Scared To Leave The House

[lieze]

I think this is just anxiety!

I have done fine around the house these past two days-my daughter is on spring break from preschool so not having to take her to school has been nice but......

Now when I try to leave I go into panic mode,

Still trying to seperate the POTS from the panic here.

I just get so uncomfortable it isn't even logical.

My body is not that stressed to get into a car and drive what is my deal?

Has anybody experienced this?

I feel like that fish on Nemo that when he gets too excited he blows up.

I just feel so much pressure everywhere like I'll just pop or something.

It was like an exercise to get out and get my hair cut I made it but boy am I uncomfortable in my own skin!

[RIfainthearted]

Lieze- how awful for you. If the Paxil was prescribed, why aren't you taking it? Did your doc want you to take both Xanax and Paxil? I've never experienced your symptoms with POTS. It sounds like a panic attack and maybe should be addressed by a psychiatrist or someone who deals with anxiety disorders.

You deal with so much having 4 children you need to take care of yourself. Your neurotransmitters or something else in your brain may not be functioning properly, thus the excessive anxiety. Seek help because you shouldn't have to suffer. Take care of yourself.

[lieze]

I'm nervous to try the Paxil it was my GP that okay'd it when I asked about it.

My symptoms were kind of bad at the time and I was desperate and had read online that in some people Paxil works.

Well I got the Paxil home and read that it can cause orthostatic hypotension.

I already have a problem with this and am so sensitive to things.

For instance I've been drinking this Pocari Sweat that has Magnesium in it. I started to feel crappy and took my bp and my systolic is only in the 80's. I'm sure it's from the Magnesium. Duh what do they give women with preeclampsia when pregnant-mag sulfate. I can't believe I didn't make the connection.

I got online and researched all antidepressants and looked for ones that raise bp rather than lowering it and found Effexor. Next time I went back I was just honest with her and told her I was too scared to take the Paxil. She told me it should do the opposite in me if I have POTS-well what if I don't? I'm too afraid to even try it.

This whole thing is so frightening and traumatizing.

I have my kids here screaming that they are hungry and that they want to go to the store to buy toys and I am afraid to even get up and stand on my feet.

Weird thing I did get up but took my bp-instead of dropping lower it increased?

But I feel really drowsy.

I'm trying to drink water to flush this out!

[tinkerbella]

Lizie,

you sound like you are just miserable...... no one should be this miserable sweet one. life is ruff enough with a family with young children but if you are scared to leave the house I think more is going on and it might be best to go and talk with someone about this issue. Many of us have to go and talk with someone as living with a chronic illness is very difficult and we need help finding ways to cope with the changes in the way our life is now living with Pots.

sometimes pots is misdxed for anxiety, have you ever had a tilt table test to rule out Pots. Most people who are scared to leave their house have something called agoraphobia. Have you ever had or heard of that? If you are starting to really feel this way you want to make sure you are safe to go out and drive with your young children. You mentioned before being out and having to call and have someone came and get you and your car because you couldn't drive. These sound like warnings that something is wrong. You knew it and pulled over to be safe but maybe it's time to take a closer look at what is going on.

I'm not saying you have it, I'm just saying by what you have posted you seem to be a bit extra anxious and I'm a bit worried about you. RIfainthearted made some good points about panic attacks and we care about you Lizie. So will you check in with your doc and let him or her know how you are feeling and then let us know how you are doing?

I'm sending you a giant hug Lizie to let you know I care. I hope you feel better real soon.

(((((((((((((((((((GIANT HUG))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

BellaMia~*

[anna]

Myself and my children get something like this when we have an adrenalin surge, anxiaty levels go off register! Could that be what you are feeling?! My daughter likes Bech flower rescue remady, helps her calm. We have tried CBT for one of my boys as his adrenalin surges triger his OCD's big time, it has helped some. Anyway have you looked into this adrenaline side of POTS?!

Hope you find some way of dealing with this soon.

[icesktr189]

This is my worst symptom. I do have anxiety disorder, but i know for a fact i get this feeling when i have adrenaline surges. I can tell right before because i will feel very dizzy and have this icy cold feeling shoot through me. Other times i trigger it myself when i have a true panic attack. But one thing is for sure, i did not have ANY problems with anxiety until i came down with POTS. But we are at such a great risk for depression/anxiety because we have a chronic illness. You need to take care of your mental health as much as your physical health. POTS and anxiety are totally different things, but you can still have both.

good luck! you can over come this trust me.. SSRI's truly save my sanity

[lieze]

I think maybe that is what this is an adrenaline surge?

My serum norepinephrine was 860 and the day they tested that I had about 3 panic attacks.

I passed the poor man's tilt my endocrinologist gave me.

My gp had ordered a tilt table test and I negotiated to just increase fluids instead since basically the treatment was fluids salt and lifestyle changes.

I did not want to go through the tilt table test it sounds like nightmare.

I had just gotten through my ablation and I was recovering from that I didn't want to go through any other procedures at the time.

I haven't had any of the tachycardia while driving since last summer fall when I was recovering from my ablation.

My last doctor visit related to POTS was to my cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic.

The endo here wanted to scan me for a pheo due to my high norepinephrine level.

I read on line that it was normal to have one with POTS so went to the cardiologist instead who said he didn't think I had a pheo. He is referring me to an endocrinologist there in Cleveland but I haven't gotten my appointment schedule yet. He didn't think there was any hurry. He said I could have POTS but he thought my symptoms were improving.

I honestly don't know who to see or what to do.

I think I get more information just reading here on this site.

I do think I will try to get out daily so it's my normal routine and I get over the panic.

Just plan a little outing. When I'm doing it everyday I don't experience such extreme feelings. I was able to go with my husband to a social event about a week ago that was 100 miles away.

I had only mild anxiety while there in the social setting not even enough really to take a Xanax. I just didn't know anybody it was all strangers and extremely boring.

Thanks everyone for your input.

[potsgirl]

Lieze~

I've been on Paxil (15 mg) for about 10 years now, and I swear it has changed my life significantly for the better! Please give it a try....Just take 2.5 or 5 mg to start with, and see how you do. It does take a couple of weeks for Paxil to build up in your system, but because so many of so are sensitive to drugs, a small dose may do it for you. I can't tolerate the usually smallest therapeutic dose of 20 mg, but the 15 is great. You don't have to deal with that paralyzing anxiety - please give it a try.

Cheers,

Jana

[Tammy]

Sounds like an adrenaline surge to me. If scary thoughts are filling your mind, and than you have the symptoms, than it is probably anxiety. If your body is having symptoms and you feel 'mentally calm', than it's an adrenaline surge. I tried many SSRI's and they made me SOOOO much worse. Paxil was the worst of all those I tried. It really varies by person. What has worked for me is drinking Ginger Lemon Tea by YOGI and I also add a sprinkle of ginger to it and if I drink a few cups of that, it really helps calm the adrenaline surges and also stops all the peeing that goes with them (I think I peed 4 times in a half an hour this morning).

Take care

[Noreen]

Is that what that frequent urination is about?

Good gosh, it is so helpful to not be alone in this.

Sounds like an adrenaline surge to me. If scary thoughts are filling your mind, and than you have the symptoms, than it is probably anxiety. If your body is having symptoms and you feel 'mentally calm', than it's an adrenaline surge. I tried many SSRI's and they made me SOOOO much worse. Paxil was the worst of all those I tried. It really varies by person. What has worked for me is drinking Ginger Lemon Tea by YOGI and I also add a sprinkle of ginger to it and if I drink a few cups of that, it really helps calm the adrenaline surges and also stops all the peeing that goes with them (I think I peed 4 times in a half an hour this morning).

Take care

[Noreen]

Lieze-

I can't remember which forum member said this but I have adopted it as my mantra - 'I am a bland potato.'

There are so many steps in going out to the car - where is my purse, are my keys in the purse, do I need X, do I have list, yada yada. A lot of this internal talk happens while we are standing (stressing the autonomic nervous system) while the kids are making noise (noise is another stressor). It's possible you were better when you went out with your husband because he was driving and that took away numerous little things other people don't think about.

If I were you, I would look at what happens first like Tammy says. If it's the dysautonomia, adopt the mantra as it helps put everything outside you and you're able to check which stressors are getting to you. It could be the light coming in the window is causing you to squint because the sun has changed position - that is just an example that everything is so variable.

Relax, remember to breathe, and take care of you whether the problem is anxiety/panic or dysautonomia induced panic.

Enjoy the weekend with the little ones. I used to dip two fingers in corn starch and make bunny tracks to the baskets and then say 'Look the Easter Bunny forgot to wipe his feet!'

nOREEN

I think this is just anxiety!

I have done fine around the house these past two days-my daughter is on spring break from preschool so not having to take her to school has been nice but......

Now when I try to leave I go into panic mode,

Still trying to seperate the POTS from the panic here.

I just get so uncomfortable it isn't even logical.

My body is not that stressed to get into a car and drive what is my deal?

Has anybody experienced this?

I feel like that fish on Nemo that when he gets too excited he blows up.

I just feel so much pressure everywhere like I'll just pop or something.

It was like an exercise to get out and get my hair cut I made it but boy am I uncomfortable in my own skin!

[carinara]

Hi Tammy, i would really be interested to know why adrenaline surges cause frequent urination? I always wondered why i have to pee so often in them sort of situations and searched dinet for it but never found an answer. Do you also know why ginger tea would help? Thanks a lot, carinara