Hello folks. I've posted here a few times and all the information received is great and appreciated. I would appreciate some suggestions if possible. Been doing pretty good for the last few weeks. Have been haing a few drinks every evening to cut loose(3-6 beers depending). Don't take any meds, have Valium available if necessary. It seems now that my anxiety has "returned" and been giving me some PA's last few days. Now I get dizzy, seems like I float and then the fear comes in. I have been able to pass on most of them but one or to have got me. Went to DR yesterday for follow up and she says BP is high (144/83). Great, now worried about something else. She gave me a card to a pyschologist. I am considering CBT. Can anyone enlighten me on this, does it seem to help out? I'm tired of feeling like crap. Thanks!
Drinking every evening is quite possibly the main reason your anxiety has returned. Of course anxiety is usually lessened WHILE you're drinking, but the next day, when the effects of the alcohol have worn off, it will often be worse. There were periods in the past when I drank maybe four nights/week and ~3-5 beers per night, but I was on a large dose of Zoloft, so I didn't really have to worry about panic attacks regardless.
My non-expert advice is to cut down on the drinking a bit, at least until your anxiety is better. When you go out, it should be easy enough to limit yourself to 1-2 drinks at a time instead of 3-6 without looking strange to your friends. If you can cut out the drinking completely for a little while, that might be better.
I have never gone to a CBT session myself. I've been to ordinary "talk therapists," but they never really helped me much. I basically rely on medication to stay free of those God-awful physical symptoms you describe. If you don't feel that you need medication (apart from keeping Valium around for emergencies) then that's good, but please don't suffer needlessly. If you decide you want hardcore relief, then drugs such as the SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, etc.) and others can make a WORLD of difference in how you feel. They can eliminate anxiety almost entirely, i.e., to the point where you completely forget you have any disorder. Don't be afraid of them.
As for your blood pressure, that might just be high because of the anxiety. Once your anxiety is under control, whether by CBT or meds or both, then your BP will likely drop back down. If not, then you can address that problem separately.
Drinking every evening is quite possibly the main reason your anxiety has returned. Of course anxiety is usually lessened WHILE you're drinking, but the next day, when the effects of the alcohol have worn off, it will often be worse. There were periods in the past when I drank maybe four nights/week and ~3-5 beers per night, but I was on a large dose of Zoloft, so I didn't really have to worry about panic attacks regardless.
My non-expert advice is to cut down on the drinking a bit, at least until your anxiety is better. When you go out, it should be easy enough to limit yourself to 1-2 drinks at a time instead of 3-6 without looking strange to your friends. If you can cut out the drinking completely for a little while, that might be better.
I have never gone to a CBT session myself. I've been to ordinary "talk therapists," but they never really helped me much. I basically rely on medication to stay free of those God-awful physical symptoms you describe. If you don't feel that you need medication (apart from keeping Valium around for emergencies) then that's good, but please don't suffer needlessly. If you decide you want hardcore relief, then drugs such as the SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, etc.) and others can make a WORLD of difference in how you feel. They can eliminate anxiety almost entirely, i.e., to the point where you completely forget you have any disorder. Don't be afraid of them.
As for your blood pressure, that might just be high because of the anxiety. Once your anxiety is under control, whether by CBT or meds or both, then your BP will likely drop back down. If not, then you can address that problem separately.
Good luck!
Thanks Binky,
I've quit the beer for a while and will see how it goes. I tried some of the AD's and it didn't seem to work for me. I've got Valium from my DR and I probably take 1 every week if needed. Some of the time I feel good, some of the time feel like crap. Physical symptoms seem to always be changing ie, chest pains, throat sensation, lightheaded, dizzy. It sucks. Thanks for your help.
Fred1976,
I'd like to suggest you do some searching on the internet regarding alchohol and it's effect on B-Vitamins and your body. Finding this information was a lifesaver for me. If you are able to drink 3-6 beers on a daily basis, it's practically a no-brainer you are suffering from B-vitamin depletion which leads to among other things, anxiety & depression.
I know what I'm talking about because I've been there. First of all, you're doing the right thing by cutting back but, you need to begin a vitamin supplement routine to restore the vitamins & nutrients your mind & body are lacking.
I suffered from anxiety, panic attacks & mild depression for several years until a friend told me about a holistic medicine practitioner they had gone to (regarding their panic attacks & anxiety) who had been successfully treating manic-depressives with B-complex vitamins (including additional doses of Folic acid) and Fish Oil. All of these are vital for the healthy formation of nerve cells in the body and mind. Once I began doing this, all of my symptoms improved dramatically. I also discovered that my craving for alchohol reduced significantly.
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