Anxiety

[MysticNova]

Hello. I am 17 years old and have had anxiety for 3 years. Recently I have been unable to sleep, feeling dizzy all day and also feel nauseous but not actually being sick or fainting. I can't stop crying either because I'm just so scared that I have a series illness like cancer and if you have anxiety you'll understand what I mean. I don't know what to do anymore, I'll do anything to stop having these negative thoughts.

[Sharon51]

Hi yes I do know how your feeling I'm exactly the same , it's anxiety that's making you feel sick and not sleep , have you tried planning something with your friends you enjoy doing , anything you could look forward too, I know it can be hard to break away from but that's what anxiety likes us to be sat crying ,desperate , just take one day at a time , don't let them negative thoughts take over xxx

[MysticNova in reply to Sharon51]

I've tried planning things with friends but I always end up cancelling because I'm scared of what symptom I'm going to get next. I don't cancel all the time and friends do tend to help when I'm with them xxx

[Dee0606]

You're not alone. I have been suffering from what doctors say is anxiety for 5 years now and it's taking over my life. I have all the reasons to be happy but my symptoms are preventing me to enjoy my life. I'm misearable, frustrated and scared. I can't even drive anymore. My symptoms include constant burping, swallowing, rapid heart beat, tightness in chest, muscle spasms and intense fear. I also have reflux and my stomach feels contracted all the time. I am taking nexium and alprazolam 0.25mg as needed. I pray we get cured. Remember you're not alone.

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

It's horrible how everyone is effected differently! I always get tightness in my throat and chest which causes me to be unable to eat. It always scares me because I feel like I'm the only one with these symptoms but from your reply I'm definitely not.

[Ag27]

It may not be "just anxiety" - many doctors seem to resort to that diagnosis when they don't put a real effort in. Have you looked into POTS syndrome or Lyme disease? Lyme and coinfections such as babesia, bartonella and ehrlichia can cause constant dizziness. Were you in the woods recently or a field? Do you have a dog that may bring home ticks?

[MysticNova in reply to Ag27]

Yes, I've looked into all different diseases and illnesses. I've had blood tests, a heart rate test, I've been in a abulance and also to hospital. I've had a full body check and there is not one single physical thing wrong with me. I do have a dog but he doesn't go outside much and I live in the uk so ticks aren't something we get

[Ag27 in reply to MysticNova]

There definitely is Lyme in the U.K. But most doctors don't know much about it. I would take the questionnaire on CanGetBetter.com

[Dee0606]

I started with my Pcp who prescribed alprazolam. I've been to the ent due to the tightness in my throat, he put a camera through my nose and everything was normal. He blamed my symptoms to anxiety. I went to a Cardiologist due to the tightness in chest and rapid heartbeat, he did a stress test, placed me on a holter monitor for 2 days and did an ekg and what looked to me an ultrasound. All Normal except that he found I have a very mild mitral valve prolapse. But he said it seemed like my symptoms are due to anxiety and just recommended magnesium. Then I went to a Neurologist, he did an eeg and I pretty much begged for an MRI which came back normal. He prescribed clonazopam which he said may work but I have not tried it. He too said i have anxiety. Then I went to a GI doc... I was tested for h pylori, had a Ct done, ultrasound and endoscopy which all came back normal except for a small hernia they found and a bit of reflux so he prescribed omeprazole. Two nights ago I went to the er because I felt phlegm in my throat causing me to swallow and burp constantly which caused me to have a panic attack. Blood work and ekg normal. The doc was going to do a X-ray of lungs but as soon as he wakes in he said that based on my results and symptoms it sounded like GERD so prescribed nexium. Last resort is to be seen by a psychiatrist. I'm desperate. I need a cure. The alprazolam calms my attacks but doesn't prevent them.

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

That sounds like a lot of prescriptions! The main issue I get is it isn't every day. It comes and goes. Sometimes I feel terrible for a week and other sometimes it's only a couple days so that's why we are sure it's not a physical illness.

[Dee0606 in reply to MysticNova]

Do your symptoms show out of nowhere?

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

Sometimes it's for no reason and sometimes it's over social situations since I have generalised and social anxiety. It happens the most when I'm not doing anything since my thoughts get the better of me. Generalised anxiety does cause symptoms for no reason.

[Dee0606]

Same thing happens to me

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

And I think that is why I get so worked up and scared because it happens for no reason

[Dee0606]

Yes!!!! Same here!!!its like I'm not in control. So I avoid certain situations in fear that I'll have an attack.

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

That is the same as me and everyone keeps telling me that I just need to face and fight it but it's not that simple

[Dee0606 in reply to MysticNova]

People tell me the same thing. They don't know what it feels like. I feel like I'm dying especially when I'm driving. I can't take the risk. I'm brace enough only a short route to and from work. Have u seen a psych?

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

The simple tasks are often the hardest for me. Like eating food, sleeping etc. I'm seeing a councillor who is trained to work with people who have mental illness. It is helping me surpriseingly, I didn't think it would and was very against it at first

[Dee0606 in reply to MysticNova]

I have trouble eating too. Swallowing spasms I guess. I feel like my throat closes and I choke so I cough or swallow constantly and gives me a panic attack. I barely eat and have lost weight. I'm in search of a psychiatrist

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

I'm just the same. I get tightness in my throats all the time and right now I feel nauseous but haven't been sick and all my chest and throat burns. I don't know if I'm ill or it's just my anxiety.

[Dee0606]

Why don't u go to the dr?

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

I'm going to ring up tomorrow the only issue is I've been to the doctors a lot this year and from all the different tests I've had everything has come back clear. I'm going to go once more just to be certain

[Dee0606 in reply to MysticNova]

U can never be too careful

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

I'm pretty confident it's nothing physical because I would have the same symptoms everyday but they come and go

[Dee0606]

Wel hang in there. Like I said earlier... we're not alone

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

It does help me a lot seeing that other people have the same symptoms that I do

[Dee0606]

Hello. How r u feeling?

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

I'm feeling better today which is amazing, I'm meeting with my friends which is always lovely

[Dee0606 in reply to MysticNova]

That's awesome. Have fun!!

[MysticNova in reply to Dee0606]

So they've been and gone and I don't know what I was worrying about! Being with friends makes feel so much better

[Dee0606]

That's great to hear. Distractions help alot

[MysticNova]

I'm doing bad again... but different things! My eyes burn, I get red bloatches on my face, I keep feel neauses to the point I cannot eat, I don't know what to do!

[boobear224]

I used to have minor anxiety, but after a surgery my anxiety got triggered and I had panic attacks for a month straight. I could not function, AT ALL. I have been reading this book called the Feeling Good Handbook, and going to counseling, multiple doctors appointments, and will be going to a psychiatrist in October as well. Anxiety is very treatable, especially if you push yourself. I wish you the best of luck but my advice to you is if you can't go to the doctors buy that book. I have only had one counseling appointment, and this book has made my anxiety go from a 100 to like 0 in a month. Good Luck!!