Anxiety/Panic/Worry/Stress/Depression You Name it - I Got it.

Hello everyone I am new to this post. I can relate to everyone here that has these panic attacks/anxiety that last more than 10 minutes.

Mine actually last all day long. I get scared cause I am having an attack to begin with then I suppose my mind goes racing more at the fear of having a heart attack or whatever and makes the anxiety last all day. I will be afraid of being too far away from medical help. My chest will hurt all day, my left arm hurts all day, my head hurts all day, nausiated all day, edgy all day, racing heart all day, numbness & tingling all day etc etc..... I started having this 4 years ago and was put on Zoloft which I called the wonder drug as it made me a different person. My doctor gave it to me for free and then he transfered to another state and I couldn't afford it so I had to get off. I was on it for a year. I was okay for awhile since I had the drug in my system from taking it for a year. Then I met my husband now-boyfriend at the time (2004). The attacks & anxiety started coming back. Got back on Zoloft. Didn't work anymore. Got on Wellbutrin. Didn't work for depression or even my smoking which my husband hates. But I smoke more when I have these atacks, stress, anxiety and etc but he doesn't understand. Plus not that easy to quit when you have been smoking for 20 years. Doctor gave me Lorazepam. Helped but only short lived and when I took about 3 in a days time when I was only prescribed one 25 mg a day. Now yesterday I went back to the Doc told him I have got to do something. This is getting to me and my marriage. Now he has started me on Paxil. Hoping it works. Still has me on Lorazepam but only when I have an attack and no more than 2 pills a day. All day yesterday I had anxiety and the panic attack. Worse at night trying to go to sleep and worse cause I hate telling my husband since he don't understand and then I get more anxiety and stress and worry. This morning still feel chest discomfort, arm pain, headache, dizzy and nausea. feel like I am going crazy. Afraid I am going to die. Always checking my pulse and blood pressure as I have high blood pressure and on medicine for it. has anyone taken Paxil before? Does it help? Any self help ways to deal with this problem? Thanks for reading my post.........Cypressleidy

I am going through the anxiety and panic and stress and am having a very difficult time of coping. I have literally made myself sick, am having constant tightness in my upper abdomen and sides and bad back and side spasms and throbbing that I cannot get rid of very quickly. I get up every morning this way. I stay a big knot in my stomach to the point where I am experiencing stinging sensations constantly. Is anyone else having these stinging sensations? I am going on vacation in 3 weeks and need to get over this before we leave or we will not have a very good vacation I'm afraid. I cannot relax at all. I am fearful of these feelings and when I am calmer I do not have these symptoms but when my mind starts racing and I start being scared of whether I've got something major wrong health wise I get worked up and start belching constantly, like right now. Any suggestions to help me get over this permanently will be appreciated. I constantly sit slumped over at my desk at work and my upper abdomen is constantly drawn in and tight. Need help and suggestions please.  

Hello cypressleidy
Welcome to Healing Well and the A & P forum. We are a group of members that know where your coming from and what your going through.

I have not used the meds you mention but I have been taking meds for 24 years for the disorder so please try not to be frightened.

You may want to look into CBT therapy as I have read many posts by our members have learned this way of rethinking your thoughts. It takes hard work and lots of practice.

There is an online site that is free if you cannot get to a therapist. Here is the link http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/


I know that going over and over something in my mind after it's happened doesn't do any good. It just makes it worse. I can actually inflate an event after the fact and then it causes me more anxiety than the actual event did. Try to stay in the moment and let the past be, don't let in anxious thoughts or worry about what is wrong with you. Always see you physician if you feel you have a physical problem that is not anxiety.

Take care and stay with us...........................(((((HUGS))))))

Oh yeah, i've totally been there too. It's not a fun place to be, but know that you are not losing the battle. Maybe even try and let go of that mentality a little bit, and not think of it as a battle per-say. I think if you maybe try to put a different spin on it, that its not a fight, it might help relieve some of the symptoms. Allowing it to just happen or even inviting it to happen (as crazy as that sounds) see to help a bit. When i was having my attack this morning i say to myself " I'm having a panic attack, nothing bad is going to happen to me, the way i feel is ok to feel." I keep repeating that over and over again. Soon i started to fear sleepy again, and i eventually took some ativan and went to sleep for a couple of hours. Anyways, I know exactly how you feel.

Are you taking any medications? Maybe you would benefit from something like that? But its a personal choice!

Hang in there. You will feel better! Keep us posted!
Dan

To Cypresslady and everyone who has suffered with panic attacks for year.  I suffered from panic attacks for many years and I know how much suffering is involved, physical, emotional and mental.  After many years of being in and out of hospitals and being on many different kinds of medications.  I ran into a girl I had gone to high school with one day in a book store and she was telling me how she was taking a medication and never had the panic attacks anymore.  She told me she could go anywhere and do anything and they just didn't happen.  She was not aware when she was telling me all of this that I had suffered from panic attacks for many years also.  I asked if I could call her and she gave me her phone number.  I am a Christian and I  had been praying for help for the panic attacks and my Christian friends had all been praying for me too.  I phoned the lady I had run into that evening and she told me her physiciatrist had put her on Nardil which is an MAO Inhibitor and you have to watch and not eat certain things while taking this medication, but it  does stop the panic attacks in about three weeks time.  I went to her doctor and he put me in the hospital and put started me on four Nardil a day and monitered my blood pressure and I was there for three weeks. This doctor had never put anyone on an MAO Inhibitor before and after he started three of us on them in the hopsital at four a day.  He started other patients on them at just one or two a day and let them stay at home.  I have been on Nardil for 25 years now

and have not had another panic attack.  It is an old medication but some doctors will not put their patients

on it because there are certain things that you cannot eat while you are taking this medication.

Wiggyann

At Wits End_

I totally understand what you are going through! Its scary, for sure. Panic has really been hard on me and the rest of us, and i'm sorry that you too are suffering. I think we try and find or search for a logical answer to the panic. Those racing thoughts about cancer and as you say all those little weird things you worry about, are our minds searching for an answer. Its hard to say, cause i've only really felt like i was having a heart attack or I was loosing my mind. Can you go to the doctor and get checked out? I mean, do you think it would put your mind to ease if you knew you were ok?

Sleeping well is hugely important for me. If i dont sleep a full night i am a lot more sensitive to just about everything in life. In fact, just a little sleep deprivation really hurts me. Maybe you need something to help you get a full night sleep. I would definitely say that you should try and find a therapist. I think all the worrying you are doing is flaring your panic (and its totally normal to worry about these things, if you didnt then i think that was abnormal). But a good night sleep on a regular basis can do wonders for your overall mood. I dont know much about sleep deprivation. Only what it has done to me, and i know that i full night sleep is a requirement for me, especially when panic and anxiety are present.

I think you are doing great. I think by coming onto the forum boards and seeking out answers to you questions is a HUGE step in the right direction. It takes a lot of courage to speak openly about how you feel, even if its to an anonymous group! You want to get better! You're already (with out realizing it) on the path to recovery. I know it may not feel like it, but you're doing the right thing. keep posting! I would suggest you starting a new topic about the feelings you have in your abdomen. I think a lot of great people might miss this talk because its in this other thread. Maybe if your subject line reference abdomen pain, you will hear from people that have the same thing.

hang in there!!!
Dan

Hey thats awesome! It totally sounds like you're totally doing all the right things. It sounds like you anxiety is exacerbating the abdominal sensations so hopefully the meds will help with that. Sounds really positive!!! Keep posting updates and hang in there. Oh and one last thing, and this may or may not be good for you so check with your doc. But maybe something like yoga would help you out some? Just an idea.

take it easy_
Dan

Wiggyann
I am certainly happy that you have been panic and anxiety free al these yrs
You still must remeber tht we are all different and this med would prolly not beneefit all the iothers as it has you
Once again so happy for you
Stay with us and lend us your support and empathy
Welcome again
Take care and thanks for a positive post
LYN

Hello My Friends,

I am so glad your all hereyeahGentle reminder to make sure that all members posting in this thread are included in the comments as we want to make everyone feel part of our family.

Thank you so much .

Hi wiggyann:

I am new here and have been on Nardil for over 20 yrs myself. Have you experienced any changes in this med over the past few years? Just curious?

Butterflyna

Mabye Butterflyna did a search on Nardil and came up with this thread, which is an older thread? Just a thought.

BTW, welcome, Butterflyna. I hope you can find some answers to your concerns.

Hello]

May I suggest you start a thread of your own and use "Anyone taking Nardil ? " as your topic line. That may get you some results from new members and old alike.

Again a warm welcome to you and stick with us.

We also have a new members forum if you want to share a bit about you. We love new members.