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Just diagnosed with anxiety/depression/bipolar

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Anxiety & Panic Disorders
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Posted 8/15/2013 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
This may be a little jumbled so please bear with me.
I've always had anxiety symptoms. Probably since fourth or fifth grade.
They made things difficult but growing up I just thought everyone felt this way.
I'm now nineteen and about six weeks ago I had my first panic attack.
I couldn't breathe, my heart was pounding, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
I went to a walk in clinic the next day and he prescribed me Xanax until I could find a permanent physician.
She prescribed me Lexapro which I took for a few days but it just made my life unbearable.
I just went back and she said I need to see a psychiatrist, but that won't happen for a few weeks.
Everything is just really hard to do right now.
I feel okay for a few days and randomly for no reason I'll feel like I miss a breath and my breathing goes out of beat.
Or I suddenly become aware of my heart beat which makes me go into an attack.
This leads to hours of being unable to relax. It leads to crying. And being unable to get anything done.
After these hours of misery, I'm left weak and tired.
I'm so scared any little thing will set off these feelings. I can't eat for a couple days at a time. I can't sleep for more than a few hours.
I just really don't know what to do at this point.
Posted 8/15/2013 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Amy,

I'm so sorry to hear you are having a hard time, but you have definitely come to the right place! The first panic attack can be a doozy, but it is good you realized what was going on and were able to get in to see a Doc, and a therapist is a great idea. I had a hard time with meds also and ended up not taking them although sometimes its a trial and error to find a medication that you can tolerate and will help. There are tons of amazing people here who can lend an ear or offer good advice or words of encouragement and it is so good to have a place to go where people 'get you'. Stay strong and do some deep breathing, meditation, distracting yourself (games, movies, reading, cleaning) or exercise if you can, they can really help to get calmed down.

One thing a past therapist told me that has really stuck with me is that "if you've already been checked out by a doc and had testing done for any other possible reason then the crappy way you feel is due to anxiety, so... you just gotta do what you gotta do to get by and know that it's just the anxiety talking. Eat healthy (even if you feel pukey), breathe deeply (even if you feel like you cant breathe right), exercise (even if you feel like crap) and most importantly... Be gentle with yourself"
I'm also a big fan of chamomile tea and saltines (I get nauseous alot)

I hope you feel better and my thoughts are with you, You can make it through this <3
Posted 8/15/2013 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much,
I have started walking a lot. That is really the only thing that calms me down and keeps me from a full blown attack.
The first thing I did while seeing the doctor was get a physical because I figured if I find out that there is really nothing else wrong it will help. And it did. Knowing it was really the anxiety and depression talking made it easier to calm myself down and talk/breathe myself out of it.
Games really do help a lot.
After the first one I found that apple sauce worked pretty well. It's just hard to force myself to eat.
Also, a lot of it is that my former favorite things can set it off. So I've stopped those for now. Until I'm more stable.
The fact that you replied helps a lot. Knowing other people understand.
Thank you <3
Posted 8/15/2013 5:33 AM (GMT 0)
Amy, your home, everyone on this Forum knows and understands, Kitt and Scardy Cat will be coming
by and they have some fantastic resources on this forum, they will also make suggestions that will help.
You will be ok, theres a boat load of us, Find Peace

Larry ***
Posted 8/15/2013 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
I am 19 as well and am going what you are going through. Sorry you are having attacks. We all know what that is like. As far as a permeant meds it would be best to ask your doctor what they think is best. Xanax is good but won't last forever . I try to take mine sparingly . I overcame my fear and am now taking effexor for my anxiety. I heard the drug is a last resort and gets people to feel better when they don't feel better from normal meds like celexa for anxiety / depression . I tried buspar and celexa at first. Celexa was awful making my chest achy and sore. I am hoping effexor is my miracle drug and hope,it works. It's day 3 for me. I will be glad to help on Any way possible
Posted 8/15/2013 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
Amy, Hello and I have to share with you I love your name as I have a granddaughter named Amy - she turns twenty tomorrow.

Anticipatory anxiety is probably the one anxiety I have to deal with the most.  I always fear the worse and in the end what ever I was worrying about usually is not near as bad as all the built up fear and stress I put myself through.

Anticipatory Anxiety is the anxiety that we experience in anticipation of exposure to our frightening triggers. Your triggers appear to be missing a breath or noting irregular heartbeat. And as with most everything with which we deal, there's no "miracle cure." However, if you truly want to kick anticipatory anxiety to the curb there are strategies that can help you pull it off.

By leaning and practicing relaxation techniques, you will be able to reduce your level of anticipatory anxiety. You may even be able to defuse a panic attack in the making. Some techniques that may be helpful include: The next time you're feeling  you’re feeling anxious try these simple relaxation technique:

Deep Breathing

1. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Your abdomen should expand, and your chest should rise very little.

2. Exhale slowly through your mouth. As you blow air out, purse your lips slightly, but keep your jaw relaxed. You may hear a soft “whooshing” sound as you exhale.

3. Repeat this breathing exercise for several minutes.

You can perform this exercise as often as needed. It can be done standing up, sitting down or lying down.

Also check out the resources in the first thread at the top of the page as you will find a lot of helpful info especially re CBT therapy.

Hope you will continue to talk with us here in the forum.

Kindly,

Kitt

 

 

Posted 8/16/2013 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
Amy

Welcome to the club, sorry its not a club you probably wanted to join. Here's some words of advice from my journey so far from somebody's who has a similar life long struggle with anxiety before. Lately I'm doing really really well.

1> Something set off your panic attack, identify what it what. Half the battle is knowing and addressing the problem. I was scared of death, of the discontinuation of consciousness of being out of control.

2> OK now that you have been diagnosed, you're going to want to know everything about anxiety...I recommend avoiding the instinctual desire to go research about it, if you do go the library or talk to your psychiatrist or doctor. Don't go Googling stuff, it will seriously mess you up!

3> That's because the more its on your mind, the worse its going to get. The more its not on your mind the easier it is for your body to recover from it. And you don't need to do much, your body knows how to handle recovery itself.

Go to therapy, follow up on the meds, but I recommend most of all don't let this topic of anxiety/depression/bipolar become your focus every day. We have other thing to worry about that are worth more of our time than this.

Go about living your life - even shaking in your boots or panicked and thinking you are dying...guess what it's just anxiety. I hope you won't put too much thought on it, just accept it and move along without dwelling on it so much. If you do, well you might be getting worse and worse. So, stay calm and keep moving.

Joshua
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