I’m exhausted.. Really hard night..

I’ve had a really hard day, night. Back to back (what I presume are) crippling anxiety/panic attacks. I’m trying not to convince myself to go to the ER yet again this month. I have been so many times the last two months.. Every time, I go in with the same symptoms, squeezing icy cold chest pain/discomfort, having to focus on my breathing, feeling like I’m having a heart attack or on the verge of death.. each time I keep saying “this time it’s actually something serious” and thankfully it’s not, but dang it I can’t keep doing this. How can this simply be just anxiety/panic? How can it literally make me have symptoms that feel like I’m not okay and in such danger? It’s been back to back to back today and night, sometimes lasts a few hours.. I’m literally living in the shower or bath to find relief. I’m scared to sleep tonight. Please tell me I’m not alone. I feel hopeless. The problem is, I don’t even feel anxious or have an impulsive thought or panic and then boom, out of no where I am hit with feeling like I’m not okay. I’m exhausted.

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

Here’s a way to get your mind to think.. what if you don’t go to the ER? What if you let those thoughts sit with you…? First off, thank you being so brave and sharing this. As you go through NOCD, you will learn how important it becomes to sit with those thoughts. Sit with the uncomfortable and watch how your body responds. Don’t try and fight, just learn to be one with your anxiety. Sounds really crazy right now, but if I could give any piece of advice, NOCD changed my life. I don’t run away anymore, I don’t drive to the ER or search for hours about my health anxiety. It’s okay to not be okay, because you are taking those steps to get better. Sit with those emotions and don’t fight it. Say, “these feelings/thoughts suck, but I’ve gotten through it before and I can get through it again” or “maybe, maybe not” sit with being uncomfortable and telling you body you are safe. There is no reason to run.

heavensftw

Date posted: Yesterday

@Anonymous Oh my gosh is it hard to sit with the systemic body feelings! I’m trying so hard, then my brain says “but this time feels different and something really is wrong” or it says “what if we don’t go in and something is wrong” or like tonight feeling like I need to go in to hear I’m okay because “what if you go to sleep and something bad happens while you sleep”. How do I sit with it? And my gosh the searching for hours is driving me up a storm. I have to put my phone away because I will search every little thing and then it’s a never ending search cycle, then of course the body feelings intensify. I’m sick of it. Especially when it comes out of no where. It’s so hard not to run, especially when I feel like it’s the end. This is so helpful, I just need to actually be able to do it. But on days like today when it’s back to back and never ending, it’s tough. Then I start fearing and worry if tomorrow will be like this, then I’ll wake up anxious again and it will be Groundhog Day.

LittleCatLad...

Date posted: Yesterday

Well hey this is not medical advice in any way whatsoever but I have HyperAdrenergic pots. A very serious chronic condition called dysautonomia and that is the exact description of what i live with and my symptoms. Give it a look it may be a medical condition. Most ERs know nothing about it so they don’t recognize the symptoms. Best of luck I know that’s so hard.

LittleCatLad...

Date posted: Yesterday

@LittleCatLady1971 And just to add a little for those of us with Hyper POTS that doom feeling is so so common. It’s adrenal dysfunction. It’s called an adrenal dump where your body is being flooded with adrenaline and stress hormones. There are many many many causes.

heavensftw

Date posted: 19h

@LittleCatLady1971 Where would I even start?

LittleCatLad...

Date posted: 11h

@heavensftw Great question. Just google a little, no panic, and see if it fits what you’re feeling and experiencing. Start tracking your symptoms a little bit to see if you recognize patterns. Most of us won’t HyperPOTs manage our condition daily but at the beginning it can be extremely scary. Just read up and see what you think.

LittleCatLad...

Date posted: 11h

@heavensftw Google Dysautonomia symptoms. And start looking at what you are doing when this feeling happens. Xxx you’re not crazy. It’s real. You’re not alone.

heavensftw

Date posted: 8h

@LittleCatLady1971 Was just told by my insurance virtual doctor (oddly enough, they have been more helpful than my cardio and pcp..) that I need to be ruled out for postpartum cardiomyopathy. Yay.. and the OCD ramps up with added body sensations.. My friend who has POTS sent me a video of a “poor man’s tilt table test” so when I feel ok I will try it. Thank you!

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