Ive battled anxiety for many years. I've had it under control for the past 2 years until a few weeks ago. In that time I've been to the ER 6 times for everything from heart attack symptoms, to stroke symptoms. I've had CT head scans. CT chest. CT abdomen and pelvis. A nuclear stress test. About 10 EKGs. And tons of blood work and it all comes back fine. I can't sleep. As soon as I drift off I wake up out of breath and heart pounding. My feet are constantly like ice yet they are wet. I can't get it out of my head that I'm sick. I've lost 15lbs in 2 weeks. Don't know what to do anymore. My CBT tricks aren't working. My breathing isn't working. My poor gf does her best. But I'm failing her. Just really scared right now.
Matt
Oh no! I am really sorry to hear you are feeling so bad at the moment......it will pass!
I too wake up in similar states at times, I have recently started listening to mindfullness videos on YouTube before I go to sleep and they really do work! I've had a great sleep recently with no waking up in a panic. Please try those they work wonders.
My Dr has also suggested I go swimming which I am starting this week.
You have had many tests similar to myself and been given the all clear, trust me you are safe.
Try the videos and let's know how they go for you, good luck. Stay positive xx
Im trying so hard. I woke up with chest pain. Heavy arms. Heart rate out of whack. Stomach is a mess. I just want to give up.
That's a lot of ct scans in a short amount of time. I'm also a long time anxiety prone person who had things under control for about 5 years but since April I have been in over drive. Health anxiety seems to spike when we have legitimate symptoms and at times I can't tell what's from anxiety and what's not.
I know it's hard and I can only say you aren't alone. Somehow we have to get things back under control.
That's exactly how I'm feeling. I don't know what's real and what isn't. I have legit symptoms. But the keep getting blamed on anxiety. I've never had anxiety like this.
It is frustrating when everything is blamed on anxiety. Sometimes they are right when they say it and sometimes they arent.
Have you been worked up by a cardio? Maybe have an echo and wear an event monitor... I see you already had the stress test.
I at times get the same thing you describe when I'm at the brink of falling asleep.
If a cardio works you up and all the findings are normal, then you will know it's your anxiety.
Anxiety can cause all kinds of symptoms and even when we have a legit issue anxiety blows it up into something much worse.
I know how frustrating it is to have everything blamed on anxiety. I always say, it's your body. Only you know how it feels to be in your body. If you feel like something is wrong then pursue answers, it's a good thing, as I don't accept everything is anxiety. However, once you get checked over and have all the proper testing and they find nothing out of the ordinary then you must accept that nothing is physically wrong and if they do by chance find something you will have to regain control of your anxiety because anxiety and worry will just make things worse.
I'm scheduled to get an event monitor tomorrow. I had an echo a few years ago. I actually see a cardiologist regularly. All these docs say I'm fine. As I type this my feet are drenched in sweat. It's non stop. I've had heart attack symptoms. Irregular heart beats. Shortness of breath. My gf called an ambulance due to a stroke/seizure like episode.
Im so overwhelmed right now. I hate it for her. I feel terrible mentally and physically. I am breaking mentally, and I believe physically as well. Not being able to sleep of course doesn't help. As soon as I close my eyes it's like I forget how to breathe.
It's crazy you say you had stroke/sezuires like episode. I was admitted to the hospital on May 31st to June 3rd for the same thing and nothing was found. I wonder if it's stress as I have been stressing over a lump I found on my left ribs a couple weeks before Easter and numbness on the left side of my back that I have had since then as well.
You are going in the right direction. They will be able to know a lot from the event monitor.
You're not failing her. People tend to be so hard on themselves when it comes to mental ilness, as we chose to have it. It's a lot harder to even be more empathetic to our selves when it comes to mental ilness because there's still a huge taboo surounding it. You're not failing your girlfriend. You're having a relapse. It can be excrutiaringly painful no doubt about that, but don't put etxra pressute on yourself by thinking or feeling that your failing her. May I ask what are the thoughts that cause you anxiety? Like for me it's the future, that's the main source of my anxiety, at least most of the time. Sometimes it's also getting sick, because the anxiety itself makes me feel like I'm going to die from some horrible thing (as if anxiety on its own wasnt horrible enough). My boyfriend also battles anxiety and he's just really putting everything he's got into it, sometimes he has good days and sometimes he has bad days. This article is pretty good and it's focused on tips for men, the way we approach anxiety can be very different for men and women. Hope this helps:
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I had dizziness and weakness along with tingling. Then I went into a seizure like state. Staring off into space, jerking and shaking. I could hear everyone talking to me, but I couldn't respond. Hospital did CT scan, blood work. Said anxiety but referred me to a neurologist. Neurologist examined me, said anxiety but still scheduled an EEG and MRI. Have had it happen a couple of times since but not in the past few days.
I'm so at a loss. I don't feel safe. Then I "forget" how to breathe. Just when I think I'm on the rise, something happens. I'm trying to function, but I just can't. Thanks for listening.
Wow a ton of testing. You have some very kind doctors that you have acquired so many scans. no scan is able to probe fear just yet. And cbt is good to know but in the height of anxiety rationality is very compromised. Mindful excersies can give you a few minute break. Best thing i ever learned. And funny part is i learned it off you tube myself. Just really allow it and allow no thiughts and clear your mind and just slowly breathe for minutues. Belly breathing, it is calming.
thenonky way for you to start feeling better is to really stop looking to blame it on something. That keeps giving you a side track and a reason to run eith the intrusicpve thoughts. Everythings been tested so you can release any bidy fault known o science at this time. Thats helpful. Many cant do that they have other issues, but you can.
try bio feedback.worked for me for almost six years. Find a center and see if you can get that training. That and mindfulness does help. If needed then you use medications as well. Sometimes meds are really needed to regroup. Also look into acuounture, massage, yoga. Theres something out there that can help you somkeep an open mind and keep learning and seeking out remidies for panic and anxiety disorders. It takes time to find what works for you. But the blaming game has to stop now, your body is ok.
Wow that sounds more like a sezuires then anxiety. I had a one hour eeg and brain MRI w/o contrast while in the hospital but now my nuerologist wants a 6 hour eeg and MRI with contrast. If i were you I would prob get a 2nd opinion because that episode doesn't sound like anxiety to me, it sounds like a sezuires.
I got a numb rush in my head right before it happened to me, it was like u hit my funny bone only not on my elbow but in my head. It didn't hurt, just the numb shock like feeling.
Sorry I meant to say it sounds more like a sezuire then a stroke (not that it sounds more like a sezuire then anxiety).
It seemed like a seizure to everyone... But
Hey Matt,
I know exactly how it feels, I had my own tough anxiety times for two years and I was able to overcome these dreading phenomena. You are not alone and you are at right place where you can get some help from other members. I don't know if you tried CBT, it could help. But there is also MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) it is a relatively new way of treating anxiety and depression, but it's vert powerfull. You can practice mindfulness at your convenience. It will help you acknowledge your thoughts without engaging with them. “Rule your mind or it will rule you” -Buddha
Check some videos on youtube, and you will find some helpful ones. Don't be afraid to explore your thoughts, but you should have clear understanding that they are just a thoughts and you can't control them like you can't control sunrise and sunset, or rain, etc...Do some workout and breathing exercises it will help to balance CO2 in your body, avoid taking deep breaths you will be hyperventilated and it will cause you lightheadedness and can trigger more anxiety attacks.Keep posting Matt, I would like to hear how are you progressing.Art
But the neurologist still seemed to think they weren't true seizures since I was aware of everything and they lasted so long.
Part of me understands and believes every word you are saying. But my body is telling me otherwise. It's hard to function. I truly feel broken right now.
My gf and I have been over all the tests. All the drs I've seen. And I'm like yeah, your right. It's all been covered. But yet I still feel so terrible. My anxiety should have nothing to do with my feet CONSTANTLY sweating. Even in my good moments they sweat. I've been trying my good belly breathing and meditation. But I can't seem to shake the monkey this time.
I've used CBT in the past. But I'm not getting very far with it now. Breathing has been a struggle. It's like I have to think about every breath. It's either too deep, or too shallow and I wind up out of breath or waking myself up as soon as I fall asleep. Breathing doesn't seem natural anymore.
I get it that it's hard for you to breathe naturally, but you have to breathe anyway, why not to practice this, let's concentrate on your breathing. You can pick either one of these, seated or you can lay down and practice breathing by concentrating on it. Don't be fearful, I understand that your mind is occupied with your breathing, and it triggers an anxiety attack.
But definitely, you should do something. Just like the first time, we are behind the steering wheel, where you have to think every step such as: pressing on the accelerator, stepping on the breaks and etc...; it wasn't natural at the beginning but then it becomes as a second nature, it is same here and you got to practice from all over again. You can't breathe instinctively because of your anxious mind.
You know scientist found that toddlers fall over 1000 times before they start to walk? I don't want you to be discouraged and let's find some ways that you can respond to your anxiety in a manner that it won't detect any threat or danger.
Do you think you can spend about 45 minutes to do some breathing exercises? If you can just lay on your back or you can be seated on a chair, and you can do following. Just concentrate on you breathing and try to keep a steady rhythm and it doesn't have to be deep, just try to breathe with your belly. And focus on your breathing, your mind will start following it, and while you are breathing pay attention to your thoughts, do not engage the and do not judge them, just acknowledge that they are thought, the only thing you need to do. Once you understood that they are thoughts the choice is yours to keep them or discard them. It sounds easy but you can do it, it's very doable.
Let me know if this will help.
I tried it. I'd start to relax and doze off and boom. Shallow breathing and jolting. At times it felt natural, but most of the time it didn't. Feels so mechanical. I don't know what's wrong with me. I tried to relax my mind and let the thoughts be what they may. I feel 100% broken.