New Here : my issue

[TheShadow]

New here and wanted to get opinions.

Recently (5/19/07) I began to have symptoms of anxiety. What happened was this… Back in April I had gotten food poisoning. Was vomiting, runs, etc… I had not vomited since I was a little kid. So it freaked me out. Now come 5/19/07 I got sick again from something I ate. I had the same feelings of dizziness, about to vomit, loss of color to my face, and almost a fear of throwing up. This happened at a restaurant. I assumed that earlier in the day I ate something bad and it was affecting me now. Well ever since that night till today I have been having what seems to be anxiety issues. At first I thought maybe I had a stomach bug because for a week straight I felt off. I would get nauseous and uneasy at certain times of the day. I still ate normally and did not get sick. Finally one morn I woke up extremely dizzy, nauseous,short of breath, heart racing, feeling as if I was going to pass out. Went to the doc right away and they did an EKG and said it was normal. Blood pressure was kinda high but nothing major.

I went about another week of having these “episodes” of being nauseous, light headed, short of breath, uneasy, at times feeling like I was going to pass out. So I made another doc appt with a different doc. They did blood test, urine test, chest x-ray, EKG, wore a heart holter for 24hrs, and an ultrasound of the heart. Everything has come back normal and the doc doesn’t see anything wrong with my heart.

Today I’m still getting these symptoms but not as severe. It’s mainly just getting uneasy and short of breath at times, feeling my throat closing, and sometimes feeling loss of control. I’ve noticed a trend as I think it happens around the times of eating. Like being at a restaurant or shortly after I eat or sometimes even thinking about eating. If my stomach has any uneasy feelings I think it triggers the episodes, or if I have to go to the bathroom it triggers it I think. Other times these uneasy feelings just come and go? Such as first thing in the morn I wake up and my heart is racing or maybe during the day I just start to feel uneasy and short of breath for an hour, etc…

The only other stress in my life (as silly as this sounds) is a puppy I got. Since Nov. till today I admit I have been frustrated, stressed, worried, etc… over this pup. It’s the only life changing thing. And the dog has changed my lifestyle completely.

Any thoughts? I thought about going to talk to a psychologist. My doc may want to run MORE tests. But I feel it’s more psychological than physical. He doesn’t seem to like psychologists saying they can not prove why I feel the way I do. I thought maybe he should run tests for my stomach but he says the light headedness, short of breath may be causing my upset/nervous stomach so….

Thanks guys!

[EDIT] it should be noted i have NEVER had anxiety issues before. This is all new to me.

[barnettnetter]

Light headed is my most common symtom, plus the old nervous stomach. I have had anxiety for years. Once you start the cycle it is hard to grab hold of and stop in fear there is an underlying cause. Same goes for doc's, they don't want to be sued. Plus, the more they see you the more money they make(in america anyway) so, give it time( breathing techniques on this forum somewhere). Make a real or mental journal of when you feel this way, what triggers it. The light head thing can come and go or stay all the time (hyperventilating). I had 2 yucky stomach bugs this year and it does take time for tummy to feel better lol Just remember not to attach fear on to any situation. This is what starts the cycle. I won't eat out, I will only eat this kind of food, believe me, soon it's I won't use the freeway, I won't drive, I won't leave the house, it makes me dizzy and sick, etc..........................Hello agrophob!!!! lol The difference between us and people who just got the stomach bug is attaching it to locations, foods, resturants, etc. Really I make light because I have the experience but you are at a point in which you can stop the cycle easily, before it gets to yucky. Read all the subjects here, the symtoms, etc. Do as many medical test as you can stand if you want to but remember, you can't control the "what if's " by taking 20 test a year. You will always hear of that 1 person who really had the (tummor, cancer, hidden heart problem.....) dispite all the test they had so the anxiety finds a way to make a home in your brain no matter what. Just get familiar with the symtoms so you can kick the little bugger out! :) Try to get comfortable with the idea that you can't control every out come of your life, only part, your a partner with destiny(corny eh) but true. If you like to control your life, as I did, you will have quite the battle with panic, if you can let go and ride a little, change the what if's to what not's, what if its not a tummor and I'm waisting my time worrying, you'll get on with your real life and be happy most of the time! I think you should start eating a healthy diet, exercising, and switch doc's! Your mind is too beautiful to waste, and ask anyone on here, anxiety will waste it like no other! I know you'll get better! Go on and start!

[barnettnetter]

Oh, forgot, I have had all your symtoms, those are panic attacks. Your body feels heavy, racing heart, can't take a deep breathe, and you need to go to the old toilet! ha, wonderfully normal panic symtoms! Take a vitamin and walk, dance, ride a bike for 20min. a day!

[TheShadow]

thanks for the reply. i will say it has gotten better. i just started talking to a psychologist and hopefully I can kick this as I can pin point the exact day/time these symtoms started.

someone told me to focus on breathing when i feel these episodes coming. throw some cold water in my face. and others have told me to "embrace" these horrid feelings and enjoy them!?!?!??!?!? i don't know. thanks for the comments and will welcome more.

[ligeia]

You know what? I sort of have some fears of vomiting and hadn't vomited since I was about five years old. Then recently on a trip to a foreign country, I ate some contaminated food and had the worst projectile vomiting you could fathom. It was so painful and scary that I felt traumatized afterwards, not to mention totally weakened, dehydrated and nauseous.

Well anyways, it suddenly happened again about two hours later (guess there was still some parasite left in my tummy) and I had to run to a bathroom and barfed out what was left. But this time, instead of being scared, I tried to relax my body and just let it happen. So it happened. And it was less painful because while my body was contracting I was able to "let go" to some psychological and physical degree.

I think "sit back and enjoy it" is kind of a funny way to put it, but I think the general idea is the same as what happened to me. Just think to yourself, well, if I'm gonna vomit, I'm gonna vomit. It's good for my body to protect itself and get the bad stuff out. No problem, that means I'm doing good. It will be ok.

[KillingTime]

OMG, I had to register just b/c this story is so similar to mine.

A year and a half ago my step-dad had a big accident, I didn't get any sleep that night. Now, I guess I always had a bit of a sensitive stomach when I had a lack of sleep so that morning I woke up gagging for hours.

I figured... hmmm must just be a stomach bug, it went away the next day. That weekend I had lunch with my dad and in the middle of lunch, in a restaurant, I get the most unbearable nausea again.... that was the point. From that point until now I am nauseated almost every day. I can't eat in front of anyone. I literally sit through most of my classes at school biting down on my lip (it's all cut up) because I feel like I am about to throw up.

I can't go out, i can't even get a haircut b/c I get the most extreme nausea you can imagine. I get a bit lightheaded too, but my main problem is nausea, I often can't even talk b/c if I open my mouth I feel like i'll vomit.