Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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readyforchange3
readyforchange3
I'm new to this...but wanted to share my story...well 3 months ago I had my first major panic attack after feeling pain in my chest and in that first month I went to the ER I believe 4 times...once in a ambulance...so that first month I probably was having a panic attacks at least 3-4 times a week...then seen a family doctor and did some blood work, ekg, hoilter monitor, cat scan and he said I was healthy and believes I have anxiety...so I decided to see a therapist and that has helped a little...the 2nd month my panic attacks have went down a lot and went down some more this 3rd month...the 2nd month I was really bad with checking my body for symptoms and being convinced I had some health issue...seen my doctor a couple times with him trying to tell me that physically I'm healthy...this 3rd month the checking has went down and started to do more things on my own...I had to be put on short term from work because all of this...I didn't want to leave my house for the longest time because I was worried...now I'm starting to get out a little bit here and there or being home alone for some time...the end of this week was a little rough because I checked my heart rate and it was ranging between 55-70bpm when this all started I was lucky to get it down to 80 something...so naturally when I seen this low number I thought it was a sign that my heart was going to stop and I had a anxiety attack...I went to go drive to get a haircut but couldn't make it all the way there...I started to feel some chest pain and ended up turning around...but besides going home I had a bright idea to go get my blood pressure checked at wallgreens...(bad idea)...it ended up being 169/98...and since then I've been at a constant worry thinking I'm going to have a stroke or blood clot or something...even though before all this started my heat rate and blood pressure was always normal...when this started and got checked by my doctor thats when my blood pressure was high...never been quit this high but I think close in the mid to upper 150's...so all day I was in a worry especially knowing I can't talk to my doc till mon...last night I felt a twitch in my left hand and then it felt like my head got shook for a sec and now I have a slight pain right behind the right ear that comes and goes and I thought it was a slight stroke so now I couldn't sleep...I found this site last night and posted got a response and some encouraging words...so finally after getting some sleep I woke up this morning and decided to post my story...thanks for listening.
Community LeaderMid
Mid
Take time to relax, be in the moment.

It's too easy to get all wrapped in the physical sensations and forget that being in the moment will naturally reduce the spiking levels back to a higher normal resting level of anxiety.

Get up, move those feet, hands, and stay hydrated.

The power of anxiety is ours, once we grasp it, embrace it, love it, and appreciate it. I know, odd way to look at it, however, it is a natural part of us that we never paid any attention to until we reached a point of "panic", "party", and the least bit of calm means something different than it used to, until we find our way to the new comfort level.

You are not alone in this.
readyforchange3
readyforchange3
Thanks for that...means a lot.
gramybear
gramybear
Okay honey, I'm glad you went to the doctors. He gave you all the right tests and found nothing so now we know it's your anxiety causing your brain to think you are going to die from a heart attack. You can't rely on those blood pressure machines at Walgreen's or any other pharmacy. If you want a true reading, you need to be relaxed and just be getting up from bed, without actually getting out of bed. You can buy a really good blood pressure monitor that will check your heart rate, your pulse, etc. I have one and I use it often due to my anxiety. However, I know it's not my heart. My problem is that I have very low blood pressure. But you can make it go up all by yourself with your anxiety. Have you heard of the white coat syndrome? It's when people go to the doctors and they are so nervous just being there that their heart rate goes up. Mine goes to about 118/70.. That is not as low as it gets but that is high for me when at the doctors. I bought the Omron machine. It's a good one. Take your blood pressure 3 times before getting out of bed and moving around. That is how you get a true reading. And don't do it while you are having anxiety because that will automatically raise your blood pressure. Don't let your head convince you that something is wrong with you. Try the blood pressure monitor before getting up and if it is still high after the 3rd check, talk to your doctor. I think you are causing it to go up from your anxiety. Let us know how you are doing, okay? Hugs GB
readyforchange3
readyforchange3
Thanks gramybear I appreciate you taking the time out for me...this is real new to me so I'm trying to take everything with stride.
gramybear
gramybear
Just hang in with us and know that we are all here to support you, give you advice when you ask for it, and care about you. When you start to have a panic attack, try to breathe slowly but take deep breathes. Not too deep or that WILL Make you dizzy. And you can post as often as you need to ,as long as you need to, and never worry about your posts being too long. What matters is that you get some of your questions answered. Hugs GB
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