1 Year On And Still Feeling Like Crap :( Posted: 11-06-06 14:19pm
Ive had anxiety for around a year now, ive
had about 30 ecgs , fitness tests, blood
tests , ecos, and a camera inside my heart
to see if its all fine.......
All tests have come back fine but I still
feel like its something else, I cant seem
to belive anxiety and stress can do this
to your body, ive tryed prozac wich didnt
help, and now im on propranolol as the
doc says even tho its a beta blocker it
can help with anxiety, my left chest feels
tight and irratable all the time, left arm
feels funny, sometimes get a sharp pain
inside round the heart area , dizzy spells
,cant sleep, cant get a good breath, and
they still say its anxiety, this is really
getting me down and ruining my life, im 27
and all family and trinds say ignore it
its not real but it feels real to me dont
know wot to do or try next anyone have the
same problems?
|
Stu
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 39 Location: United Kingdom
Anxiety Posted: 11-08-06 06:18am
Hi,
i suffered with my own set of anxiety
symptoms for over two years before
starting to see any light at the end of
the tunnel. And that light was provided
by anti-depressant medication. The way
you describe your situation reminds me a
lot of mine. Okay, your symptoms are
completely different to mine but they are
very specific. And mine too were very
specific, and didn't change much over
time. And they were very very real, and
I couldn't believe that they were purely
down to anxiety. I had test after test,
all with no results. And I went back and
forward to my doctor during the two years
and half the time simply ignored their
advice and their anxiety diagnosis because
I just didn't believe what they were
telling me.
The fact is that, by your own admission,
you have had any number of tests that have
all come back negative. Maybe there is a
0.01% chance that they have missed
something, but it looks 99.99% positive
that they have done their jobs properly
and their is nothing seriously wrong with
you. The same as there was nothing
seriously wrong with me. But that
doesn't mean that you haven't felt
legitimately like crap for the last year,
because I know as well as anybody that the
symptoms feel 100% real and they can be
hell to deal with.
I'm 29 now, my problems started in 2004.
I went round in circles for ages until I
finally accepted that just maybe this was
all anxiety and maybe the anti-depressants
really could help. Anti-depressants
aren't only for the depressed you know,
i've never felt depressed during my
illness. They take a little time to kick
in and there can be some initial side
effects although nothing to lose sleep
over. But they really can make such a
difference and have been a godsend to a
lot of people. I am only three months
into my medication so I can't comment on
long-term use, but so far I am feeling as
close to being well again as i've been
throughout the full two years. My
appetite is great, i'm sleeping great, i'm
feeling energetic and enthusiastic and
driven. Such a huge contrast to the
weeks and months I spent not being well
enough to even stand up!
I am sceptical about the medication your
doctor has prescribed, in particular about
how it can possible help with the anxiety.
I am not a doctor so this is just my
opinion, but I have not read anything that
suggests propranolol should be used to
treat anxiety. It fits with your other
symptoms, but not with anxiety. So maybe
you need to go back to your doctor and
talk about the possibility of trying an
anti-depressant medication. There are
many to choose from so if one doesn't work
for you first time then there are always
alternatives. Personally I am taking
cipralex (medical name escitalopram) which
has worked wonders for me (and a lot of
other people).
Like I said, these are all just my
opinions and I am not medically qualified.
I'm just another person who suffered for
far too long like you have. I don't want
to sound like i'm pushing medication at
you, it has to be your choice.
