Chronic anxiety

[Dogmum15]

Hi everyone, I hope you’re well!

I just want to reach out and see if anyone feels like this, and if so how have you overcame it?

basically I’ve suffered with anxiety since I got married in the middle of Covid. I work in a busy hospital as well and I’m not sure if this is what has contributed to my anxiety or not but it’s getting out of control at the moment.

my GP prescribed propanolol and I used it as and when I needed it, however, now my husband and I are going through ivf so there’s nothing I can take.

I have started doing daily mindfulness exercises and CBT but I’m bridesmaid at a few weddings coming up in the next few months and I’m finding that the constant appointments, hen parties and thoughts of getting through the actual days are causing me to have sleepless nights.

These are times in my life that I should be enjoying but they fill me with dread. My main symptoms are fast heart rate and dizziness when out and about in busy places. I just feel like I can’t enjoy life due to these symptoms and they’re really getting me down. When I have an appointment or have to go anywhere I’m afraid I’d getting dizzy and making a show of myself by passing out or having to sit down etc.

I would be grateful to hear if you any suggestions?

Sorry to hear your going through the horrible symptoms of anxiety

im exactly the same at the moment, and I’ve had it in/off for many many years but never gets any easier even with what I know about it. Counselling,cbt,meds
i get to get up in the morning and I feel I’m off balance, never had this symptom before loads of others! and it scared me shitless .
there’s times I’m walking round the house and I feel I’m going sideways, I’m too scared to go out

hope you get some relief soon

Quite simply you've got too much on your plate for your mind and body to deal with. Can you step back from your bridesmaids duties? That's the obvious stressor that you can remove from your life. Yes, people might be momentarily upset but you can't ruin your life making other people happy.

Put your own oxygen mask on first.

I was also going to suggest stepping back from being a bridesmaid. Explain why there's no shame.

I've had bad anxiety in the past. I couldn't go outside much at all at one point. Felt dizzy due to hyperventilating. Felt like I had a brick in my chest. It's really awful and I totally sympathise.

Citalopram helped me.

Are you on anything that's altering your hormones? Have you had your hormone levels change checked? Just that since I've got older and gone o. HRT I've found I get less anxious. I feel I had hormone imbalance for years ni doubt but didn't know it at the time. That can make you anxious.

I've posted recently over the last couple of weeks re my OCD/depression.
Had an appointment with the psychiatrist last week and they upped my meds. I know improvement wont happen overnight but I dont know how much longer I can continue feeling like this.
I wake up with a massive feeling of dread I'm making myself get up /showered/dressed etc . I'm trying to watch tv or do a crossword or something but the despair and hopelessness is there all day. I've cried all day today apart from when I decided to have a diazepam at 3 and had a nap .
I just cant see things getting any better. I've been off work 5 weeks now. All I look forward to is bedtime so I can sleep.
At the moment I just dont see the point

Following as I too struggle with anxiety. I’ve recently been prescribed Sertraline, so I really hope it helps me.

I agree it does look like you have too much on your plate. I can so relate to that. I hope you find something that helps you as it’s so overwhelming to manage at times.

Sounds similar to a panic attack.
There is a very good book on Amazon called Dare, worth a read. Got very good reviews. The technique was same l used and my anxiety/panic no longer affects my life the same.

Hi @Seasider2017, that off balance/dizzy feeling is the absolute worst for me. It’s so much worse when I’m in public and it just makes me want to go home. I’m trying mindfulness to try and calm it down but nothing seems to be working. It’s eases up the more relaxed I am but it’s constantly there, in the back ground :(.

I hope we can find some relief soon!

@Eyesopenwideawake hi thank you for your reply. I knew I had a lot on my plate but I never actually have thought about pulling out as bridesmaid. My two friends (who I’m bridesmaid for) haven’t asked me to do much as they know I’m going through IVF. One of my friends I’m her only bridesmaid and I just couldn’t pull out on her.

I do feel that it’s the pressure of all the appointments etc that’s making my symptoms a lot worse so I’m definitely going to have so something, whether that’s just explaining to them what I’m going through or stepping back from at least one of the weddings.

thank you for your response :)

@CuriousMama well I’m on a lot of hormones for the ivf treatment and I’m actually on a drug that works similarly to hrt but I feel awful. I had anxiety before any of the treatment started so I’m not sure if it’s the extra hormones ramping it up or if it’s just life in general. I just feel horrid and feel like I can’t live my life fully.

Hi @Ilovedogs1 firstly I am so sorry that you’re going through this as well. I’m starting to feel the same way, like when will this ever end and when will I feel normal again? It’s so debilitating and it’s making me into a shell of a person I once was. I haven’t tried any other meds and I rang my Gp before starting ivf begging to be put on something but I was just told that I have to ride it out until treatment is over. It’s so difficult to have no help.

Hi @SashaWaterfall i really hope the Setraline helps you! Are you symptoms similar to my own?
yeah I agree I do have too much on my plate. Obviously my ivf comes first but I just don’t want to Let my friends down but I feel absolutely horrible on the inside and I’m trying to hide it from everyone.

even doing something as little as going out for dinner now fills me with dread. It’s a horrible feeling.

Hi @SwimmingAgainstTheTides i will definitley check that out! Thank you for the recommendation!

How are you doing today?

Really sorry to read this! I suffer with terrible anxiety too. My worst symptoms are awful thoughts, a sense of absolute dread and then I get to an acute stress state where i have adrenal surges which stop me going to sleep.

I think sometimes, when things are bad I need to acknowledge this is really bad, debilitating and looking after myself must become my focus. I have to give myself permission to do this and tell my husband and sometimes even the kids.

My first act is to work on dismantling any feelings of guilt and shame. This is not my/your fault it's an edgy nervous system and fight or flight response. You are not weak, pathetic, not not appreciating life but instead you are in the grip of anxiety. Rather like there's a point when you have a cold where you just need to things to stop so you can focus on getting get. Big you don't bland yourself for that!!

Please take all this to your cbt sessions - your therapist can help you.

The I attack it in a few ways - no caffeine drinks, lots of walks, lots of water, comfy clothes. It's really about soothing my body/mind. As I start to calm down my body, it calms my mind and I can make a plan for any problems.

I give myself permission to say no to things and not do things but often, once I've given permission for this I chose to do them anyway , and I'll feel good about what I've achieved

You'll get back to where you were!! This is a phase

Check out Mind website for tips on anxiety. I really like Annie the anxiety coach who has some fab body/breathing tips.

Honestly it's not your fault and you will feel better xxxxx

IVF is stessful - acupuncture can help I understand

@CuriousMama I am feeling a lot calmer today, I think I was worked up yesterday because I was so busy and had a lot on my mind. As soon as I step foot into my own home from a busy day my anxiety somewhat subsided and I feel half normal, probably because it’s my safe space.

I want to get back out and doing things again. I used to love travel and going places and anxiety has definitely put a stop to that so last night I reached out to a therapist specifically who deals with chronic anxiety and people with panic disorders. I’m awaiting his reply.

thank you for your message :)

@Losingtheplot2016 thank you so much for your kind reply. It is a terrible terrible thing to suffer with. I watched my mother, as a child, suffer with anxiety almost every day and only now do I understand how hard it was for her.

I have started to do exactly as you have suggested with the comfortable clothes and trying to make my body comfortable. I do feel that I need to take your advice and say no to some things as well as I’m a people pleaser.

I reached out to a different therapist last night who deals with Chronic anxiety and panic disorders so I’m waiting for them to get back to me. I have also started some different vitamins as I have researched that sometimes something as simple as a magnesium deficiency can cause this offset in the nervous symptom.

I downloaded an app called Aura and I’m doing daily mindfulness sessions on it. And I will take your advice about the getting out for walks every day. I might set myself a step goal for every day.

I hope you’re doing ok x

That's good news. Sounds like you're being very positive 😊 Keep us posted.

@Dogmum15 Yes it’s awful, heart palpitations, feeling dizzy. I’m pleased to hear you are feeling a little better, as I know from how I can feel myself it very quickly spirals. I’m coming to the second week of taking Sertraline so keeping my fingers crossed I begin to feel better real soon. The responses from others are also very reassuring. It’s just good to know that we’re not going through this alone.

Do let us know how you get on x

Hi ,

That's interesting about magnesium and anxiety - I don't think I know enough about possible nutritional impact

I've been away for a relaxing weekend which has helped me know end.

I'm currently having EMDR as I'm pretty convinced my anxiety is rooted in trauma. It is possible I'm not over reacting quite a much to a couple of things that have happened with the kids today - so it's possibly having some impact - but maybe too early to tell