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Andrew33
01-02-2016, 10:26 AM
Hey, everyone. Im 27. Never had any anxiety attacks or panic attacks. My doctor and the people ive seen in the emergency room havent been real clear what i have they just say anxiety attack. Im starting to think i might have hyperventilation syndrome because the first symptom is i always feel like i cant breathe and i start to panic.

heres the story, though. I'ved dipped ( chewed tobacco ) heavily for the last 6 years. About 2 cans a day which is as much nicotine as about 5 packs of cigarettes a day. I wanted to quit so for 2 days when i got home from work i went straight to sleep to skip my night time dips. The third day at work i didnt have my dip at break like i usually do then about an hour or 2 later work got really busy and stressful and i felt like i couldnt breathe and i had a full blown panic attack. Called an ambulance. Paramedics said it was anxiety and my oxygen levels were fine. I havent had any tobacco since that day. I had another attack a week after that, a more severe one... i went to the ER. Got all kindz of tests done. Nothing came back. Ive had a few more minor attacks since then. Most of the time driving causes my anxiety to kick up. Or work. Its been 51 days since i last used tobacco. Im on 7.5mg of buspirone and im doing much better. My attacks are getting farther and farther apart and less severe.

my main question is. Does anyone know if this is permanent? Some people ive talked to say that its a part of withdrawal that lasts a while but it will pass. Some people have said that i developed a anxiety disorder sometime in the last y years and didnt know because i was self medicating with nicotine. I would think it would be temporary if such a low dose could get me feeling better. I dont know though. Has any other smokers or tobacco users gone througb this and made it through and got past the anxiety?

tirediron
01-05-2016, 03:18 PM
You made the right call by quitting. As much as you dipped in the past, quitting "cold turkey" may have been a shock to your system. If the frequency is going down, I would imagine you're on the right path. In the event that you become really concerned, go back to the ER. Better safe than sorry. I'm 60, and the only "real" attack I ever had was probably 15-20 years ago. I perspired, heart was racing, felt dizzy and nauseous. I was driving at the time, but got home and called my brother. He's an EMT and close by. I was fine, although he thought I should have driven myself to the ER as I didn't know what was wrong. These days, I feel my chest tighten up when I hear my "trigger" which is loud unexpected noise. Nothing like I had all those years ago, but a pain none the less.