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Original poster

panic attacks / chronic anxiety?

122 replies

twik · 29/10/2005 14:28

I think I'm going slightly crazy to be honest. I've got a thread elsewhere about a headache I've had now for just over 3 weeks. I've had lots of tests and now GP thinks it must be a tension headache. I've also got pins and needles in my feet almost all the time and my vision keeps going blurry. Last night I woke up after just 30 minutes sleep in a total state of panic. I thought I was having a heart attack as my chest was so heavy, heart pounding, covered in sweat and filled with a sense of dread. In the end I got about 3 hours sleep at most. Now I feel absolutely awful. I've got a 3 year old and am on my own.

Has anyone else been through this kind of thing? Does it sound like chronic anxiety? I'm so frightened ...

OP posts:
Original poster
twik · 29/10/2005 14:41

anybody? please?

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foxinsocks · 29/10/2005 14:46

I've not had chronic anxiety but if you do have a tension headache, I imagine the less you sleep, the worse it will get. Waking up in the night with your heart racing is a sign of anxiety though.

Could you go back to GP and get some sort of relaxant to take?

Have you tried circular breathing (when you wake up)?- you inhale through your nose (counting to say 5) then exhale through your mouth (counting slowly to 10). You need to do it in a quiet place where you can't be disturbed. It should slow down your heart rate and start to relax you.

Nbg · 29/10/2005 14:47

It does sound a bit like anxiety tbh. Not sure about the pins and needles but if you are feeling anxious you can become quite uptight and stiff IYKWIM.

Try not be frightened, I know how you feel as I go through it myself sometimes. Not as much as I used to but it's still there.

Is there anyone you could go and see. Friends, family or partner?

Ulysees · 29/10/2005 14:59

twik, as you know I'm having a similar headache. I was also getting pins and needles in my left arm and leg but that's gone off. My head pressure has gone on for a month now.

I'm so sorry you're on your own with this It's very scary, I know. I used to have panic attacks a while ago and got numbness with it.

I'd go back to the doc if I were you though and tell them how worried you are. It could possibly be a virus as they can cause lots of symptoms. A friend of mine just had a virus with labrynthitis and she thought she was dying.

Have you looked on yahoo health? Or nhs direct site?

Original poster
twik · 29/10/2005 15:33

fox I have got some diazepam but have been frightened to take it in case I slept through something important with dd or it makes me terribly drowsy.

Ulysees, what are you doing for your headache? Do you know it's tension? Does it ever stop?

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noddyholder · 29/10/2005 15:35

I would take the diazepan You will be relaxed but should be ok If it doesn;'t work just don't take it again it really is worth a go you sound so miserable

Ulysees · 29/10/2005 15:45

twik, I got a mild anti depressant from the doc and it seems to have helped. My gp said it sounded like a tension headache and I've trawled the net and it seems to be that. You can have anxiety/tension and not even realise it. I've certainly got plenty of things to worry about, friends etc.. and feel as if I'm coping but it must be showing in other ways?

I've just been reading about the bowen technique and fancy trying that as I'm more into alternative therapies. I'm going to give acupuncture a go though if I can get in next week. Some gps do this but I don't think it's done at our surgery?

Original poster
twik · 29/10/2005 18:35

Which anti-depressant is it Ulysees? Sorry to ask so many questions I'm just so desperate to speak to other people in this situation. Do you also feel any other symptoms other than the headache? Does it affect your sleep? How are you managing to continue in your daily life around it?

Noddy, one of the other reasons I'm worried about the diazepam is its interaction with alcohol. The only way I'm managing to relax in the evening at the moment is to have a couple of bottles of beer. I can't face doing without them right now.

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YOUNGMUM16 · 29/10/2005 22:01

hi i'm only 16 but i go through panic attacks all the time. ive had them since i was about 9yrs old. i get so scared in the middle of the night i wake up exactly the same. it scares me because i can't breath and i start th throw myself about the place and i get so so scared i never think the feelings going to go away. i shake alot and i sweat buckets and my son is only 5 and a half months old and i get scared because obviously he's in the house with me. i know i'm young but i know all about it. i also have a form of epilepsy. so i know quite alot. if you wana chat i'm here. x

Original poster
twik · 29/10/2005 22:12

Thanks youngmum. I think I may have had these when I was in my early teens, I remember having insomnia and a feeling of sudden panic whenever I was almost asleep, almost like getting an electric shock.

It's horrible. I'm so tired.

I hope you're ok.

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Original poster
twik · 30/10/2005 12:20

has anyone else experienced anything like this?

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Original poster
twik · 30/10/2005 21:23

anyone?

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NightHowl · 31/10/2005 05:36

it can be a vicious circle sometimes. the headache could be unrelated but the fact that you are worrying about this constant headache could be a factor in causing the panic attacks IFSWIM? pins and needles are common in panic attacks, breathlessness, sweating, palpitations...and the more you feel these symptoms the more frightened you become.

a few years ago i had little or no sympathy for people who suffered from panic attacks..i thought they were being "wimps" for want of a better word. i just thought they were suddenly a bit tense. until i started getting them i never knew that the symptoms were actually physical, i thought they were imagined. it can be terrifying, i know that now.

i once had a stage of the night terrors. for a couple of months about two years ago i would lie in bed at night shaking, exhausted yet every time i drifted off...i dont know, i can only describe it like a nasty.."buzzing"? filled my head and i would jolt awake again, heart pounding, like if i went to sleep something terrible would happen. is that what its like for you?

im sorry, i dont have any answers though. ive suffered with depression on and off, and anxiety for a long time and i dont sleep well now. ive learnt how to control the panic attacks however so it is possible.

Original poster
twik · 31/10/2005 10:54

Thanks for this NightHowl. Yes, the night time panic for me is similar except it feels more like an 'electric shock' through my body than a head buzzing. I'm literally almost asleep then with a jolt my body jerks awake, I can't breathe and my head pounds. Horrible. I think I'm averaging about 5 hours sleep a night right now. And I no longer know what's causing what in terms of headaches, sleep, etc. etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
twik · 31/10/2005 22:57

anyone else?

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Ulysees · 03/11/2005 13:03

twik how are you doing?

Have you checked out nomorepanic website? I was feeling a bit weird last night as was stressing over some friends problems and started getting symptoms. Felt like I was dying Anyway, checked out this site again to reassure me it was panic attacks and felt much better All the symptoms you listed were on it btw.

Ulysees · 03/11/2005 13:04

\link{http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/No more panic}

Ulysees · 03/11/2005 13:05

No more panic

try again

Ulysees · 03/11/2005 13:39

know you're probably not around but bumping anyway Will be online later so will bump again then xx

Ulysees · 03/11/2005 16:16

bump

Original poster
twik · 03/11/2005 16:32

Thank you so much for remembering me. I'll check the site now.

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Ulysees · 03/11/2005 16:34

Hiya hun, I had a look again today. Look at the supplements, I've just taken some multi Bs and some omega oils at their recommendation. Magnesium is good too. Takes a week or two to kick in though probs?

nightowl · 03/11/2005 17:00

hows it going twik?

Ulysees · 03/11/2005 17:46

She's probably in the nomorepanic chatroom

Hope you're ok twik

Original poster
twik · 03/11/2005 22:00

Thanks Ulysees, it's a really interesting site with lots of information. You're right it explains totally my panic attacks in the middle of the night. How are you doing now?

Hello nightowl. Thanks for remembering me too!

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