This is my first time writing about my current state of mind, so please keep that in mind as you read on. I am new to the world of anxiety and panic attacks, or at least I thought so. I suppose I have always been a nervous person and recent events have put me over the edge.
After five years of trying to get pregnant, I became pregnant and subsequently had a miscarriage on October 6, 2009. I was 10 1/2 weeks. At first I was very sad, then came anger, and finally massive amounts of anxiety. I was in and out of the ER thinking that I was going to die. All the ER docs could come up with was low potassium and anxiety. On my 4th and final visit to the ER I went into Super Ventricular Tachycardia or SVT. My heart rate went from 160 to 280 in a second flat. I was admitted to the hospital for over a week and finally sent home with Ativan and Metropol. So now I am wondering did the anxiety cause the SVT or was it the other way around? Either way I feel miserable and constantly on edge. After numerous doctor's visits & medications I am still right back where I started.
So what to do now? I have started meditating, seeing a therapist, and reading everything I can about anxiety and how to help myself. I had been doing quite well for a month and 1/2 in managing my symptoms without the Ativan, but I had a pretty bad anxiety attack today and had to take it. I feel like a failure. I thought I had a handle on this. Like I said I am new to this whole experience and I am not quite sure what to expect. I open to suggestions….
I'm pretty sure that your tachycardia was a symptom of panic though I am no expert. I think that most of us who take meds hate the fact that we have to. I had an incredibly hard time with it for the first few months – that was about 4 years ago. routine and a regulated regimen of medication got me stabilized and I thank god that it did. I am so sorry for your pains.
Jack
Hello,
I have suffered with a panic disorder for several years now. Like you, I spent many of hours in the ER hoping for an answer. I didn’t know anything about anxiety and no one at the hospital said a word to me about it. I went through the same thing as you, my heart rate jumped into the 200’s and stayed there. They wouldn’t let me leave until it lowered, but still not a word about anxiety. I figured it out on my own and read every book known to man about my disorder.
It’s horrible to go through the death of a child. I can’t begin to imagine what that must have felt like I’m so very sorry. I went through a period where I had a lot of loss in my life and it made my anxiety worse. Now I’m house bound and don’t drive or go anywhere because I have panic attacks. I’m on medication to help control them, which it does, but the thought of driving or ridiing in a car sends my anxiety through the roof.
I wish you the best of luck with your anxiety. Don’t let run your life like it has mine. Don’t let it hold you back from living your life and enjoying the people in your life. There are many medications out there, try them. Don’t let this ruin your life, take control of it now and do everything you can to do your best.
I’m here if you ever need to chat……take care of yourself and don’t worry you have the strength to get through this.
Eric