topic New to Anxiety in Anxiety

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 11:38:53 GMT

I’m Ryan 33 years old and recently been suffering quite considerably from anxiety. Well, at least I think it’s anxiety I have been referred to a psychologist in a few weeks and also a respiratory specialist as my anxiety seems a major player in my struggle to breath almost all hours of the day.... does anyone else suffer from what only I can best describe as heavy breathing or not being able to feel like thay can inhale a full breath? My anxiety stems from the fact I think I must be dying.... I suppose this is something that has been going on for a few years now and I’ve just swept it Under the rug never thought I would be the person who might need mental health help.... have an amazing wife a stressful job but can never stop to seem thinking about my health and how upset I would be if something happened to be and I disappointed my wife.... health anxiety I guess it’s a bad one.... anyway first step made to see a specialist a little embarrassed by it all but will see how we go.

New to Anxiety

Peppermintbach — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 21:10:08 GMT

Hi Ryan,

I think it’s very brave of you to make an appointment to see the specialist, as well as possibly seeing a psychologist too. I realise admitting that we’re struggling can be hard, so it takes courage to reach out for help...

Anxiety can be so debilitating. I know a lot of people here on the forums struggle with it. It can be very exhausting, and thoughts/fears can spiral or escalate quickly as you would well know...it takes a lot out of a person both emotionally and physically. It’s draining...

Now, I realise it’s easier in theory than in practice, but perhaps try not to feel to self conscious/embarrassed about it. Maybe try to remind yourself that specialists have seen all sorts of health issues (it’s part of their job), so i doubt that they will judge you/think “badly” of you...just a gentle suggestion...

Also, you might be interested in a thread called self help tips for managing anxiety. It’s full of suggestions by various forum members for managing anxiety, which you might find helpful. If you’re interested, I think the easiest way to find it is probably just to type the thread title (verbatim) in the BeyondBlue search bar.

Other than that, I hope you’re finding your way around the forums okay. Plus of course it’s a given that if you feel like talking/sharing/venting/etc, you’re most welcome to write any time 🙂

Kind and caring thoughts,

Pepper

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 00:32:19 GMT

Thanks for the reply Pepper

I suppose what I would like to get some clarification on is breathing and chest tightness and anxiety. As I await my specialist appointments I’m keen to n own if anyone else suffers from breathing issues almost all day , I can’t help but think the worst like to could be life threatening or cancer and that tends to make it even worse ....

New to Anxiety

AshleyK — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 04:05:25 GMT

Hi Ryan , your story sounds very familiar to mine . I’ve been referred to a respiratory specialists and even a cardiologist who have given me the all clear , yet I still think that I’m dying because all day long I can’t breathe and even get a left sided chest pain. My respiratory specialist actually did advise that with anxiety comes gut issues that can cause a shortness of breath , so I’ve now got an appointment with a gastroenologist . But your not alone , I have been living this way for the past three months and totally understand how frustrating it is . ! I find light exercise like walking works , and just reassuring yourself that it’s just anxiety and nothing else . All the best !

New to Anxiety

Peppermintbach — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 21:13:33 GMT

Hi Ryan,

You’re most welcome. Thanks for writing in again. It sounds like you’re in a very anxious cycle with fears and worries about the results....

I’m so glad AshleyKay (waves) has kindly chimed in. It sounds like s/he/other understands where you’re coming from, and has offered some wonderful advice...

Is it okay for me to ask how have things been for you since your last update?

Kind and caring thoughts,

Pepper

New to Anxiety

Jacstar44 — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 01:36:00 GMT

Ryan, regarding the breathing, I went through a stage with anxiety that I felt like I was being strangled. I went to the doctor 3 times to get the glands checked around my throat and it was anxiety.

I have an app on my phone CLAM, it is free or you can buy it, but it has some mindfulness focus sessions on how to breath and be aware of your body and what it is doing. It almost allows you to let go of the emotion causing the anxiety and take back control of you body. There is another one called Headspace which is more male, it has a male voice, and explains it very logically.

So if you need help with how to cope with the breathing etc before you see the specialist, this would be my advice...

And despite what society says, seeking help makes you stronger, more powerful and a wonderful husband.

New to Anxiety

Appleblossom — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 03:06:55 GMT

Hey Ryan,

i just joined the group just so I could answer your forum comments..My years of suffering anxiety has taught me that very rarely is it a physical thing.. but in saying that, always get checked out if you are at all worried.

Ive been living with the ‘dreaded’ for about 20 years. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

I am currently finding I have like a metal band around my diaphragm and can barely breathe. I know it’s anxiety because with some conscience mindful breathing I can eventuallyshift it.

Heres my tips for what they are worth...

Have you tried, laying back in a recliner chair of some sort, or just ‘planking? put a 50c piece on the top of your stomach, just under your diaphragm and then sit or lay there and try to breathe in enough, to lift the coin. Slow and steady lifting. Sounds easy but you have to breathe in deep to lift the coin.

This does two things, it makes you concentrate on something other than your worries and it forces you to deep breathe.. If the lack of breathe, is causing the trouble, this really does help get it sorted and it can be done anywhere in any chair. You just need to lay back.

You also mentioned a stressful job. My younger brother had a very stressful job and was always zooming from one job to the next.He was a foreman of some sort I think???? He was always too busy to eat decent food, and drink water, in his hurry.

Anxiety pains can be similar to hunger pains and the brain can’t tell them apart. So you get hungry, and your body goes into anxiety mode.

I passed on a trick to my brother, he spent a lot of time in a car.. Always carry a box of healthy, non salted nuts (your favourites so you will eat them) and bottles of water.

Snack and drink as much as you can on the nuts and the water. This will help fend off the attacks.. my brother was always being carted to hospital with suspected heart attacks and the nuts and water stopped it completely.

Lastly, my suggestion is to minimise junk food as much as possible. Eat a sandwich instead of a pie, drink water not soft drink. Junk food is laced with too much sugar and this exacerbates anxiety. Try and eat a high protein breakfast, bacon and eggs..mushrooms..

Try to remember you are young and fit and loved. Anxiety does feel like there is a major health problem. Please try the above diet and breathing every day for a week and see if it helps. Anxiety is an illness and like a diabetic, lifestyle changes can really make a HUGE difference.

wishing you all the best.

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 05:09:37 GMT

Hi Ashley

thanks for the reply it’s really helpful to hear from people in the same situation as me, I really appreciate it. Never thought I would ever be on a forum for this let alone suffering from anxiety.... I am amazed at how the mind has taken complete control over the past 12 months or so and have learned on the weekend my family have not wanted to say anything but have noticed I’ve been really distant and not my normal self for some time.... horrible feeling knowing that others can see this and I’m trying to act like it’s fine...

well anyway today I went to see a respiratory specialist and done a lung function test the results came back normal apparently however since leaving there I feel a massive weight on my chest still. Also have a few pains coming and going in My chest. I have been referred for X-rays to help ease my mind and also a couple other tests. It truely is crazy that if this all is anxiety what the mind can make you believe. I literally feel like I am breathing at 60% at best all the time...

I have also reached out to an anxiety councillor I owe this to my wife and mgamiky to get back I. The game and sort this constant state of worry out...

Hopefully it is just anxiety and and I can just focus on Getting that right. The specialist told me today she t is most important I sort this howeve to find that really hard to do when I want to confirm I don’t have an underlining issue with my lungs as that how’s it feels.

anyway, I’m rambling but once again thanks so much for the reply it means a lot for someone who never thought I would be here it’s nice to hear fro you all

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 05:12:32 GMT

Hi Pepper

thanks for the follow up and yes agreed Ashley’s reply was very helpful.

To answer your your question I was doing Bette runtil I went to see the specialist today since going there I am really struggling to breath and worried now I have to have more xrays etc I m ow that’s what I wanted it’s just the waiting I hate.

i have reached out to an anxiety therapist so will book myself in and see how that goes... I do know the root of my anxiety is always worrying about health though so as long as I have pending xrays and blood tests I feel it’s in vain.

Thanks nonetheless for the follow up

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 05:14:20 GMT

Thankyou for the information I will download the app, I agree getting the mind right is key I will keep on keeping on

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 05:17:49 GMT

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to give me this information applebloosom. I will definitely take your advise on board and do everything I can to clear my mind and get back I track.

It is so strange I have such an amazing wife and family and friends but yet I always find ways to worry And distance myself It really makes no sense.

once again Thankyou very much it’s appreciated beyond words

New to Anxiety

AshleyK — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 21:10:01 GMT

Hi Ryan ,I’m glad you’re by function test has gone well ! I know the feeling of still not being reassured by the results but I hope you find reassurance in the fact that if it was something serious or life threatening most specialists don’t wait and act very quickly (this was actually what my own specialist and the ER told me) . I hope you find some comfort in the fact that your not alone, when I actually google this symptom there’s many of us around with this shortness of breath ! I wish you all the best and hope you get through this!

New to Anxiety

Peppermintbach — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 21:05:59 GMT

Hi Ryan (and a wave to all your lovely supporters here),

Thanks so much for writing again. It’s good to hear from you, but I’m sorry to hear your anxiety has been triggered...it sounds as though it has been very intense lately...

I feel you clearly have a lot of personal insight into the cause of it. I suppose it’s a bit of a vicious cycle with the fear of potential health issues feeding into the anxiety. I think there are quite a lot of people on the forums here who struggle with health related anxiety, so you’re in compassionate company here...there’s a lot of understanding...

Good on you for booking into an anxiety specialist. I hope you find that very helpful 🙂

Kind and caring thoughts to you today,

Pepper

New to Anxiety

smallwolf — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:04:42 GMT

Hi Ryan,

Just thought I would pop by and add my 2c worth ... different people react differently with anxiety, at least for me. With depression I have the negative thoughts, and with anxiety the physical symptoms. In one of your posts you mentioned chest tightness. Me.... I had chest tightness and racing heart among other symptoms as a result of anxiety. I also get the venesections for haemochromatosis (I have high ferritin/iron levels) and was getting a blood test (something for the heart) at the same time for a specialist. They asked me whether I was experiencing any chest tightness. At the time I said No (because I wasn't). As I was having the venesection, I asked the doctor about the chest tightness question. It turns out that feelings I was getting with anxiety are similar to that of a heart attack. So my initial thought was that, and I said this out loud, that I would not be able to tell the difference between anxiety and a heart attack. Thankfully now I am on a medication (SNRI) that also targets anxiety as well as depression, but it took a while to get there.

I noticed that Pepper pointed you to a thread elsewhere on the forum. A couple of other threads you might want to look at to help you get back to the present moment include one on grounding and the other on mindfulness. If you use the search function that the top of the page you should be able to find these quite easily. The threads contain ideas or suggestions from lots of users describing ways of distracting yourself from the negative thoughts.

Hope this helps,

Tim

New to Anxiety

Paula_T — Sat, 15 Dec 2018 21:25:06 GMT

Hi Ryan, I am new to this forum as well, it has been around 8 years now since I have been diagnosed with GAD and I have notice that my symptoms vary considerably. The one thing that I have noticed is that I have developed a tightness in my chess over the last few years and have been told by my doctor that it is a symptom of my anxiety. It causes me to go into coughing fits every couple of hours and this has been happening for a long time. I do suffer from hay fever as well and the cough gets worse with that. Other symptoms are insomnia, constant job hopping , huge emotional stress.....the list just gets bigger and bigger. It is very helpful reading that other people suffer too.

New to Anxiety

smallwolf — Sat, 15 Dec 2018 22:26:51 GMT

Hi Paula,

Welcome to beyond blue.

How are you coping with anxiety?

If you are looking for threads on coping you might want to check out the threads on grounding and mindfulness. And if you just want a chat, head over the Cafe in the social zone. Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Tim

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 00:48:04 GMT

Thanks small wolf appreciate the time you take to respond and detail. Chest is still extremely heavy which is frustrating but is worse when I think about it (I think) .

Have a a couple more tests this week for my asthma and so forth and also my first full session with an anxiety therapist so will see if that can also assist with some more positive thinking .

thanks again

New to Anxiety

Ryan_j — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 00:52:43 GMT

Hi Paula

hooe you are well and thanks for jumping on the thread. Sorry to hear about your GAD and symptoms seems like it is more coming then we think to have these symptoms.

mine have really only been in play for about 3 years now but the chest tightness is new (about 6 months) on and off but been constant now for about 6 weeks. Impossible not to think it isn’t something more sinister than anxiety I can’t bring myself to believe the specialists docs as I simply can to breath.

The questions they ask make your answers sound ridiculous and then I feel crazy but the the fact remains I struggle to breath almost all day.

hope you feel better

Ryan

New to Anxiety

Paula_T — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 22:52:17 GMT

Hi Smallwolf, thank you so much for replying. My anxiety is getting so bad at the moment because I don't have a job and we are living off my husband's wages. I am gaining so much weight because of this disease and have stopped drinking wine, eating chocolate and have started walking for an hour a day and trying to keep focused on something other than what is going on in my mind. I hate letting my husband down and really need to get my stuff together.