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Anxiety...19 and in college...any suggestions?

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Posted 12/18/2011 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys,

I posted a couple of weeks ago about my acid reflux and now this...I'll give you the scoop.

I have been taking Zegrid OTC for 1 year and stopped taking it due to concerns over side effects that I thought it was giving me. I was feeling like crap so I told myself I needed to stop it.

Anyways, a week and a half ago, I was in class and my heart felt abnormal. I was fine until about 6 o'clock that night (have class from 9:35am to 1:30pm) I started to freak myself out because I thought I was having heart problems. I laid in bed to try and calm it down. I took my heart rate/blood pressure and the readings were perfectly normal. I was able to finally calm myself down around 9. about 1am I laid down to go to sleep and had a sudden panic attack (for some reason I can't really recall) I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest but again blood pressure. I was in and out of sleep the whole night. The whole weekend I laid in bed and just thought that maybe relaxing would help but it was still there. So I got out and was a little better. Monday, I went to see the school counselor and talked with her and everything was better. Now my problem is sleeping.

I fall asleep fine but sometimes I wake up from a dream...in that dream something bad happens and I feel like Im having a panic attack in the dream so I wake up to my heart beating and can't fall back asleep. This has happened every night since monday. Any suggestions on what to do?!?!?

Also, I saw the school doctor and was able to get some ideas from him too. He wants me to record my blood pressure 2-3 times a day until I get back from break to see if I have high blood pressure, because every time I go to the doctor my blood pressure is like crazy...140/96 or something close to that, but when Im in my apartment and I take it, its like 120/70.

Also, every once in a while my left side gets weak...arms, side, hands. Is that anxiety?

Im just here for another opinion as I want to try and stay away from medication as much as possible. Thank god I am going home for winter break in 5 days. Looking forward to that.

Im sure I left something out, if I remember, Ill post it up.

Thanks so much,

Alex
Posted 12/18/2011 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Alex,

All of this sounds very normal for anxiety symptoms (there are literally thousands of them that people have). If it keeps up you should get to a doctor. The reason for this is because when you have anxiety and you get these symptoms you start to worry that something is "really wrong" and it makes you feel worse.

Going to a doctor and having him/her tell you it is anxiety at least makes you aware that you are otherwise healthy. Oh...they will usually do some tests to make sure there is not a thyroid problem or something (don't worry, it is never a thyroid problem!)

Once you know that it's just anxiety you can begin to think differently about what makes you feel so bad. There is a bunch of stuff about it from these guys at ********* that you can read up on too.

I keep saying "don't worry" and "it's only anxiety" because I lived through it and came out the other side...and I swear you are going to live through it...never forget that.

Just to make you feel a bit better hopefully since it's a weekend, try to believe these things as much as possible.

1) Having high(er) blood pressure at the doctors office is 1000% normal, it happens to most people even if they don't have anxiety.

2) Waking up with anxiety is normal too, but it is kind of freaky the first million times....don't worry too much about it.

3) Weakness in muscles/limbs.....also really normal.

I had my entire head and face go numb one night and it lasted for DAYS! As soon as I was told that it was anxiety, the numbness went away in a few hours.

Stay cool, and if you can get a diagnosis from a Dr you will be better off because at least you will know that you aren't dying of some crazy disease (anxious people spend a LOT of time researching symptoms and comparing those symptoms to diseases and worrying that they have those diseases!)

When in doubt.....never do that! Don't look up symptoms....it really makes you feel so much worse.

Wally

*Wally, I needed to edit out your link because it appeared as if it could be an issue of a vested interest.  The rules only allow helpful links not related to profit/sales, sorry.

S.C.

Post Edited By Moderator (Scaredy Cat) : 12/17/2011 9:06:19 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/18/2011 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for the awesome information. Stuff like this really helps you out. Im glad to know that my symptoms are normal. Im going home for break and talking to my doctor back home.

Thanks again

Alex
Posted 12/18/2011 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Alex,

Great news that you will be following up with your regular pcp at home. While you are there, you might want to consider getting a referral for therapy, if the anxiety is getting to be a disruption of the quality of your life...or if it is interfering with the things that you want and need to do.

CBT in particular is helpful in treating what you are describing. I used to suffer horrible health anxiety and panic attacks, and after treatment, I am so much better...no more panic, and I can manage my anxiety with less symptoms:)

Keep posting here with us as well. It is very helpful to talk to those who know how you are feeling. We are here to help and support you!

Take care, and have a GREAT holiday homecoming!

S.C.
Posted 12/20/2011 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
i have chronic anxiety and panic attacks almost daily and still am not good at fighting everyday.i hate the way i feel daily everyone tells me i look sso nervous all the time and i am .i feel high blured vision shortness of breath shakey heart flutters head feels funny weakness in arm chest pains the feeling of dieing ect.. have hard time going out having good time its the worst thing to have to live with and i feel like its going to drive me to my grave any suggestions ?
Posted 12/20/2011 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi louanna and welcome!

I am sorry that you are feeling all of these awful symptoms right now...they sure sound familiar.

What have you tried, if anything, to get relief from this? Many of the members here have tried medication, therapy, or a combination of both to treat their anxiety.

Others have used self-help books, programs, ect. Depending on your situation and resources, you may want to look into some of these options.

We are a supportive group, who understands what you are going through, so feel free to ask questions, share and/or vent here anytime!

We look forward to getting to know you better.:)

Scaredy Cat

p.s. you are also encouraged to start a new post of introduction for yourself if you feel comfortable doing so...thay way more members can welcome you!

Posted 12/23/2011 7:51 AM (GMT 0)
My daughter has anxciety at 16. she has a Dr she sees and so far does not need meds for hers but has difficult days at school and wakes
up feeling anxious as well some school morings. She even complains of things in her mind seem to be going fast. We never knew what she meant about that till now and seeing this year be a tough one for her. She gets heart papatations and upset stomach as well. They did blood test on her as well but that was all normal
Posted 12/25/2011 6:08 AM (GMT 0)
When your heart is going fast you can regulate it by doing full body exercise for 5 minutes. It will regulate itself. Also the effects of just 30 min exercise is astounding on anxious people- you can google it. I'd recommend picking up a book such as The Anxiety Cure, and a psychologist couldn't hurt either.

These symptoms all seem very normal- though they are distressful, they probably arent dangerous,
Don't worry, you're going to make it out okay.
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