I can defintely relate to you with the anticipation anxiety. I swear that I do not sleep the night bfore I work. I work Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday normally. but this week I had to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. So I had three nights in a row that I didn't sleep well at night. I had a bad week because of it. Very emotionally and anxious. I am not even thinking about anything particular. Just trying to drift off until all the sudden the panic rises. I am fine nights I do not have to work the next day. What about you? Can you sleep okay if you do not work the next day? I am up late tonight because we were out with friends but I am sure I will sleep well, after all I don't work tommorow. I hope you are able to catch up on your sleep. I know how bad it is to go without it. I will say prayers that we all sleep like little babies tonight!

Dear Vckers, I am praying for you and I just know in my heart you will do fine. When I feel dizzy I find a splash of cold water on my face neck and wrists help and of course the breathing you do. I read one time people with panic think other people can tell but they really cannot tell which is good to know! That is good your husband is understanding more, my husband does try, he says its "mind control" whatever the heck that means?! My little boy is sick with a very bad cold and my husband now has a touch of it, I have not had a full-blown panic attack for most of the week, just shaky spells, I have some kind of virus only different from my sons, my eyes and head hurt very bad and my body aches, like a "body flu" or something with no fever, its probably the same virus but I know it hits people differently, I thought perhaps it was withdrawal from the Zoloft, but I am doing it so very slowly I don't think so, I just take the Klonopin low-dose at night now, I stopped taking an extra 1/2 of one during the day, I try so hard to keep my dose low, I fear tolerence or addiction because Klonopin is potent. This virus has made me a little shaky and anxious but I am trying to focus on my son, I am very worried about him, his peditrician gave antibotics yesterday so hopefully he will recover soon, its so hard seeing him sick. I am doing alright, not perfect but alright, at least I am better than I was the last few months, I feel more like myself, I was in pretty bad shape, but slowly trying to regain my strength. Please let me know how the new job is doing, thats great about the health benefits, that is so important, we pay $410.00 a month for blue-cross blue-sheild HMO, that is really high, I hope you dont have to pay anything near that, but we have to do it a necessary evil as they say, I am looking forward to hearing from you, Congrats again on the new job, its wonderful news! God bless, Debbie.

Thanks for the encouragement Debbie - I really appreciate it! :) I keep telling myself the dizziness is just from being so anxious about starting the new job and meeting new people. I have a hard time meeting people because I have a bit of agoraphobia and it makes me keep people at arms length. I was at my last job for four years and I loved it because I had my own office and didn't have to really deal with people all day - just when they came in my office for something or other. I had to leave because it is a very small company and really doesn't offer health insurance or other benefits and this other place offers benefits that I would be a fool to walk away from. But, I now work at a place where I am surrounded by people and I think that has something to do with the dizziness and anxiety that I've been feeling since I started there. It's hard because being face to face with people makes me so nervous! So, my entire life I have had to force myself to go out and be with people - worse since I've started having panic attacks. I have to go to work and I have to go to family events and I have to go to the store so I force myself to do it. And then, usually, I am anxious and feeling light headed and distant the whole time I'm there. I don't do things like company parties or church get togethers or anything that I absolutely don't have to do though. My husband thinks I'm a hermit because he likes to go out and be with people. He's starting to understand (14 years later) that I just can't do it sometimes. So, he doesn't really harrass me about it anymore. It's taken many years, but he's finally starting to understand that there are some things that I'm just not comfortable enough to force myself to do. I was really proud of myself yesterday though because I was sitting at work typing and I suddenly felt like passing out and I started to panic and I almost told my boss that I needed to go home but I told myself, no, this is just anxiety and it will go away. So, I made myself stay and I did deep breathing while working on the computer so noone would notice and managed to calm myself down and, as always, it eventually went away. I was very proud of myself for not running for the hills! -hee hee hee- My computer has been down for about a week so I ha

Dear Vickers, I just read your post, you have been so helpful and compassionate to me I wanted to tell you I have felt exactly the way you have felt. I believe they call it "anticipatory anxiety" I do this everytime I have to go to an appt or have a early morning meeting or any sort of plans, when we went on vacation I cried and obessed for a week before just dreading it and carrying on something terrible, and you know what the drive was very nice and the trip was wonderful! Last week when I had an appt with my nurse, I did not sleep much at all the night before, was dizzy all day and ended up cancelling the appt and having a phone session with her, and I wished I had just gone the "waiting" is the worse part once it gets started its fine! The dizziness if just your nerves, I know I have experienced this many times and am trying to control it. Congrats on the new job Vickers!! I know you will do great, just by your posts that are full of wisdom and compassion you will be good at anything you try. Do you like the job? how is it going? I am sure once you settle in and are there a few weeks the anxiety will cease and so will the dizziness, I get very dizzy and weak when I do not sleep well, you are probably tired from not sleeping well once you catch up you will feel so much better. I am praying for you and your success at the new job, a new job is always a little stressful for everyone and I think its nerves and it will subside with time and some sleep. I am so very proud of you getting a job {I wish I could work you are brave and have courage} Please let me know how you are. Sending prayers and angels, Debbie.

I don't know what the heck is wrong with me so I thought I would post and see if anyone else feels this way or maybe get some advice if there's any to be had. I started a new job Tuesday and was up until Midnight the night before having panic attacks - probably about starting the new job the next day. Anyway, ever since then I have moments throughout the day where I just get so dizzy and feel like passing out! I don't know if I'm just tired from being stressed out about the new job, or if I'm tired from losing so much sleep the night before Tuesday, or if I have an ear infection (my ears don't hurt or anything) or if I'm just dying or something. ARGH!!! :mad: Anyone else ever feel this way? Any advice?