I think I fit panic disorder more than anxiety, but I was just wondering if any of you out there have anxiety not involving your heart, worries of fainting, etc. I mostly get really really nervous in my stomach, IBS type stuff and tense which, if is consistently happening to me over the course of a few days, i get very tired and feel sick, especially nauseous and migraines. This increases my anxiety until i start to feel good again. Sometimes these icky feelings escalate into panic attacks, but I do not have a fear of dying or heart attack or anything like that, I just can't get the sensations coursing through my body under control.

Maybe I fit neatly into situational panic - I do not wake up in the middle of the night with panic attacks and they do not come on suddenly - I know when i am going to get anxious/panicky. i.e. mostly I am always relaxed when i am at home. I have been extremely anxious the last 2 weeks, and I'm pretty sure it is because work has been very busy and stressful, but it usually only lasts a week or so then I feel better. I have just been getting worked up every single day and am reaching for more Xanax then normal. I get to feeling too nervous and sick to even go to lunch with my co-workers after I tell them I am going to. I keep telling myself it will pass when things slow down, but I am getting worried that I am slipping.

Ahhh, who am I kidding, I don't fit neatly into anything. Does anyone else have anxiety like mine?

Me! But I don't have panic disorder. I have situational panic attacks/panic attacks due to specific phobias, OCD, and GAD. Like today for example- I gave blood, which doesn't scare me, but I was having a panic attack because I was afraid of fainting (same as with the vomiting- I have to prove that I'm strong... :rolleyes: ), not because of the prospect of giving blood itself. Then, of course, afterwards, every single feeling that I have, I think is a sign that I'm going to faint. It's the same as when I worry about throwing up on an amusement park ride- it's never happened, (and it probably never will) but I have to prove that I'm strong. These are really my only examples that are similar to a fear of having a heart attack or going crazy, but in general, I get panic attacks during the following scenarios:
1. waiting (doctor's offices, for someone to pick me up, etc.)
2. dentist
3. tests
4. any new situation where I'm afraid of finding a bathroom, etc. and getting into a routine
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

Hey mjewell - I could have written your post! My anxiety is NEVER about my heart - I do aerobic excercise daily - everything from swimming, to workout tapes, to waterskiing, to walking, you name it - my blood pressure is great (111/62 last week at the docs) and I never experienced any of my anxiety feelings in my heart area or about my heart. Mine is all about digestive stuff & headaches - IBS type symptoms, nausea, indigestion. I also know when it is coming, to some degree, it is always in response to some stressful situation. I had alot of trouble accepting that this is anxiety and nothing else, but my doc. has been a big help there - he really listens & is very reassuring. My symptoms seem to come and go in waves, and I am learning what I need to do & not do to feel better - first, I excercise because comfort food is sometimes all that I feel like eating (cheese, pasta, mashed potatoes & gravy! YUM! but fattening) and gaining weight is not going to be helpful in the overall picture of health I have for myself, second, I take klonopin, which is a big help, and I have realized that eating late at night, drinking carbonated beverages (even tonic water) and hard alcohol ( an occassional glass of red wine or a beer do not seem to bother me but I drank a rum and coke at a wedding several weeks back and was sick for three days)are no-no's for my disgestive system.

Also, I have tried very hard to form more positive mental habits. As a Catholic Christian, I find alot of solace in prayer. Many other posts that I have read have also recommended yoga and Eastern thought for relaxation. I also try to remember not to sweat the small stuff as they say, and the older I get (I am 38) the more I realize how much stuff is actually small stuff. I have six kids, all boys, and believe me, the possibilites for worry are endless! :) So, I have learned to lay back, look at the big picture and not worry about things I can't control. Because of my faith, I look at it as putting things in the Lord's hands, but you can also look at it in a secular way of accepting things you can't change.

Finally - sorry for the long post here but I was really excited to read yours because your experience sounds so much like mine and I am feeling sooo much better now than when I hit a low in January I really wanted to share my experiences with you - try not to worry or think too much about your symptoms and what they mean. I have read numerous books about panic & anxiety and I can't remember who wrote the following, but I do know I read it somewhere and don't want to claim it as an original thought - "If you had arthiritis in your wrist, wouldn't you be able to say 'oh well', take an advil and get on with your work? If you had a broken leg, would you not believe the doc. when he showed you the xrays, put a cast on it, and learn to live with that inconvenience until you were healed? So, why must you let a nauseous feeling in your stomach or a headache ruin your life?" I am not directing that statement at you, Mjewell, I am just sharing what I read because I found that to be an eye-opening point of view on anxiety. I also have fibromyalgia, and I work through physical pain that I am not anxious about all the time,so why do I let my anxiety feelings hold me down? Like I said, please do not think that i am directing that statement at you or telling you that you are "letting anxiety ruin your life" (believe me, I have at several times throughout my life been controlled by it), but maybe you will see a different point of view that will help you like it helped me.

I feel better knowing there is someone else out there like me- hope it is a small bit of hope for you too! Let me know how things are going....Best wishes, Marirose

Hi Mjewell,

I have GERD on top of anxiety, which produces all sorts of "interesting" digestive feelings ;) . As far as my anxiety goes, anymore it never really concerns the heart. It use to back in my early days at college, I use to get all the symptoms and be scared I was going to have a heart attack or something. Which at the same time didn't make sense to me as I have always been very active, and very healthy. It took a trip to the ER to put my mind at ease, which I think is pretty embarrasing.

Mostly anymore I have anxiety over having an anxiety attack in public (funny how that works eh), as well as passing out in public. This leads to all sorts of "wonderful" (note the sarcasm) feelings of depersonalization, derealization, dizziness, etc. I try not to let it affect my life and I still try to go out whenever I can; but it still sometimes "gets to me". Its funny cause I'll go long periods without any anxiety, then I'll have an attack and suddenly for a couple of weeks I'm back in panic mode.

But in answer to your first question, no my anxiety doesn't focus on the heart.

Best,
Pjcat

I worry about everything.

Well, I'm glad to hear I "fit in" somewhere. Marirose, you are so right about the whole diet and exercise thing....although it is hard to keep up consistently, I feel so much better when i do. I try to keep faith that God will help me through it as well, but its hard not to get down sometimes. I will try to keep a positive attitude and remembenr that it is not forever and it will not ruin me :)

Gatsbyluvr, I don't have OCD but have the same issues - situational panic and phobias, ESPECIALLY when waiting. I think we have talked about this on another post before.

Thanks to you too pjcat, I am glad to know I am not the only one focused on my "interesting digestive feelings." :)

Finally, UKMale - you aren't the only one ;)

I suffer from occassional BP spikes~when this happens~I will have a fast heart beat. But mostly for me these spikes(as well as panic attacks) make me feel "adrenalinized". I have a rush go thru me and I cannot be still. I cant lay down or sit down. I have to stay moving constantly until it wears off. It is the most HORRIBLE feeling :( I am speeded up and usually I dont know the reason or cause. Ativan(and prayer) have been my saving grace! I also suffer from anticipation anxiety. When I have to attend a social function where I know it will be loud or crowded~I start to dread it days ahead of time. Two weeks ago I had to attend my Uncle's funeral~I was so afraid that I would not be able to sit thru it~but with the help of Ativan,I did. I also went to a crowded and noisy restaurant tonite for a friend's birthday. All week I dreaded it~but somehow I went and actually enjoyed it. I know I have missed out on much joy due to anxiety and panic. I envy my husband~he just goes and goes~to work~and a million other places and never gives it a 2nd thought. I always anticipate going anywhere that is out of my safety zone. To make matters worse we live in a small town and it is IMPOSSIBLE to go anywhere anonymously. If I just run to the corner store to pick up a Sunday paper~I will run into somebody that knows me(or my kids). If my "insides" just ran calmer I could beat a lot of this. I would like to be a "slow moving creek" rather than a "raging river"~LOL :)
RR

My anxiety has nothing to do with being anxious about other health worries, it is purely fear about more anxiety attacks when I am in situations where I have suffered an attack before that seems to make me anxious. Its a difficult feeling to escape from no-matter how hard I try and improve the situation and even some periods of no anxiety where I think thats the end of it (few weeks sometimes) eventually cease and something will trigger the anxiety again. Hope tht makes sense, messed up eh?! :rolleyes:

Sometimes I wish I would faint.

I hate to say that but in a full blown panic attack it would be easier just to pass out and let my body do it's thing.

I've never had serious heart worries, I worry much more about my digestive system and what it's doing. Granted, I used to take my pulse all the time, but that's because I was afraid of having panic attacks, not a heart attack.

I do have night panic attacks. And panic attacks that seem to come on for no reason. But other than that, fear of vomiting brings them on. Random bouts of anxious symptoms happen as well - stomach aches, weakness etc...

All of my anxiety either comes out in my stomach or my bladder. I am always worried I have something really bad wrong with me, I guess I would be dead by now if that were the case. I hate this.


DF

I would have to agree with you. I have anxiety spikes-I know when they are coming and they can last days or they can last minutes. I feel like I have constant shots of adrenline shooting through my body. But here is the thing, my body feels absolutely exhausted at the same time. All I want to do is lay down, and be by myself. Does anyone else get this??
I am only 27 years old and I feel like I am 90. Then I feel bad because I feel so extremely lazy. I don't exercise, because I am afraid to. I feel like if I get my heart rate up any higher than it is, Something bad will happen.
I am a smoker as well. I worry about my smoking and what it is doing to my body, but when I am all keyed up with anxiety, I smoke more.
Can anyone relate to what I am feeling??

Thanks for letting me rant,
Jamison

I fit with you. I don't have anything I excessively worry about. I wake up with it. For no reason at all. Sometimes it happens within 5 minutes of being awake and the longest I've been able to go is about 30 minutes. I have them every day. Mornings are worse for some reason. Anticipation of the day ahead? I don't know. But like you too, I try not to take my Xanax, but some days I take more than I should. I know it may say 3x a day or whatever, but like I tell my doctor, I just take them when I need them. Some days I need more than 3. Some days 3 are fine. I strive to not take even the 3 if I don't have to. Unfortunately, I haven't made it to that goal yet in two years. My doctor is very understanding and knows that I know all about the potential for addiction. I try to be very careful about that. However, when I'm in attack mode, I freak out and take a pill. I just want it to go away.

I fit with you. I don't have anything I excessively worry about. I wake up with it. For no reason at all. Sometimes it happens within 5 minutes of being awake and the longest I've been able to go is about 30 minutes. I have them every day. Mornings are worse for some reason. Anticipation of the day ahead? I don't know. But like you too, I try not to take my Xanax, but some days I take more than I should. I know it may say 3x a day or whatever, but like I tell my doctor, I just take them when I need them. Some days I need more than 3. Some days 3 are fine. I strive to not take even the 3 if I don't have to. Unfortunately, I haven't made it to that goal yet in two years. My doctor is very understanding and knows that I know all about the potential for addiction. I try to be very careful about that. However, when I'm in attack mode, I freak out and take a pill. I just want it to go away.

Lucky for us our docs are understanding. i feel the same way as you, having a "goal" to go a certain amount of time w/out a Xanax or whatever, then i get all depressed cause I can never reach that goal. I just can't "work through" the panic the way some people can. I just need it to go away, FAST. Mornings are bad for me too just because I truly do dread my day, which is sad. Only on the weekdays though, when i have to go to work. I Don't feel that way on the weekends unless I have to go somewhere or do something out of my comfort zone. But, overall, anxiety is pretty much an equal opportunity time of day thing for me :(

mjewell - Out of all the posts I have read so far, it seems that you and I are right in the same category. Just like you, mine is worse during the weekdays while at work. Weekends, I do okay until I know I'm going to run out to do my weekly errands. I feel so bad when I run a couple of days shy of my refill. Once I ran out like a week and a half too soon. :nono: Luckily my doctor is also sympathetic. When I run out, I never use a lame excuse such as they were stolen, fell in the sink, etc., I just simply tell him I just took too many. I don't get sleepy from them or a high. They just take the edge off so I don't feel like I'm jumping out of my skin. I take the .5 and I can take 3 during the course of my day and work, and stay completely focused on my job. If I'm on a 3x daily prescription, and had a day where I needed to take 3 while at work, I try desperately not to take any more when I leave work. More times than not, that attempt isn't successful. I've even tried taking Tylenol PM to knock me out so I wouldn't have to take any more in case I had an attack. I really, really try hard and I hope my doctor knows that because I hate my monthly trips to the pharmacy. Its the same people and I always feel like the look at my like I'm a junkie or some kind of criminal.

Sorry to go on and on. Just so happy to have found you all.

Strangely enough I never have any worries about my heart (touch wood!) My worries are always over things that could possibly point to cancer. Never things like heart disease, liver disease etc. I think it is because people can live with these things for many years but with cancer it is either a case of you go into remission and spend the rest of your life worrying you will get a secondary cancer, or you are told you are terminal from the start and know you are going to die. Thats where my fear lies.