Please Help!!!!
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| Fri, 06-30-2006 - 10:26am |
Hi everyone. My name is Liza and I have been dealing with anxiety for years now. Although lately it has gotten worse and I've become slightly agoraphobic. Here's a brief description of some of my fears:
-SPIDERS!!!
-Doctor's offices/hospitals. Can't step foot in them!!!!!
-Large public places - afraid that I'll lose control and have panic attack.
-Driving on freeways/high-traffic roads.
-Fear of being in hostage situation (sometimes when I'm out in a public place - I start thinking about where I would run or hide if the store was robbed or a gunmen came in).
-Hypochondriac (sp?) - anytime I have a pain, etc., I assume I'm dying.
Those are the major ones. I'm currently on 25 mg/day of Zoloft and that doesn't seem to help. Over the last two weeks, the panic attacks have gotten much worse. Last night I was sure that I was going to pass out. I also felt tightening in my chest and almost like my throat was closing up - I had labored breathing. I took 1/2 a Xanax and that helped. But, as soon as I started getting ready for work this morning - BAM - it starts again! I hate feeling like this. Please tell me I'm not alone! Has anyone else had tightening in the chest and the throat feeling? That really freaked me out and I want to make sure there isn't anything wrong with me.
Thanks!
Liza

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Welcome to the board! Oh gosh, if you read someof the posts, you will see your not alone. I have similar fears to yours, the health fears, fear of public places. I have some other dooseys to throw in the mix. When you say 1/2 xanax, 1/2 of what .25 or .50? Im asking because you may want to take a whole one but I dont know the dose. I take .50 and Lexapro and I have been feeling great the past 3 weeks. Before then I was a wreck. You will see some older posts but I was bad. The xanax is a god send and its ok to take what ever dose makes you calm down. I have had the chest pains-the girls here heard that from me for a good week. My throat has felt tight, I understand everything your feeling. 25 mgs Zoloft isnt much, are you just starting? When I was on Zoloft, I believe I started on 50 then 100mgs. I was on while pregnant. Anyway, your not alone, its a crummy feeling but your not going to die. This is a wonderful group of people and they have come to my side many times I thought I was dying. Please stick around and think about revamping your meds.
Hugs!
Donna
Hi Liza, I'm glad you found us!
Sheri Ann
You didn't mention seeing a therapist. That helps me to learn new ways to cope & to identify patterns of behavior that I need to change. Perhaps you do need a med tune up. You shouldn't be suffering so. There is a med that's right for you, but it takes a bit of trial & error to find it & the correct dosage.
Take a peek @ our *coping tips & tricks* folder below. I use meditation & belly breathing to help me. I actually didn't drive @ all for 3 years, but overcame that by approaching driving in small steps.
You can learn to relax & deal with the anxiety. Others will share their thoughts in posts & in chat. Please post anytime. We care & want to help in anyway we can. Good luck & GBU! (((hugs))) jan
Sheri, I'm so glad you feel comfortable here!
Sheri Ann
If there are ANY abbreviations that you don't know,
Sheri Ann
Donna
Hello. I can totally relate to the fear of the worst when anything goes wrong in your mind or body. I am really bad at times with that. I will have a headache in an area that has not hurt before and have myself convinced it is a tumor. Then I get nauseous and the heart racing feeling and just feel I am going to explode or die or something. I have this awful feeling and it makes me sick and I feel like I have to do something or I will just lose it but I can't do anything to make it stop. All I can tell you is to remember that it will pass. It always does. Your mind cannot stay like that for long periods of time. It has a built in safety mechanism to where you will calm down. It is not always as fast to go away as we would like - I know. That is the hard part - waiting. And then I will feel better and worry about it coming back again. That is the pits. I am on Zoloft too but weaning off. It seemed to stop working for me. I am going to try therapy only. Maybe you need to find a therapist. It took 3 different people before I found one I clicked with. Be prepared that the first one you talk to may not click with you but that is ok, just try another. And keep telling yourself that most all things we think are going to happen never do. I have worried about so many things being wrong with me physically and mentally and not one of them turned out to be true. Easier said than done, I know.
-Kim
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