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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:
twik · 06/11/2005 22:57

Ulysees, I just don't know. I don't feel viral, i.e. no fever or runny nose or anything. Just now this endless ringing, throbbing in my ears. And a head like you describe, as though it's expanding inside my skull. I just looked at the nomorepanic site again and can't find anything about general anxiety, more to do with panic attacks in full throw.

OP posts:
Hez · 06/11/2005 23:03

I have had similar experiences. 5 months after my first baby I felt numb down the back of my neck and got very shaky.My husband took be up to the hospital as I thought something serious was wrong. Also, when out shopping didn't feel it was 'real'. I felt as if I was floating. Have also had the feeling of having a stroke: numb arms, chest pains, stomach pains, feeling sick. Was prescribed fluoxetine by docto which helped and given diazepam to give fluoxetine time to work. Came off drug after 6 months- haven't had any panic attacks since.

Ulysees · 06/11/2005 23:10

I've had the 'not real' feeling many times.

Have you tried ringing the no. on the nopanic site? It's a different site and the no. is freephone, only 10-10 though so it'd have to be tomorrow. It may help to speak to someone who'll know a lot more.

You do have so many symptoms that are the same as me.

Check yourself now, which muscles are tense?

Ulysees · 06/11/2005 23:23

Don't know if this'll help?
I've just been trying the deep breathing tips and they're very simple.

twik · 07/11/2005 22:09

Ulysees, can you tell me exactly what happens to you?

I've had such a totally confusing day today. I went to the GP this morning about the ringing in my ears. She checked me over and said I should go to AE in case I was having a haemorrhage in my head. This obviously totally freaked me out. I reminded her I'd already had a CT scan and she said things can progress. So I went but was there such a long time before even seeing triage nurse that I had to come away as I had to collect dd etc. I had an appointment this afternoon with a physiotherapist who said all my symptoms (except the ringing in my ears) could be put down to stress / tension headaches.

What do I make of it all? I'm terrified that there's something seriously wrong physiologically that I should be addressing. But at the same time I don't want to make my stressing worse by imagining the worst things.

This is so constant. It's not just odd feelings of panic, it never goes away. Can that be right?

OP posts:
Ulysees · 07/11/2005 22:56

Hi twik, what an alarming day I'm surprised the gp would say something so worrying? I wonder if there are any nurses/doctors on mumsnet? Maybe you could start a thread asking for medical advice? Either that or ring nhs direct.

You've had this headache for weeks though? I'm not sure of symptoms for haemoraging so I wouldn't like to say. I do know anxiety can cause a host of symptoms that can seem to be constant. Can you be seen in the morning at A&E?

Ulysees · 07/11/2005 22:59

Hi twik, what an alarming day I'm surprised the gp would say something so worrying? I wonder if there are any nurses/doctors on mumsnet? Maybe you could start a thread asking for medical advice? Either that or ring nhs direct.

You've had this headache for weeks though? I'm not sure of symptoms for haemoraging so I wouldn't like to say. I do know anxiety can cause a host of symptoms that can seem to be constant. Can you be seen in the morning at A&E?

Ulysees · 07/11/2005 22:59

sorry

melsy · 07/11/2005 23:18

Im so sorry youve had such an awful day twik. What a very alarmist and inapproritae thing for the doctor to say.

I will say that I had all that you say you have ; ringing in ears , thick head , pins and needles , vibrating , aching body , constant anxiety feeling and much more. This all to was quite constant when 1st experiencing the panic attacks in the 1st few weeks. Please read some of my threads , it will re assure you ,as Im here to tell as they say and Im not there any more, Ive been there and back xxxxxxx

I 2nd Ulysees and a visit to AE. You will worry your self more & more if you dont go and get checked, so if you can I would go early tommmorw.

Please please phone NHS if you are at all worried during the night.

x

Ulysees · 07/11/2005 23:23

Glad you're ok now Melsy Hope twik is ok?

Ulysees · 07/11/2005 23:37

bump

melsy · 07/11/2005 23:49

Twick hope you are ok , were all thinking of you x

were here if you want to talk more.

yULeYSEES · 07/11/2005 23:50

I hope she has another talk name as I looked and she hasn't posted today except this one.

melsy · 07/11/2005 23:59

Please let us know u are ok x

yULeYSEES · 08/11/2005 00:05

Going offline now, take care melsy and twik xxx

melsy · 08/11/2005 09:43

morning twik , just checking in to see how you are ?

yULeYSEES · 08/11/2005 09:45

hope you're ok hun xx

twik · 08/11/2005 14:57

yule and melsy, thanks so much for your concern, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it, it's about the only little window of sanity I have right now. I don't have another name on here by the way I just don't get a massive amount of time to post and I also feel so crap that I'm tending to lie down when dd sleeps and in the evenings.

I went back to the GP this morning, it was my usual GP who's more familiar with my history of anxiety / depression, and told her what had happened yesterday. She said there was no point going back to AE because they did a CT head scan on 17 October already so wouldn't likely repeat it unless things had changed massively. I said that they weren't any better and mentioned the ringing in the ears but she said she meant if things had deteriorated in the sense that I was vomiting 3 times a day / seeing double / crippled with head pain etc. To be honest it was such a relief because although the thought that all this is 'my fault' in the sense that I'm creating 'symptoms' by panicking / anxiety it's a lot better than worrying about brain haemorrhages and spending days sitting in AE. I've been 4 times now since this started and couldn't face it again.

I do feel panicky, I realise that. I've also been having a lot of palpitations this last couple of days, not pounding heart but loads of those 'skipped beats' that pound in your chest and neck. The trouble is, it's hard to know what's physiologically caused and what's psychologically caused. Where the boundaries lie.

The ringing in my ears is driving me crazy. Did either of you have that constantly?

Anyway the GP said the only 'treatment' she could give for long term headaches was a low dose anti-depressant of the old tricyclic family. I've had those once before years ago and they knocked me out so I refused them. I thought there were beta-blockers and other things I could try but she was unforthcoming. She told me to cut all pain medications as they could be making me feel worse. But she hasn't offered an alternative so I feel really out on a limb.

How / what did you two do to try to turn this cycle around? Some moments I feel I can't go on with it. Others I get moments of clarity and determination not to let it destroy me.

If either of you could have the time to write down your full story of what happened and how you felt and what things have helped you it would be an enormous help to me.

OP posts:
noddyholder · 08/11/2005 15:06

I have just re read all of this and really feel for you.I too thought I was going mad and even had a lumbar puncture as i was convinced I had had a stroke but again nothing.Would you consider taking the low dose antidepressants?I understand your reluctance Why wouldn't she prescribe beta blockers they are very effective in low doses.Anxiety can cause all your symptoms and you need something to calm you in the short term to help you get your head round things.What about an over the counter sleeping thing like nytol to just knock you out for a few nights to recover some sleep.Also really recommend avena sativa drops a lifesaver for me xx

twik · 08/11/2005 15:12

Thanks noddy. Could you tell me more about what happened with you and how you felt? How did it start to turn around? I can actually feel, all the time, how stressed I am, but I don't know how to stop it. I try the breathing exercises but I think I do them wrong because they make me feel like I'm going to panic. The only thing, so far, that helps is lying flat getting lost in a novel. Obviously as a mostly full-time mum I can't do that for much of the day ...

I didn't want to take the tricyclic antidepressant because when I had it before, also low dose, it affected my blood pressure very badly - I have low blood pressure and that drug makes it even lower so I felt literally like I was about to keel over. I couldn't cope with that with a 3-year-old to look after mostly on my own as dp works very very long hours and is away a lot. I did take an SSRI before I was pregnant for many years but I don't think they're meant to be brilliantly effective for anxiety plus they take about a month to start to work and also have lousy side effects. I do have a pack of diazepam in the cupboard that one of the AE doctors gave me but I've resisted taking them because of feeling drowsy.

I'll look out for avena sativa.

OP posts:
twik · 08/11/2005 15:13

I've got to get dd up now. I'll check again later. Thanks so much all of you. I really really really do appreciate your time and concern.

OP posts:
melsy · 08/11/2005 15:27

Hi twik , sorry to miss u , was trawling through my old threads . Im trying to link the one abut my hypnotherapy and in there is a link to what happened leadng up to it , its in archives so may be thats why I cant link it.

melsy · 08/11/2005 15:29

ahhh got it to work finally

my hypnotherapy 1st session for panic attacks

madmarchflare · 08/11/2005 15:31

Noddy - Im with you on the stroke thing. I was that convinced that I took myself off A&E. Funny thing is though I actually started to feel better on the way there.

On a more serious note though Twik, if youre still struggling go back to your GP, and keep going back until you feel that you are moving forward and managing to deal with it all in a more positive way.

I left it too long to get propper help, things escalated and I ended up being refered to a mental health therapist.

Keep talking about it.

noddyholder · 08/11/2005 15:41

Also you could try treating the low BP by eating salty things and drinking those rehydration drinks just to see if it makes any difference

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