Stress Center Peer Support

Hello Everyone..

I"m new to this discussion board but I figured I would give it a try. Let me give you a brief history of what is going on. My husband recently lost his job, our benefits, I had a 2nd child (this all happened while i was pregnant). I know that is A LOT of stress, and having a 2nd kid, is stressful in itself! I have a history of anxiety. Sometimes severe, sometimes it comes and goes and other times I can "kick it". However, at this point in time, it won't seem to leave! In the past I have been on anti-anxiety meds which always seem to make me feel "out of it". I finally broke down and tried anti-depressants. I did NOT like the way they made me feel but ended up sticking with Paxil and it helped alot! It worked for about 6 months then i came off of it. (this was about 6 years ago) Since then, like i mentioned above, my anxiety has come and gone, and for me it hits me all at once! Right now i feel every body, emotional and physical symptom! It got so bad, i ended up in the ER shortly after I delivered. I had CT Scans, chest xrays, blood work, EKG among a few other test, all of which came out fine! My anxiety has subsided with the "worry" of my husband but now I tend to "focus' on my symptoms and how i'm feeling which has led into mild dpression. I often feel very overwhelmed, shakey, lightheaded and this sense of "doom". The best way i can describe it is there is this lingering depression/black cloud over my head that will not lift! I will start to feel better then out of no-where i suddenly get this feeling of faint..almost like my pressure dropped and my head feels "off" / woozy. I start to feel scared the dr missed something. This feeling will not go away! Granted i haven't been eating that great but i don't have an appetite. I can't seem to eat...When i do eat, its not a lot. I can't seem to sleep and when i do i get up and only sleep off an on. When i wake up in the morning, the first thing i think of is how I've been feeling and that I"m going to feel this way forever and never feel "normal" again and my day starts off shitty!! I don't want to go on medication! I hate being on meds. I tried some natural stuff but i get scared and prob bring on symptoms myself, so i dont' feel it works that well for me. Ne ways, i am back at work from being on maternity leave, and i can't seem to function b/c of how i'm feeling! EVerything looks like its "not real" around me, like i'm in a constant bubble. I hate feeling like this!!! I feel SO BLAH and just "off". Does anyone have any suggestions???? Or what worked for them?? This constant "off" feeling and woozy/lightheaded feeling in my head is really making me nervous! I can't seem to kick this!! Please help..ne one

I am going through almost the same thing as you with anxiety. Mine also comes and goes - I can go for 2 weeks and not feel any anxiety at all, then the next two weeks I'm anxious every day. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for it. I do worry a lot when I'm home by myself all day and my husband is at work and I call him all the time just to make sure he's ok. I really worry a lot that something is going to happen to him and I'll be left alone the rest of my life. Medication has helped me a great deal - I take Clonazepam at night before I go to bed because it makes me sleepy and if I have an anxiety attack during the day I quarter one of my pills and take that. It works but I don't want to have to take this for the rest of my life. I just want my normal, non-worrying life back. I know just how you are feeling and it isn't pleasant. Having faith in God helps too and I truly wish you good luck with this. I wish we could all be at peace with ourselves.

I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy! Its a HORRIBLE feeling!! I sometimes can calm myself down and other times i can't. I understand I"m under ALOT of stress and everyone keeps telling me "it will all work out" but funny thing is even though i am concerned with our situation, its more or less my symptoms and why i feel the way i do! I swear i develop a new symptom every day! I started to worry i had a brain tumor b/c my head felt so "fuzzy" and i had a lot of pressure. Once it was confirmed (from my tests) everything was fine, my "symptoms" went away. Now i have a new one i do have that constant feeling of wooziness and its so horrible! Going out, doing things i enjoy would take my mind off it and I would be able to "kick it" and it would disappear but its not this time. I wish i had the techniques to lift all this and find a way to relieve it as in vitamins etc.

That's pretty common for people with anxiety/depression to develop new symptoms and want to go in for another test or have the doctor check something else out. lol It still happens to me and I rationalize why it's a legitimate fear, and not just anxiety, then I go in, again. This usually keeps up until the symptoms subside by themselves and I try to forget it ever happened. I don't know to say if it's just anxiety or not because it can all seem real at times.
And, I started up on the program, again too. So hope this helps. It helped before.

I am going through this SAME EXACT THING!! I havent just had a child, but I do have a four year old daughter. I have had a panic disorder for about nine years now. I am only 29 now and feel like I have been cheated the last nine years of my life because of panic attacks. I have had bouts of feeling "down" or having the "blues" here and there over the years, but recently this "down" feeling has me completely absorbed and doesnt leave me throughout the entire day. I feel every single emotion like they are all on high beams, and it pulls me deeper into the dark. It's like I am walking around in a haze. I have just started this Attacking Anxiety and Stress program and am praying that it is what I have been needing. I am also afraid of meds, so therapy an hour once a week is a slow moving help. Please add me as a friend or feel free to chat with me whenever I am on here. I think that we could really help each other! I hope you find a rhythm and start getting better.
Kasia