shathaway0811

Thank you again to all of you! Sorry I haven't quite figured this thing out yet (the forum haha), or I would reply to you guys individually. Just wanted to say I can't tell you how amazingly comforting it is to know that what I'm saying is not silly or irrelevant, and that people have experienced the same things (even though I really wouldn't wish most of it on anyone, because it's such a pain!!) But seriously, I will let you all know what I found out and this information has been incredibly valuable. I am more than happy to lend a listening ear as well if anyone needs it. Thank you SOOOO much!!!

You guys are awesome, thank you so much!! It makes me feel like I'm not crazy to know that others have had super similar experiences - especially the waking up in the middle of the night thing!! That is by far what bothers me the most. I've gotten to the point where I can really deal with everything else, except it definitely contributes to my baseline anxiety level. But the middle of the night episodes are really terrifying and cause me to have middle-of-the-night panic attacks which cause me to do things I don't remember. So thanks everyone!!!

Hi! I just wanted to say I've been having the same issues. I've brought up the recurring symptoms I've experienced to several different people, including a GP and both my parents who are physicians, but no one has even expressed an interest in trying to figure out why I feel the way I feel because so much of what I feel overlaps with anxiety (even though I can differentiate very easily between my anxiety-brought on symptoms and whatever the **** this other thing is.) Anywho, just wanted to say I empathize and good luck. Let me know if you come up with a solution or next steps! S

Hi all, So I really wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to join this as I am a fairly private person but I figured it would be the best place to get information/advice on how to proceed. I'm a 23 year old female, and for the past 2-3 years, I have been experiencing continuous spells of light-headedness, tachycardia and general dizziness/queasiness almost every single time I change position (lying/sitting to standing, rolling over in bed, standing up for awhile in the shower without moving, etc). My heart rate is generally between 90 and 120 all the time, and I have low blood pressure (runs on my mother's side), usually like 100/60-70. I haven't ever actually passed out but I've come pretty close multiple times. I also have had very frequent and strange episodes of waking up in the middle of the night with an extremely fast heart rate (usually like 150 or faster); at first, as I do have panic disorder and general anxiety, this was brushed off as night terrors. But the more it happens, the more aware I've become that the rapid heart rate and physical discomfort is actually what CAUSES the panic - not the other way around, and night terrors are extremely uncommon in adults. I also have constant stomach pain/discomfort/irregular intestinal function ALL THE FREAKING TIME. I feel like I just don't ever feel normal, and I'm really frustrated. Both my parents are physicians and my father is a cardiologist, and he has suggested that POTS might be to blame for some of this but they have a tendency to brush off the physical discomfort that I voice and focus on how this is all somatic. At this point, I rarely bring it up anymore because I still feel like a lot of what I feel hasn't been validated because of my history of mental health issues and the ridiculous amount of overlapping symptoms between the two things. Because I still am fully functional and I've built up a high tolerance to a lot of this and just don't find it necessary or appropriate to complain about how I feel all the time, I've had a hard time convincing somebody that I really think that treating me for the mental health side may not be what needs to happen at this point. I guess with all that said, my question would be how do I bring this very valid possibility up to a physician without sounding like I'm self-diagnosing and lend credibility to the hypochondriac/anxiety-centric label that everybody seems to give me currently? If anyone has any advice on this, that would be great! Best to you all, S