I am 28 and have suffered from GAD for almost 6 years now. Until last week, I hadn't had an attack in over two years. Maybe I have forgotten what they were like because it seem that this time, they are ten times worse than before. I am having atleast 2 attacks a day and they last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. I think about them all of the time though. My head hurts constantly and I am sure that I have a brain tumor even though the doctors have reassured me that I'm fine. I constantly check my pulse and when my heart seems to be beating a little too fast I freak out. After twenty minutes or so of counting my heart beats and trying to breath, my chest starts to hurt, I get dizzy, and feel like all of the energy has been drained out of me. I feel pain in my chest constantly combined with heartburn and pain in my left arm and leg. My neck and back hurt all of the time and I have more pain than any one person should have to experience. I am scared to death that I am dying even though my doctor is positive that I am completely healthy. Bedtime is the worst. I toss and turn in bed while my heart attempts to pound out of m chest. My husband wanted to take me to the ER the other night, but I wouldn't let him because I figured it would be a complete waste of money since they would just tell me that I'm fine. God help me if something is ever really wrong with me because I'll just attribute it to anxiety and lay at home and die! I don't wanna go through this anymore especially since it has been so long since I've had to deal with it. I feel so alone and so frustrated because it seems like this will never go away and I really don't want to live my life like this. Does anyone else ever feel like this? Thanks in advance for the support.

Hi ginger, are you taking any meds?
a beta blocker such as inderal calms the heart and can be taken only as needed
I think you should be on a fairly high dose of valium type meds for about 4 weeks, these calm the body and the mind
as I guess you know, the heart works best when ignored, montioring or checking it always makes it bang, hammer and thump

you may also be getting some indigestion

I'm not currently taking any meds for GAD. Have an appointment with my therapist on next Tuesday and then the doctor again on Thursday to decide what action to take. I have Xanax to help alleviate the attacks, but wish they would just go away forever!

Does anyone else ever feel like this? Thanks in advance for the support.

Yes. I'm currently going something similiar. I'm 29. I've had panic attacks but usually they'd just go away. Now I'm having all kinds of, what I think are, digestive problems. I fear something is terribly wrong w/ me. Worse I've felt I've brought this on myself.

Regarding the tossing and turning, I've been sleeping on a sofa all summer. I don't have a tv in my room. Without the tv, my thoughts run wild. To make matters worse, I bought a new mattress/box in July. I think I've slept on it 15 times.

Also, what kind of tests have you had done?


Anyway, you're not alone. Good luck.

Hi,
I just wanted to let JustGinger and the other posters on this thread know you are not alone. I suffer too. I'm 31 have GAD & Depression (because of the GAD) have been on meds (now on zoloft).I hate this and it is ruining my life but I have hope...Hope that if this won't go away
at least the depression will lift and I can learn to deal with it.

Just Ginger hi ya, thanks for your post...it all sounds just soo familiar to me, I understand how you feel..any idea what your anxious about? Anxiety has a miriad of symptoms all the aching and dizzyness,lack of concentration,pain all over my body including my head, dread of dying, thinking you have a major disease, fear, anitisocial behaviour, all of these things I went thru, but also I had very weak legs and arms and even twitching all of course were completely benign just as yours are. I went to many doctors and had a zillion tests all of which were normal, I even saw a neurologist who asured me I was in good health, but did tell me that all my symptoms were GAD, antidepressants helped me soo very much.. I guess I just want you to know that others are in the same boat, I had some councilling to help me deal with the issues in my life that were rooted in anxiety, maybe you could do the same and seek some help if you havent already to find out whats going on within you. All the best to you....:) (p.s I did find that calcium magnesuim tablets helped me at night to sleep easier, magnesium is a muscle relaxant( and are natural) and also lifts the seretonin in the brain which releases the happy hormones,they work best when taken with calcium for quicker absorbtion.)We are not doctors on this board just fellow sufferers, I do not think Valium type meds anyone has a right to suggest except a professional, and I would reccommend you seek there advice first.

God bless, Ill be prayin for you

Deb :)