My new anxiety disorder

[LaurenLeigh]

I have recently started having symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Insomnia and awaking in the night to feel like I couldn't breath and that my heart was pounding. Then it started happening when I was awake, it feels like a cinder-block sitting on my chest. At first I thought I was having actual heart problems. I went to an urgent care facility and they did all the standard tests and my heart is fine apparently. (It would be a kicker to lose 55 pounds and THEN start to have heart problems...) So the doc said basically that it's most likely anxiety.

Things are really stressful in my marriage and personal life right now. These are things I would have normally dealt with by eating. Man, food can be soooo relaxing for me. The panicky symptoms started about two months ago and the funny part is, that is when I started getting really serious about exercising and not "cheating" with my band.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else has had these kind of reactions to not being able to self medicate with food?

(you'll have to excuse the strangeness of this post as I'm in the middle of an anxiety episode right now, so I'm kind of all over the place. I'm waiting for my husband to get home so I can head to the doc for more anxiety meds)

Thanks,

Lauren

[Sandy]

Wow, congratulations on the 55 pounds. That is awesome!

I'm sorry you are going through this. Hopefully the doctor can give you something to help. I don't know what it's like so all I can do is sympathize.

Take care and let us know how you are doing

[Kittycat]

Feel better soon...it's important to get the help you need!!

[Mackenzie]

Lauren,

Food was a comfort thing for me too....I dealt with a lot of things by eating. Stopping an addiction or a coping device is a pretty traumatic thing! Your mind is probably protesting on this change. I think its good that you are going to the doctor for some help. Hopefully that will be able to help you transition into dealing with lifes up and downs like a "regular" human..whatever that may be...bc i know havent found what that is yet! good luck, and congrats on 55lbs!!!!!! that is awesome!

[karenlynn79]

Hey Lauren,

I am sorry you are having anxiety attacks. I am a mental health professional so I know how it feels (through clients). Are you able to do talk therapy with someone qualified to handle anxiety disorders?? Talk therapy can be as effective as meds and sometimes more effective.... Just wanted to throw that out there. Also marital therapy might help? I hope that things get better for you soon. Just stay positive and focused on the weight loss and healthy eating and exercise- you are going awesome!

Karen

[jena]

I have bi-polar disorder and if my medicine is off I'll have anxiety attacks, or if I'm under really bad stress I'll get them too.

I feel for you girl! You have all the symptoms. Here's some tips for you when you feel it coming on...

1. Acknowledge that you are having an anxiety attack and know there is nothing you can do to stop it. It has to run its course and if you try to stop it it just makes it worse.

2. Get your 8 hours sleep! Easier said than done, believe me. I'll take a couple of Tylenol PM's and that usually does the trick. If you can, get one of those CD's that are just relaxing sounds - you know, a thunderstorm, babbling brook, waves - and put on your headphones and lose yourself in it. Lack of sleep only makes your anxiety attacks worse.

3. Have you ever done guided imagery? google "guided imagery" and you'll find lots of information and instruction on how to do it. It really helps you relax and feel good too.

Take care of yourself, lots of hugs to you

Jena

[doinitagann]

My oh my, girl, can I relate. I have had anxiety disorders since my son was born 8 years ago. It sucks. My anxiety was triggered by many things and insomnia made it worse. melatonin really helped me find my sleep. it is OTC and does not have any side effects or addicting components. Concentrating on breathing helped me. Mentally telling myself to breath in and out. Not only did it take my mind off of the attack but I was calming down with the oxygen. Fighting attacks only made them worse, allow them to take their course.

Hormones are a big cause of my anxiety. The electrical wiring is messed up in the brain. Add hormones to that and I am a mess. For example, I could not get into a car with anyone else for a few months. I was scared i would have to go to the bathroom. I had anxiety attacks thinking about going for a drive. When I got into a car with someone I would demand they pull over so I could just get out. It could take up to one hour to drive 20 miles.

I am currently on Zoloft and it is working good. Still, I never know when something is going to creep up. Your weight loss could also be doing something with the brain. it is a chemical, physical problem. you should talk to your doctor about your symptons and see if you should try some medications. Living with panic attacks is rough. It is mentally and physically draining. Take care of yourself.

[thesuse]

Sorry you're having these episodes - it sounds pretty difficult and upsetting.

I agree with the suggestion of talk therapy in addition, or possibly instead of, meds. I know for me that I have discovered that I have some unconscious psychological issues that make me feel more secure when I'm overweight. Being thinner makes me feel more vulnerable. That's my issue, but it's possible that for you losing weight is also triggering anxiety for some reason. It might be worth exploring to ensure that you have the greatest success possible with the band.

Best of luck - I hope you feel better soon!

[LaurenLeigh]

Thanks for all the support! By the time my husband got home tonight, I was through the panic, so I didn't go to the urgent care.

I think I've decided to give it a couple of weeks and see if I can't work through these things with meditation and relaxation techniques. I have an appointment with my doc in two weeks, so I'm giving myself until then to try this method. I have been on klonopin for about a month and it really helped, but as soon as I ran out they were back again. I don't want to be so dependent on the medication, rather I want to TRY not to be. Plus the urgent care that gave me the prescription wanted me to come back in in order to get a refill and that costs me more than my regular doc.

Life is just super stressful right now, I'm in the process of making plans to leave my husband... my house is just a stressful place for me right now. I'm excited about the future and I always feel and sleep much better when I'm not at home (like visiting my parents) so I know that in a few months when I finally get out of here things will get better for me. I know he's going to say I left him because I got skinny from a surgery that HE paid for, so that stresses me out big-time! He has addiction problems, but it'll still be all my fault. I think losing the weight is just giving me the courage to want things to be better for me and my kids. I didn't feel like I deserved better when I was bigger.

Sorry, I seem to be using this as a therapy session! Lol.

Thanks for listening!

[jena]

Hi Lauren,

I see you're from Atlanta too! There are several of us who were banded by Dr. Ortiz who live in and around Atlanta.

A couple of us had fills scheduled the same day in Roswell and a couple of others came and joined us for lunch.

Send me a PM if you want to join us or just need some support.

I've been through what you are going through with your husband. My husband had addiction problems too and was always the victim. After we split and I made it clear to him that I would no longer be his support both emotionally and financially he got his life together, got his BA, got his Masters and is working on his PhD.

You will get through this and so will he. You just have to keep taking care of yourself and let him worry about himself.

BTW, your picture is beautiful! You are already a knockout.

Hugs to you,

Jena

[ackovach]

Hi,

We are all here to support you. Group therapy is the best!!! All these things have to do with our weight problems.

Put your feelings in writing, it can help get the anxiety out. I started writing a blog with my day to day issues. I normally don't publish the blog, but I feel better by writing.

I have found this site to have such well-rounded point view. And everyone really cares.

I am glad that you have found the strength and courage to do what is best for yourself and your kids. You husband has to find his own way. I feel some of the same things you do.

I have had issues with anxiety over the past 7 years and totally relate. It is amazing what stress/anxiety can do to your mind. I felt totally irrational at times and frozen in fear. And food calms me too.....

You are not alone......

[bigboi]

Lauren,

I too suffer from the exact same thing as you. When I read your post, I thought I was reading my exact symptoms. I am scheduled to have my surgery on Oct 2nd, a lot of my stress comes from being overweight. My psychologist says that my eating is probably a coping mechanism dealing with stress and anxiety. My Anxiety started in June of 2006 and at that time I went on a crusade to lose weight. For about 6 months I lost about 40 lbs and was starting to feel better and my anxiety symptoms started to ease. I got into a real stressful situation this last winter, and my anxiety returned, and so did my weight. I was eating out of control, not even realizing that I was using the eating to comfort me. I was clueless until I started seeing a psychologist a few months ago, and he painted the picture for me. I didn’t even realize what I was doing, but in the last 3 months I have been flat miserable and it was time for a change.

About the Anxiety, I have realized that this is who I am, and I will always have Anxiety, everybody has it, some of us just tend to have more of it. I still get angry/upset with my anxiety but I am learning more each day to cope with it. It can make me feel real miserable at times, but I refuse to give in to it…I fight it like a warrior. Some days I lose the battle, but I keep pushing forward. I try to keep a positive mental outlook.

When I was first diagnosed with my anxiety disorder, I was taking some meds to help deal with the attacks. After almost a year I realized that I didn’t want to be using these meds, some days it was really difficult, but I quit using them. Its been over a year now without meds for anxiety and I feel a ton better for it.

Right now is probably difficult times for you and your new anxiety problem, just take it head on, get lots of exercise and the sleeping will improve. Keep the eye on the bigger prize and you will be able to maintain control of your anxiety.

BB