New here. Question about symptom changes

[Evanchic]

hey guys,

I'm new to both this forum and anxiety. 4month sufferer. after several hospital visits and doctors, i finally found a caring physician. ekg, bloodwork, thyroid all normal. holter monitor had shown my heart beat was slower than normal a few times during the 24/hrs. so i have a cardiologist appointing Jan 7 just to be on safe side. i was previously prescribed citalopram but my body couldn't tolerate it. it made me burn all over really bad. this doc prescribed buspar but I'm scared to take anything until i see cardiologist. my anxiety attacks are no longer "heart attack" feelings. that's one of my questions. is it normal for it to change? i feel sick when i get up and active. i feel that i need to sit or lie down.
overall my anxiety had gotten better until recently. i quit smoking because of this 3+ weeks ago. no caffeine. changing my diet. just before midnight Christmas eve night/Christmas morning i was awakened by my aunt who had cut her wrist (purposely) up close and personal with the gash got to me but i could NOT show panic cause i didn't want to freak her out. it was pretty deep and bad. however, she is alive and OK. thank God. i am not. my adrenaline was going but i didn't have a panic attack. i had the normal response you know? since then, I've had bad chest pains. i massage it, it goes away then returns. everyday. and i still get these sick episodes. last night my grandmother wasput in the ICU. i was at hospital till midnight. i woke up this morning dizzy, blurred vision, headache. chest pain isn't as bad though.
so is this normal? are my symptoms just changing on me? or am i trying to outsmart myself subconsciously.I'm able to work through

[Evanchic]

I'm able to work through my old panic attacks but confused about new symptoms like the dizziness and blurred vision, sudden onset of lightheadedness, increased chest pain. also become very sleepy and i feel as though i MUST nap

[Enduronman]

Welcome.

I just wish the circumstances were different and I hope that your Aunt is doing ok.

This is a tough posts for sure,..but I've gotta give it a go for you if you're ever going to have a chance friend,,,IMHO:

1. Considering your anxiety is only 4 months old, you can still get a grip on it. I've had it for 46 yrs, since birth...What "triggered" this?
2. Citalopram can increase some people's anxiety.
3. Buspar should NOT be prescribed to anyone who already has PANIC attacks. Period..ONLY for GAD...w/o PANIC.
4. Yes, anxiety attacks can take on any or all different forms,..you're becoming hyper-aware.
5. Quitting smoking can also greatly increase anxiety, it's rarely if ever easy and I don't recall ever seeing anyone that was "calm" about it..
6. The chest pains may just be angina (not deadly so don't start freakin out) caused by stresses (obviously) OR GER..you can look that one up. Both harmless, there are meds for both. Without side effects like the citalopram.
7. This is anxiety trying to get a grip on you,..and also the quitting smoking to cause much of this in itself (dizzy, blurred vision, headache, stomach upset)...

Congratulations on your success quitting!...

I think I would run all of your presentation by your family Doc, or he wouldn't have just given you buspar to cope with all this..You'll need something else to calm you down and it looks like long term, like another AD plus maybe a benzo too..

You'll make it through this friend, everyone here is fighting this same battle too so you're not alone.

E-Man...:)

[Evanchic]

thank you for replying. I'm glad you told me about buspar. i don't know anything about it. i know more about narcotic meds BC i worked at an alcohol and drug rehab for 7 years. my initial trigger was a combination of events. i quit my job to pursue something different. by myself often, my depression had gotten worse. then one day i was reading a book and my heart skipped 4 beats back to back. i caught my breath, stood up and had an attack. then i was having attacks everyday throughout the day. vi couldn't walk across the room without having one.

[Enduronman]

Yes,..you will need an AD.
Many members here are having great success (and quickly it seems) with fluoxetine (prozac) to help with the depressive symptoms and it also seems to help abit with anxiety too without actually causing more. Also, some use a benzo like xanax or klonopins (when needed).

Yes, I would get back in to speak to the Doc about this in much more detail friend. He may even offer up some (wellbutrin) to keep you off of smokes too. It's also an AD that for some reason, provides people with higher energy levels then some of the other AD's out there..

Just some thoughts and ideas.

When can you get back into the Doc's office and discuss the issues on this page? Sometimes, if you can, it's beneficial to print this out to use as reference,.that way they know the real story and such and will better know how to treat you then. They may also give referrals to a therapist too..

E-man...

[Evanchic]

i will plan to see my doctor after next Tuesday. i need to put my mind at ease with cardiologist first. i will definitely follow up afterwards. no smoking is going great. it's rare that i get a craving. :) I've tried to control my anxiety without medication but I've realized i need help with it. i can't do it on my own.

[Enduronman]

Many will always try the self-control methods (just as I too did) using herbals, teas, vitamins, diet, exercise,..but (just as I did) some of us can't do it alone..I must take medications, and they make, at least my life, a much better quality of life.

E-Man..:)

[Evanchic]

thanks for the advice

[SmokeyYogi]

Hi, Welcome! I don't take medication, so I can't say anything about that.. except that you should be careful;-) I do however take ashwaghanda root (it might be spelled differently some places). It's herbal and it really helped me (like, a lot!) It's ayurvedic medicine and it has been tested scientifically..
ANYWAY; what I really wanted to say was, that I have chest pains too these days and have had it before too. It helped me getting massages and stuff, and I found out it was because of my anxiety; I breathe too shallowly and therefore stress the small muscles between the ribs and the ones that are attached to the sternum. Just wanted to put it out there, it really feels nasty but its your muscles reacting.

Be well, and happy new year!!

[Evanchic]

I just researched ashwaghanda root. sounds pretty interesting. do you mind if i ask how you take it? i read several reviews and some written about pill form and drops? also what brand and dose? 99%of the reviews were positive

[Evanchic]

Update to this post...
I saw a cardiologist, wore a monitor for a month, stress test, more blood work and another ekg. He informed me that my heart is normal, healthy and strong. :) My heart palpitations have seemed to worsen (skipped beats and flip-flop in my chest, i thought i was a goner for sure with the flip flopping) but after a trip to the ER, the doc there said "You're NOT dying, let it go." Exercise makes it worse so I don't really exercise. The ER doctor prescribed a beta blocker to take when my palpitations last 30 min or longer. I have yet to take any. I've just been doing the valsalva maneuver. It's exhausting and usually calls for a long moment of sitting or lying still until I feel better. My anxiety is still here but I haven't had any panic attacks. I'm still not taking medicine. I remain an ex-smoker and caffeine/alcohol free. So that's the update :) I'm physically healthy.