It's hard...but it will happen

I've been on this site for just a couple of months and want to pass on something. I've had anxiety off and on since my early 20s. I'm now 55. In that 35 years, I've gone years with no symptoms and I've gone days on end feeling like I would just die because of the way I felt due to the physical symptoms. I've been through multiple tests with numerous doctors and spent more time that I could ever track worrying that I had some disease that I didn't or sure I was having a heart attack. Then I read Claire Weeks book "Hope and Help For Your Nerves". Although she passed many years ago, the work she left behind has helped many including myself. Her description of anxiety and it's symptoms was so spot on and verified everything doctors had ever told me. It's anxiety. That's the easy part. The hard part is the work of recovering from it; Accepting the symptoms, floating through them and letting them go. It's SO hard...but it works. I have finally forced myself to understand what it is, feel it and let it go rather than being afraid of it which just releases more adrenaline which increases the symptoms. My symptoms usually come on gradually during or after a period of high stress. I have finally learned to accept it and just roll with it and have noticed that the symptoms aren't lasting as long and are getting less frequent. Don't get me wrong, it's been really hard but getting on with life no matter how I feel and reminding myself that I've been through it before and it didn't kill me then and won't now. I'm still here. I have a long way to go and it's baby steps. I have had some great days, good days and some that I felt like crap.I hope this helps some of you to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Find what helps you whether it be your doctor (to rule out any physical causes), therapy, exercise, medication (from your doctor or therapist), a combination of things, whatever it takes. It can be done. It's not any easy road but things worth going after usually aren't. Hang it there.

[Agora1]

Thank you lovemybear, for that reassuring post. You are right in that Dr. Claire Weekes has offered many of us the key to lowering our struggle with anxiety. As with anything worth while, it does take practice and time to reach our goal, but it can happen.

I wish you continued success in going forward. xx

[Hidden in reply to Agora1]

Thank you Agora. I know it can be really hard to just accept the feelings (for me it's been lightheadness, intermittent nausea & indigestion, chill/hot flashes, and tight throat/chest mostly. I've really tried to just keep myself occupied with things while accepting. When you feel weird or just sick, it's hard. But, it's amazing what the positive thinking and accepting can do. As I said, I'm far from being "recovered" but just decided what another poster said: "I may have anxiety but it doesn't have me."

[Indigojoe]

BRAVO.

I have "matching history" to you. I understand and I get it. Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Indigojoe]

Thanks. I don't mean to sound like I have it together because I don't and have a long way to go. It's just something I've finally learned and tried to accept. It really helps to have others such as yourself that do understand because there are a lot of us and you never know what may help someone else.

[Indigojoe in reply to Hidden]

I have used what I have read on this forum to get me over the hump when I find that I have driven "too far" or made a wrong turn and got turned around. I bring many of these folks into my head and keep them there as " support" until I get myself turned back around.

IT has worked for me.

[Hidden]

I can relate to this. My problem is that sometimes I can't accept the symptoms which leads me in further panic attacks/anxiety. I feel that I'm in vicious cycle of physical symptoms, on and off depends the situation. I'm still 22 years and feels like I'm in the 90's ..... I will start reading Hope and help for your nerves again.

[SamanthaBuckland]

Hi lovemybear, where can I get a copy of this book? Is it available on Amazon?

I’m glad to hear things are improving for you & hope they continue too!

[Hidden in reply to SamanthaBuckland]

Hi Samantha. Yes, the book is available on Amazon.

[SamanthaBuckland in reply to Hidden]

Hi lovemybear, thank you. I have downloaded it to my kindle and have began reading it. Thank you for recommending it and sharing that post!

[Icanbeathis2016]

I truly appreciate this post. And for what it's worth, yes it helps someone like me to know there's light at the end of the tunnel. I have been in the fight of this for 3 years and I often get depression during my cycles in which I fear that Im dying or feel so emotionally struck by the symptoms, which I question if its a disease or illness, and I feel as if my life is over. In the constant fear of death. But anyway, I appreciate your post. I get the exact symptoms you mentioned in your reply and much more but you hit the main ones right on. The lightheadedness, I get acid reflux, indigestion, nausea, upset stomach, weight issues, unbalanced, funny vision, racing or pounding heart. But thank you. I wish you The best through this and I hope to live to do what you're doing by telling your journey and how you get by and that you're still here despite what anxiety can do.

[Hidden in reply to Icanbeathis2016]

Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it. It's so true that you go through times where the feelings that the anxiety produces are so overwhelming you are so totally sure it's something more. But it's not. One of the things Claire Weeks stresses in her books is that the feelings are always the same. Some may be more intense than others but our sensitized bodies are only capable of producing so much. It's still the tight chest, tight throat, lightheadedness, upset stomach, jelly arms and legs, palpitations, etc. It's just oversensitization. I had the churning stomach yesterday. Today it's fine but having random palpitations instead. I just let it go. Tensing up just feeds it and makes it worse. We will all get through this.

[Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I can say that I've had cycles of going through this that one day Im fine the next its filled with anxiety, upset stomach, unbalanced, funny vision and more. Yesterday was ok and I ate pretty good and now today was not so good. Feeling a bit of upset stomach, burning gut. And then I also allowed something simple as an unknown mosquito bite throw me into a panic. I immediately started thinking that mosquito has poisoned or is gonna do something to me. And the fact that its very possible because people have reported getting illnesses or even diseases from mosquito bites I have not been able to get this off my mind. I am feeling unbalanced still, I keep checking that spot, I keep thinking its gonna get in my blood stream. Smh.

And I had such a pretty good day yesterday and then this happened to me and has completely over shadowed any positive momentum I had from yesterday.

I have listened to Claire Weeks a few times.

[justbeme in reply to Icanbeathis2016]

Hey, Ican....I'm 71 male and noticed your list of symptoms. As you have

acid reflux, indigestion, weight issue, me TOO. I have LPR ,which is 24/7

SILENT non-acid(bile) refux causing constant burning/dryness in mouth,

throat, tongue. Currently undergoing numerous diagnostic tests to get SPECIFIC dx.

Also lost 14 pounds in 6 weeks un-intentional. Are your symptoms that bad??

Personally, I think my GAD caused these symptoms....thanks. S

[Icanbeathis2016 in reply to justbeme]

Im sorry check my reply under this original post. I repsonded to your post but I put it under the original post

[Icanbeathis2016]

What LPR? But yes my symptoms get that bad. Its a long list of symptoms bit I just named the usual. But my acid reflux can get really bad. Im constantly eaither burping or passing it out the other way. And the vomit taste that travels up my throat. And its like I dont feel any relief to even want to eat until I burp and release that pressure or gas. Im noy sure if its the indigestion that causes it or not. But I dont have insurance to go to a doctor about my digestive system to see for sure if its acid reflux or something else. Yes Im constantly up and down with my weight. One minute Im doing ok with eating and I can manage to gain some pounds back but then its alot of times I have it bad and the weight just comes dropping off and so fast that I think the worst like its a more serious illness or disease that is scaring me. One time Ive lost an addition 25 pounds in a matter of 2 months from anxiety and acid reflux.

Is this the same with you?

[justbeme in reply to Icanbeathis2016]

Thanks for fast reply.....regret that you have no med insurance...what state/town

are you in? Yes, you "may" also have LPR (acid BURN comes up higher than chest

into the THROAT(called Silent reflux if you don't FEEL the acid in the throat.

Mine happens 24/7 since maybe 6 yrs ago. Condition CAN lead to Barret's

Esophagus (pre-cancer). LPR is laryngogeal pharyngeal reflux. Only two

types surgeries for it, but they are only up to 80% successful, and you

can't belch or vomit, and you have to CONTINUE the non-helpful PPI therapy

(PPI's are a death sentenace

waiting" to happen)....BAD side effects!! Respond if desired. S

[Icanbeathis2016 in reply to justbeme]

So if I understand you correctly, LPR is a different type of reflux? And it can lead to Barretts?