Life Crippling Palpitations, Anxiety & Panic

[joconnell]

Would love a little bit of help?

Hi everyone, I've never been on these sites before but thought i'd give them a shot.

I am 23 and I have suffered from anxiety and panic for about 9 years now. I finally got to grips with it all for the last year or two, don't get me wrong i still had it but i was coping and enjoying life again with holidays and doing amazing things. But for the last few months, i have been awful with panic attacks and anxiety. More recently, for the last 6 weeks i have been in pieces. I've had the worst palpitations ever, they feel like a random huge off beat in my chest and i feel as though I am going to die. They make me feel sick and i panic so much. I went for an ECG and it came back that I just had a fast heart rate (was having anxiety whilst having it done). I've been for blood tests and waiting to hear the results. I truly am in pieces right now, i finally got better but now I'm hardly getting out of bed, I'm anxious and panicky 24/7, barley eating, lost so much weight in 3 weeks, can't workout because when i do i have palpitations and I'm also waiting for the next palpitation to hit me. I write this message in tears because I'm so upset I'm so ill. Does anyone else get these awful massive palpitations etc? or anyone else having similar problems?

Sorry for the long message.

Many thanks,

James

[curiousmom]

Yes, everything you mentioned is like a recap of my last year. I was visiting hospitals on a daily basis. I even was referred to a heart doctor, which I visited monthly. I was placed on a med called propranalol, which is to slow your heart rate and help with heart pains. I thought for sure I was not going to make it through the year, so I had started trying to prepare my children for my death. Sounds crazy I know, but alot of people dont talk about anxiety so I thought I was alone. I had figured I was just going to die at 32. I stumbled across this website and it helped me tremendously. Knowing that I was not the only one going through this helped me. I reminded myself everyday that it was just anxiety and I wasn't going to die. I couldn't even drive anymore because I would be ready to pass out under the wheel. My kids had to grow up within a year because driving, shopping, and cooking was out for me. There is a light at the end of the tunnel so dont lose hope. Finding other people suffering just like me is what helped me. Oh yeah, and a drug prescribed by my doctor called ativan, but be careful because u could become dependent on it. Just stay strong and dont give up because it gets better I promise. Ill be praying for you!

[joconnell in reply to curiousmom]

Im really sorry to hear about your struggle like mine, especially as you have the heart pain as well, i guess I'm lucky i don't have pain in a way. Thank you for replying and being nice to me too, means a lot.

I've gone back on Fluoxetine (which I think is Prozac) so I'm hoping that will help me. I've only been on that for a week so its early days for that to help yet i guess.

I just can't get my head round the fact that this is anxiety. Im convinced I have something extremely serious. Like you I keep thinking Im not going to make it. I also get this weird thing where when I'm falling a sleep I jolt awake and my heart is pounding and going very weird etc.

Just a big mess really!

[curiousmom in reply to joconnell]

Thanks, I know it is so hard to believe its anxiety. Anxiety has so many different effects that its crazy! But, yes I also would jolt awake from a sleep and heart pounding. Just remind yourself its anxiety and you can over come it. Good luck you can over come this! Oh, and its hard talking trying to get family and friends to understand you if they've never been through it.

[Agora1 in reply to joconnell]

Hi again joconnell, It's not as big a mess as you think but rather quite common for anyone suffering with severe anxiety. The jolt is not harmful just a way of your body telling you that it's over stimulated. With fear comes adrenaline and then the thoughts bring on more adrenaline until you are so wired up per se. When you go to bed and finally want to fall asleep, your body is not able to relax and jolts you awake. Hope this helps some.

[mosesmam in reply to curiousmom]

Your story is very similar to mind I am a 29 yr old mom who was always at doctors, got fear of driving and went with ssris that helped tremendously. I think fighting for yourself is really the key huh

[Agora1]

Hi joconnell, Welcome to the anxiety forum. I'm glad you found us. It's a wonderful group of people who not only understand but care. It sounds like you've suffer with anxiety for a long time now. It's not unusual for anxiety to lie dormant for a while and then come back with a vengeance from some life event. I'm glad that you went for an ECG and are waiting for blood test results. It's always best to start with a medical exam even if you have had anxiety issues for years. Once your anxiety gets to this point of overtaking your every thought then it's time to reach out for some relief. I'm sure your doctor will have some options for you, one being medication and the other possibly therapy. Enough to get you stabilized again. After that, there will be other modalities that you can use that will help. Re-reading your post, I keep going back to your saying 6 weeks ago you went into pieces. Something must have prompted the anxiety to come back hard again. Meanwhile, take care of yourself and let us know what the doctor says and what your next step will be.

[joconnell]

Hi Agora1 thank you for your reply. The thing about the jolts does make a lot of sense, especially as I'm anxious, nervous and panicky all day long.

I lost my Nan who was like a second mum to me in September. Her and my Grandad live with us. That was an awful part of my life but that was all the way in September.

Also me and my Girlfriend nearly split up in May due to something really stupid I did. I was extremely sad and anxious about that and was very stressful so maybe that too? We are both okay now and I'm very lucky to have her support me. I'm not sure if any of these would make me become this ill again?

[Agora1 in reply to joconnell]

joconnell, I'm not new to anxiety and have suffered as well as become more aware of how anxiety works. Even a thought that's disturbing enough can cause anxiety to take hold. I'm sorry about your grandmother. Losses as well as you almost splitting up with your girlfriend do impact our lives. It's possible that those events set the wheels in motion. I'm so glad you have your girlfriend who supports you. It makes it so much easier when someone cares.

[mosesmam]

hey james yes i went through this for 3 months. I got so enveloped in fear of having panic attacks or dying that i was diagnosed with a panic disorder. And i decided to go against my fear of meds and start taking zolft and it took couple weeks and side effects sucks but it mellowed me out and they finally stopped. Then it was like a placebo effect taking the pill knowing that this was helping. I didn't focus on being in med with heart palpatations or am I dying I got up and pushed myself to do things. i talked to people about them. I also started a healthier lifestyle and hobbies and got rid of stress however i could. Talking about them and not feeling alone anymore really helps if not medication. If you lay there and wait and focus on it that is just more stress and negativity. Go out in the sun, go to friends, research anxiety and see how all this crazy stuff can be caused by panic and anxiety disorders. seeking help is important. Hope this helps you find peace. 6000000 in the usa have panic attack stats say.