New To Anxiety

Hi everyone, I am new to Anxiety.
Maybe not so new as I guess I have always been a bit of a nail-biter. Basically over the past year, I have had two major episodes where I have passed out in public and been whisked away by ambulance, only to find that my 34 year old body is doing just fine and no medical cause outside of some slight dehydration and low potassium. Other times I have gone into the walk in clinic due to a major pressure in my chest that felt like someone was sitting on me and felt it hard to breathe and that there was a fluttery feeling. But most recently, I have had a headache that has lasted for three months, daily, regularly, that pretty much immobilizes me to the couch or the bed with an ice pack for relief. After Dr. visits and testings only to find slight anemia and a small disc issue in my neck, the doctors have put me on Celexa and ativan. They say its all in my head and that all my symptoms are from anxiety. Its tough for me to really understand that these manifestations can and are possible to be from anxiety? I own my own company, generate great relationships with clients and friends, and yet here I am unable to function due to my own internal headgames. I am a big control freak so this is a very sobering and humbling experience to say the least. I am just starting to take the Celexa and Ativan as needed, also taking neurontin and flexerall for my headaches and neckpains. I have come to a conclusion and hope it works as I have been told all i need is some symptom free months to cure the anxiety and then i can go back to a normal life. Hope that statement is true and if not, then I hope I am able to deal with the drugs because so far, I don't enjoy the pills and the feeling of confusion and off-ness I get from taking them.

Hi AngelLisa,
Not harsh at all and thanks for your response. I have been so frustrated myself with the doctors and their blow off attitude toward what I am dealing with. I even overheard a doctors assistant say," here's the guy with the headaches again, we need to be stern with him and get him out the door" Like I want to be at the doctors office with the worlds worst headaches!!! It makes me laugh and yes, I did fire that GP.

My new GP prescribed the Celexa and Ativan. The Neurologist prescribed the neurontin and my old GP gave me the flexerall for the neck issues. I know anxiety is not just in my head but its in my chemistry (I have done a little but not enough research) and I did not want to be mean by stating my post, just honest in how people have been dealing with me and my experience to start off this new journey I am on. The neurologist I saw basically said that I am fine, she hit my knee with a hammer looking instrument, hit my elbows, I stood up and she made me touch my nose with both hands and then walk 3 steps in a 10x10 exam room. Pretty thorough stuff. She let me pick which drug to take for the headaches. I laughed like I would have a clue which to take?.


All said, I have had multiple CT head scans for the headaches, nothing. Multiple Blood tests and urine tests. Slight anemia, which my GP said could be from stress and anxiety.
EKG and stress tests as well as cardio work up and halter monitor. Nothing in the heart except a slight valve blowback thing that I guess is common.

With the headaches i get neck pain and sometimes a burning sensation up my jugular vein. Most of the time the burning is on one side or the other typically corresponding with the side of the headache. My chest at times feel pressured and full and even I have had stomach cramping and a fast heart rate. One time I past out, when they got me up I kept thinking I was going to die and must say i was in a full Panic Attack that time. At the hospital they had to give me Nitro because my attack i guess was so bad my heart was in a weird rythm and they kept me overnight for observation to make sure that it would not come back. That was about 8 months ago. The headaches started mid to end of February.

I will look up CBT and Mindfulness therapy and see if there is anyone in my area who does that. I think that would be my next step as I have at least a few weeks before the meds kick in and I can see if they help with my symptoms and quality of life.

Nammy hi and welcome. My first anxiety attack happend 7 years ago. And I have had bad days ,weeks and good days to but it is something you have to work with. Everyone has some kind of anxiety. Ours is just out of shape if I can put it that way. I have tried to beat it and think I have it gone and then there it is agin. Not saying you can't get it under control but just don't wont you to think you got it and it brings you down agin. The best thing I have done is turned it over to GOD and he lead me to this sight and it has helped me a lot. These people do no what they are talking about. But what I have learnd the one that helps you today may need a word from you to bring them up tomarrow. I have been on hear about two months and it is the best I have felt In a long time.
Phil 4:13 / I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.





All glory to GOD

Thanks Hibee and pee berry. I do feel like this is a good support community.

Hi

Pleased to hear you are finding good support here.

Have you ever had a stress test? Do you feel stressed? The reason I ask is that one of the main symptoms of stress is a long standing headache. My brother was really stressed through his work and had a constant headache he ended up taking some time off work and the headache completely went.

Hibee

Hi

Thanks for the update I am pleased you are starting to see some progress stick with it and the side effects should decrease as your body gets used to the medication.

Hibee