I am some what relieved I came across this site. I too have been having similar problems that are keeping me to live a normal life and a mother to my kids. My oldest will be 2 this month and my youngest just turned 3 months old. I constantly feel like I'm on an elevator even worse in public like I'm going to pass out and fall or have seizures. It feels like my head/eyes is shaking when I'm standing still or in a conversation. I'm to hard headed to take head pills for anxiety ect because I want to find a healthier way to get past this whatever it may be and get my life back. This is keeping me distant from everyone I love and care about and I really want to figure out what to do. I keep doing research and everything leads back to anxiety but that only kicks in when I feel "like I'm going to die". I have questioned the minera IUD but I've only had it in for 2 months and these symptoms for over 2 years. I've questioned my acid reflux/gerd because I get so bloated it's hard to breathe and I always feel like I need to take a deep breath. I do smoke about half a pack a day with a poor diet and more caffeinated beverages then water. I'm 25 working 40 plus hours a week then come home to a toddler and infant. I've questioned stress as a cause been reading about vertigo plus I've had 3 ear infections this past year. Nothing seems to make me believe it's the case. My ears ring occasionally which freaks me out. I keep my cell near me incase I do get to the point of passing out and have to call 911 so my children aren't alone but then I ask myself what if I do call emergency contact and it was for nothing and all in my head. I'm glad to see I'm not alone and going crazy but will someone please help me get to the cause and treatment so I'm not taking it out on everyone around me?? PLEASE HELP

Its me again, apparently I cannot use my website info... I guess I will go ahead and leave you my email address then... it is... zarman77@yahoo.com

Thanks and lokk forward to hearing back from you!

Take care,

Jeff

MidwestMurals,

Sharing your business website is considered solicitation and is against our Terms of Use (You may find the entire text of the Terms of Use agreement at /main/terms_of_use).   If you do not wish to publicly share your personal e-mail address you can always use one of the free mail sites ( i.e. Yahoo, HotMail, etc) to create a temporary one.

TheDoctorsBoard1 

Chrissy,

I really appreciate the advice, your story and your friendship!  Yes, this was a VERY difficult road for me to travel.  Figurative and literally!  Not many people at all have understood what has happened to me as it even let to a divorce with my ex wife.  It has been about a year since my divorce and I have gotten better, however, I am still pleagued with the anxious thoughts.  I went from not being able to leave my house, to now, being able to drive again... keep in mind, though, I still have my limmits.  Yes, My parents STILL do not comprehend what I am dealing with, as they are not very supportive about my condition.  My hospital bills have mounted up from the last 2 years, and even though my parents have helped me financially, the do not know how to respond other wise.  They told me the next time I go to the hospital, do not call them because they will not be there... Although, I have not visited the hospital in months, it is always on my mind.  The hospital, the fire station, doctors offices, have all been my "security blankets."  If while driving, I start to feel short of breath because of anxienty, I have stopped to sit in the parking lot of these places, thinking "IF (WHAT IF)... If this is NOT just an axiety attack, help is near me."

Well, yes, I would love to keep in contact with you as it is always great to find someone who understands!

You can contact me through my business website... I own my own studio... www.*************.com

Go to the "contact us" page on my website, fill out the contact area as it goes directly to my email...  I do not wish to put my email on this site because I know many people can see it and spam me.

Well, I look forward to talking with you more... take care and talk to you soon!

Thanks to everyone who replied I wanted to say I'm better! I've been panic attack free for almost a year now. I learned to how to control my thoughts and fears. I have not been to the hospital for almost 2 years and I can take a walk down the street by myself and I feel great. I have confidence in all of you that are dealing with anxiety and panic attacks that you will overcome this and things will get better, you just have to want that for yourself and fight, stop thinking the worst, no negative thoughts and be positive, it sounds so simple and I know how hard it is, but it works. It took me almost 5 years, and here I am. I feel alive again. I'm not that angry I wasted 5 years of my life, cause I'm kinda thankful that now I'm a little more cautious and I know our life is very precious and it's the only one we've got. I've decided to make the best of my life and try my best to live as long as I can and if I die....I die, but at least I was living.

Chrissy-

I had the same symptons as you do. I had them for two years, went to see five different doctors even went to the emergency room twice.  I was told that I was having panic attacks.  I went on different medications and it never help. Finally,  I read a book about panic attacks and through the whole book it suggested that a SIX hour glucose blood sugar test be given.

My doctor gave me a difficult time for my request.  Well...I had the test done, after the 5 to the 6 hour my blood sugar went down to 30.  I found out I had HYPOglycemia.  I started eating every four hours, cut out sugar and in a month, I felt great!..no more symptons and I lost weight.

I hope this helps you.

Well, to me the dizziness and the elevator thing make me think vertigo, so you may possibly have that, but with chronic anxiety, anxious feelings can manifest in physical ways, like anxiety attacks (shortness of breathe, chest pain, etc.) and that out of body type experience may have been an episode of depersonalization which is common with chronic anxiety.

I'm no expert on vertigo, but the elevator thing makes me think it seems like a balance/inner ear issuse, so perhaps talk to your doctor about that and there are medicine that can help. Benadryl is often used for treatment of vertigo and since it's OTC you COULD try that until you can see you doctor, but I highly suggest going to the doctor and talking about it. And while anxiety can cause dizziness too, I don't think it'd cause a feeling like that for that long after going down and elevator, so it leads me to something more.

As for the anxiety, I have an anxiety disorder, and this does sound kind of spot on. In a lot of cases of more generalized anxiety people won't realize they're anxious to begin with, and once they develop symptoms, the symptoms and not knowing what they are, as well as them sometimes being downright debilitating can cause more anxiety. I'd talk to your doctor and ask what they think and see if you should be referred to a psychiatrist for more help in figuring out if anxiety could be the case, and treatment if necessary.

Good luck figuring out what's wrong! <3

-Taylor

HI CHRISSYLH,

MY NAME IS DEBBIE. YOUR SON LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE MY GRAND DAUGHTER TORY MAE WHEN SHE LITTLE. SHE IS TWO NOW. I HOPE YOUR ANXIETY GETS BETTER AND YOUR SON'S EYE. WHAT DID THE DOCTORS SAY ABOUT HIS EYE? I HAVE TWO CHILDREN DAUGHTER 31, SON 18, GRAND DAUGHTERS 10,8,2 AND A GRANDSON 2 TWINS. THE CHILDREN ARE MY DAUGHTERS

TAKE CARE

DEBBIE

Dear Sweet Christina,

My goodness are you sure you are not me 23 years ago? 

How old are your children?  I too after the birth of my first daughter than three years later after my second daughter began to experience many of the same things you listed above.

You blogged today your sypmtoms are less severe or you just dont let them scare you as much anymore.  Can you try to please focus in on this because, I really want to help you if I can and share with you what I did.

Please also notice my screen name.  "labelfree" 

When someone throws a word at you like "Anxiety"  "stress" or even "phobia" without a road map away from them it can be so frustrating honey because I just spent many years like you trying to figure it all out by myself.

Your lucky you have this website and even if you go over to Dr Phil's depressionboard there are alot of smart people there too who have alot of experiences with just this topic!

xox