from confident outgoing bodybuilder who never worried about anything to lazy overweight shy borderline agoraphobic suffering from severe anxiety and the road back!(a work in progress)
ill try to keep this short in hope this provides some support to anyone who is new to anxiety and is worried about symptoms remember you are not alone there are many great members on these forums so be sure to have a good look around and dont be afraid to post.
i wasnt diagnosed with anxiety straight away it was only my constant trips to the doctors over insect bites, feeling strange and what might this be doctor?mentality that it was suggested i might have anxiety to which i laughed off as absurd.(looking back now classic anxiety symptoms)
then unfortunately my mother passed away and from nowhere i went from feeling strange to developing full blown health anxiety i became emotional and everytime i felt bad strange or a physical sensation or even watched a cancer/disease advert on tv i had to lay down,this resulted in laying down all the time and not seeking help because i was too embarassed(not a good idea as doing nothing will make you feel worse and just fuel more anxiety)i prodded and poked at every spot this just made me worse and more anxious to the point i spent most of my time laying on the sofa!
anxiety can produce so many symptoms most of which i was getting.
i became withdrawn irritable and didnt want to go out.
while all this was going on i still hadnt approached the doctor for any help(dumbass).
i then started feeling like i had something stuck in my throat and kept shoving my fingers in there to see if i could feel anything(yep classic dumbass)i sat around thinking about what if and worst case scenario to the point i made my doctor refer me for a biopsy(all clear),
then i developed backache and felt like i couldnt breathe properly all day anyone with anxiety knows what im about to say(lol?)and so the cycle repeats i had x-rays blood tests ecg etc ,guess what?yep all clear.anxiety can drastically increase muscle tension and make you feel short of breath all day
(another classic symptom)depending on your level of anxiety,some anxiety sufferers can have some or all symptoms of anxiety in varying levels,link to anxiety and shortness of breath/breathing
if you have anxiety its also possible to have shortness of breath even when youre not feeling anxious.thats beacuse anxiety can alter the way you breathe and cause hyperventilation without any triggers.(yeh it sucks)
enough is enough i bit the bullet and signed up for CBT(therapy)i started taking citalopram and found myself glossing the downstairs toilet at 4 in the morning?!
my doctor switched me to syrtraline and i felt ok the breathlessness went away and i wasnt bothered anymore as much,then i made the biggest mistake of all i felt better so i must be ok now yeh?i decided to come off them........ .im not saying medication works for everyone but for me it definately helped,while im sitting here typing this i still feel restricted around my chest like im unable to take a full breath but i can and even though my tests are all clear because of anxiety i still find it hard to beleave what im told,i dont like violence but i wish i could punch anxiety in the face.im starting citalopram again today beacuse coming off tablets has sent me backwards,alltho i might change this to syrtaline when i check in with the doctor next week,
thats is if i put every detail of my entire anxiety story in here the admins will probably bollock me for server useage
and i still have so much more to share.
remember anxiety sufferers you arent alone, dont be afraid to seek help you will get better it just takes time .
stay away from web m.d dr google etc they wont help and stop checking the internet for for symptoms if you have been diagnosed with anxiety.