New to Anxiety!

[Ready1]

HI, I am a 35 year old male and had what I thought was my first full blown panic attack a week and a half ago.  I ended up in the ER and did bloods, Chest X-Ray and ECG and all came back clear.  Since leaving the next morning I have felt extremely flat and cant get the fear that I am about to have another out of my mind.  My doc prescribed some meds to help me sleep but really hasnt worked - I feel tired in the mornings and a little "hazy" for most of the day.

One thing that I have found weird is that when I am tired since then I get a sort of pins and needles feeling in my face and left arm - of course I tell myself its something more sinister and around it goes again!  I can keep active, I still play Aussie Rules footy and have no issues when I am playing.  Has anyone else had feelings like this?

While in the hospital the nurse sat with me and we worked out I have probably had this ongoing for some time and it s kind of like it has hit its peak and I am struggling to get right from here.

Any advice from any out there would be most welcome!

Thanks in advance!

[Ready1]

Hi Camrin - I appreciate your reply, personally I have been seeing a therapist for about 8 weeks now and have noticed some real improvement. One thing she had said to me is watch a youtube video on what actually happens to my body when I get anxious or stressed out - the link escapes me right now but the video I watched showed a guy nearly get hit by a car and then another guy describes chemically whats going on inside his body right there and then - for me fact seems to help and when I watch this video I somehow feel comfort again.  I will find the link and post it in the next day or so but it explains why I get the pins and needles, muscle twitches, tight chest etc and its not because I have some terrible disease or having a heart attack but it is just my anxiety. 

I have good days and bad days but the bad lately has been less!  Hope things start to get better for you.

[simmobc]

Hi Ready1,

I suffer from health anxiety too, frustrating and as you know, it can be quite debilitating from an every day perspective. The human brain is very powerful! I had an episode earlier in the year but have since recovered, I got mentally stronger each time too.

Pins and needles? very frustrating and quite scary isn't it? I've lost count of the number of times I've thought that it could be MS or something similar. I'm sure you are the same but when I have a prolonged episode of anxiety, I am absolutely buggered in the mornings, it really takes it out of you.

For me, exercise, music and a funny movie soothes my anxiety in times of need, I hope you also find your comfort during these times. I also find that telling a friend that you are struggling with anxiety helps, it helps me anyway. 

Health anxiety is hard to explain to people that don't suffer from it. I've lost count of the times a family member has told me "you are not sick and there is nothing wrong with you, snap out of it". I know they think that they mean well but damn frustrating at the time!

All the best.

[just_let_go]

Hey Ready1

Well done on making it though a bad panic attack, it's pretty frightening when you're not sure what's happening and why. 

You are definitely not alone. I had my first really bad one a while back, and I had a kind of "Panic attack hangover" For a few days after. I was constantly fearing that any form of anxiety I felt was another attack coming on. 

Something that might help comfort and null that fear is learning as much about panic attacks as you can. I found that reading about coping strategies really helped me. I have had panic attacks since, but they aren't as bad because I know how to handle them and know what stages I'm going through as it happens, and know it will all be over soon.  

Hope you are doing ok.

[AGrace]

Hi ty,

Just wanted to welcome you to the forums. It's great to see that you are already involving yourself in discussions.

That's some pretty good advice you have given. I'm glad that you have found some helpful strategies to better manage the anxiety and panic.

AGrace

[just_let_go]

Hi Grace!

Believe it or not you already know me!

I just changed my name haha, but thank you anyway 🙂

(manipulator) 

[AGrace]

Well, well, well...I like the name change, now I know why you were good at giving advice:D

Thanks for clarifying Ty.

[Ready1]

Hi Simmobc - yep it is really frustrating when someone has said to me you are fine move on etc - I don't feel fine - in fact currently haven't felt much worse in my life before.  I have been worse since I had my first large panic attack but when all that was happening it was so real - to me!  The health anxiety side of things has been with me for as long as I can remember, the smallest things has been a catastrophe in my head and unless your in my head its so hard to explain why - in fact if I tried to explain I hear myself and sound stupid.

For me its not just health, I seem to worry about everything, even on good says when I realise I am having a good day I stop and seem to tell myself "I should be worrying about something right now" so then I start to worry about not worrying.  Personally when I sit back and think about my past I have been this way for a very long time its just taken me so long to notice.  Anxiety is so tiring, kind of over it but on a path to fix it and so far have continued medication free which is my aim.  Not that I am anti-medication as such I just want to work out why I have become who I am right now because it is not me, well the me I was anyway.

For so long I have always been the one that friends and family would consider stable, I have been the person in the group who would always have a smile and have been told that this is infectious and lifts a group, this is currently missing and I am finding it difficult to maintain a front when I am struggling.  

I get really annoyed with myself because I have a great wife and two beautiful kids that I should consider myself lucky that they/we are all actually healthy but I cant get stupid thoughts out of my head - they become consuming and I start the cycle again.

thanks again for all that have taken the time to read and comment it has been a massive help for me and I always feel better for it!

[Ready1]

Hi - been a few months since my last post, been doing ok been going to therapy and have recently started on medication - this was against my own personal opinion but after 8 sessions I was no better than when I first walked in and knew that maybe I needed a little more help - it was starting to affect my family. Been on mess for two weeks now and not feelin the greatest - been getting headaches and not noticing the difference but have been told this will pass and will hopefully notice changes on the third or forth week.  The headaches I attribute to the anxiety more so anyway, they have been there when I get at my most anxious, kind of like I have been wearing a tight hat all day and just above my temples, been a pain in the butt but I am dealing!

[Black_cat_]

Hi, I am so thamkful for this page as I've been seeking for someone to chat. I'm new to this and just realised what's been happening to me is anxiety. Oh boy, it's very scary of how it can just takes over your life. I have been feeling like I'm losing my mind. Sometimes I would be going some where to do something and totally forget what I was going to do. I would be driving some where and I perfectly know the way, but end up driving around like I'm lost looking for the place that I have been to thousand times before. I have just given birth to my fifth child two months ago and I feel hopeless all the time now. I still do things like care for my children and daily routine are fine but I get really exhausted and alwaysin tears.

I have lots of support but it seem not enough. I never thought that I would ever feel like this ever, but it's uncontrollable. Sometimes I just don't want to do anything and would isolate myself. Yes, it does take over my everything. Right now I don't know what to do as I'm so angry and in tears, feeling alone and just want to get lost. Guess it can drive us to death!!!

[Ready1]

Hi Black Cat - sorry I hadn't replied to your post earlier - I have been away with work and had no net access.  One thing that I have learnt this past 7 months is that even though its feels as though you are alone - you are not.  I reached out here because I find it hard to discuss this all with my wife - she lacks empathy and openly says she doesn't get what goes on in my head.  Going to a psychologist has been a massive help and staring on the medication now hasn't changed anything yet but I am only just three weeks in and have been told that these take a while to start to take full effect.

 Sometimes I find just posting how I am going on here helps me - I dont even care if anyone replies, If you have the support, harness it, trust me it can be tough when you feel as though you need to just "get over it".  Good luck and post on here whenever you like I will always reply and am interested to see how you are coping.