Dr_Scholl
03-29-2008, 08:22 PM
It all started after Christmas. I was helping my mom exchange some gifts in the mall. As we're walking, I start to think about this time a few weeks earlier when I ran too hard and dry heaved. As I think about this, my mouth and thoat start to get dry and my throat feels like it's closing up. Naturally, my anxiety level starts to go up. I go over to my mother and tell her that I need to get something to drink in a kind of stern tone. I could feel myself getting worse by the minute. Finally I get up to a stand and buy a Pepsi, but at that point it was too late. All of the sudden, my stomach churned and I freaked. I got really dizzy and extremely nauseated. I made it over to a public bench and put my head between my legs to relieve the dizziness. It was like having vertigo cause i've never been so dizzy in my life. And according to my mom, my body was shaking. I never actually gagged, but my stomach felt really uncomfortable and I was convinced that I was going to puke. after 10 or 15 minutes, I tried to get up and walk out of the mall, but I was so dizzy and physically weak I could barely stand and sat back down after 50 feet or so. The dizziness would come in waves. It would get bad for a few minutes and then get better for a few minutes. It was a vicious circle. Finally, after 15 more minutes, I mustered up my strength and was able to walk back to the car by tucking my head down as I walked. I was still pretty dizzy during the car ride home, but not like I was in the mall. This all lasted for about an hour and was one of the most horrible experiences of my life.
Starting a few days after the panic attack, I started getting these migraines when I woke up in the morning. Every morning, i'd wake up feeling terrified and my heart pounding a mile a minute. Anyway, the headaches would last 5 or 6 hours and while they were going on I would feel nauseaus( especially when I smelled food), lethargic, and sensitive to light and sound. These headaches lasted for about 3 weeks and started subsiding when my anxiety level went down. Also, i'd compulsively drink water because I was afraid if I didn't, i'd start gagging. My mouth was constantly dry from the anxiety. After feeling this way for a few weeks, I started getting really depressed. Basically, I felt like crap all the time and stopped eating and doing things that I enjoyed. Over a 2 month period, I dropped from 170 pounds down to 155( i've gained 10 pounds back). After talking to a counselor and GP, both which confirmed that it was a panic attack, I started taking Celexa. It's helped tremendously. My appetite and weight have for the most part come back, and i'm enjoying life again. Has anyone else on this board had a similar experience?
Starting a few days after the panic attack, I started getting these migraines when I woke up in the morning. Every morning, i'd wake up feeling terrified and my heart pounding a mile a minute. Anyway, the headaches would last 5 or 6 hours and while they were going on I would feel nauseaus( especially when I smelled food), lethargic, and sensitive to light and sound. These headaches lasted for about 3 weeks and started subsiding when my anxiety level went down. Also, i'd compulsively drink water because I was afraid if I didn't, i'd start gagging. My mouth was constantly dry from the anxiety. After feeling this way for a few weeks, I started getting really depressed. Basically, I felt like crap all the time and stopped eating and doing things that I enjoyed. Over a 2 month period, I dropped from 170 pounds down to 155( i've gained 10 pounds back). After talking to a counselor and GP, both which confirmed that it was a panic attack, I started taking Celexa. It's helped tremendously. My appetite and weight have for the most part come back, and i'm enjoying life again. Has anyone else on this board had a similar experience?