Need some reassurance

Mental health
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Hi I'm kayla, I'm 19, and I have had anxiety since I was in 9th grade. Up until recently I went to the doctors for my anxiety. I got prescribed citalopram. Here's some background on my history with anxiety.

I started feeling super dizzy my freshmen year in high school, I missed a lot of school because of it. I also felt anxious and felt like I couldn't breath. I changed my diet, started distracting myself to not feel the anxiety but nothing ever worked for a long period of time.

I have felt on and off anxiety these past years where one week I will feel fine and the next week I feel terrible. I try to take it a day at a time but days turn into weeks and my anxiety just never seems to fully go away. I went to a natrualpath because my mother overdosed on xanix my senior year, and I didn't want to become dependent on medication. I tried all the natrual pills to help, I ate foods that were supposed to help lower anxiety, I tried to excersise more, and sleep more. But still none of that would fully last because I can never sleep because I have insommnia, I would eat good but then one little snack or doughnut would just bring me back to square one, and working out was hard because I feel little motivation.

I am in school full time, I have a job, and I have had a hard life, having my mother pass, and my dad in prison I understand why I have anxiety so bad. I am a little depressed to where I have no motivation, I would rather sleep all day, and I'm super emotional. So when I went to the doctors they told me I had anxiety and depression and so that gave me a little bit of a reassurance because my blood tests came back fine. 

My symptoms however drive me crazy. I can't sleep insommnia, I have shortness of breath, I feel like I am being suffocated like someone is choking me, I have back neck and shoulder pain which just recently got really bad. I have I.B.S (irrable bowl symdrome), I have blurry eye sight sometimes, I feel lightheaded sometimes, I get so overhwelhmed at once with anxious feeling, I am tired all the time, I have muscle twitches, I am consipated, or have diarrhea, I feel like I have to force myself to breath, or there is a tight band around my rib cage, I sometimes get numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, dry mouth, difficulity swallowingI constantly worry about what's wrong with me, do I have a serious illness, cancer, and so on. I don't have heart palpatations but I get these pains in my left boob under the rib cage and on the side near my armpit that worry me because for the past month I have this thought that I'm having a heart attack, but I'm healthy and don't smoke, I'm not over weight, and no heart problems in my family so I am trying to stay postive. 

I google all my problems though, which makes it worse and drives my boyfriend crazy because he is always trying to help me. Anxiety has just taken over my life and I hate the physical symptoms that have taken over. It's like anxiety runs my life. Now recenlty I think I have a blood clot in my leg because I have a pain. I am scared that will break off and go to my lungs and then I'll have a worse problem. I notice that when I over think things the symptoms become more apprent to me and I think then that I have that problem.  I don't want to be the girl who cries wolf, the one who keeps going to the doctor on a regular basis because she thinks everything is wrong. But I want to know that I am okay. I am sorry this is so long but I just want some reassurance to keep my mind at peace. Any advice would be helpful! Thankssmile

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All very common anxiety/ health anxiety symptoms, especially the dry mouth and problems swallowing. These drive me crazy! Citalopram is a common med, I didn't take to it, so I'm on the therapy only route. For the long term I think therapy makes more sense.

All I would say is never Google symptoms, it never ever ends well, you will convince yourself you have the most terrible diseases possible- so please don't do it! Anything you need reassurance with its best to see a Dr or at least ask in a place like this

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Kayla! I'm so sorry you're experiencing all this but let me tell you that you are NOT alone. I literally experience every single symptom as you - even the pain on the left side near the rib cage under the boob and the armpit! I was going crazy and I convinced myself that there was something seriously wrong with me and I had a heart problem and my doctor assured me it was all due to my high anxiety. The best advice I can give to you is keep a positive mind. Tell yourself "I have anxiety, anxiety does not have me", think of a comeback word whenever you start to feel anxious or start to get symptoms like "I am going to be ok" or "nothing is wrong me". The mind is very powerful and you need to always stay in control! Find things that keep you calm like taking walks, Yoga, Pilates, breathing techniques etc. or even take 15 minutes a day and lay down and download some apps that allow you to play ocean or rain sounds and just let your body relax. I also refuse to go down the medication path right now and I am seeing a psychologist in hopes of getting better. I used to think I was the only one feeling this way but thanks to you, you have reassured me that I am not alone, so thank you! Best of luck! Xo

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Hi Kayla,

All symptom's sound like "GAD" Generalized Anxiety Disorder am afraid - not going to go through all the symptoms, as i am sure you probably read almost every symptom going already - in a non-judgmental meaning. 

You sadly experiencing which is all too common, but very relevant and understandable in health anxiety a condition on top of it - you may call it a dual-diagnoses if you want (Somatization Disorder) now before you go off googling, if you have not already read about this Disorder.

It's important to remember that a degree of psychological factors are exacerbating subjective feelings and so would highly recommend at your age to try a “Psychological” approach for example = (CBT or Counselling?) ‘’As an effective way of managing your problems rather than turning to “Antidepressant’s” ‘which sadly can cause more damage over a longer period for a quick short term effect. 

As these drugs are mind altering or chemically inducing an unnatural make up in the systemic system of the brain and nervous system in the long run, altering your chemical messengers via drug choice could lead to opening up further issues  - which can make it hard to stop and sometimes for some impossible once started. 

If you are really battling and since you are young, I would recommend asking for a less harsher medical approach and not something that is so psychologically/chemically brain altering, such as a drug called a "Beta Blocker" or more commonly known as (Propranolol) 'This drug works on blocking chemical messengers - more commonly known as "Adrenalin" which is the most common factor causing the distressing symptoms you experiencing.

That may be the complete fix to all your symptom’s and is a much more tolerated and I believe in the medical field a better choice of Drug for someone your age, as it has very few side effects and is very well tolerated by general population – with a pretty high success rate!

It’s about having the right conversation with your Physician and asking him/her to weigh up the risk to benefit ratio – i.e. cons and pro’s – but I personally feel if you can get away with using a “Beta Blocker” like (Propranolol) than this would be a far superior drug of choice regarding treatment than a mind altering “Psychological” approach, such as taking Antidepressants – `Which comes with a lot higher risks and I feel is far too over prescribed by General Practice “Primary Services”

Best of luck on your journey,  

5

Hello Kayla

Hope I can offer you the reassurance you need!.. I post on here to let others know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel....even if it flickers sometimes!  As a lifelong sufferer of anxiety, I know only too well the symptoms you and others experience.  I have just returned from yet another wonderful cruise holiday (my 12th) and away from all the problems at home I felt extremely well. (I am now in my 75th year).  Still like to feel glamorous, and love clothes and make up. I do rely on my Fluoxetine med...and prefer that to counselling, as the counsellors cannot take away the problems which cause the most anxiety.  I do not decry it, but if your anxiety is fuelled by outside influences, eg. family matters, relationships, neighbours etc, then you have to somehow learn to deal with it.  Not easy, but it can be done.  However, my message is, you are not alone and you CAN conquer anxiety to say 80-90 per cent.  Even if it never goes away completely, learn to understand it and try to live with it.  Hope this helps a little.  Good Luck!

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did this ever go away?

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Hi iv just noticed your also reading this post from over a year ago so I wasn't sure if anyone would reply. I have every single symptom kayaking has described and I'm 22 and I see so many people posting all the same symptoms but yet it drill isn't giving me peace of mindsad are you the same?