My heart keeps pumping so loud I can see and hear it in my chest.
I can’t concentrate and my head is full of cotton wool.
Phoned in sick for work this week as I can’t face it.
I’ve tried to talk to a couple of ppl but they don’t get it.
They keep saying family member is home now so I should relax, but I can’t. I really can’t.

Totally understand. My daughter was ill last week with stomach bug. My anxiety is as high as it was last week with no sign of subsiding. I have no suggestions to help you unfortunately just wanted you to know you are not on your own. Do you take any medication

Having really bad anxiety today as well. Mine is about work, but the level of anxiety is out of proportion to the problem I think (Hope!) Can’t really function today and had 4 hours sleep.

Sorry to hear about your anxiety, do you take medication for it?

Haven’t had to take medication for about 5 years, bar an occasional diazepam.
Think I’m going to need to go to the doctors tho.
I can’t cope feeling this awful. Got staff Xmas party tonight. Not a chance I can make that.

It’s the worst feeling isn’t it?

It's really tough dealing with anxiety and I can completely empathise with you OP. Please be careful of slipping into a pattern of avoiding the world (which I did), I really would visit your doctor and speaking from my own experiences I don't think that using medication to tide you over is a bad thing. I hope your relative is ok, I don't know whether this is a long term problem or it has been resolved now?? I wish I could offer you more help, all I can say is to do what you need to make sure you can keep up social interaction because it is helpful and be kind to yourself - even if it's little things like a bubble bath, putting on nice body lotions and a dressing gown, sitting with a candle and a nice hot drink.

I think I’ve gradually been slipping into a pattern of avoiding more and more things without really realising.
I only feel comfortable socialising with my husband with me now, and even then I have bouts of diarrhoea hours before I leave because I’m anxious.

I thought my anxiety was menopausal but when it got to the point where I wasn't sleeping and constantly feeling dread of going to work or doing anything, I went to the gp who prescribed anti depressants.

3 weeks later, I'm like a new person. The initial side effects were awful but I'm glad I persevered.

Go to your GP ASAP Op.

I’ve tried a few antidepressants around 8 years ago and I had weight gain, or felt like a zombie.
I’ve heard good things about proponol or something so I might ask about that.

I have been on propranolol for two years and I would not call it a strong drug but it helps with calming yourself down but you still have all the anxiety feelings. It helps but not greatly and only reason I take it as helps me wind down but that's about it.

I need to go and discuss something with the doctors re starting medication.
My family are really unsympathetic so I find it hard to talk.
My parents say that people with mental health should snap out of it and that they’ve never suffered so it doesn’t exist.
Helpful.

I think I’ve gradually been slipping into a pattern of avoiding more and more things without really realising.

I know exactly what you mean OP! It sort of sneaks up on you and before you realise it, there are loads of things that you just don't do anymore. I would suggest going to the dr but mine was completely useless!

Crazy isn’t it. I used to have quite an important job, travelled for work, stayed away, went to places I’d never even heard of.
Now I struggle to even meet a friend for a drink.
Don’t know how it happened. Sad really isn’t it.

I’ve been taking propanalol for a month now, 40mg, and it has completely stopped my physical symptoms of anxiety with no side effects.

I’ve also started counselling to deal with the root cause, antidepressants didn’t work for me at all. I have been on and off them for years and couldn’t face the side effects or the zombie feeling again.

I think I’ll speak to the doctor about it.
Feel sick tonight. Can’t eat. Heart beating fast. Wide awake despite only 2 hours last night.

Please consider calling your out of hours GP.

They’ll get you your meds, sudden withdrawal can really affect your mental health. Do you have anyone to be with you?

Sorry wrong thread!!

For now, can you download the Calm app and do the breathing excercise?

I use Headspace a lot but I struggle to concentrate when my mind is racing.

I’ll look at that app. Thank you. I’ve got a diazepam to take.
Got that horrible feeling of doom.
And it’s always worse at night isn’t it.

I struggle most at night too, horrible isn’t it? I worry about getting into bed incase I can’t sleep, and then I can’t sleep because I’m panicking. You have my sympathy, I had depression years ago and would much rather have that. Anxiety is fucking awful.

I had diazepam too, it helped knowing it was there and I did take it a couple of times when I just needed to sleep.

I had a really shit two weeks in November but it’s improving. You’ll get through this I promise. Sometimes I just had to acknowledge I was having an anxiety attack rather than trying to distract myself if that makes sense?

I’ll be here for the next hour or so if you need to chat

Thank you for talking to me.
Just got into bed and popped a diazepam.
I’m so tired I feel like crying but my brain won’t shut off.
I just keep replaying my family member poorly in bed and thinking how precious life is.
At one point he passed out and they thought something awful had happened. It’s just whizzing round in my head.
I should be thankful that he’s home but the stress of visiting hospital and seeing him poorly and the pure worry and insomnia seems to have set off a massive attack.
I absolutely hate this feeling.

Hopefully the diazepam will help you sleep.

Could you access a counsellor to talk through how you’re feeling? Something to think about when you’re feeling better, it sounds like a really traumatic experience and a lot to process by yourself.

Had a lovely 9 hour sleep last night which was definitely needed.
Felt a bit better this morning.
But then as soon as dusk draws in I start feeling horrendous again.
Meant to be trying to see a friend tonight. Don’t think I can tho.

Hi OP I just wanted to let you know that I hope you're ok and was thinking of you. I don't know if you got out to see your friend but if you cancelled can you try contacting them and explaining what's wrong and asking if they'd be happy to visit you at home? You will be ok, it's just all very overwhelming when the anxiety is present. Please make an appointment to see your doctor if you haven't already. Little steps but I know you'll be ok!!

Thank you @chocolatebox1
I’m getting worse and worse.
Managed to see a friend last night and we had paid for a 3 course festive menu a few weeks ago.
I couldn’t eat a single thing I was shaking so much and feeling sick. Then I felt bad for ruining the evening.
My brain won’t work. I’m functioning on about 500 calories a day.
Can’t sleep.
It’s the worst I’ve even been.