Help! Im new

[melismith]

i have been officially been diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder. i have always had it but this time is different. i always get anxious and stressed very easily but this time about three weeks ago it just hit me a feeling i have never felt i went to the er and they brushed it off as basically the flu but i knew it wasnt so i went to the doc and he said its anxiety im just having a hard time underdtanding how anxiety can to this to you. im dizzy constantly, lightheaded, head feels like its going to explode, chest feels like its gonna explode i get really hot and clamy and like im going to faint. i am on lexapro and ativan and it helps relax me but its not taking my symptoms away. please tell me someone feels the same or that i dont have a brain tumor

[jessed03]

Hey Meli!

Severe anxiety disorder, huh. Life must be pretty fun right about now...not!. Nothing like anxiety for messing with your life.

Virtually everybody here understands your post. If you wanna know if others here are going what you're going through, virtually every post would be yes.

I was always brain. Some people are heart, but my palps didn't bother me. Brain was my big worry.

Anxiety can make you feel sicker than flu. No kidding. It releases the worst types of chemicals into your body, the worst types of hormones, it creates unbelievable tension everywhere and screws up your bodily balances.

How long have you been taking your Lexapro?

Nice to meet you anyway :)

[em1]

Nice to meet you,oh the joys of panic attacks NOT,everyone here relates to what you going through believe me

[Darwin]

Are you doing some therapy along with the meds? In my own experience, the meds help get through the tough days, but the therapy helps you build a strong set of tools to fight anxiety and not let it control the rest of your life.

Welcome to the forums :)

[melismith]

Thank you all so much for responding! I have been on lexapro for about 2 weeks and i know it takes at least 3 to 4 weeks to start working. I am not seeing a therapist i have been advised to do so! My biggest problem is my dizziness and how it can last for almost 3 weeks straight its affecting everything. very nice to meet you all :)

[melismith]

I just want to know that at least some people are going through the same thing and their ways of coping with their symptoms and go an everyday. how people ignore and go on with their days!

[Darwin]

I just want to know that at least some people are going through the same thing and their ways of coping with their symptoms and go an everyday. how people ignore and go on with their days!

Dizziness is also a very common one for me. It can be very bothersome especially at night when I'm trying to relax. Makes me feel like I am losing my mind sometimes!

[melismith]

It's is very very bothersome and scary! My doc says when I come to terms with it being anxiety my symptoms will let up but I just keep thinking it's something else and then it scares me more.

[jessed03]

Thank you all so much for responding! I have been on lexapro for about 2 weeks and i know it takes at least 3 to 4 weeks to start working. I am not seeing a therapist i have been advised to do so! My biggest problem is my dizziness and how it can last for almost 3 weeks straight its affecting everything. very nice to meet you all :)

I had dizziness for about a year and a bit. I was doing a lot wrong though, stressing my self out, tackling things alone. It really has no time limit sadly. That being said, you're already handling it better than me at the time, so hopefully not long until you have a permanent smile again like in your avatar ;)

I think therapy would be really useful if you can get it!

[melismith]

Thank you:) I think my biggest problem is stressing myself out more. I'm just glad to know other people are here. I just keep telling myself I wanna feel normal again. It's been about 3 weeks and I'm so done with it!!! Do you still struggle? I may try to get into a therapist next week:)

[GeneAllen]

I just joined today but I'll say welcome. The site looks packed with information and reassurance. You'll find loving support and information that will indeed help you past that "am I crazy" feeling, as well as other thoughts about deep underlying diseases. Information at our fingertips today is nice, but WebMD is not your friend right now most likely :D
Stick to the success stories, and facts. Here you can get knowledge, not information only. These people have lived it, and that is powerful! I would recommend a couple of books but I'm not sure of the policies about that here yet. Audio books are my favorite as well as you tube. I will tell you one major thing I have learned, it goes like this, what we resist will persist. So allow the thoughts, remind yourself you're not lacking anything, and don't fight the mind. Don't worry about understanding everything right now just be good to yourself. Peace

[jessed03]

I just joined today but I'll say welcome. The site looks packed with information and reassurance. You'll find loving support and information that will indeed help you past that "am I crazy" feeling, as well as other thoughts about deep underlying diseases. Information at our fingertips today is nice, but WebMD is not your friend right now most likely :D
Stick to the success stories, and facts. Here you can get knowledge, not information only. These people have lived it, and that is powerful! I would recommend a couple of books but I'm not sure of the policies about that here yet. Audio books are my favorite as well as you tube. I will tell you one major thing I have learned, it goes like this, what we resist will persist. So allow the thoughts, remind yourself you're not lacking anything, and don't fight the mind. Don't worry about understanding everything right now just be good to yourself. Peace

Nice post, and welcome to you too GeneAllen ;)

[Enduronman]

Welcome Gene!

Meli,
I sure as hell wouldn't prescribe someone who has "severe anxiety disorder" this Lexapro medication, if I could write scrips, I will tell you that and whoever else reads this too...
I would lean more towards something else like the benzo alone for a month...IMHO...but they had to "prescribe" that with the benzo I'm guessing...

What country are you in??????

[Enduronman]

"What we resist will persist, don't fight the mind."

Powerful!...truth..

I like you! Philosophy.......

Welcome! :)

[melismith]

I just joined today but I'll say welcome. The site looks packed with information and reassurance. You'll find loving support and information that will indeed help you past that "am I crazy" feeling, as well as other thoughts about deep underlying diseases. Information at our fingertips today is nice, but WebMD is not your friend right now most likely :D Stick to the success stories, and facts. Here you can get knowledge, not information only. These people have lived it, and that is powerful! I would recommend a couple of books but I'm not sure of the policies about that here yet. Audio books are my favorite as well as you tube. I will tell you one major thing I have learned, it goes like this, what we resist will persist. So allow the thoughts, remind yourself you're not lacking anything, and don't fight the mind. Don't worry about understanding everything right now just be good to yourself. Peace


Thank you geneallen all of that just made me smile knowing there's help! I was told about Audi books that I'll definitely look into:) and I will say welcome too even though I just joined :)

[melismith]

Welcome Gene! Meli, I sure as hell wouldn't prescribe someone who has "severe anxiety disorder" this Lexapro medication, if I could write scrips, I will tell you that and whoever else reads this too... I would lean more towards something else like the benzo alone for a month...IMHO...but they had to "prescribe" that with the benzo I'm guessing... What country are you in??????

I have an appointment on Monday and I plan on asking to be switched to something else:) I'm in the us in utah!

[melismith]

What is it you don't like about lexapro?!

[Enduronman]

It's been widely reported to give "some" people extreme amounts of internal energy,...almost to a point of heightened or severely increased anxietal tension...and that "appears" to be you!.....You're spinning!....According to what I'm reading, wayyyyyy beyond what an AD cross/anti-anxiety med should be...

E-Man..:)

[Kiletravis09]

I have an appointment on Monday and I plan on asking to be switched to something else:) I'm in the us in utah!

Hey there! The only thing I can say is to try your best to stay away from the "benzos". You think your nervous now? Wait till you try and taper off the benzos, it's a whole new type of anxiety! Just try some anti depression medications until you find one that works and stick with it. Don't skip a dose and don't try and say "man I feel normal now maybe I shouldn't take my meds". That's what I did and I paid for it. Either way you will find something that works for you and you will get better. Just a matter of time :) keep your head up:)

I also had exactly what you are talking about. Last year around July I started getting all these head aches and then very very dizzy so much to where I couldn't walk or stand. I was ok if I was sitting still or laying down but when I tried to walk it was like all of my senses were thrown off. I had an MRI of my brain, tests ran on my heart, countless amounts of blood work, and they all came back perfectly normal. It seems my anxiety was compounding things and making all the symptoms I was experiencing sooooo much worse. The worst part about all the things you are feeling is that you don't know what it is or what is causing it. You keep thinking of things it could be and freaking yourself out. I totally feel for you! But I can tell you IT IS ANXIETY!! It seems that once I excepted the symptoms as anxiety they started to subside, and eventually went away. Just do your best everyday to push through and keep your mind busy. You will get better. Something that helped me everyday is when I woke up and realized it hadn't went away I would say "it could always be worse". I hope this helped you a little because I realllllly feel for you, but I also know you are going to feel better eventually just give it time:) Good Night

[melismith]

Hey there! The only thing I can say is to try your best to stay away from the "benzos". You think your nervous now? Wait till you try and taper off the benzos, it's a whole new type of anxiety! Just try some anti depression medications until you find one that works and stick with it. Don't skip a dose and don't try and say "man I feel normal now maybe I shouldn't take my meds". That's what I did and I paid for it. Either way you will find something that works for you and you will get better. Just a matter of time :) keep your head up:) I also had exactly what you are talking about. Last year around July I started getting all these head aches and then very very dizzy so much to where I couldn't walk or stand. I was ok if I was sitting still or laying down but when I tried to walk it was like all of my senses were thrown off. I had an MRI of my brain, tests ran on my heart, countless amounts of blood work, and they all came back perfectly normal. It seems my anxiety was compounding things and making all the symptoms I was experiencing sooooo much worse. The worst part about all the things you are feeling is that you don't know what it is or what is causing it. You keep thinking of things it could be and freaking yourself out. I totally feel for you! But I can tell you IT IS ANXIETY!! It seems that once I excepted the symptoms as anxiety they started to subside, and eventually went away. Just do your best everyday to push through and keep your mind busy. You will get better. Something that helped me everyday is when I woke up and realized it hadn't went away I would say "it could always be worse". I hope this helped you a little because I realllllly feel for you, but I also know you are going to feel better eventually just give it time:) Good Night

Oh my thank you!!!! That's exactly everything I have felt and everything I've been trying to do!! It's affecting my work and my home life and I know I need to power through. I'm trying to give it time I just want to feel normal again this is crazy stuff and I also need to accept it anxiety like you said! Quit trying to come up with could bes and what ifs! I think this post made my night thank you so much! :) goodnight!!!