ducatiluke
04-02-2009, 09:44 AM
Hey guys,
first off id like to tell you that this is a FANTASTIC site! it is calming to know I may have found my problem!
I am looking to get some opinions from people on here that may be well-versed on this topic of anxiety.
I will start by telling you all that I am a 28 year old male that is in pretty good shape. I have been working out 5 days a week for years, and I think my diet is pretty good as well, not too much salt and lots of water.
My problem started about a month ago when I woke up feeling like I was getting the flu. ( you know, the lightheaded and drained feeling). I spent the day in bed and drank tea and pounded down the Vitamin C to try and scare away the oncoming flu. The flu never came.
I spent the next week and a half completely light headed and couldnt do anything other than sleep, and was getting constant chest pains ( stabs)_ that would end up travelling into my shoulder sometimes. The pains would come and go once every 15 minutes or so, but the dizziness was always there. I was starting to get really worried.
A few days later the lightheadedness was still completely constant, and the chest pains were still coming and going, so i was completely terrified that I was dying. I got my gf to rush me to the ER where we waited for 8 hours overnight to see a doctor. The doctor said he thought it may be vertigo and did a few vertigo tests, and prescribed me NOTHING. When leaving the hospital he actually said
" Youre worrying yourself sick, i promise that the chest pains are NOTHING"
So I went home a little happier that the genius doctor said I had vertigo and this would all be over soon!
Another week went by and the light headedness hadnt left, all of a sudden I got really terrified and the chest pains were overwhelming so AGAIN my gf rushed me back into the ER.
This time we waited 13 hours to see a doctor, and by then my chest pains were gone, but she insisted we did an EKG, a blood test, and urine test. And as most of you have experienced- the tests came back completely fine.
A few days later the lightheaded feeling seemed to disappear, and I felt like a million dollars! thinking that either the vertigo, or virus (who knows at this point) had finally gone away! So I spent the next 2 days feeling like a million dollars! Then tragedy struck,
I was lying in bed the next night and started focusing on my breathing
(bad idea) and for the next 2 days ALL i thought about was getting enough air ( ive searched and found similar cases in axnxiety) but this was for 2 days STRAIGHT. So that was the new problem, and with it came the lightheadedness AGAIN!
So finally the appointment I made with my family doctor was the next day, so I figured 3 days of not being able to breathe and the ocassional lightheadedness will be managable until then. (the lightheadedness came and went maybe 5 times a day at this point).
AHH the doctor finally!
( I am absolutely terrified of dying at this point by the way, almost in tears) so when I go see the doctor he goes over all my tests from the ER the week before and says he doesnt know why im getting the chest pains. I told him I have been researching anxiety, and I am absolutely terrified that I am dying, and I cant breathe or talk to anyone and just wanna stay inside most of the day. My doctor says we need a cat scan, and he thinks it will show im fine as well ( crossing fingers) but prescribes me with a mild sedative called ATIVAN.
This was almost a week ago, and since taking my first ATIVAN the chest pains have COMPLETELY disappeared, but the lightheadedness still comes and goes, and I sometimes feel like im in a daze ( usually) unless im driving. I know that the side effects could be dizzyness and fatigue ( and other stuff) but im freaking out that I am still dying here. It is scaring the living hell out of me! The breathing trouble went away as soon as i took my first dose as well.
I am just wondering if this ocassional lightheadedness could be anxiety, and if I am indeed having panic attacks? shouldnt the ATIVAN be helping with the lightheadedness also? ( its the exact same as before I took the meds, just a little less frequent). I want to know what I should ask my doctor to do for me--- I am SO CONFUSED AND SCARED. I have had no stress in my life really to bring this on, and I am wondering if you guys think it could be anxiety? ( i know youre not doctors) buti need something to hold onto here!
I wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy- thinking im dying and such.
FYI- the ativan is prescribed in 1mg tabs, and im supposed to take 2 daily,
I will check back here for sure, and I apologize for the long rant, but it seems this is the only place I can get it out. My doc wont see me for another month cause he is so busy,
Please email me if you think you may have some help.
Much love guys and gals!
first off id like to tell you that this is a FANTASTIC site! it is calming to know I may have found my problem!
I am looking to get some opinions from people on here that may be well-versed on this topic of anxiety.
I will start by telling you all that I am a 28 year old male that is in pretty good shape. I have been working out 5 days a week for years, and I think my diet is pretty good as well, not too much salt and lots of water.
My problem started about a month ago when I woke up feeling like I was getting the flu. ( you know, the lightheaded and drained feeling). I spent the day in bed and drank tea and pounded down the Vitamin C to try and scare away the oncoming flu. The flu never came.
I spent the next week and a half completely light headed and couldnt do anything other than sleep, and was getting constant chest pains ( stabs)_ that would end up travelling into my shoulder sometimes. The pains would come and go once every 15 minutes or so, but the dizziness was always there. I was starting to get really worried.
A few days later the lightheadedness was still completely constant, and the chest pains were still coming and going, so i was completely terrified that I was dying. I got my gf to rush me to the ER where we waited for 8 hours overnight to see a doctor. The doctor said he thought it may be vertigo and did a few vertigo tests, and prescribed me NOTHING. When leaving the hospital he actually said
" Youre worrying yourself sick, i promise that the chest pains are NOTHING"
So I went home a little happier that the genius doctor said I had vertigo and this would all be over soon!
Another week went by and the light headedness hadnt left, all of a sudden I got really terrified and the chest pains were overwhelming so AGAIN my gf rushed me back into the ER.
This time we waited 13 hours to see a doctor, and by then my chest pains were gone, but she insisted we did an EKG, a blood test, and urine test. And as most of you have experienced- the tests came back completely fine.
A few days later the lightheaded feeling seemed to disappear, and I felt like a million dollars! thinking that either the vertigo, or virus (who knows at this point) had finally gone away! So I spent the next 2 days feeling like a million dollars! Then tragedy struck,
I was lying in bed the next night and started focusing on my breathing
(bad idea) and for the next 2 days ALL i thought about was getting enough air ( ive searched and found similar cases in axnxiety) but this was for 2 days STRAIGHT. So that was the new problem, and with it came the lightheadedness AGAIN!
So finally the appointment I made with my family doctor was the next day, so I figured 3 days of not being able to breathe and the ocassional lightheadedness will be managable until then. (the lightheadedness came and went maybe 5 times a day at this point).
AHH the doctor finally!
( I am absolutely terrified of dying at this point by the way, almost in tears) so when I go see the doctor he goes over all my tests from the ER the week before and says he doesnt know why im getting the chest pains. I told him I have been researching anxiety, and I am absolutely terrified that I am dying, and I cant breathe or talk to anyone and just wanna stay inside most of the day. My doctor says we need a cat scan, and he thinks it will show im fine as well ( crossing fingers) but prescribes me with a mild sedative called ATIVAN.
This was almost a week ago, and since taking my first ATIVAN the chest pains have COMPLETELY disappeared, but the lightheadedness still comes and goes, and I sometimes feel like im in a daze ( usually) unless im driving. I know that the side effects could be dizzyness and fatigue ( and other stuff) but im freaking out that I am still dying here. It is scaring the living hell out of me! The breathing trouble went away as soon as i took my first dose as well.
I am just wondering if this ocassional lightheadedness could be anxiety, and if I am indeed having panic attacks? shouldnt the ATIVAN be helping with the lightheadedness also? ( its the exact same as before I took the meds, just a little less frequent). I want to know what I should ask my doctor to do for me--- I am SO CONFUSED AND SCARED. I have had no stress in my life really to bring this on, and I am wondering if you guys think it could be anxiety? ( i know youre not doctors) buti need something to hold onto here!
I wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy- thinking im dying and such.
FYI- the ativan is prescribed in 1mg tabs, and im supposed to take 2 daily,
I will check back here for sure, and I apologize for the long rant, but it seems this is the only place I can get it out. My doc wont see me for another month cause he is so busy,
Please email me if you think you may have some help.
Much love guys and gals!