Speaking of anxious moments

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Speaking of anxious moments
20
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 7:33pm

At the tail of the week when I was sick (remember those 6 lbs I lost and came back fast LOL), I thought I was having a heart attack at Jazzercise.

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” -Brian Tracy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2001
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 7:54pm
I can't really speak for myself but I can relate to your question because my oldest suffers from anxiety/panic attacks. She goes through those moments when she feels that she's having a heart attack as you said along with a variety of other symptoms. She started out on Zoloft and began therapy but had to stop the medication because of the side effects. She stuck with the therapy and it helped her with the guilt and embarrasment that you speak of and although she still experiences them from times she has learned how to deal with the attacks,the triggers behind them. She does find that even at her age her hormones can play a large part in when she experiences these attacks. So I'm sure that at a time of life when hormones are never quite in their right place that it's probably having that effect on you.

I'm not sure whether this answers your question but please know that many people suffer from this condition and you shouldn't be embarrased or feel guilty because of it.

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 8:01pm
Actually, I had panic attacks beginning in my senior year of high school, continuing until now. I never knew what they were until a few years ago. I dropped out of college because of them, I wasn't able to go to work at times, or go to training, or fly, or go to parties, yadda yadda.

Looking back...can't believe I'm still around.

S

 

                        

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-03-2001
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 1:29am
You should never feel quilty or ashamed by these feelings.They are very real and can be caused by anything.Sometimes we push ourselves too hard and it's our bodies way of getting our attention.Sometimes the stress adds up and our bodies react to it. Several years back things were really bad on the farm.We were having major problems with the chickens and then started losing cattle.It was awful.I began having panic attacks when I would go in the chicken houses.It was shortlived and things slowly improved.But I remember all too well that hopeless feeling.Take care of yourself ,Deb, and don't dismiss those feelings or concerns.

Miss P




 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2004
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 7:36am

{{{{{Deb}}}}}


First of all, if you feel like your heart is giving you trouble, get to the doc PDQ.


Nothing to feel guilty or ashamed about!

Lori

"Remember, I'm pullin' for ya.  We're all in this together." --Red Green

cl for Ask the

Avatar for imthebigsister
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 9:05am
Deb - Around my 40th birthday, I started having anxiety attacks every few days. To the point where I'd be stopping at the hospital emergency room on the way to work! I really think my doctor at the time thought I was losing it. I did spend a particularly difficult night at the hospital overnight with a heart monitor on, because the emergency room MD called him and insisted on it; I remember hearing the emergency MD on the telephone say "the 40-yr-old women are the ones we lose because we don't pay enough attention". I will NEVER forget that. I passed a treadmill stress test (barely) the next morning (I had to to be discharged). My MD put me through another battery of tests, they all came up negative, and he didn't know what to do with me except refer me to a neurologist. I think the next step was going to be therapy or one of the happy pills we've been talking about recently. I don't know what I did or how I pulled it together, but I started my BP meds around that time, switched around because all the ones he prescribed (the more sophisticated, costly ones) made me feel worse, and finally ended up on a simple, old-fashioned diuretic that's still working to this day.

At the time, I was under a ton of stress at work also, and it really took a toll. I put it to my boss quite simply - if things didn't change, I was going to leave, period. Maybe that was a bit dramatic, but by then he knew I meant it, even without another job lined up. We had a long meeting, tweaked some procedural problems, eliminated certain people from specific roles in the marketing process because their lack of performance was affecting me and my workload most negatively, and things simmered down a bit.

Don't feel ashamed or embarrassed or guilty. Deb, ask "what if"; there's a family history there that cannot be ignored, no matter what your physical condition might be. Women's heart attack symptoms are not always the big emphatic ones that men tend to have; ours are more sneaky and quiet. Frankly, I'd rather make noise ahead of time than the alternative. If my doctor thinks I've gone round the bend, so be it. It's a small price for me to pay compared to what bigger thing could be in store. And there are a lot of doctors out there who will pay attention.

Donna

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 9:49am

Thank you for sharing your experiences and your wise suggestions.

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” -Brian Tracy
Avatar for eclectic5777
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 12:54pm

What an interesting conversation.

You Were Born An Original...   Don't Die A Copy

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 2:15pm
I agree with you Margie-girl. Why do you think it's taken me 26 years to finally go on meds? Celexa is what I'm taking. Only 10mg and I can tell a difference. 'Course I'm wondering what 20mg will do! I figure the next time in to see the doc, I'll talk to her about it.

My mom was on Valium as a teenager and into her 30's. She should still be on , in my opinion. I told my daughter several months ago that Nana is so afraid of life, she doesn't know how to live. It dawned on me that I, too, was like that in some ways. Now THAT really scared the heck out of me! :)

Thanks for getting this entire ball rolling...

Sassy

 

                        

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-03-2001
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 2:32pm
"So afraid of life, you don't know how to live it".Well that comment caught my interest.Are you going to elaborate on it or is that it????

Miss P




 

Avatar for cl_grace_50
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 5:27pm

Anxiety/panic attacks are another major symptom/complaint of perimenopause. It is horrible when it happens and they really do feel like heart attacks.


At power-surge.com, women are always talking about having them. The biggest hurdle is to convince yourself that you are not dying, then

cl-grace_50 

fitness4health@yahoo.com

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