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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KristinaN on June 20, 2001, at 3:38:10
Hello everybody
I'm a 26 year old "girl" who in my childhood was diagnosed with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). A couple of years ago I started to have some strange symptoms. Suddenly, out of the blue my heart started to pound and I started sweating, I felt like I was going to pass out, my vision became altered and "soft" like I wasn't able to focus.
Since then I've, more or less, constantly had this strange pressurelike "fuzzy" feeling in my head, and always listening to my bodily symptoms looking for a new sign of disease. Now and then I have these attacks like the first one I had. And between the attacks I constantly worry about having another. I've seen a number of different doctors from neurologists to endo-specialist, I've done MRI's, EKG's, EEG's, several bloodtests and no organic disease have been found.
The hypochondric in me always worries about that this might be symptoms of some strange disease, a heart condition or a brain tumor.
My questions are: Could this be symptoms of anxiety? What kind of help is available?
Thank you for taking your time with my question.
Kristina
Posted by Alan on June 20, 2001, at 7:55:34
In reply to Symptoms of anxiety?, posted by KristinaN on June 20, 2001, at 3:38:10
Try reading:
http://bearpaw8.tripod.com/pd.html
It's a bit technical but well written. You most definitely have a panic disorder of some sort. Teasing out what specifically will be up to you and a real good psychopharmacologist.
Alan
Posted by SalArmy4me on June 20, 2001, at 8:21:19
In reply to Symptoms of anxiety?, posted by KristinaN on June 20, 2001, at 3:38:10
A sure-tell sign of an anxiety disorder is feeling out of breath or the need to breathe in very deeply.
Posted by dana on June 20, 2001, at 8:25:41
In reply to Symptoms of anxiety?, posted by KristinaN on June 20, 2001, at 3:38:10
Hello Kristina, welcome to Panic and Anxiety!...you described your symptoms perfectly.
Please know that not everyone's symptoms are the same............ there are just so many.....
Once you experience the symptoms, you become constantly aware of ANY sign of them recurring... and become hyper-vigilant with regard to your body. While running upstairs may have seemed a normal thing to do before in your life, now you notice that your heart beats faster, and then you think ...oh god, I am dying !! and so may only walk up slowly to AVOID allowing your heart to pound...... you may feel dizzy or lightheaded and think ....it's got to be a brain tumour......!! but's it's because you are over-breathing and it makes your Oxygen levels out of balance....... it just can go on and on............normal everyday things become a nightmare......and so you try to juggle your life and behaviour desperately trying to not let anything create the sypmptoms.......
What happens Kristina is that you associate normal body functions......e.g. heart racing, exhaustion.... pains and aches.... with something being seriously wrong. It is sort of hypochondria.....but it's only because you have become OVER-sensitive to NORMAL occurrances and you start OBSESSING over them.
Can I promise you something........THIS WILL PASS..........IT DOES PASS if you get COUNSELLING.......here in Australia, we have CLINICAL PYSCHOLOGISTS who specialise in COGNITIVE THERAPY which trains you to THINK and behave differently........ they teach the MOST IMPORTANT thing......and that is HOW TO BREATHE PROPERLY.
I have been a sufferer for a few years now and have just come of medication which was difficult, and I have been having some PANIC episodes, but I can promise you this, that I AM COPING without drugs, only because of the year of therapy I have had.
They teach you how to RETRAIN your brain, with SELF-TALK.........THIS WILL PASS I am not having a heart attack I haven't had one yet !! NOTHING DANGEROUS IS GOING ON HERE......even though it FEELS LIKE ABSOLUTE HELL !!...and unless someone else has experienced it..... it is impossible to explain just how awful it feels....
Please take comfort in knowing that there is help. Medication is wonderful when prescribed sensibly and sensitively.....but most important is COUNSELLING. I was taking ZOLOFT which was wonderful. But I decided I had enough of medication and wanted to try it on my own with my retraining of my way of thinking.......and I believe I have done it ......
Will you please POST again so I know how you are going..?
Lots of love, you are not alone....
Dana
Posted by KristinaN on June 21, 2001, at 13:16:33
In reply to Re: Symptoms of anxiety?, posted by dana on June 20, 2001, at 8:25:41
Thank u all for sharing your ideas and experiences with me. I will try to get hold of a good doctor who can help me with this and I'll post here to tell u how I'm doing.
Again... thanx!
/KristinaPS. It sure helps just to know there are others having the same symptoms and not my imagination.
This is the end of the thread.
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