Am I Suffeirng Anxiety

[matt1983]

Hi everybody,

Just want to get some peoples opinions who might be suffering the same as me.

At the end of last year my girlfriend was admitted to hospital with stoke like symptoms (we are still awaiting diagnosis from a neurologist). but I've always been fairly calm and collected about my health but around January time I started to become more and more aware of my breathing and feeling like I couldn't breathe and having chest pains...... I felt like I was having a heart attack... I was taken to hospital where I was seen and told everything was fine.. however I didn't believe them. a couple of days later it happened again so I went to my mum and dads house for the night and saw my GP the next morning again I was told I was fine. I started taking kalms and we went on holiday and everything was seemingly fine.

Over the last couple of weeks I have started worrying again but this time about my head, I developed floaters in both eyes and was told by my optician that in my right eye my retina is thinning so I have a hospital appointment for that but as its in both eyes I don't believe it is that causing it, I have since started getting a slight ringing in my ear occasionally and a sore neck when I tilt my head back. I went to the doctors two weeks ago and they said my ear was fine. Since then my neck is still sore but not all the time and seems to get worse through the day, I suffer occasional headaches but they are more like random pains in different areas of my head like today my head feels really really heavy whilst im sat at my desk and my inner nose feels heavy as well. I still have the floaters as well but they seem to be more intermittent at times and are worse during the day than when I am at home.

I have booked an appointment with my GP next week as its getting beyond a joke now and im sure theres something seriously wrong and its affecting my relationship. I can only really turn to my GF at the moment because my sister died of cancer earlier in the month and I don't want to burden my family. I don't know if this is anxiety like my family and friends are saying or if its more serious like I think!!!!!!!

[jessed03]

It certainly sounds as though it's anxiety to me. The way mine got started was very similar to yours. It's strange at first. It feels very, very natural; it's normal to be weirded out by it all. It is truly amazing what stress can do to the body. Remember that line for the duration of your treatment.

Seeing your GP and getting checked out is always a good thing to do, even though I'd put my bottom dollar on you being fine. Your doctor will likely see that you have all the symptoms of an anxiety disorder and will be able to advise you on meds and therapy (if needed). Try to get some blood work booked, just to check that you're physically healthy. You'll be able to check your sugar levels, certain vitamin levels, hormone levels and antibody levels. It'll give you a little reassurance that will help when you try to move beyond this.

[gypsylee]

Hi Matt and welcome :)

Sorry to hear about your sister - I lost my brother last year.

Everything you have going on can be anxiety-related. The thing with anxiety is you become much more aware of things because you're always scanning for problems (physical and mental). I've had all these symptoms and more. Not saying they aren't real.. It's just that anxiety makes you hyper-aware of everything because your nervous system thinks you're in real danger. The trick is not freaking out and adding more adrenaline to the mix.

All the best,
Gypsy x

[coryreply]

Matt, thanks for your post. My prayers are for you and your family today. Losing a sibling is tough.

Hang in there. It can be a bit of a process, trying to determine if symptoms are physiological or psychological. Hopefully you'll get more answers soon. Good luck!

- StillInTheProcess1644

[jessed03]

I didn't offer my condolences in my previous post. I just want to do that now. Very sorry to hear about your sister.

Feel free to unload any frustration or worries you may have here. It's a very friendly and welcoming place.

[drac16]

Hello, Matt

Sorry to hear about your girlfriend and your sister. I hope your girlfriend gets better very soon. My first inclination was to think that you suffered a panic attack (when you had a hard time breathing). When I've had very severe panic attacks, it certainly felt as though I was having a heart attack-- massive chest pain, twitching, a choking sensation, etc.

So yeah, I think it may be that you suffer from panic attacks. It may be that the trauma from losing your sister and your worry about your girlfriend's health are what triggered it. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Please, don't ever think that you're a burden on your family, Matt. Your well-being is just as relevant as any other one of your family members.

[Dahila]

Hi Matt, losing sister is tough, no doubts it causes additional anxiety. Something so tragic is almost always a trigger for a major breakdown. You are grieving and at the same time dealing with your body......oh man.
I hope you can manage, I think maybe now is time to use medication and take your time, when you are ready you will quit on meds. For now add some kind of therapy (if it is possible), support group or maybe meditation which can bring pain back but brings the relieve too.
Sometimes bad things happen in three's, you already have it. It can only get better, so will you. In meantime stay with us and use all the support you need :))
Welcome to the forum Matt

BTW when panic attack hits, it causes rapid breathing, the blood pressure is up so is difficulties with getting enough oxygen ... it is probably what is happening to you. I get eye floaters after a week or more of constant fear and high stress. It will pass. The retina thinning; well check it up in hospital that's good, but it takes years to come with difference in your sight. You have a lot on your plate right now:((