panic attacks / chronic anxiety?

[twik]

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 ...

Doing ok today, took my omega oils and vits Glad you found the site useful. There's a nopanic site too, think it's www.nopanic.co.uk and they have a free helpline from 10am to 10pm every day of the year.

Do you get the ear sensation twik? I sometimes feel as if my ears are very full and that's a sign, something to do with blood flow I think?

Yes, I do get that Ulysees. do you feel like you suffer with this all the time? I feel so damned ill most days for most of the day. I long to have more energy and feel, well, 'normal' again ...

I did at my worst. Have had soooo much stress lately and it's a case of managing the panic attacks. One of my best mates is a fellow suffer and like me doesn't feel anxious, just has the symptoms.

Are you practising any relaxation? Homeopathy helps me and I heard the Bowen technique is also good. I was going to go and get that done but haven't got round to it. I'll try anything if it helps (or may).

I wish I had known of the web sites when I was at my worst. I had panic attacks come on very severely after my dd was born 2003(altough I think I may have suffred them more mildley since early teens). I now thankfully dont get them anymore , thanx to hypnotherapy, meditation and having serious relaxation time some time every week(i.e not tv/pc but bath oils music etc).

Sorry trik yuor going through this, have u been back to your gp? Its real drain on the body, I think the way to combat it , is to learn deep breathing excersise and repeat this often throughought day. Have a look in archives at some of my threads , as i think I may have disscussed lots of the helpful techniques my therapist gave me to combat it.Alongside this you may benefit fomr talking to someone to get to the root of why you are so severely reacting. If not due to a virus or labyrnthitis (coincidently I suffered this whilst going through them), then there is always some issue thats been buried inside and needs to come out.

Panic attacks can be unlearned as the sub concious has created/learnt them as a sort of protection in a wierd way for you. Its like the sub concious is signalling (albeit in rather a nasty way and severe way) , that danger is approaching. You need to almost train yuor sub concious not to react this way. Thats were the deep breathing technique helps, if it becomes a habit , as it slows the bodys reaction down. So that when you feel the very start of panick attack cycle come on, the different style of breathing kicks in and helps move the attack away.

Ive just bought "mind over mood" book as I want to look at ways of changing my reaction to normally anxiety inducing states for me.

let me know if you cant find the breathing technique in my threads and I see if i can find it for you.

HTH X

Lovely post Melsy Funnily enough mine started after ds1 was born. Wonder if there's a hormonal link? I blame hormones for most of my problems though

Thank you melsy. I've had problems with anxiety for years before having dd but I think it's been much worse in many ways since she was born. Definitely the panic attacks at night anyway.

Hi Twik,

Another panic attack sufferer here! Think there alot more common then people think. A common effect of anxiety/panic is hyperventilating which can cause pins & needles in your hands and feet, so maybe next time you get them you can check your breathing?? Also try bach rescue remedy, it really helps calm me down when i'm anxious.

What is the Bowen Technique by the way?

shalaa, the weird thing for me about the pins and needles is that they're there ALL the time. They never go off whether I'm sitting, standing, walking or lying down. I've had them solidly for over a month now. I don't know if they're to do with my general state of anxiety or not any more.

I just found this twik \link{http://www.thebowentechnique.com/Bowen technique}.

1st time Ive heard of it when Ulysees posted. Will be investigating more.

Hope you have a good night.
x

ooops forgot to preview Bowen technique

Hi all.
Twik, when are you back at the GPs? If your pins and needles are constant then IMO you need a full check up, probs MRI. Sorry if you've posted that you've had these checks already. I know certain vitamins and mineral deficiencies can cause this. I had it constantly after ds1 was born, mine was down the left side. I had MRI checks etc..but reckon mine must've been panic. I'd still badger the doc though hun.

I went through a stage of having panic attacks. They are 'learned' behaviour and you can 'unlearn' it. The trouble is, you really need good deep sleep to recharge your adrenal glands. They get totally drained by having the panic attacks which creates a vicious circle.

I found relaxation tapes incredibly useful for this. Also bought a book from amazon which was great. If you do deep breathing you CANNOT have a panic attack!

One of the things that helped immeasurably was thinking, right ok, bring it on, I CAN calm myself down and I am not frightened of them anymore.

pins and needles can be constant if you are in a state of high anxiety all the time.I had this when I suffered from them and still get the odd one.I had every neuro test going and they found nothing.I also used a book to help and even now i say to myself What is the worst that can happen?If I pass out someone else will have to deal with itThe book is in the garage but will get it out today and post later HTH

I had every test going too but when you're that ill you're convinced they've missed something, aren't you?

I think I read that lack of magnesium can cause some panic symptoms? I take it now anyway in my multi vits.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts.

Ulysees, I've had a CT scan. Is that as good as an MRI? I'm also seeing a physiotherapist tomorrow. I've had a stack of blood tests. And the GP quite clearly thinks I'm a nervous wreck (history of anxiety and depression you see) so I HATE going there, I rarely go unless I HAVE to.

It sounds like your nervous system is just replete to me. I also sort of vibrated with the pins and needles when going through the time you are going through right now, It was nasty and made me very very upset. I also was sent all over for tests ; hearing , ecg's, cat scans etc.NOTHING came back NOTHING.Dont let that make you feel bad , you are not a nutter of strange ,just suffering and want some relief. The gp's have to make sure they are not missing any physiological reason then they can elimenate and treat you correctly.

Your body & mind just wants some deep deep relaxation. I think the fact that you are in this cycle of panic plus investigation of possible other reasons , its not allowing your mind to rest from it at all , it almost puts you on limbo waiting to hear each outcome. Im no way medical or trained , but I bet you all your symptoms and physical pains and discomfort are physical manifestations of the mental panic anxiety cycle.

I really feel for you I so do, I suffer anxiety and imediately have a physical discomfort. Its not a good place to be , but the panic attack reaction can be worked on to stop , it will take time , I wont kid you , but this feeling if you start to work on the suggestion will help you. IM not saying it will stop anxiety , as that takes more delving , but you can help yourself get away from the panic attack reaction. I know that at the moment your just wanting anyone and anything to help NOW.

Have you thought about a few massages done may be once a week. Go for more a holisitc practinioner rather than a beauty treatment one, as they will be more trained on mind body spirit. This will at least give some respite from the tenseness you feel and the more you have it the more the relaxation learnt will acumulate and show you you can relax.

I got my mind over mood book , and have started looking at it each night now.

I also had diazepam , took it for 5 days after the 1st week of severe severe panic attacks. Knocked me sideways,I felt like I was walking and talking through toffee, but stopped the panic attacks for a short while so I could at least sleep. Dont worry they wont black you out totally , I still had to get up for wee !!!They are designed to slow down the bodies nervous system and therefore pause the panic. They are only a VERY VERY short term thing.

I hope Im helping and not bombarding you xx

Sounds like it's anxiety and panic for you twik. Are a lot of your family members prone to this too? My family is full of people with depression,addiction problems etc..

Has anyone tried hypnotherapy? It's something else I'm considering rather than taking ads but it's expensive so I'd like to know if anyone's had success re: anxiety/panic problems?

There is a herb called avena sativa(SP)which comes in a tincture that you have in water I found it brilliant at night to relax me and also in the day if I had an attack.Mine were so bad that my legs were tingly and weak and several peoplethought I was drunk on a few occasions I really thought I had MS or something My vision was terrible and patches of my face and mouth went numb.Accepting it was the first step to tackling it I have a couple a year now and can talk myself through them but like you in the beginning it was constant.Get all the tests anyway because as they eliminate things the realisation that is is anxiety comes and things slowly improve.If you feel panicky in a shop etc don't be scared to tell someone I have had several cups of tea and glasses of water in shops all over Brighton but people are generally really helpful Valerian tea is also good and so is ginger for boosting the adrenal glands which are probably worn out .You really have my sympathy but just talking on here will help you xx

It does help so much to hear from you others who've been through something similar. Melsy, I'm not at all bombarded, I can't hear enough right now because I feel so alone with it.

noddyholder I also get numb patches on my face and lips but not necessarily when I'm in the middle of a panic attack. Is that how it is for you? I guess one of the things that confuses me at the moment is that I feel ill ALL day. I've never felt so constantly ill in fact. Today and yesterday my ears have been full of pressure and ringing all day, literally non-stop, leaving me feeling dizzy and sick.

I'm so fed up of it. If only I could feel 'normal' for just a couple of days to get my head around it all.

twik, so sorry to hear this How long has this been so bad?

Have you tried lying in a dark room and doing the deep breathing? You'll have to give it time.

About 5 weeks now, Ulysees. I honestly don't know whether to think I'm on the verge of having a stroke or something or I'm permanently panicked. It's actually hard for me to focus on writing on here for long.

when are you back at the docs? could something have triggered this?

when you looked on the site did you have any extra symptoms that weren't listed for panic?

It's hard to say, Ulysees. Nobody seems able to say if the symptoms occur during a panic attack or can go on continuously like mine are. I mean I don't feel absolute panic all the time but the ghings that happen during an attack like pins and needles and pounding head are there with me all the time.

my headache lasted 3 weeks. It was pressure and felt like my brain was expanding. This could be a virus that is exasperating your panic?
How are your sinuses? Just asking as mine bother me a lot and the sensation of fullness triggers panic. I've just been on anti bs with sinus trouble.

Panic can last ages and like others have said it can be unlearned. When you're aware of the changes in your body, clenching of jaw and muscles...fast shallow breaths.. you then have to concentrate on the right way to breath and relax. I know it's easier said than done.