Sick of anxiety taking control of my daily life!

Sorry you're feeling this way but having been through the same symptoms at many times during my life, I can safely say this is all probably due to anxiety (assuming you've had the necessary testing to rule out anything physical). I am 66 years old and spent various periods over those years (sometimes up to 4-5 months at a time) so filled with anxiety that all I did was yawn to get a breathe. Doc said what I was really doing was hyperventilating...not that I felt like I was "over-breathing" but you don't always realize it, it makes you feel like you need more oxygen, so you yawn to get more. But it's all because of anxiety so I'm pretty sure that's what you're going through. During periods of anxiety, I can honestly say I have had every physical symptom you can imagine - from breathlessness to pains in every part of my body, to stomach issues which caused me to lose up to 30 lbs over a few months.....I could go on and on. My best advice to you would be to find the best anxiety med for you, take it, and constantly tell yourself that no matter what you're thinking is wrong with you, it isn't.....it's anxiety coming out in all those crazy symptoms. I can also tell you that there were times when I thought the anxiety would NEVER go away, only to feel better for a few years and then have it hit again. And every time it does, you feel bad but at least you start to learn what's really happening to you and are able to deal with it better until it goes away. Good luck to you. We're all here to help and know exactly what you're going through.

Thank you, Andwes.

I've calmed down now. My heart still feels like it's pounding and I have this annoying tightness still but I feel I'm able to control myself now.

I hadn't realised that yawning could be a sign of hyperventilation! One of my work friends suffers from anxiety and even had an anxiety attack in work not too long ago. She was hyperventilating by breathing very short, loud breaths and that's what I always thought hyperventilation was. I didn't realise that constant, excessive yawning (forced yawning, I call it!) could also be hyperventilation. I hope I'm reading you correctly there. ;^o^

Before Christmas I had an ECG test done five times on the same day and the doctor's said that they had come back fine. I still feel I need more tests to be done though on my heart just to make sure. I know this will sound stupid but I feel like I can't accept that it's anxiety before I get more tests done but then I wonder how many tests will I need to go through in order to finally be able to come to the conclusion that it is just anxiety? I feel like I'm keeping myself trapped in an endless loop of going to the doctors and asking for my heart health to be checked. I feel like if I keep doing this then I'll never be able to accept that it's anxiety. I'm doing this unto myself and I need to break out of this habit before it completely consumes me.
Whew! Sorry... That had been pent-up there for a while.

Also - I'm sorry to read that you've been through all this awful anxiety. It's good to know that someone can go through all this and yet still come out with positivity for themselves and others! Thank you.

Yes, Merrida - I agree with you completely about the exercise. Im now retired and I spend alot of time at home, not getting much of any exercise. I Find, however, that when I get up off my butt and start moving around i always feel alot better!