Help with this anxiety!!!!!
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angela52884
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:04 am
Hi everyone. My name is Angela and I am 24 years old. I have a son that is 3 and am pregnant with my 2nd son due in March. I believe that I have had anxiety issues ever since I was a child. I worry about everything, especially anything health related! I had my 1st panic attack when I was 12. I woke up feeling like I couldnt breathe and my throat was closing up. My mom took me to the ER and I was pretty much fine by then. I would always examine my body and everytime I heard of someone that had something wrong or was sick or something I would freak out and worry that it would happen to me. I do have periods that are better than others. I started nursing school in 2002 and ended up dropping out and I know it was because of this crap, but at the time I dont think I realized it. I always felt like I was gonna pass out and felt lightheaded in class. I always had that sense of doom feeling and I just could not sit there and concentrate it was impossible. I was fidgety the entire time and just watched the clock until class was over, I just wanted to get outta there. Anyways, I would miss classes all the time because I just felt too nervous to go and have to sit there. I have stayed in college since then, but had to transfer. I have taken so many classes online because I just dont want to go to class, I feel so uncomfortable. I have had several panic attacks. I generally feel nervous and uncomfortable all the time, everyday!!! Everything freaks me out. Even when I go to the doctors I feel panicky and am terrified when they take my vitals. As soon as the b/p cuff goes on, my heart rate shoots up through the roof. I think it was like 150 last week at my appointment because I was so nervous. It went back down to like 75 after I calmed down a little bit. Anyways, I dont know why I am like this, why I feel so nervous all the time and why I have these feelings. Somedays my mind just doesnt seem right. I feel like my mind is 100% focused on what my body is doing inside and out. Does all this sound like a severe anxiety disorder????
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Guest
i know exactly what youy are going through. i have constant anxiety all day and night. im trying to work thru it tho. it sounds to me like you arte suffering from GAD and PD. same as me, except i also have ocd.i too cant seem to getmy mind off my symptoms. when i do catch myself focusing on someting else for a minute, i automatically go back and think whoa i havent thought about it, then the symptoms come out again. im sure the symptoms are there constantly but its when we are occupied that we stop thinking about it. have you seen a physician about this? im on meds now forthefirst time and i think that with the meds and the program, i am on my way to recovery
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Guest
Hi Angela!
congratulations on the baby coming! Part of your anxiety may be due to hormones associated with your pregnancy, but from what you describe, sounds like you have good old generalized anxiety disorder like a lot of us.It's so easy for us to get caught up in our internalized thinking about what is going on with our bodies and focusing a a symptom or symptoms to the exclusion of everything else going on around us and as we do that we begin to catastrophize what serious illness we might have. Then it becomes a vicious cycle.
As for your heartrateand presumably your BP skyrocketing when you see your Dr. this is very typical of those of us with anxiety,and the worst thing you can do is focus and agonize over it. How often are you using your relaxation CD? You know the more you use it the better you get at calming yourself. I know my blood pressure has really gotten back to normal and my pulse too and I know the CD has helped me a lot.
I think if you can start to calm yourself then you may begin to focus on the good/positive things in your life and slowly let go of your worries about yourself.
Take care, God bless and keepin touch!
congratulations on the baby coming! Part of your anxiety may be due to hormones associated with your pregnancy, but from what you describe, sounds like you have good old generalized anxiety disorder like a lot of us.It's so easy for us to get caught up in our internalized thinking about what is going on with our bodies and focusing a a symptom or symptoms to the exclusion of everything else going on around us and as we do that we begin to catastrophize what serious illness we might have. Then it becomes a vicious cycle.
As for your heartrateand presumably your BP skyrocketing when you see your Dr. this is very typical of those of us with anxiety,and the worst thing you can do is focus and agonize over it. How often are you using your relaxation CD? You know the more you use it the better you get at calming yourself. I know my blood pressure has really gotten back to normal and my pulse too and I know the CD has helped me a lot.
I think if you can start to calm yourself then you may begin to focus on the good/positive things in your life and slowly let go of your worries about yourself.
Take care, God bless and keepin touch!
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Guest
Angela,
You are not alone! Years ago I sold insurance and learned that high blood pressure wasn't a good thing. Ever since I freak out when the nurse takes my BP. I guess I think that it is my fault that it is high, that something is wrong with me. I am embarassed about it. I need to think, "it is what it is" and quit beating myself up over it. I will sometimes not go to the doctor when I am sick just to avoid the whole BP drama. I take my BP at home and it is just fine so I tell the doctor that I am just paniky about it. Good luck and God bless.
You are not alone! Years ago I sold insurance and learned that high blood pressure wasn't a good thing. Ever since I freak out when the nurse takes my BP. I guess I think that it is my fault that it is high, that something is wrong with me. I am embarassed about it. I need to think, "it is what it is" and quit beating myself up over it. I will sometimes not go to the doctor when I am sick just to avoid the whole BP drama. I take my BP at home and it is just fine so I tell the doctor that I am just paniky about it. Good luck and God bless.
Thanks so much for all your responses. I actually have not ordered this program yet, I am sure that I need to though. I am not on any meds partly b/c Im pregnant and they dont want to start me on anything. I had blood test and stuff done to check thyroid and other stuff. Of course it was normal. I dont know what else to have them check before diagnosing anxiety??? Thanks for all of your help!!! I love this message board!
ATTITUDE -- The mind is like a parachute...it doesn't work unless it's open!!
Angela,
Hi, i see myself a lot in you. I am recovering from anxiety disorder, and i had similiar symptoms as you have. You should DEFINATELY order the program - you sound like you have some of the standard symptoms and mindset of an anxious/agoraphobic person. don't be scared. Also, your emotions and anxiety in general is always worsened by hormones, so you can give yourself a little break while you are pregnant, also being calm is good for the baby. also, maybe it is good that you can not take meds now, ,because i truly believe that youcan handle this with the program. Did you have anxiety before having children?
Hi, i see myself a lot in you. I am recovering from anxiety disorder, and i had similiar symptoms as you have. You should DEFINATELY order the program - you sound like you have some of the standard symptoms and mindset of an anxious/agoraphobic person. don't be scared. Also, your emotions and anxiety in general is always worsened by hormones, so you can give yourself a little break while you are pregnant, also being calm is good for the baby. also, maybe it is good that you can not take meds now, ,because i truly believe that youcan handle this with the program. Did you have anxiety before having children?
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Guest
Hi LMM thanks for your response. I would love to chat with someone that experience the same thing. I have been a worrier ever since I was little. I am 24 now. Of course when I was young I didnt think it was an issue, but now that I think of it, it wasnt normal! I remember feeling short of breath or noticing certain things about my body and I would ask my younger sister if she felt the same way or had the same things on her body. I woke up hyperventaliating when I was 12 and my mom took my to the ER, of course nothing was wrong with me! I worry all the time if I see or hear about a disease because it freaks me out thinking what if I have it or what if I get it. I am a huge freak when it comes to health stuff!! I have a son that is 3 and when I was pregnant with him I didnt have any issues this bad. Of course my situation now is different now than it was with him. Then, I lived with my mom until I was like 7 months then me and the father moved in together. When I was pregnant with him I enjoyed going to my doctors appointments and was never scared, this time its totally different. I sit in the waiting room in practically a panic, heart racing, scared for them to take my blood pressure, feeling like I will pass out or faint all the time. I just want to live and not fear this crap everyday. I always sit here and cry and just think, What is wrong with me????? I really hate it!! I feel like its immpossible to change especially with all the physical symptoms that I have. I can feel my heart beating alot of the time, sometimes it just feels like its racing, I feel like I just sit here in fear and I am never relaxed. My whole body is totally tense all the time and I dont even realize it. Anyways, I would love to hear your story, sorry this is so long, but once I get started I cant stop!!!!
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Guest
I have had problems with my blood pressure sky rocketing at the doctors office. I get checked every 6 month for hemachromatosis and they examine me for breast cancer. One time they had a new oncologist who was determined to get me a breat cancer gene test.(My sister died of it nov.1 2007). At that time I didn't see the point if I was not willing to have my breasts removed if it was positive. She pressed the issue too much. I ended up in tears and when they took my blood pressure it was ridiculous. I ended up at that time going into therapy because this Dr upset me so much. I told the hospital I refused to ever see that Dr again. The regular oncologist likes to examine me and say " I think I feel a lump", then they take my blood pressure again and, guess what, it sky rockets. They call this white jacket HBP. When my other dr. found out I responded this way. She brought me into the exam room, had a friendly calming conversation with me and took my blood pressure over my clothes, it was normal. Get a doctor who understands your anxiety. You can fire your Dr. if you want too. Get the program it will help you if you do the work. Everyone hates GYN exams , no wonder you are nervous. Its no big deal. You are so lucky to have children.
The weird thing with me is that my b/p is always fine, but my pulse is really high! It was 150 at the doctors during the vitals, but once I got into the room and calmed down a bit it was 80. My b/p was 125/65 which I am assuming the top number is slightly higher b/c how fast my heart was racing. Its scary, but even more scary when the doctor freaks about it!
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Guest
angela,
Sorry it has taken me a couple days to get back to you again. I just read your story and your worries above. I will tell you that my stumbling block, my particular problem within the world of anxiety, is being a hypochondriac. That is what you are also decscribing about yourself. I totally understand you when you say that you feel like you can not get better with all these physical symptoms. I felt the same exact way when i was doing the program with the Stress coach. i would tell her ALL the time that if it weren't for the physical symptoms, i could work on my "skills" to rid myself of anxiety, simply because was the symptoms themselves that i was most anxious about. having said that, what i have learned is that the symptoms and your body are a distraction, yes, a distraction (subconsciously, to your real issues. You have to figure out what your real emotional issues are, and work of relieving the symptoms of anxiety (i.e. , Heart rate, BP, nervousness, tight muscles, etc....) at the same time. Once I admitted i had this condition , adn i was willing to work on my skills and admit that my physical symptoms were mostly a product of my feeling, i could move on and try to recover. Do you know about the Stress program at all? do you know what they focus on? But basically, all my life i have been a hypochondriac, and teh physical symptoms of this really manifested themselves over the past 5 years. but i am on teh side of recovery now, and i still need to use the skills as most people do. You seem fine to me, i see myself in you. I use to have horrible anxiety even just thinking of my doctor appoitments - when i was pregnant and after. You also need to tell your doctor taht you actually have anxiety disorder, so he can consider that when examining you.
Sorry it has taken me a couple days to get back to you again. I just read your story and your worries above. I will tell you that my stumbling block, my particular problem within the world of anxiety, is being a hypochondriac. That is what you are also decscribing about yourself. I totally understand you when you say that you feel like you can not get better with all these physical symptoms. I felt the same exact way when i was doing the program with the Stress coach. i would tell her ALL the time that if it weren't for the physical symptoms, i could work on my "skills" to rid myself of anxiety, simply because was the symptoms themselves that i was most anxious about. having said that, what i have learned is that the symptoms and your body are a distraction, yes, a distraction (subconsciously, to your real issues. You have to figure out what your real emotional issues are, and work of relieving the symptoms of anxiety (i.e. , Heart rate, BP, nervousness, tight muscles, etc....) at the same time. Once I admitted i had this condition , adn i was willing to work on my skills and admit that my physical symptoms were mostly a product of my feeling, i could move on and try to recover. Do you know about the Stress program at all? do you know what they focus on? But basically, all my life i have been a hypochondriac, and teh physical symptoms of this really manifested themselves over the past 5 years. but i am on teh side of recovery now, and i still need to use the skills as most people do. You seem fine to me, i see myself in you. I use to have horrible anxiety even just thinking of my doctor appoitments - when i was pregnant and after. You also need to tell your doctor taht you actually have anxiety disorder, so he can consider that when examining you.