How to cure anxiety? Help please!

[WhatsGoingOnEh]

I'm 46. Since Christmas I've been having funny turns, where I start panicking about health symptoms and then get myself all worked up.

This morning I felt dizzy as I walked to work, like I was going to faint. I sat down, and just felt worse and worse. A lovely woman passing by ended up calling an ambulance as I honestly thought I was going to die! Tingly arm and face, heart pounding, couldn't talk, couldn't stand up... I thought it was a heart attack or a stroke.

Turns out it was just a full-blown panic attack with hyperventilating. All my checks were perfect. I also had a blood test last week and everything is fine. My iron is lowish but not fatal.

My GP has prescribed me talking therapy, and has given me Beta Blockers in case I get another attack.

But what else can I do? Is this perimenopause?? My job is quite stressful, I have 2 DC, and a house to look after, etc. But my DH is amazing and I really have NO REASON to be anxious. But I am, all the time.

Is there anything I can do? I will do the therapy but can I do anything else? I can't go on like this.

Have you ever had this but got through it?

I haven't ever had a panic attack (totally sympathise) but I do suffer with general anxiety.

Mine built up over a few years and my health was a huge trigger, my GP was fantastic and offered me CBT and last year I went on a course - 3 1:1 therapy sessions followed by a group therapy. It taught me several different techniques to 'cope' or use and I can honestly say it was one of the best things I ever tried.
Could you go and have a chat with your GP?
Good luck op

Sorry just read you have seen your GP!
While you are waiting for your therapy, you could try mindfulness app Headspace?

Are you taking the beta blockers every day, or are they just for when you feel anxious? I found them miraculous when I had a very bad bout of health anxiety, as they helped with the physical symptoms of panic which were making me more and more worried about my general health. I took a very low dose, just enough to take the edge off and stop my mind spiralling out of control.

They didn't stop everything, but they reduced the horrible feelings enough that I slowly recovered. I also had a ton of 1:1 CBT, which was fantastic.

Hi Op, that is truly awful, I know as I suffered with the same ... I could have written the same two years ago.
The beta blockers were a godsend for the physical symptoms, which at the time allowed me to carry on and do first CBT therapy and then talking therapy. So you are doing the same and will probably help you loads.
Other extra things I did:

• was signed off work for 4 months, I went to GP and said I could not carry on while I was like this (was having weekly panic attacks), time off helps a lot
• slept a lot, or tried anyway I rested every night for 10-12 hs I felt my body just needed to recover
• only did gentle exercises, yoga and walking nothing too estrenuos but important to keep in fresh air if you can
• was really gentle with myself, had lots of easy meals for children to hand so when I felt very anxious I could give them something and rest
• eat well and often I used to get worse symptoms when a bit hungry or dehydrated
• I used to go every week to a reflexology session

Basically just look after yourself a lot , ah! Used to watch funny movies , read really light hearted positive books You will get through it, is awful and takes a bit of time but when I think about it I cannot believe I am on the other side now Lots of love 💗

Thanks so much, all of you!

I think the Dr gave me the Beta Blockers just to have on hand in case I went into another panic. She said panic attacks lead to more panic attacks, as you become hyper-vigilant to every possible symptom and overthink things.

I'd love to have 4 months off work! I think that's what has caused this, as I have a great job but it's really full-on with a million notifications pinging off every minute, and time pressures, and I constantly feel imposter syndrome AND that I'm letting everyone down!

That was my overriding feeling today: guilt. My lovely DH dropped everything and left work to get me, my Dad came with me to the GP, the two ambulance women were so lovely and at the end of it all I AM ACTUALLY FINE! I have been feeling rubbish for months, and my poor DH has been so sweet, but I'm just useless.

I also have another symptom: I've been really conscious of my swallowing since Christmas, and that built up to feeling like food wasn't going down. So for a week I've been living on soup and SlimFast, and taking stomach-acid inhibitors, and I think that's why I felt so crap this morning.

I am so much work to do; I'm freelance and I have my usual job AND a ton of new, really exciting and well-paying work too, and now I choose to fall apart. It's like I'm defeating myself.

The GP has referred me for a camera down my throat which is next week and I'm super-nervous about that.

My Ferratin level is 35, and my Iron (haemoglobin?) level was also low-normal. I have fibroids and horrific periods, so I just feel totally washed out.

The Gp recommended HeadSpace and I have to call a Talking Therapies number (?) to get counselling.

I took a BetaBlocker this afternoon and it calmed me down enough to eat the lovely scrambled eggs my DH made me. But I should be doing work now and I just want to sleep.

I really feel like a twat!

Try Spatone to get your iron levels up. It takes a few weeks to properly work. Anaemia feels an awful lot like depression and anxiety in my experience. Hell of a lot easier to cure thankfully.

Mindfulness is awfully helpful when suffering from total overwhelm of lots of great stuff (also self employed) and you can't complain because it smacks of whining about "my diamond shoes are too tight".

Thanks so much for sharing your own stories. It really helps to know I'm not alone in this.

You're all lovely.

"my diamond shoes are too tight"

OMG I TOTALLY HAVE THIS. I'm completely blessed and should be deliriously happy but I'm just such a moody cow!

I'm taking some liquid iron thing the lovely pharmacist in Tescos recommended.. Floradix? Something like that.

To be honest, I really wanted the GP to give me full-on big-bastard strength Iron medicine, as my periods are 10 days long and sooooooooo heavy that I worry it'll take me years to build up my Iron with OTC stuff.

My heart goes out to you OP and I echo everything Carminia said. I do think given your age, it could well be perimenopause. It's affected me in a very similar way and HRT has definitely helped. I still get anxious but it's more manageable now. Good luck with your endoscopy next week. I'm on omeprazole for a suspected stomach ulcer and I'm dreading having to have one. Be kind to yourself.

I had the same with increasing anxiety/palpitations and the swallowing thing. I then then started having tremors and finally went to the doctors.

It turned out I had an overactive thyroid.

It was only after I was diagnosed that I realised I had other symptoms as well and that my thyroid was swollen.

It's worth looking at the symptoms and seeing if it fits and requesting thyroid bloods if you think it does.

Thanks @FancyPuffin - sorry you had all that, it must've been awful.

I had my Thyroid tested in my recent blood test. Plus the way I've been slowly and steadily stacking on weight makes me suspect it's definitely NOT overactive..!

Op , good luck with the endoscopy
I also had done the same at the time! And thyrod test and iron. Thyrod and iron were good but found gastritis being built by reflux so I am on lansoprazole since then.
I know, I used to feel guilty as I had it all... great job, great family, house, amazing holidays, ... but I broke down! I could not understand it
Believe me the fact that you seem to have it all does not mean you are not in need or you are not ill. Your brain, soul, mind need healing.
Do not blame yourself, is tought not to do it... tough

Whats

the unexpected weight loss was the only good thing

Im loads better now and with a very new understanding of how debilitating anxiety is, it was awful! I was prescribed daily beta blockers and they really did help, it took a couple of weeks though.

I really hope that they help you and you start to feel better soon. Give yourself a break though, yes? Beating yourself up for being ill isn't going to help you with getting better

Sorry to post quickly - kids bedtime! Just wanted to say - the swallowing thing can be anxiety too. Sometimes omeprazole or similar can help if there’s an acid reflux element (not always obvious and anxiety can impact too). Worth talking to your doctor about it.

Hugs, you’re not alone!

Thank you all again for posting.

I'm now getting really anxious about the throat test. I don't know if it'll be an endoscopy, or a gastri-something... I'm not sure what that is, but it's a word she used on the phone when she rang to make my appointment.

I can't eat for 6 hours before. Do they do that for an endoscopy?

Can I ask for sedation? I'm SO NOT BRAVE. I can't even have a filling in my teeth without sedation. I'm a total wuss. 😩

I thought my throat was getting better, but I just ate some soup (with little bits in, that I chewed for a million times each) and now it feels weird again.

Ugh. I haven't had a betablocker today as I think I'm meant to have them only when I'm going to go into a full-fledged meltdown.

Op - I asked for sedation for my endoscopy, and when I told them about panic attacks they sedated me no worries. The sedative is not total, you are awake but in a dreamlike and you do not stress out, after it I forgot about it and now I can hardly remember it.

I suggest you ask your gp about beta blockers, can you call? I was told I could take one every day if I wanted ... which I did for months (now I no longer need it).
X

Thanks - I think I'll ask for sedation then. 🤣

Oh God - I just watched endoscopy videos on YouTube and now I'm properly shitting it.

Is it really ok? It looks hideous. 😱

Well, it is not nice but looks worse than it is. I am not going to lie though, was very unpleasant, BUT with the sedation was ok, really.
And at the time I was seriously anxious... having two panic attacks a week for 2 months non - stop , not able to do anything... and I was dreading it so much ! But I was amazed at how bearable it was.
It did not hurt, I was awake with sedation but was completely bearable and actually ok.
The worse bit is that for a day afterwards I get a minor sore throat and felt as if I had a hangover. So I would not plan anything, just chill at home, sit in Garden and drink lots of water.
You will be absolutely fine, trust me 💐

I suffered with HA last Year-I was back and forth at the Docs and begging for every test available.
It really does skew your thinking.
I became obsessed with burping-I seemed to do little quiet burps constantly and I became so worried about it(read it was a sign of Stomach Cancer) It sounds silly now-but I was literally so paranoid and fixated on it.
Docs sent me for a Endoscopy which I had without sedation.
It is not a nice experience but not painful-just odd!!
It is literally over in minutes so this is what makes it bearable and the Nurse I had was lovely-cracking jokes and stroking my hair!!!
All came back clear and if you do not have the sedation you find out as the test is being done-which is why I opted for without as I just NEEDED to know ASAP.
Hope it all goes ok.
Just to clarify I have IBS but all my symptoms caused me to panic and I got HA.
I am better now because I know I have IBS and nothing more but I do still find myselF OTT worrying but can switch it off quicker-I do worry every time my son is ill however and this is something I need to get a handle on as I can feel it becoming a problem again.

There is so much good advice here but a little extra that may help that I havent seen mentioned is breathing. Google "anxiety breathing techniques" and it will help you alongside other advice to gain some control over anxiety - it takes practice.

Thank you, @Carminia I'm still absolutely dreading it. The actual process AND the results. Ugh ughhhhhhh, I'm such a wimp.

@heathers00 Yes! The woman in the ambulance said I hyperventilated, which caused the physical symptoms during my panic attack.

The GP has told me to try the HeadSpace app. I downloaded it but it was all about focusing on your body, breathing, etc... and I got so obsessed with thinking about how my body was feeling that I got even more stressed! 😒🙄

So sorry OP. Panic attacks are horrific, not just because of how you feel but also because they leave you in such a state of dread and terror. Go easy on yourself. I take Citalopram to control mine.

I suffer from panic disorder and general anxiety - It crept up on me (I was in a highly pressurised job and working non stop) and I had my first panic attack out of the blue aged 30 (I'm 36 now)

I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But there is light...I can promise you it can and will get better.

I take propranolol slow release tablets and they keep my physical symptoms at bay (racing heart and adrenaline rushes)

However, I didn't really feel in control until I started CBT - i was becoming a recluse, avoiding every situation as I was so scared of a panic attack. It was the fear of the attack itself that was the worst. CBT teaches you that the more you expose yourself to that fear, the less power it has. I promise it works. It takes time and work, but give it a go.

To put into perspective how much it helped me, at the height of my anxiety I had a terrible panic attack on a plane just before we took off and asked to be let off! I got off and took my luggage and missed a holiday just because of a panic attack, because I couldn't face the flight knowing I would have another one and didn't know how to control them.

Last month i flew to America and back without a single attack. Now I'm not saying I don't still suffer from this disorder, I feel I always will. Things I used to find easy and enjoyable like going out to dinner are sometimes ruined because I'm so anxious or on edge...but it is a LOT better than it was and gradually I have started to get my life back.

I have terrible health anxiety and I had the battery of tests when I first started to have panic and anxiety. To be honest it is not always the best thing to do, even if they come back fine, you are elated for a few days and then just find something else to fixate on and worry about, some new symptom. That's how anxiety works.

If you want to talk or need support, let me know. Happy Easter