Help with anxiety

[Peggmk]

I’m suffering from feeling very anxious and nervous, makes me feel sick and light headed. I take Ramipril for high BP already. New situations or traveling or even going out with friends makes me feel like this so I end up not going. I feel very stupid as people think I will feel fine when I’m there! But I don’t. Just want to go home. Struggling at work/sleep. Any advice would be I would be very grateful.

[brads27]

I am feeling very anxious, sometimes breathless,I had an heart attack a month ago,I try to push it to the back of my mind,every ache or pain and I fear the worst,so I have fought back against it,I have not had another attack so I am ok, keep saying that to yourself,it is working,I have not been to bad this week.

[Rbrealey]

I feel exactly the same. If I’m at home in my safe place all is well but out of my comfort zone I fall apart. I take Bach’s Rescue Remedy as the Cardiac Nurse recommended it and it’s all herbal....it may be a placebo but it helps. The only advice I can offer is to push through it, that’s what I’m doing. I’ve just got on a plane to go on holiday and had a melt down on the flight, crying and panicking, but now I’m here I have calmed down and I’m ok. I think hiding away from the world is not the answer and at some point I have to go back to work. I have also booked some counselling sessions for when I get back from holiday, I’m hoping that will help.

Keep strong and don’t let that anxiety take a hold...easier said than done I know.

[Peggmk in reply to Rbrealey]

Thank you, I’m the same when going abroad, panic sets in then couple of days into holiday I’m fine but don’t like going on trips. Think it’s because I can’t return when I want to. I keep pushing through then as soon as something new happens or I have to go on a course it starts up again.! U take care too.

[Alison_L]

Hi Peg. Ask your cardiac nurse or gp to refer you to your local mental health people. I had a heart attack in June, and was told I would be having open heart surgery in August. The surgeon finally saw me in Sept and told me he wasn't going to operate, which made me much happier, but before that I was bursting into tears all the time and having mini panic-attacks - feeling sick & light-headed - every time I left the house. This meant I was leaving the house less and less, and not even getting any walking exercise.

I have now started a 4 week course of CBT. I'm appalled at the idea that I have a mental health problem, but I do, mainly caused by the terror of my heart packing up and having to have surgery. Hopefully I'm now working through it.

Good luck!

[Qualipop]

IT's a normal reaction to any heart problem. I've suffered from health anxiety for years but since my heart attack I've lost the confidence to go anywhere on my own- Just in case!. I start with the mental health team next week IF I can get there. Inthe past, many years ago I had a breakdown and was taught self hypnosis. IT works really well. I no longer get panic attacks. I can feel them starting and can stop them in their tracks. You can control this. YOu just need to be taught how. CBT helps a bit but hypnosis works far better.

[Qualipop]

I think the difficulty now is finding anyone who teaches it. It really does help you take control of the situation yourself. NO drugs, no talking therapy; it's teaching your own brain to control itself. It was the mid 1980s when I was taught it.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi,

There are many stratergies that you can use to help reduce your anxiety and how the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline can affect you.

I live with a lot of angina pain and I find all of the following helpful.

Yoga breathing exercises, self hypnosis, Tai Chi and Mindfulness meditation and on my Pain Management course I was taught CBT.

There are quite a few apps that can help too.

Insight timer is free and is a great resource.

Curable is a Pain Management App but the techniques used are useful for managing anxiety.

There are loads of online courses and apps to learn how to use self hypnosis too.

Studies have shown when you breathe out your nervous system relaxes.

So keep calm and breathe......