way to long

[carrieann30]

It freaks me out to see that people suffer with anxiety for years. I have had it now about 5 months and i cant live like this anymore. I keep thinking that one day im going to wake up and its going to be gone. Has anyone gotten better with out medication? I remeraber having panic attacks and alot of anxiety about 5 years ago but it just went away on its own. This time it is really bad and seems to have 100% control over me. My stomach is gone lol what i mean by that is my stomach hurts all the time and its not just a little hurt its so bad i cant even walk sometimes. im so scared all the time. This is no kind of life. I see other people out with there kiRAB and im so jelous i cant do the same. i just feel like giving up. I thought i was getting better but now its back really bad. what do i do? should i toss in the towel and say i gave it a good run and did my best or keep fighting it and live in this horrid pain? im just feeling really bad about it right now. i wish i could find something that made this just a little better. my husband wants me to go back into the hospital again. I have been twice in 4 months. it doesnt seem to do any good. im so scared that this acid reflux is going to kill me. i cant even sleep. I jump in my sleep and grab for someone. i lay in bed at night in ball holding on for dear life shaking and praying to god i dont start to hyperventalat. and i know its just anxiety but it still wont go away. i tried taking different fooRAB out of my diet. I have tried everything. anyway thanks for letting me get that out.

excuse my spelling

carrie

 

[ExtremelyWired]

The first thing I would do is pick up some Prilosec OTC to control the acid reflux. This medication works very well and very quickly, sometimes with the first or second dose. That will at least get one problem under control fast. Then I would except the fact that you will need to take some type of medication for your anxiety, at least for the short term. See a doctor and ask if you can have a trial prescription (30 days) of Lorazepam. (A good medication for fast relief of anxiety) Once you have relief from your reflux and anxiety, you can begin to work with your doctor on a long term plan. The important thing is that you get relief quickly so you can begin to think productively.

 

[Exiyn]

I've had diagnosed anxiety now for over a year, and undiagnosed anxiety symptoms for ~5 years. (Beginning when I was 18) I have most of those anxiety symptoms, especially the acid reflux, waking up in that moment right before falling asleep and taking a deep, much needed breath... I also have chest pain virtually 24/7, heart palpitations, and mild agoraphobia.

For the first five months after diagnosis, I was feeling pretty lost. I'm afraid of nearly everything drug related, as I'm perpetually side tracked to the side effects and... after reading a few, I can't get myself to take the drug. And, even if I agree with the side effects, I stupidly begin to wonder if I'll be allergic to it. There's probably OCD involved in there, but I don't speak to a psyche.

Lately, I haven't had panic attacks the way I used to... in fact, my last panic attack was in August. I get the feelings leading up to a panic attack, but I generally let it sit and ride it and it... for some reason, doesn't turn into anything more than extreme discomfort and amplified symptoms.

There are two drugs I've turned to. I've enjoyed the psychosomatic benefits of L-Theanine... I can't say for certain if this drug calms me, but I take it in moderation (once a day) and only notice that I have a lessening of anxiety symptoms. Maybe it's at the root of my lack of panic attacks? I don't know, I can't say for certain, but I know that when I take it I tell myself that this is a simple drug that tastes pretty good and seems to do its job, so I take it with my multivitamin. And, the other, I have turned to alcohol. I drink probably twelve beers a week -- sometimes more if I'm really bad. I try to keep it in moderation, my better half ensures that it doesn't get out of hand... but it's only light beer, and it's the one time that I actually fall asleep properly.

I know my choice of alcohol isn't right and it's a bandaid solution that can lead up to other problems, but I can enjoy it socially... and I don't like what most anxiety drugs can do to you mentally.

Just keep yourself in check, might be the best advice I can give. Try to steer your focus away from the anxiety with a hobby -- I've taken on learning languages as my hobby, and whenever I need to take my mind aside, I study.

Also, playing games -- like Scrabble -- I've noticed has helped a lot... too bad you can't just pull this sucker out at 4AM and wake that loved one up and be like, "I can't sleep. The anxiety's bad. Play Scrabble." but eh, lol.

So, to make a long story short:

The things that have helped me are,
- L-Theanine.
- Alcohol.
- Hobby.
- Time and introspection.

I still suffer today. But not nearly as bad as I did in the past!