new here!!!

[jason1279]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, thought I would check it out. About me, well im 36 yrs old im the father of a 2 year old girl who means everything to me. I had my first anxiety/panic attack 2 1/2 years ago and since then It hasn't stopped I now suffer from health anxiety or hypochondria. It's become a part of my everyday living now but sometimes its bad, really bad. hoping to find friends on hear with the same issues that I can talk too. my family and friends don't understand they just tell me to stop thinking about it and that its all just in my head. ignorance at it's best lol. anyway that's me in a nutshell feel free to message me if you want to chat:

[Rednaa]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, thought I would check it out. About me, well im 36 yrs old im the father of a 2 year old girl who means everything to me. I had my first anxiety/panic attack 2 1/2 years ago and since then It hasn't stopped I now suffer from health anxiety or hypochondria. It's become a part of my everyday living now but sometimes its bad, really bad. hoping to find friends on hear with the same issues that I can talk too. my family and friends don't understand they just tell me to stop thinking about it and that its all just in my head. ignorance at it's best lol. anyway that's me in a nutshell feel free to message me if you want to chat:

Can be ruff when people closest too say it all in your head I am 30 going through it a second time unfortunately.
my first was 7 years ago and I didn't know what hit me rushing to a&e thinking I was going to die last for a few months went to see a shrink and was put on celexa it was a horrible few weeks getting used to them but I must admit they brought me back from the brink. I felt so good after a year that I decided I wanted to come off them and did successfully. 6 years I was med free and loving it, until a week ago I woke up in the middle of the night a had a massive panic attack and here I am 6 days in back on celexa hoping it will work for me a second time please God.

[jason1279]

I've never tried any meds for my anxiety, I've heard stories about really lucid dreams and side effects that scare me just as much as the anxiety itself. im just living in fear all the time. every ache and pain in my body is cancer or heart attack you name it I have it. just looking to enjoy life again. maybe I should try meds but like I said im nervous idid go to cognative therapy for a while wich did help. how long did it take for you to feel normal again when you where on the meds?

[Rednaa]

I've never tried any meds for my anxiety, I've heard stories about really lucid dreams and side effects that scare me just as much as the anxiety itself. im just living in fear all the time. every ache and pain in my body is cancer or heart attack you name it I have it. just looking to enjoy life again. maybe I should try meds but like I said im nervous idid go to cognative therapy for a while wich did help. how long did it take for you to feel normal again when you where on the meds?

The first time round it did take a couple of weeks but I am still not sure if it was because it was still all new to me I made myself worse hence making my side affects worse. But after that I was back to my old self I wish I could say it was easy but it was a tough time in my life. In saying that this time round I was more aware of what was going on even though it was still as scary I acted quickly went to the doctor and now I am 6 days in first couple of days were ruff lots of tiredness and dizziness but nothing like the first time as I said I don't know if that's because I had an idea about what was going on. I only got my appetite back today after not being able to eat in 8 days but thats one of the ways my anxiety affects me that's why I acted so quickly I lost to much weight last time. I mean I can't say of you should try meds or not but if you have tried everything else and to no avail what have you got to lose. You should definitely talk to your doctor and go from there .

[needtogetwell]

Hi Jason,

Welcome to the forum. This is a really good place with many people who have experienced exactly what you are experiencing.

If I would suggest you read through some old posts, some on health anxiety, you will see that many many of us suffer from the same thing.

Slowly we will help you develop some strategies to work through this, there are many options, not all are medication related.

Above all else, remember you are not alone. We are here to help. Cheers!

[BabyJo84]

Hi Jason, another newbie here to wish you well!

Nobody has ever told me what kind of anxiety I have, it could be generalised because I don't actually feel afraid or scared, but I have at least one attack a week for no reason. On the other hand it could be health anxiety because when they happen, I am utterly convinced I'm having a heart attack or a stroke. I've had anxiety for 2 months now and in the first 3 weeks I took myself to a&e 3 times convinced I was dying.

I've been on beta blockers now for a little over a month, and they have really helped. Before going on them, I was walking around all day every day with chest pains, and pains in my left arm worrying myself sick. Now I only really have pains and symptoms during an attack.

I also really hated telling my friends and family, they don't know what to say. I hate the word 'anxiety' it just completely plays down how terrifying and destructive this illness is. You hear the word 'anxiety' and think 'anxious' and then think 'nervous' - like going for an interview or sitting a test. It's not even remotely the same, it's like being convinced you are going to die in the near future and having all the physical symptoms of a heart attack without ever actually having one. It's exhausting and threatens to ruin your life. 'Anxiety' is a total under-estimation of what it means to suffers so I really feel your pain. Literally lol.

I'm also in my 30's and have 2 small boys aged 5 and 3. It's not easy, but you are not alone.