Scared, has anyone else felt like this?

Panike,

How long have you been suffering from anxiety? I am hoping this is something I can get under control. It's scary to think that it might be a life long battle!

I have never ever gotten heart palpitations from Valium and I have been on them for many many yrs........
Usually waking with a headache is STRESS headache .........

I would talk to your doc and see what he has to say he might change you to Ativan or something else
How many mgs of Valium are you on..........I just have never heard of them giving you palps before BUT that doesnt mean they cant ..........

Let us know how you make out and what MGs of Valium you take
Maybe if you break them in half and take only half at first .......I am not sure
Hoping someone will have an idea

LYN

Hi Lalala, I just read your posts, and to be honest, it mad me feel better with my anxiety this morning. Just knowing someone else has the same symptoms as me helps. I get the shortness of breath all the time, and have to yawn to breath. I get a headache from this, and even when I feel im breathing better, the headache is still there. I get very bad palpatations in my chest, and I had a stress test, echo, and wore a halter for a day. Guess what!!!!, not one palp while i was wearing the halter, not one!!! I tried everything to get me into a panic mode, just so the monitor would pick it up, but nothing.... They said it was all ok. I just still feel like they missed something. I am supposed to take zoloft, but im too chicken. I will start soon, but only on the weekend, just to make sure my husband is here in case something happends. I can also say I will only take half of the 25 mg I was prescribed. Once I do ok, I will consider moving up a dose, like my dr suggested. Anyway, all my test came back ok, but i still feel like they missed sometyhing, and that will never change in me, so you are not alone in that. As for the sleep apnea, I think I may have this too, I have never been tested for it,.....yet, but I think I sleep better, and breath better with my head elevated, like on my couch. I just can not go to sleep with my head on a flat pillow. Take care.  Ps. I almost flipped out doing the stress test, which  was a easy test, but they said my o2 was good and going up, bp was fine and they wanted me to walk longer, but I just couldn't do it.

Ha LaLa!!! I haven't heard from you.I was just wondering how things were coming along!!! I hope your'e doing ok baby girl!! I'm hanging in there!!! Taking it one day at a time as usual.Did the heart palpitations get any better? I hope so!!! Please keep me informed on your progress!!!!! Hoping to hear from you soon. PANI-KE

Great!!!! im glad you are starting to feel better LaLa!!!!! I've taken lexapro before too a while back!!! Dont remember why I stopped taking it, but i think it did help me some. It is amazing what meds along with strong will can do.You were asking me how long id been battling panic attacks,it's been about 10 or 11 years now. But all the years were not really bad, I had some better days than others and i have to admit i have had some awesome days where i felt almost symtom free. You know i think it's different for everybody.Hopefully you will be one of those people that will do extremely well on meds and have little or no symtoms!!! Thank you for confiding in us so that we could help you. I noticed in your thread you mentioned a fiance. Do i hear wedding bells soon!!!! (lol) When is the big day? I hope he is a great person that will help you with any struggles you may have along the way!!! keep me posted lala and continue to fight!!!! ((((((((((big hugs)))))))))

Hi lalala,

Congratulations on your up and coming wedding.  Sounds like you have a great and supportive guy.  It doesn't fix anything, but having that support sure helps.  I love that you keep sharing how you are doing.  I haven't been here long but the love and support is invaluable.

Sorry I haven't answered---I had to be away from my computer for a few days.  Back now---MVP is a "structural but not life-threatening defect of the heart"  Actually, the heart valve.  I was diagnosed about 40 years ago and didn't know much about it for years---when I finally got some information, it helped a little, but I still spent HOURS in the ER.  I finally got a good book on the subject and I keep it very close so that when I get scared (even after a gazillion tests)  I feel more calm.  I am going to just tell you some of the symptoms of MVP and if it's ok I can post the name of the book---is it?  Actually, the list is for MVP/Dysautonomia.  Are you ready?  Nervous system imbalance, Rapid heart beat, Palpatations, chest pain, fatigue, headaches, IBS, GERD, dizziness, Fibromyalgia, Anxiety/Panic attacks, mood swings, sleep disorders, PMS, Shortness of breath, TMJ, numbness or tingling, weakness----and a few more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have probably all but 4 symptoms myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  One of the weird things is that sometimes it doesnt show up on the Echocardiogram---if had that happen a couple of time and then it does---go figure.  But ask your Doc if you can at least have that test and see if anything comes up.  There is not a cure, but the book has lots of suggestions: much water, a heart healthy diet, no alcohol, sugar or caffine.  Lots of support an understanding doc and family and friends.  Meds for heart palps.  Nothing that we don't already know and do though. 

Just went for intake to see pdoc and have appt. 2/21.  I am a little scared to take meds beacuse of the side effects ---but I keep reading that many of you are brave enough or desperate enough to go through all of the emotional pain/time/money to find the right drug.  And, I keep reading that many of you are finding some relief.  So, I am going to try it.  My big bouts with anxeity come and go----but overall it does effect the quality of my life.  Thanks all for your support of each other---it feels just like a big meeting.

I woke up today feeling queasy---not like I'm going to throw up or anything, just icky.  Is that anxiety too.  I can't imagine why I would wake up like that.  I get scared that ther is something going on in my stomach and it's not being found.  Well, if anyone has had that I'd appreciate a a "yea me too" I feel so blessed to have this in my life now.  Thanks to you all.  Oops sorry I took up so much space---

regarding the posts I have just read,  ia have switched medications nearly yearly to control the sysmptoms of my Panic and Anxiety.  I had just had my newest psych, tell me that the Meds to control this brain malfunction ware out.  Sometimes the meds ware out in a couple of months sometimes they take years.  Mine I have found have been, as I have said, just about yearly.  Here is the good news. Unlike Antibiotics where our symptoms can develop a resistance and immunity to there functioning and healing qualities, these innhibitors that block our misfiring nerve responces are not like that.  We can leave a Lexapro, or a Syrtraline, waht have you for 6 months or so sart it up again and our body does not rmemeber that it quit working for us before.   The work comes into play switching medications with such short half lives, that we have to deal with the withdrawl of one drug to the next.  My worst ever was coming off of Paxil and onto Lexapro.  I had followed the advice of my doctor and decresed dosage for a week before accepting full dose of lexapro.  It was debilitating, missed some work, my wife was not having a good week with me, all the same old stories we experience, but, aftter the week, I felt normal again.  I try not to think about the length of time a med will continue to work.  I had the new Psych. tell me that the minute I start to feel weird or not right,  I call and he will change up the recipe and we will get it right again.  I am stubborn, and like to solve all problems I incounter on my own, I now and accepting that this behavior willnot work with this medical affliction.

THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN THE IMPENDING FEELING OF DOOM, AND THE HELPLESSNESS THAT FOLLOWS.  Dont be stubborn get checked out, do research find a DR. THAT WILL WORK FOR YOU,  YOU ARE HIS/HER CUSTOMER.

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Lalala, I have health anxiety too and am the queen of heart palpitations. I haven been checked out for them 2x over the past 8 years--told both times that everything was normal and that everyone experiences irregularities that have to be ignored. 2007 was a stressful year for me--I hadn't had palpitations in a few years (!) and they came back in full force--for awhile everytime I even thought of something stressful or umpleasant my heart would start to pound or palpitate and I couldn't go to bed at night without taking 2 Tylenol PMs. I don't know if having them made me feel more anxious or feeling more anxious made me have them, but I have worked myself up into quite a few panic attacks over the last 9 mo. I also for the first time since high school (I am 35) developed shortness of breath and a feeling that someone was standing on my chest--general tightness. At first I thought I must need an inhaler, as if I had asthma. To be honest, the only thing that helped me was running 1/2 hour everyday and I felt a huge improvement. I am going to the dr. in a week about a bunch of things and will mention all this to her, but I know deep down that the palpitations and shortness of breath are due to anxiety. What I want to say is try not to worry, get your mind on something else, anything nice and enjoyable, and remember that there are people experiencing the same symptoms (you are not alone), and they are most likely harmless. Take care, Tessel

My counselor suggested I buy the Anxiety & Phobia workbook and it is loaded with good advice and things to do to lessen anxiety and Panic attacks. I have started to read it and have high hopes that it will help.
Hang in there, you're coming to the right people! I have a lot of the same symptoms as you and I have high hopes of leading a better life!

I do have another dr. other than the one that I am working for although he sees me for free and is a really great dr. as well!!! The reason I haven't gone to my PCP is simply because I am waiting for my insurance to clear and I am already paying out of pocket for all of my medications so I need to wait.

I have found with the medication I still have shortness of breath, I am just less aware of it. Hopefully it will go away soon and I will be fine

Hi lala!!! It seems like you get alot of attention on this forum!!!(lol) I am glad to hear that you are trying to get to the root of your problem. I guess I keep reaching out to you because you sound exactly how i was when i first started having p/a. I had so many hospital bills and still do from getting checked out in the ER for various symtoms that all seemed to pan out to be p/a. And like you in the beginning i would always have them at night!!!!! I would wake up sweating,dizzy,nausea,and shortness of breath,everytime i felt a new symtom or even old symtom i would panic and think that i had some kind of life threatning disease! And no matter what people told me i wasnt satisfied until i went to the dr. Sometimes i wasnt even satisfied then, in fear that they may have missed something. I hope you dont feel bad about the frequent trips to the hospital although i did. There is nothing to be ashamed of keep going until you feel comfortable that your ok.Eventually after you experience the same things over and over again you will learn to reconize that its just your P/a acting up!!! thats where im at now. I can tell when its p/a so i just take one of my meds that work instantly like xanax or ativan etc. and try to relax.Allthough i have had days that even when i take meds i still feel bad and thats when even a old veteran in this like me,even have to go to the ER.(lol) BE GOOD GIRLIE!!!! KEEP ME POSTED DOLL! YOUR FRIEND PANI-KE!!!

OH YEAH and lala i too had problems on lexapro.Seemed like it made me have more panic attacks and shortness of breath,but keep taking it because it may get better!!! pani-ke

Hey everyone!

Sorry I have been MIA lately, I have been so busy with work and everything. My anxiety has seemed to be better but I am still yawning all the time to get a deep breath, having headaches (although today is the first day in a while I don't have one!! , but my breathing is bad! :-()

Anyway, now I'm wondering if my anxiety about my health is getting better, but there may actually still be something wrong with me. It is always worse when I lay down at night, and I am scared to start exercising again because it always made it worse too. Any thoughts?