Hello, any advice is appreciated.

[Seekinghelp]

Hello,

I have been researching in these forums for a while now. Finally decided to join.

This past month has been horrible for me. I have barely got any sleep, and just last week I had to miss Thursday and Friday from work due to panic attacks. I was driving to work and all of a sudden got an intense pain in my chest and both of my arms went numb. I had this happen a while ago and went to the ER and they told me I was fine, so i decided to ride this one out. I ended up going to see my doctor and she put me on Cipralex (Lexapro). This is my first AD and had to leave work again today as I was feeling nauseous and had a headache I'm assuming due to the medication.

I just took it again and can already feel the headache coming back as well as being a little on edge, I can barely sit still. Hopefully these symptoms subside. I have made a meeting with my boss to hopefully explain how I am feeling hopefully, without sounding crazy. I am debating taking a leave of absence or asking my boss to lay me off as I am really stressed. The person I work with doesn't help either, constantly negative, talking down of everyone.

Has anyone ever taken time off work for this? I feel like I will be fired for missing so much time but I dont know what else to do. If I am not constantly working and have any time to "think", I can feel my chest tighten up and I have to take a walk to get a drink before I go into panic mode.

I guess this is more of a rant than a question but hopefully you guys can offer some advice. Thanks~!

[BrookeLynnnn]

Go to your doctor who prescribed the meds & ask to be taken off work until they kick in.

I've been taken off work 2 different times. The first time I was off for almost a year until I finally quit. & im off right now too.

Starting a new med does have some side affects so it's just easier being at home than at work while your body is getting use to it. Side affects for me last 1-2 weeks & then my meds fully kick in 4-6 weeks.

[Pumpkin]

I went through terrible chest pains last summer.... I was in the ER twice in a week followed by multiple appointments for tests done on my chest and heart. The ER doctors prescribed me naproxen for my chest thinking it was muscular. I don't think they really helped but I did take them anyway for a while.

All of my tests (x-ray/ultrasound/ECG/blood/something similar to a CT but i forget name) came back normal. Overtime the pains eventually stopped although they do still come and go a year later. The first few occurrences were TERRIBLE though. I don't even bother explaining it to people because it really doesn't do them any justice.. no one understands unless they experienced it themselves.

I started to figure they were just panic attacks related to anxiety so I got annoyed with wasting my time halfway through my tests.

I'm sorry you are experiencing the chest pains and terrible anxiety.... Please take care of yourself by putting yourself first. Go in to your doctor or work and get put on a leave of absence. Your health is the only important thing. I hope you get the help and rest you need. As a person who also deals with anxiety and stress I feel your struggles. Good luck :)

[Seekinghelp]

Thanks for your advice! I haven't been able to sleep at all and I am debating just calling my boss and telling him I'm going on a leave of absence instead of going in and having to see everybody. Really don't want to have to explain myself to everyone.