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Trying2cope
01-17-2009, 03:58 PM
Hi guys, obviously as you can tell i am new here, and i just wanted to share my story with you.

my name is matt, and i'm 22.
a felon, unemployed, and full of anxiety.
It all started about 2 months ago after a night of heavy drinking.(i drank often), woke up, was sitting on the couch watching a movie and BAM, felt a few dizzy waves wash over me, and my heart started to race, i had to force myself to breathe. i freaked out and went to the ER, where i was tested and monitored and told i had an "exitable heart".
The doc put me on a beta blocker and sent me home. i battled with those feeling for the next few days, and loss of appetite over the next month.(lost about 12-15 lbs so far in 2 months)

christmas day i freaked out again, and went home, and for the next few days, it seemed i had a freak out once a day, and then i went to the ER again. They ran the same tests, EKG, liver,thyroid,blood sugar, heart enzymes, etc etc and i looked healthy, so he gave me some ativan(lorapam) and diagnosed me with anxiety.

I did a follow up with my family doctor, and he took a few extra tests, a different thyroid test and some specialized reactive test, which shows if theres anything wrong with you. both came back normal of course (except iw as told i have glberts syndrome-a non lethal non harmful liver disease).

Since then i have stopped taking the beta blocker and just started taking sertraline 3 days ago.

I still have these feelings frequently, and i'm worried that i'm turning into an agoraphobic and hypochondriac! Every symptom i have i think something is wrong with me physically, even though all the tests came back fine. I've lost weight, i'm unmotivated, i sit here all day on the bed on this laptop, afraid if i move i'll have another attack. When i get up i get lightheaded, i barely eat, and when i get up[ and get lightheaded, i freak out and put myself into another panic attack where my heart races, etc.

Does anyone else get like foggy headed out of nowhere, or lightheaded staning up like that? And the frequency of these attacks is what bothers me... i can go like a week just fine, then have 3-4 days in a row where i freak out.. and after i freak out and calm down enough, i sit there for the rest of the day thinking about it and trying to not have another one.

Well i think thats about it for now, Thanks to anyone who actually took the time ro ready this and reply :) I feel as if i can finally talk to people who understand, as my fiance doesnt.


Thanks
Matt

meganrosey323
01-18-2009, 08:09 AM
Matt,

I understand what you are going through. I often panic and get pains in my chest and worry I have a heart condition or am going to have a heart attack. It sucks when people try to rationalize with you because you KNOW you are being irrational, but that doesn't stop the anxiety. I am going back to see a counselor this month for the first time in over a year. Sometimes talking to a neutral party can help. I found the Ativan didn't help much for me. I take Paxil now. It takes the edge off but makes me really sleepy and have crazy dreams. Hope the best for you!