I have some questions about "anxiety"?

After 2 somewhat dramatic ER visits in the last week, and every test known to man, I've been diagnosed with some kind of anxiety disorder Frankly it's freaking me out because I wouldn't normally consider myself an "anxious" person and have NEVER sought treatment for it or anything.

Is it even possible to have anxiety and not know it??? That makes no sense to me
My symptoms were freaky I started having breathing troubles (but not wheezing or gasping, just felt like I could not get enough air in my lungs, kwim??? Like a touch of the "air hunger" I experienced while pregnant). But of course the more you can't breathe the more panicky you get and that makes it all go to sh*t pretty fast! So for the first ER visit I called a friend and she drove me to the ER. They didn't diagnose anxiety, just a possible remnant infection from a bad sinus cold I had for a month, and gave me an antibiotic and inhaler which did NOTHING. 4 days later, same breathing issue but worse, I got soooooooo freaked out (husband was working) I ran with the baby to my corner coffee shop (who are all good friends with us) and they called an ambulance and watched the baby til DH got home. THAT was the scarier episode, I really thought I was gonna drop dead at one point. and they tested EVERY bit of me--all my readings were terrific, wonderful, fabulous. So they went with anxiety and gave me a rx for xanax; I've taken a few of them the last 3 days, they make me a little tired but that's about it.

I'lll stop here and just inquire whether anyone has ever experienced anything similar? I just really know nothing about anxiety in general and xanax in particular so if anyone has any experience I'd love to hear it.

It seems like I have a list a mile long of everything I "DON'T" have, so now I'm anxious that maybe I don't have anxiety but it's actually something else?????

Re:

Since you have the sinus cold maybe your breathing is a little bit off. I hope it never happens to you again. I can't even imagine how scary it was going through that and having to worry about the baby

Message edited 8/13/2011 10:17:33 AM.

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

Ok this may be a little bit long but bare with me. I have been dealing with basically the same thing that has happened to you. Originally it started off with just an odd feeling of not being able to get a good refreshing breath. Like I had to take a big sigh to feel good and then it would last for a bit until I got the urge again and had to sigh or yawn to get more air again. One night it got so bad I thought I was having some sort of asthma or heart attack, went to the ER and they said it was asthma gave me inhalers etc but the medicine didn't help AT ALL. All the tests they ran (chest rads/ecg etc were normal). At this point I wasn't anxious at all except for the fact that I couldn't breath well (which is anxiety provoking in my mind) This feeling continued for several months until I actually had a Panic attack. Again didn't know it was a panic attack but my heart started racing, hands got tingly etc it was terrible. The breathing issue also got even worse. Went to the ER again and again got no diagnosis. Well after visiting several specialists and having chest rads/halter monitors/bloodwork done everything came back totally normal and it was diagnosed as an anxiety disorder. This was and has been very difficult for me to accept because it feels like a real medical issue (the shortness of breath etc). So to make a long story shorter I have tried SSRI's and xanax etc and gotten little to no relief. It is helpful to know that I am not really dying of shortness of breath but the feeling is still there (some days better some days worse) If you google this symptom of not being able to get a good breath you will see 1,000's of posts and forums with people who seem to have this issue with no cure or diagnosis available. I do believe that it is anxiety related though I haven't found a way to stop it. Just remind yourself that you aren't really short of breath it is your mind playing tricks on you. (my guess is you don't notice it while you are alseep right?) Try to practice breathing through your belly (long slow exhales) and get some stress relief :) Good luck, feel free to send me forum mail etc because I have been through this and wish at the time I knew someone else who had dealt with this annoying issue too!

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

I have been in the same boat many a time. I was treating my anxiety/depression with lexapro and xanax. Stopped everything to get PG and during pregnancy and now 7 months PP, I have had a couple of anxiety episodes and feeling really down lately- and instead of feeling better, I am feeling worse. I just got my meds filled again and started the lexapro again today and have the Xanax incase of a major attack. I am feeling so defeated to be back on the meds, especially with how much I hate/fear side effects and the withdrawal symptoms, but I just didn't feel like I had another option with the way I have been feeling.

FM me if you would like- I have been there way too many times

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

C, don't quote me, but this could be a post pregnancy thing, you know? Maybe your body chemistry changed a bit causing anxiety like symptoms?

As for Xanax, my Grandma had pretty bad anxiety and Xanax was the only thing that worked

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

I am sorry your dealing with this! I have such bad anxiety that it literally gives me hives. It took me a long time to figure out what was causing my skin disorder. I know the feeling of "air hunger" your talking about... it is very scary

I take a low dose of xanax only when I need it and it really helps. At first I was scared to take it cause I used to hear about people taking it just to get high... I didn't want to be walking around high all day. But, it doesn't make me high at all. I don't feel any different other then my anxiety is gone.

There are a lot of other medicines for anxiety too. I am sure your doctor will find one that works perfectly for you

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

I have terrible anxiety, so much so, I no longer drive because of it. I've had it for years and when it first started, it started very much the same way yours has. I have been taking Zoloft for 8 years now and Klonopin (when not pregnant or BF) when my attacks get super bad. I wouldn't recommend using Xanax as the only treatment, unless your attacks are very few and far in between. If you want to talk, FM or FB me!!!!

Im so sorry you are going through this, it is such a horrible thing to go through.

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

How old is your DC? I am thinking this may be a post-pregnancy thing. I have severe anxiety/panic disorder since I was little. My anxiety is the WORST from week 6-12 of pregnancy (happened both pregnancies) and immediately after giving birth for several weeks which is why I was not successful breastfeeding b/c I had to go back on anxiety meds.

I occasionally get the shortness of breath or feeling like you can't breathe in deep enough or like you just can't get enough air to satisfy you, but fortunately I usually just throw up violently my heart rate elevates, I get dizzy and feel out of my body and shake.

I would take the xanax if it helps. give it a couple of months and reevaluate with your dr whether you need to continue it or not.

I still find my anxiety levels to be all over the place 6 mo. post partum. It does take a long time for your body to regulate itself again.

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

I had something very very similar several years back. ER visits, cardiologists, etc. Looked into the anxiety route, but I didn't buy it. After a visit to an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist, he took one look at my throat and told me I had GERD. Sometimes the acid shoots up the esophagus so quickly and forcefully, we don't even feel the "burn" to feel heartburn. But the throat and airways get irritated causing asthma-like symptoms.

But there's one more ingredient to the perfect storm that made it all bad enough for thr ER visits--post nasal drip because of sinus/allergies. Some allergy medicine and something to take care of the reflux is what did the trick and it's only gotten bad 1 time in the past 5 years.

Look into it, b/c sinus issues and reflux are 2 pretty easy and non-invasive things to treat.
Good luck!

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

WOw. Thank you all sooooooooooooo much for your honest replies, I thought I was losing it a little bit!!!!!!! It's been a few weeks now without any kind of acute "attack" and I'm still on the xanax but only take 1 .25mg pill a day, I don't feel any "effects" from that at all, I just sleep a bit better which I think was desperately needed!!! I'm also cutting WAAAY down on my coffee intake and if you knew me, you'd know how much I love my coffee

Hugs to any and all who've experienced this, it suuucks big time!!!!!

This is honestly the weirdest "thing" I've ever had; while I'm glad there's nothing "wrong" per se, I wish we could define it a little better. But c'est la vie, at least it's good to know I'm not the only one who's had it!!!!!!!

Thanks to you all!!

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

Posted by colette

WOw. Thank you all sooooooooooooo much for your honest replies, I thought I was losing it a little bit!!!!!!! It's been a few weeks now without any kind of acute "attack" and I'm still on the xanax but only take 1 .25mg pill a day, I don't feel any "effects" from that at all, I just sleep a bit better which I think was desperately needed!!! I'm also cutting WAAAY down on my coffee intake and if you knew me, you'd know how much I love my coffee

Hugs to any and all who've experienced this, it suuucks big time!!!!!

This is honestly the weirdest "thing" I've ever had; while I'm glad there's nothing "wrong" per se, I wish we could define it a little better. But c'est la vie, at least it's good to know I'm not the only one who's had it!!!!!!!

Thanks to you all!!

Re: I have some questions about "anxiety"?

Message edited 3/26/2010 12:38:19 PM.