Anra
09-04-2014, 04:11 PM
Hello all, I'm Andrea and I am new to these forums. I guess I should give an introduction to myself and my problems(is that the right word?). I'm not very good at opening up and I'm actually shaking and feeling embarrassed as I type!
Anxiety has plagued me for many years but it has now reached a point where it is crippling me for hours at a time. During my episodes I feel as though I am a failure to my 19wk old daughter as I am unable to look after her and need to rely on my partner and his grandparents who we currently live with.
Previously I suffered from social anxiety and going out would be a terrible ordeal; it felt as though everybody was looking at me and judging me. Trips into town were awful and were very quick. It would get to me so much I would often lie to my friends in an attempt to stay home. In 2011 I was at my lowest.
Since then things got a lot better. I got with my fiance Tom and we moved away for a job together. I fell pregnant with our first child after fears of not being able to conceive and had a beautiful baby girl 21st April this year. During my pregnancy I had my first panic attack mid January after my nans funeral. We weren't very close but I suppose her death and seeing my mother for the first time in nearly two years really shook me up. (My relationship with my mother is an entirely different story). The panic attack lasted a few hours and the Paramedics were called in;- It began with an odd pressure in my chest, then I felt hot, sweaty, nauseous. My chest felt tight, I couldn't breathe and was in an incredible amount of pain. The paramedics said it was most likely indigestion and said my vitals were fine.
The attacks kept coming through my pregnancy and persist even now. I have been to A&E twice due to the incredible pain; they did bloods and a scan on my chest and I was told that clinically I was well. They sent me to my GP who told me to take shop-bought pain killers when the pain starts. These did nothing for the agony. I went back recently and was prescribed Diazepam, which works a lot better. I am currently on a waiting list for a counselor and the sessions should begin in October.
The attacks come every few weeks and leave me crippled for hours before I can move without hurting. They have changed since the first one. The pain begins in my chest and now comes without any warning- it then spreads around my ribs and into my back and shoulder blades. Moving is agony, breathing is agony. The tablets sort of work but I need to take 3+ before they help with the pain I experience. Generally I am very relaxed and cannot find any obvious trigger for the attacks, it is just so frustrating! I honestly don't know what to do, common relaxation methods don't seem to work for me and I can't move enough to find something suitable to distract myself.
I don't really know what else to put, and get the impression that I have waffled on a bit!
I'd love to know your experiences with anxiety and how you all deal with it :)
Anxiety has plagued me for many years but it has now reached a point where it is crippling me for hours at a time. During my episodes I feel as though I am a failure to my 19wk old daughter as I am unable to look after her and need to rely on my partner and his grandparents who we currently live with.
Previously I suffered from social anxiety and going out would be a terrible ordeal; it felt as though everybody was looking at me and judging me. Trips into town were awful and were very quick. It would get to me so much I would often lie to my friends in an attempt to stay home. In 2011 I was at my lowest.
Since then things got a lot better. I got with my fiance Tom and we moved away for a job together. I fell pregnant with our first child after fears of not being able to conceive and had a beautiful baby girl 21st April this year. During my pregnancy I had my first panic attack mid January after my nans funeral. We weren't very close but I suppose her death and seeing my mother for the first time in nearly two years really shook me up. (My relationship with my mother is an entirely different story). The panic attack lasted a few hours and the Paramedics were called in;- It began with an odd pressure in my chest, then I felt hot, sweaty, nauseous. My chest felt tight, I couldn't breathe and was in an incredible amount of pain. The paramedics said it was most likely indigestion and said my vitals were fine.
The attacks kept coming through my pregnancy and persist even now. I have been to A&E twice due to the incredible pain; they did bloods and a scan on my chest and I was told that clinically I was well. They sent me to my GP who told me to take shop-bought pain killers when the pain starts. These did nothing for the agony. I went back recently and was prescribed Diazepam, which works a lot better. I am currently on a waiting list for a counselor and the sessions should begin in October.
The attacks come every few weeks and leave me crippled for hours before I can move without hurting. They have changed since the first one. The pain begins in my chest and now comes without any warning- it then spreads around my ribs and into my back and shoulder blades. Moving is agony, breathing is agony. The tablets sort of work but I need to take 3+ before they help with the pain I experience. Generally I am very relaxed and cannot find any obvious trigger for the attacks, it is just so frustrating! I honestly don't know what to do, common relaxation methods don't seem to work for me and I can't move enough to find something suitable to distract myself.
I don't really know what else to put, and get the impression that I have waffled on a bit!
I'd love to know your experiences with anxiety and how you all deal with it :)