Progress....then new symptoms

[yurmom]

As I've learned more and more about panic disorder, I started to gain some control over symptoms. I still felt anxious and had symptoms, but they didn't seem as acute. As I start to gain confidence and feel some optimism, wham!, new symptoms. When the new symptoms hit, it's as if I've forgotten everything I learned and have to start all over. So frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

[em1]

As I've learned more and more about panic disorder, I started to gain some control over symptoms. I still felt anxious and had symptoms, but they didn't seem as acute. As I start to gain confidence and feel some optimism, wham!, new symptoms. When the new symptoms hit, it's as if I've forgotten everything I learned and have to start all over. So frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

Oh god yes lol I've had this only Recently and I've had anxiety for years

[em1]

It's like the anxiety has to make you think something else to keep it alive and as soon as you think umm hang on that's not going to happen BAM something else,it's so so Frustrating

[yurmom]

Precisely! It's truly as if you're at war with yourself and the anxiety is an entity trying out different strategies.

[str8trippin]

Yes, me too! I've been dealing with this for the past couple of weeks so I can definitely relate!!

[Blessed]

As I've learned more and more about panic disorder, I started to gain some control over symptoms. I still felt anxious and had symptoms, but they didn't seem as acute. As I start to gain confidence and feel some optimism, wham!, new symptoms. When the new symptoms hit, it's as if I've forgotten everything I learned and have to start all over. So frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

This is me 100 percent right now. I wore an ECG heart monitor for 3 weeks and went to doc Friday for my report.... Praise God all was well, I had 96 readings and they all were NORMAL. He said he noticed the PVCs that I had but they were completely normal even for ppl who don't experience anxiety. He assured me that i was normal and that according to my reports and tests and etc that i was NOT going To drop dead from a heart attack! He told me I was fine my results and blood pressure readings were normal, to relax and let it go. I was soooo relieved!!!! And grateful!!!! NOW for past three days have had pain in center of my chest off and on.... I keep telling myself I'm fine but I'm loosing grip here.... Please advise!!!!

[str8trippin]

This is me 100 percent right now. I wore an ECG heart monitor for 3 weeks and went to doc Friday for my report.... Praise God all was well, I had 96 readings and they all were NORMAL. He said he noticed the PVCs that I had but they were completely normal even for ppl who don't experience anxiety. He assured me that i was normal and that according to my reports and tests and etc that i was NOT going To drop dead from a heart attack! He told me I was fine my results and blood pressure readings were normal, to relax and let it go. I was soooo relieved!!!! And grateful!!!! NOW for past three days have had pain in center of my chest off and on.... I keep telling myself I'm fine but I'm loosing grip here.... Please advise!!!!

This gets really, really frustrating! Something happens to make to feel reassured and no sooner than you think okay, maybe this is really is just anxiety like everyone says, another physical symptom or sensation pops up and the panic cycle starts all over again. I was feeling good Saturday and then yesterday I woke up with a stiff neck again, and the bone at the top of my spine/base of my neck feeling like it was bruised...and I immediately started freaking out. One thing that has helped me trying to think about whether or not there is a normal, average, every day reasons why something could be bothering me physically because a lot of times there is. Like the bruised feeling on my back, I realized I had been at my friends watching a movie and laying with my head propped up and that bone was pressing against the arm of the couch for two hours straight. Well, no wonder! When I make these kinds of realizations I immediately feel myself able to relax again. And I know when I distract myself from the anxiety and whatever physical thing is accompanying it, I don't even notice any of it anymore, which is a pretty big indicator that it is probably anxiety.

[yurmom]

Blessed...try to think of the chest pain as your anxiety telling you: "So, the doctor says your fine, huh? Well, I'm not gonna let you go that easy, so here's a new symptom, even worse than the others." Talk back to your anxiety and say, "bring it on B***h! Give me chest pain, I love it! You couldn't kill me yesterday and you won't succeed today." Don't fight the symptom and the anxiety will give up.
I realize what I'm saying is sometimes easier said than done, but it has helped me a lot. I talk to my anxiety, telling it that i'm not going to engage in safety behavior and I won't fight it anymore.

[str8trippin]

Blessed...try to think of the chest pain as your anxiety telling you: "So, the doctor says your fine, huh? Well, I'm not gonna let you go that easy, so here's a new symptom, even worse than the others." Talk back to your anxiety and say, "bring it on B***h! Give me chest pain, I love it! You couldn't kill me yesterday and you won't succeed today." Don't fight the symptom and the anxiety will give up.
I realize what I'm saying is sometimes easier said than done, but it has helped me a lot. I talk to my anxiety, telling it that i'm not going to engage in safety behavior and I won't fight it anymore.

Agreed! It sounds silly, but it works for me too! Talking out loud helps me more than trying to do it all in my head...at least when I'm at home or around people I trust where I feel comfortable looking a little silly talking to my anxiety!

[yurmom]

I should've stressed that I'm not promoting an angry stance. Anger can put someone in a more vulnerable, weak state. I'm merely suggesting that if you don't give the anxiety the reaction it wants, it becomes less powerful. It's like the playground bully that wants to taunt you and laugh when it makes you cry.

[HealingTime]

Writing would work for me. I love to grab a pen and just write my thoughts.

But, if I have general anxiety all the time right now... what do I say to my gut to make the queasiness go away? I am anxious that my husband isn't speaking to me and is avoiding me and treating me poorly. There doesn't seem to be anything I can do until he comes around, that's why I thought immersing myself in work would help to at least take my mind off it. I like the idea of confronting it to make it go away and stop taking over every time I have a free moment, but I just don't know what I would say. I've done all I can do to assure my husband I'm working on my issues, it is in his hands now. Say that? Say I don't have control of this situation but that doesn't mean I should be sick all the time. There is nothing I can do, it is out of my hands I must be patient. I don't see how that would make it go away.

Suggestions?

[Blessed]

Blessed...try to think of the chest pain as your anxiety telling you: "So, the doctor says your fine, huh? Well, I'm not gonna let you go that easy, so here's a new symptom, even worse than the others." Talk back to your anxiety and say, "bring it on B***h! Give me chest pain, I love it! You couldn't kill me yesterday and you won't succeed today." Don't fight the symptom and the anxiety will give up.
I realize what I'm saying is sometimes easier said than done, but it has helped me a lot. I talk to my anxiety, telling it that i'm not going to engage in safety behavior and I won't fight it anymore.

I love this !!!!!!

[yurmom]

Healing Time: Have you actually been diagnosed with panic disorder? I think panic and depression are very different and require very different approaches. The belief that this is out of your hands will hold you back. It is in your hands. Whether or not you feel better is not up to your husband, it's up to you. The conversation is between you and your anxiety, not you and your husband.

[HealingTime]

yurmom, I talked to my therapist about what happens to be and she seemed to agree but no real diagnosis. I panic when my husband and I disagree. Right now I'm feeling very anxious at his attitude toward me. He's unhappy after being hurt over and over during these panics.

I do know I have control over the panic. I have managed to totally keep control of myself more times in the past week than in the past month.

I don't feel I have control over my current anxiety level because, yes, I'm sad and depressed at the place my husband and I are in. I think ultimately I'm co-dependent but I haven't delved too much into how to change that.

[Danny1986]

i am literally where you are now.im getting a second opinion just to be safe.my gp mentioned a few things and i have been vigilant with my symptoms but chest pain is no joke at all.its debilitating and hard to manage! quick questions though does the pain move around or is it completely central? pain that moves around is generally either muscoskeletal or something not cardiac.im beginning to think that the hospital doctor was reassuring me rather than listening to me.not to say he didn't do his job but my gp mentioned POTS which i show many symptoms of and he didnt even mention it.i have been missing work and driving people crazy with my weird symptoms and worried behavior.my anxiety has been twinned with this which hasnt helped at all,stress can cause chest pains after all

[Cinnamongirl]

I love this !!!!!!

This is the kind of post that is helpful to refer back to when you need some strength & support. Thank you!

[Stephj526]

As I've learned more and more about panic disorder, I started to gain some control over symptoms. I still felt anxious and had symptoms, but they didn't seem as acute. As I start to gain confidence and feel some optimism, wham!, new symptoms. When the new symptoms hit, it's as if I've forgotten everything I learned and have to start all over. So frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

I couldn't say it any better. This is exactly what am I currently experiencing. I was so happy about how much better I'd been feeling and able to actually enjoy life again. And them BAM! New symptoms and anxiety pop back up and it's so hard to tell myself differently again. Baby steps!

[Dcoito]

As I've learned more and more about panic disorder, I started to gain some control over symptoms. I still felt anxious and had symptoms, but they didn't seem as acute. As I start to gain confidence and feel some optimism, wham!, new symptoms. When the new symptoms hit, it's as if I've forgotten everything I learned and have to start all over. So frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes, but your looking at it wrong! It's not new symptoms again its just different sensations you get from anxiety. Anxiety will try different things to make you freak out sorts speak. It's your reaction that escalates it, your thoughts and what have you.
When you know you have anxiety, you must continue your relaxation , guided meditation , and breathing. Everyday! Even when you feel well. Takes a lot of time, to re program your brain to a more peaceful way of being, and change negative thoughts into positive. ESP when you have been doing it for years, and years. Of corse you want to always mention new symptoms to your doctor if it has been awhile since you have seen one! But if you recently got an all clear. Then rest assure you are fine! But anxiety is there for the long haul. Even when we feel good! We just need to train ourself in making it fade away!
Even people without anxiety take stress management classes, and implement there techniques in there daily lives. We need to do the same, even more so!