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Posted 8/27/2013 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all! I just sign up on this forum last night.
I too have been battling anxiety/panic since the 80's. Been taking meds, with great luck, since '88.
BUT, it seems that things for me over the last year or so have been getting worse.
Don't know if it is the new generic meds or something else.
Well, I just wanted to take this time to introduce myself and my situation. I guess we can get into details later. I'm sure that I have a lot of experience answers for others as well.
Rich
Posted 8/27/2013 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Rich and welcome!

We are glad that you have joined us...and yes, I am sure that you will be able to both give and receive great support here.:)

I am sorry that your meds are not benefitting you to the fullest currently. There are several possible reasons for this...from a med 'poop out' (medical term, lol!) to just a random bump in anxiety...to letting up of our coping mencanisms, ect...

Have you had a chance to talk with your prescribing doctor about this?

We have a great Resource section here (main page, 1st post) that you may want to take a look at. You may find some new tools to add to your arsenal. The breathing, relaxation and meditation links are great.:) You will also find other self-helps such as informative articles, on-line therapy options and book recommendations.

Keep posting with us. We have a great and supportive group here, always available to understand, care and listen.

Looking forward to getting to know you better.

Scaredy Cat
Posted 8/27/2013 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Rich

A big welcome to the forum I am glad you have found this but sorry to hear your anxiety is not the best at the moment. Have you ever looked into doing any talking therapies such as CBT or Mindfulness? These along with medication work well in helping you to deal with your symptoms.

You will find good support here so keep posting we are here to help.

Hibee
Posted 8/27/2013 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Scaredy Cat and thanks for the welcome!

Unfortunately, the prescribing doc is retired now.
I will take a look at the Resource section for sure.

Med "poop out"? Meaning my dose is inadequate or junk generics?

I think it may be a combo of things. One thing that I know for sure is that I pay WAY to much attention to how I feel and every little ache and pain! Not good for people with our issue!
Posted 8/27/2013 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
And Hi to you too, Hibee.
Actually I have never heard of CBT or Mindfulness.
I did try hypnoses in the 80's. Didn't work!
The thing with me is that when I start to feel crummy, I am done for the day. It seems like the new norm for me. Like I am regressing.
Posted 8/27/2013 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HealingWell.

 

Many of us with anxiety become hypervigilant to the normal processes of our bodies. We are often dx with health anxiety or known as health worriers.

Health worriers may be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression, or a number of other illnesses, but their condition is really better defined by the mistaken ideas they have about how and why people get sick.

Similarly, they have Bad Ideas about drugs, doctors, and other related matters. Bad Ideas are incorrect, but self-confirming, prejudices which lead people to behave in ways that worsen their fears. Treatment is directed to changing these behaviors so that health worriers can see the world and themselves more accurately.

This kind of treatment is called cognitive-behavioral, or exposure therapy. The underlying principle is confrontation. It is necessary to confront one’s fears in order to overcome them.  This will take hard work on your behalf but if you stick to it you should be able to learn how to kick your anxiety to the curb.

When I start to feel anxious and the "what if?" thoughts pop into my mind I will start my day over ............sometimes it will take 2-3 tries before I can lose the fearful thoughts and settle into my daily routine. Does not matter when the anxiety tries to take over as it may be I have to start my evening over. :-)

Keep on talking with us here in the forum and know we are here to support you.

 

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 8/27/2013 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
If the original prescribing doctor is no longer practicing...then just talking to you current health care provider is fine.

No one really knows why (or when) a previously helpful med just ceases to work...but talking with your doctor should help you to find the right direction whether it is increasing dosage, or a new Rx option.

If you feel like your anxiety is focused primarily on physical symptoms, then you may want to paricularly look at the books on health anxiety that we have in the Resources...they are great!

Talk to you soon,

S.C.
Posted 8/27/2013 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kit and S.C.
I did check out the resources. There is tons of info there!! Too bad that I'm at work at the moment and can't get too deep into all of the info!
You nailed it S.C. My anxiety is and always has been focused on physical symptoms.
I never feel 100%. I get the whole deal. Shoulder blade pain, tight chest, slight nausia, shortness of breath (passed pulminay test easily)under very little excersise, and most of all the disconnected (fuzzy, cartoonish)feeling. And this lasts all day if I wake up feeling crappy or the duration of the day.
Ugh! The disconnected feeling is almost the norm for me. I gauge it on how bad it is.
Posted 8/28/2013 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Definitely try the breathing exercises...as your symptoms sound like they could have to do with hyperventilation. When anxious, we are often unaware that we are shallow/rapid breathing...which then can cause those foggy/dizzy/disconnected feelings.

The PGR (progressive muscle relaxation) should help with the aches and pains.

Try to practice for 10 min 3x a day and see how you feel.:)

S.C.
Posted 8/28/2013 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks S.C. will do on the PGR.
As far as breathing. It seems like I am always paying attention to my breathing to mack sure that I am not hyperventilating.
The feeling that I have is more like that dreaded hangover feeling(and I rarely drink these days!)or that feeling you get when you over sleep. It's really hard to explain, even to the Doc.
Posted 8/28/2013 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Richaf,

Welcome. I have some symptoms like yourself. Like you, shortness of breath with just a little exertion. Sometimes just talking a lot will wear me out and give me a heavy feeling in my chest. I'll have to shut up and take some time to recover.

I saw a pulmonologist and he ordered some pulmonary function tests. I passed. It's not my lungs. I've done other tests too (cardiac stuff, and some GERD/reflux type tests) which suggest normal function.

Doesn't it kinda suck when you want to point the finger at something and try to find a cause...and your test results come back normal. That is supposed to be good news, NORMAL!, yet, for me it's almost like a disappointment that I didn't find something wrong. I guess that is the trap. Trying to find something wrong. Whereas I should feel relieved that I didn't!

I do hope that working with your current physician, you can find new medications that will work for you, if your old ones are not working any more. Or find other treatments like CBT. (Personally, haven't done the CBT route yet. We'll see.)

Best, and feel better!

Ruhr
Posted 8/28/2013 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Ruhr,

You are correct. It is sad that you get all these tests hoping that the doctor will find the root of the issue and you are disappointed to hear that you are physically fine and fit! To most people that would seem very strange. I mean it reads strange to me and I live it!
Sometimes just walking across a room or getting out of bed, bathroom, back to bed. Breathing heavy! Weird stuff.
I haven't done CBT either. Never heard of it until now and back in the day I was seeing a shrink for years. I guess he wanted to push meds, huh?
Actually I'm getting a lot of feedback that is new to me here.

Thanks for sharing and feel better as well.

Rich
Posted 8/28/2013 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
And here I thought, as I typed in a previous post, that I knew what I was doing when it came to breathing until I watched the breathing excercise vid in the resources. I've always taken my deep breaths with chest only and actually suckung in my gut! Now, breathing the correct way, gut and all, I feel a big fifference in the amount of air I can bring in.
This may be the start of something good!
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