acatch22
11-23-2013, 10:30 PM
Hi all, first post on any forum like this ever so here goes. I turned 25 last month and I think I experienced my first panic attack a few weeks ago, though I'm not really sure. I just remember crouching on the floor, breathless and in tears for no particular reason other than possibly a culmination of stress that has been building up in me for, oh, about 25 years now (Guess I reached my threshold?) It didn't last long and afterwards I just got in the shower like nothing weird had just happened.
For about a week or so after, I was constantly short of breath, could barely even talk without losing my breath at certain times, started losing weight with NO changes in my diet and extreme hunger shortly after I had eaten, experienced abdominal cramps, chest pain, heart palpitations, horrible insomnia, crazy change in bowel movements, muscle and joint pain in my leg.. I'll stop there. Is all this normal so long after the initial panic attack? Or was this just one really long panic attack? Is that even possible?
After a couple days, I figured if it was something really serious, I would know by now. So I waited until the weekend so I could justify going to immediate care instead of my doctor (who I was embarrassed to see because she had hinted at a prior visit that I should come back and see her to address the anxiety she thought I had.) Anyway I saw the immediate care doctor and sure enough, he said I more than likely have anxiety and to see my regular doctor. I'm sure I just came across as a crazy hypochondriac to him. He did run some tests to check my thyroid, cell count, and blood sugar.
After getting the negative tests results the next day, I slowly started to feel better, making me think it really was just all in my head. However, it's about two weeks later and some symptoms still linger but to a lesser extent like occasional chest and abdominal pain, constant low energy and breathlessness when doing anything other than sitting or talking, and I'm starting to look pretty frail (even to people who know I've always been thin.)
So of course Dr. Google has been filling my head with all the crazy things I could possibly have which isn't helping my case but I think I would rather have something curable than have to suffer from anxiety for the rest of my life.
I have no one in the world I can talk to about this. Actually, I do have people I could talk to (mainly family) but I've never been able to open up to ANYONE my entire life and I don't see myself starting with this kicker.
Before all of this I was just trying to move past my past and finally start living but I don't know how I can with this on my plate now, assuming that this is anxiety and not something else. How can I get a job? Finally move out on my own? Have a relationship? Friends? So lost, really need some help, advice, encouragement, a simple "hello" or all of the above.
For about a week or so after, I was constantly short of breath, could barely even talk without losing my breath at certain times, started losing weight with NO changes in my diet and extreme hunger shortly after I had eaten, experienced abdominal cramps, chest pain, heart palpitations, horrible insomnia, crazy change in bowel movements, muscle and joint pain in my leg.. I'll stop there. Is all this normal so long after the initial panic attack? Or was this just one really long panic attack? Is that even possible?
After a couple days, I figured if it was something really serious, I would know by now. So I waited until the weekend so I could justify going to immediate care instead of my doctor (who I was embarrassed to see because she had hinted at a prior visit that I should come back and see her to address the anxiety she thought I had.) Anyway I saw the immediate care doctor and sure enough, he said I more than likely have anxiety and to see my regular doctor. I'm sure I just came across as a crazy hypochondriac to him. He did run some tests to check my thyroid, cell count, and blood sugar.
After getting the negative tests results the next day, I slowly started to feel better, making me think it really was just all in my head. However, it's about two weeks later and some symptoms still linger but to a lesser extent like occasional chest and abdominal pain, constant low energy and breathlessness when doing anything other than sitting or talking, and I'm starting to look pretty frail (even to people who know I've always been thin.)
So of course Dr. Google has been filling my head with all the crazy things I could possibly have which isn't helping my case but I think I would rather have something curable than have to suffer from anxiety for the rest of my life.
I have no one in the world I can talk to about this. Actually, I do have people I could talk to (mainly family) but I've never been able to open up to ANYONE my entire life and I don't see myself starting with this kicker.
Before all of this I was just trying to move past my past and finally start living but I don't know how I can with this on my plate now, assuming that this is anxiety and not something else. How can I get a job? Finally move out on my own? Have a relationship? Friends? So lost, really need some help, advice, encouragement, a simple "hello" or all of the above.