Hi newbie here my story

[j Hall]

About 2 years ago I got Labryinthitus, which is severve ear infection which makes you dizzy losing your balance. I had this for quite sometime, and as i used to catch the bus everyday to work, one day went to work and totally panicked, everything was spinning round, i couldn't breath. After been off work i lost my job due to been on the sick for a long time. Its like i totally lost all my confidence. Over time became agrophobic, I stopped shopping, only shoppin on the internet, still cant go in supermarkets, unless with my other half. Cant go on trains, buses, anymore. You do feel you are going crazy. After two years of this, i thought i cant let this rule my life. I got a mountain bike and now cycle around local area. I am just venturing out to local corner shop. As long as i can get in and out thats ok, still cant handle cues though, I hope im gradually getting better, but its very hard. I have to make myself leave the house, a mission a day, a little step at a time...

[Mister]

Hi J, welcome to the forums :)

One small step at a time all builds up to an achievement, and helps you get towards you're ultimate goal of improving your health. Are you getting any assistance with this from anyone?

[j Hall]

Yes, went to the doctors have had several medications, first one they gave me, passed out unconsious on the bathroom floor, this was the first day of taking them, frightened the life out of me. I decided dont want to have medication as, dont want the nasty side effects later. I am reading up on my condition, and trying the self help route. Making myself leave the house and facing the panic attacks, just having kalm tablets the herb type, before i venture out. It is hard, at my worst I was housebound for about 6 months, its hard when you havent been out anywhere. My husband has been great support, my safe person. I am now going to the corner shop on my own, and walking out, i do get panicky still but dont run back home.

[Mister]

Kalms are great.... I used them for around a year prior to going on prescription meds.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things to tackle your problems, and I'm sure you'll get further from the members on here on understanding them... and ways to deal with them.

Good luck :)

[IWasAnxious]

See my other thread regarding a real physical illness causing anxiety.

Lots of major and minor ailments can trigger common anxiety symptoms like woosiness, being spaced out, etc. As these symptoms can be frightening it's easy to hype them up and add a layer of anxiety on top causing the classic anxiety-disorder vicious cycle.

Hopefully you can get the physical illness under control and then get the anxiety element dealt with.

When I was in a bad why with anxiety I still managed to function by taking a 'what's the worse that could happen?' attitude - 'If I did faint mostly likely a passer-by would pick me up, ask me if I'm okay, and if I couldn't pull myself together call an ambulance or doctor or something'. It would be embarassing for sure but hey...

In hundreds of trips out by myself suffering wooziness and agriphobia I only fainted - or half-fainted - once and managed to get going again with a sip of water. The worse case scenario never arrived.

[j Hall]

Hi my huband bought me a book The anxiety & phobia workbook!! by Edmund bourne

It is great, you get a better understanding of why it happens, and how to deal with it when it happens, Today I have walked to the supermarket, been in a supermarket bought two items and back out again! Never thought i would get this far. When your panic happens you learn to ride it out, and slow down your breathing then, it passes over you the panic.
Keep telling yourself i can do this, it will soon pass, and it does :D
The cashier on the checkout probably thought whats she smiling about.

[j Hall]

See my other thread regarding a real physical illness causing anxiety.

Lots of major and minor ailments can trigger common anxiety symptoms like woosiness, being spaced out, etc. As these symptoms can be frightening it's easy to hype them up and add a layer of anxiety on top causing the classic anxiety-disorder vicious cycle.

Hopefully you can get the physical illness under control and then get the anxiety element dealt with.

When I was in a bad why with anxiety I still managed to function by taking a 'what's the worse that could happen?' attitude - 'If I did faint mostly likely a passer-by would pick me up, ask me if I'm okay, and if I couldn't pull myself together call an ambulance or doctor or something'. It would be embarassing for sure but hey...

In hundreds of trips out by myself suffering wooziness and agriphobia I only fainted - or half-fainted - once and managed to get going again with a sip of water. The worse case scenario never arrived.

10 years ago I had a mastoiditis Which was a bad infection behind my eardrum, this caused all my face on one side to balloon out and i have never had ear ache like that before in my life, anyway i went to a and e
and they admitted me to hospital and i had an operation. I was in hospital for 4 days at the time and it was so boring. I got out of hospital and was so fed up decided to go on the bus to visit friends which was half an hour bus ride. As i was boarding the bus going upstairs to the top deck the bus jolted and i bashed my head on the pole at the top of the stairs. So i sat down then noticed my ear was bleeding. Anyway next minute passed out whilst sat on the bus. Must have been out cold 5 - 10 minutes who knows, I waited for the bus stop got off the bus and thought I now need help, total panic was just going to the phone box and thats all i remember till i woke up in hospital, So if you do pass out at the end of the day yeas you will be in good hands, thats my theory now anyway!!