Is it normal to feel funny all day and all night?

[rasaht]

Hi all. I have definitely been having panic attacks lately, but now I find that almost all the time my heart feels funny, my chest feels tight, my legs start aching/going numb as if circulation is cut off. These symptoms can just go on and on and it's a real struggle to avoid a full blown anxiety attack. The thing is I can wake up with these symptoms after a good night's sleep, or they can just come on out of nowhere even if I feel perfectly happy and relaxed. I'm just so worried that there might really be something wrong with my body, and that the anxiety attacks are coming from that, rather than the body symptoms coming from anxiety. I feel like I can't do anything active, but I can't do nothing either, because it's almost worse when I'm doing nothing because I start worrying about it so much. One night towards the end of an anxiety attack I went to the ER, where they monitored my heart and took X-rays of my chest, and said my heart and lungs are clear. Does this just mean that my heart has not been damaged by a heart attack or similar YET, but may become so?? Or do I really have nothing to fear but fear itself? And how does one stop an anxiety attack coming on from these symptoms? I can't even deep breathe to relax because it scares me to focus on my breathing. And I can't seem to find anything to take my mind off it. Please help!!

[Barbara_Ann]

Your symptoms sound very much like anxiety/panic attacks but you don't say if you've seen a doctor about them.

Take my advise and go in get a check up and tell the doctor what you are experiencing.

I was having anxiety and panic off and on for several years until my body finally went so weak on me that I was forced to get to a doctor. Turned out my thyroid was outrageously low. I was put on a hormone for it and it got me back in balance. Your thyroid literally balances everything in your body and is connected to your adrenal gland and can set off panic attacks because your out of balance hormonely. I thought I was going insane. My body was trying to tell me something but I wasn't listening.

There are many physical medical conditions that can cause panic and anxiety. It is not always just a mental phobia or fear. Have your blood pulled to at least rule out thryoid and other physical problems.

Good luck

[Nades]

Hi there. Ihave anxiety that will last all day and night for ages and then one day they will goaway forabout a week then return in full force. It really is horrible.I take meds so that definitely helps a lot and I am going for CBT. If you have some underlying things that have happened to yo or that you are worried about why not try to go and see a phsycologist or a councellor. They are trained in helping people loke us to cope. I agree withll med check and bloods it will only put mind to rest. As far as your heart goes there are millions uf us sufferers that worry all the time about our heart, if you have been checked out then it isnormal to have all these worries. Do not give your thoughts any credit and they will go away eventuallu. Anxiet cannot harm or kill you so donot worry about that. Hang in there you are special.

[rasaht]

Thanks so much for your replies. I started taking St John's Wort today and so far it is actually working wonders -- managed to avoid a full blown attack by taking one when symptoms started.

I had a blood test when I went to hospital -- would that have picked up thyroid problems? Does anyone know what other sorts of tests I should get to rule out other causes?

I am also planning on seeing a therapist. I think part of the problem is I've lost track of what orginally made me anxious, and it's become all about the physical symptoms now, plus I just seem to be in a constant state of high tension.

[langy]

it sounds like anxiety to me i have everything you have just described and its exhausting. i get well for a while then it all gets worse again it can be frustrating.st johns wort is more for depression than anxiety a good thing to try is bach rescue remedy which i find useful.