Hello

[darryl7575]

Hello... My name is Darryl. I live in Kansas City. I have been diagnosed with panic disorder. Been struggling with it for quite a while. Just freaking out with racing heart, palpitations, shakiness and complete and total panic with no trigger what so ever. Can be sitting there watching TV not thinking about anything specific. I have been to the ER at least 4 times, thinking I was dying. It is crazy. My Dr has given me Ativan to take on an as needed basis. It really works well. I wish I could take it daily, but he says it is too addictive. I have taken Buspar, which made me a total zombie. Would get up, go to work, come home and go straight to sleep. Then celexa... The absolute worst experience I could have imagined. I was losing my mind.. Shaking all the time, sweating, could not sleep. I woke up at 4 am every morning on the dot shaking and all hyped up. I tried it for 3 months. Everyone said give it time... the side effects will pass. They did not. ugh... I have a RX for zoloft on the counter right now. Been there for weeks, but after my Celexa experience, I just cannot bring myself to try it. I have health issues that I am being told are anxiety related.. I am not sure.. I guess it must be the truth, but I just feel so bad all the time, it is hard to believe it's all in my head. I feel like I cannot get a deep breath or ever follow through on a yawn. I have mystery pains in my throat, chest and palpitations. I have been tested pretty thoroughly for heart conditions. Even had a heart cath a couple weeks ago. They assure me that I am healthy. I have been on other forums for anxiety, but can never really find anyone who relates to my health issues. I don't really ever get depressed. I don't feel like I have any depression issues. I get the feeling of defeat and helplessness in this specific situation, but never over all. I hope to find some support here. Not that the other forums were not supportive.. It was just that nobody there could relate to my specific issues.

Sorry if that was a little long winded.. A little more than an introduction I suppose.

[NixonRulz]

Hello, Daryl

Welcome aboard

Well you have certainly found a forum with people that can relate to your issues since almost everyone here has some sort of health anxiety

You did a good job of waiting the Celexa out to see if the side effects ceased

Try the Zoloft

It sometimes takes a few meds to find the one that works since their composition is different and they work in slightly different ways

Browse the threads and you will see all the folks going through what you are

Read and post a lot. It really helps,

[Enduronman]

We've seen that exact same story here 100's of times bruh,..it isn't anything other than anxiety.
The celexa is more stimulating than the zoloft is,..yes, fact. You should try it!!
The heart palps, racing heart, can be controlled with a beta blocker...like propanolol or atenolol.
We all relate here dude!!
Where else you been that didn't understand this stuff???
Some others will follow that have this same experience too I'm sure..

E-Man...

Welcome!! :)

[JeffreyGret]

Yes it just sounds like you are extremely anxious and the symptoms will build and build until you can get some under control. I definitely had the chest pains and a throat pain for a month straight once. After being told it was probably allergy related, I tried a steroid nasal spray prescribed by a doctor. This wasn't the case. It turned out to be anxiety, tension in the throat. If you are anxious your throat and chest tighten. The key to these things is to be able to convince yourself they are anxiety caused and then begin to focus on relaxing them. Breathing techniques help. And although you are too anxious to follow through with a yawn, a yawn is the best way to relax the throat.
Now I have conquered those symptoms, now Im on to some others that have lead me here. They cycle never ends for the anxious.

[Enduronman]

Welcome Jeff!!

E-man...:)

[darryl7575]

Thanks for the welcome guys... I know that one of the other sites I tried was eheath forums. It wasn't that they weren't supportive. They really were great. It was just that nobody seemed to relate to the health issues that I deal with. This site seems a lot better so far. I wake up every day with tightness and pressure in my chest with difficulty getting fulfilling breathes. This is present 99% of my day every day. In a rare occasion, It may not be there for a short period, but it really is always there. Does anyone else have this so consistently? I am constantly shaking my leg and just crawling out of my skin.. it sucks! as you all know

[GeneAllen]

Welcome Darryl,
Read all you can hear, you'll soon hear we all can relate. Keep sharing and know you've found some caring people.
Peace