Need some answers help!!!!!!!!

[V_denise]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone else has had the same problems as me. I've been suffering from anxiety and stress for over a year now. My problems started with shortness of breath and only got worse. I now fear that I have a heart problem or that there is something wrong with my head. I suffer constantly from dizziness that never goes away. I fear everyday that I wake up that I'm going to die. I have trouble sleeping at night because I'm scared that I might stop breathing. I have chest pains, trouble breathing, I can't leave my house at all without having problems. I've managed to put myself into a place where I haven't left my house in almost 4 months and I'm scared to be alone. I have heart palpitations, pressure in my head, pressure in my ears, and my eyes are sensitive to light. I don't know if that's just from the dizziness or what. Also when I go into stores or if I go eat at a restaurant I start to feel faint like I might pass out and immediately send myself into a panic attack so bad that I have to leave. I'm guessing that's why I've convinced myself to stay locked in my house at all times. It seems like if I even think about leaving I have an anxiety attack. I just really need to know if someone else out there suffers from something similar to me. I really hope I'm not alone.

[Nowuccas]

Hey V_denise,

From a previous post:

"There are some differences between anxiety and panic attacks. While books are written on this topic, the following will attempt to summarize some basics here for a brief overview".

Anxiety Attacks:
An anxiety attack, sometimes referred to as a panic attack, is an unforeseen periods or incidents where there is a sudden fright or fear of intense proportions. These attacks focus on fears that are most often not rational; however the person with the disorder believes he or she is in terrible danger or at extreme risk. Most often these anxiety attacks occur all of a sudden; i.e. they are not planned nor do they come with any type of warning mechanism built in for advance action. Results are that
the person suffering the attack will feel about to faint or near death's door. People who suffer anxiety attacks report the following symptoms, listed in no particular order:
Discomfort or pain in the chest Vertigo or
Dizziness Upset stomach / Nausea Loss of
Control, Loss of Mental Stability Stress
Cold or hot flashes Heart palpitations or
near heart attack Shallow breathing Shakes / Trembling
Anxiety disorder is characterized as having anxiety feelings that are "always there / all inclusive," make people want to isolate themselves from society and hamper everyday activities with others.

Panic Attacks:
On the other hand, a panic attack does not carry with it that "always there" association. In fact, panic episodes generally burst forth, peaking after roughly 10 minutes or so, then ending after about 25 minutes. During a panic attack, 4 of the symptoms listed below (in no particular order) generally make an appearance:
Hyperventilation, Shallow breathing, even to the point of
suffocation sensation...
Increased heart rates Tightness of chest, Chest pain or discomfort
Shakes / Trembling / Sweating Choking
sensation Upset Stomach / Nausea Vertigo
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
Surreal feelings Loss of Control, especially
of mental faculties Death coming on Numbing
Cold or hot flashes

The Difference:
The main difference between anxiety attacks and panic attacks is in the duration of the attack and how intense it is for the person with the affliction. While anxiety attacks are less hi-stress, they tend to last longer than the power-packed panic stressors".

If panic, learn an anti-panic breathing method before another attack, so you are proficient.

Advice from a clinical psychologist about panic attacks is to breathe in to the count of 3: ( count: one thousand one; one thousand two; one thousand three) each takes around a second to say to yourself, in your mind, and out to the count of 3. Keep repeating this until the panic subsides, (up to 25 minutes) which will deal with the hyperventilation aspect. Learn to recognise the thoughts which trigger attacks; challenge and reprogram as shown*.

Also learn, and employ either Progressive Muscle Relaxation ( http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html ) or acupressure tapping / EFT, whichever you find most effective.

Give the Meridian Tapping Technique / EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via mercola.com or www.tapping.com (13 free videos), or www.eftuniverse.com or www.emofree.com or one of the many YouTube videos. Google: "YouTube; EFT videos".
Professionally instructed is generally preferable (Google: therapists; EFT; [your location] ). - There is a version for use in public places at http://eft.mercola.com (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage / tapping on your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I suffer from anxiety / panic attacks, I deeply and completely accept myself)."

* REPROGRAMMING:
Use the Technique for Reprogramming Negative Thoughts: It's important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, or emotions, by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts: When you notice something negative, such as: "I can't do this/ am never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so useless/such a loser?" or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind.

After identifying and labelling it, visualise a large, red, flashing, "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!" You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version.

Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don't regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method. Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, like: "I am a unique individual, with my own set of skills, and good points", or "I may not be perfect, but I'm doing the best I can, right now".

-------------------------------
I'm unable to tell if the following applies in your case, but it is a possible explanation for your symptoms:

From http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Handout+on+Vitamin+D+%28Hormone+D%29+and+sleep+-+Gominak+2012 by neurologist Dr. S Gominak:

"If you have a neurologic problem that is severe enough to see a neurologist, you probably do not heal your body in sleep as perfectly as you once did. Most of us who have headaches, tremor, balance difficulties, vertigo, (dizziness) burning in the feet, depression, body pain, or memory loss have abnormal sleep and, surprisingly, fixing the sleep can fix the neurologic problem. From 2005-2009 I performed sleep studies on most of my patients and used medications or sleep masks to try to help their sleep. In 2009 I accidentally discovered that most of my patients had abnormal sleep because they were vitamin D deficient".

Check out http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Poor+sleep+and+lack+of+vitamin+D+-+Nov+2011

Note that most doctors would regard lower levels of vitamin D as being acceptable than those recommended by Dr. John Cannell of the vitamin D council, or Professor Michael Holick, a former member, and an expert in vitamin D.

Read: "Why are doctors reluctant to accept vitamin D", at:
http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Why+are+doctors+reluctant+to+accept+vitamin+D and in particular:
"Would you be opposed to my getting more vitamin D", at:
http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page_id=3162

View my previous answer about vitamin D and natural health at https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20151206210338AALSwb9&submit=y An excellent one page summary about vitamin D may be found at http://www.drfranklipman.com/vitamin-d-faq/ but it lacks info on its cofactors, zinc, boron, vitamin K2, and magnesium. If supplementing, (the non preferred method, according to www.vitaminDcouncil.org ) use only vitamin D3.
My target range is now 60 ng/ml (150 nmol/lit) to 70 ng/ml (175 nmol/lit) as recommended by Drs. Gominak and Mercola. To ensure sufficient cofactors (magnesium, boron, vitamin K2, and zinc; most people get enough calcium) I also take a multivitamin, mineral, amino acids, ubiquinol, etc. supplement called Total Balance, Men's version, (they have ones for women too) from xtend-life.com, although a high quality one like Suisse, would suffice, from pharmacies, or supermarkets.

Also view my post on agoraphobia at http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34181-Fear-of-getting-out&p=224994#post224994 and begin getting out and about, increasing a little more every day, once you are proficient in an anti-panic attack breathing technique, and progressive muscle relaxation, or acupressure tapping / EFT.

[mindglobe]

Try to live better, maybe you are not actually eating in a proper way or you just need to practice some physical activity.