New here and struggling

[anxiousbloke]

Hi guys,
I'm new here and am having a really bad day! I have been on the verge of calling an ambulance all day.
I guess I'll start with a little back story.
I'm 36 and live in the UK, I can't exactly remember when all this started but I think it was maybe 10 years or so ago. I started having chest pains and weird Unusual feelings/pains in the left side of my body..i.e. face, neck, jaw, arm and even sometimes my leg and it didn't end there.
I felt dizzy like I was going to pass out and pains in the stomach, breathless and even sometimes full body shaking ,not to mention the sense of impending doom like you know this is it, this is the day you will die.

All this lasted about six months and then it went and stupidly I didn't see a doc in that whole time...was just glad it was gone.
Now it has come back with vengeance and I am suffering with this nearly every day and sometimes it lasts all day and even then afterwards I'm left feeling awful. My doc gave me propranolol and I took it once and I felt terrible. ..I don't know if it was because of anxiety but the list of side effects didn't help, he then gave me atenolol and it was pretty much the same deal and that was 4 weeks ago.
I have been feeling not to bad over the last couple of weeks but still in the back of my mind I have not forgotten it all and now today. ...BAMMM!
I feel so week and all the chest pains are there along with the numbness and tingling in my left arm..today does feel like the day I will die..I just don't know what to do with myself and keep thinking about suicide (unlikely to happen) but I can't take much more and I don't feel my doc is even taking me seriously when I tell him how bad I feel. Sorry for the rant guys but I'm just at my wits end

[JohnC]

Hi anxiousbloke, I feel your pain. Anxiety is a wicked bitch ( sorry for the language ). Have you been thoroughly checked out to make sure that there is no medical issues? If so then you know for sure it is anxiety and panic. I have seen this time and time again on here and i myself suffer from it as well. There are a lot of good folks on here that will surley give you tips and tricks to do battle with it. The first step i think is making sure that it is anxiety and not medical. Once you know that it's not medical it will ease the mind some and help you to fight the anxiety. As far as meds go..... Its a crap shoot to see what works best for you. The single best thing that works for me during panic are benzos i.e. xanax or ativan. Good luck friend and do not hesitate to ask questions and surf around the forum.

[anxiousbloke]

Thanks for the reply johnc.
I haven't actually been tested for any heart related issues as my doc immediately passed it off as anxiety but I think I'm going back tomorrow and demand some tests of some kind as I really can't take much more of this.
Some days I really do just feel like if it's gonna kill me then just get it over with, I just feel tormented by my own body and it consumes my thoughts day in day out

[JohnC]

I know what you are saying. I suffer from Health anxiety and it is a battle every day. Every time i get a new pain or heart flutter or anything i just go right into panic mode. I also have general anxiety disorder so its always something. Their is a really good thread called HEALTH ANXIETY EXPOSED and it is in the general section of this forum. I think you should take some time and go through the whole thing. It is very good and helped me a lot. There are videos and other things that help. I will give the thread a bump so it is easy for you to find. Stay strong and do not hesitate to ask questions. There is a whole forum of people just like you.
p.s. even if you do not get any responses just wait because there seems to be certain times when people are and are not on here. They are on here more in the mornings and evenings and in the winter the place gets down right busy.

[anxiousbloke]

Thanks, I will follow your advice and have a good read. I think I really need to get the doc to do some testing but here in the UK it can be hard to get your doc to do anything once they have made up their minds.
Thanks again, I'm still struggling but it somewhat helps when you see others have and are going through the same things

[JohnC]

Yes i have heard that. I take a baby aspirin every morning just to keep the blood thin. I do not have to but it helps the anxiety issues. I would talk to your doc first though. Take care and have a good read on that thread i mentioned.

[anxiousbloke]

Thanks for the support 😉 really need it right now👍