birdman1967
06-10-2011, 05:53 PM
Hi Everyone,
This is gonna be a long read and I am gonna be extremely honest about what I have been going through as I am looking for help. I was introduced to a substance called herbal incense back in November of 2009. I have a job where I cannot partake in any illicit activities such as marijuana, so my friends told me about something that was sold legally in gas stations, tobacco stores and smoke shops that produced similar type feelings to that of said substance. I began smoking these herbal incenses thinking they were nothing more than various plant materials. Fast forward to December of 2010, I took one puff and got an elevated heart rate, I couldnt breathe and I felt as though I was gonna have a heart attack. These feelings lasted for 2-3 hours, my BPM were around 180-200 and eventually that night I checked into the ER. I found that there was a chemical in the blends that I was smoking and nothing is known about them.
That was the first time I have had a "panic attack" in my entire life, never had prior anxiety or anything like that. After that night, the next 6 days I couldnt even eat, sleep or anything. I felt as though I was gonna die. That day also, I quit smoking cigarrettes which I consumed for 13 years at a rate of 1 pack per day. Since then, I have batteled insomnia, chest pains, shortness of breath, tingling, and various abd pains. I went to my dr and they ran a gamut of tests which were all negative. I had an Echocardiogram, Chest Xray, Pulmonary function test, stress test, ultrasound on my Liver, urine tests, blood tests, my BP is 119/79 and pulse of 70bpm.
Currently I am battling a few symptoms even 5 and a half months after that panic attack. I still have some insomnia which I awaken about 2-3x a night down from 6-7x a night which was happening right after the attack for months. I bought a new mattress even to combat this. I also still get a tingling in the middle of my chest that feels like a ball of energy is building under my sternum. I battle constant bouts of feeling lightheaded/dizzy all day long everyday. When I am seated it is not too bad, but when I stand, I feel lightheaded. Also I have been getting panicked and feeling short of breath any time I encounter warm air or air that is standing. If I enter a room or go outside when it is warm, I feel like I cannot breathe and start to panic. I blast the AC in my car and when I first get into the car because I feel as though I am gonna suffocate. I still get various chest pains, but the lightheadedness, tingling in the chest and the feeling of suffocation are really ruining my life right now and I do not know how to make it end or improve it.
First, do my symptoms sound like anxiety to you guys? My doctor wants me to go on Lexapro, but I am still not sold that this is anxiety, or I damaged myself with that unknown research chemical. I feel as though I have permanently damaged my brain and that I ruined my entire life. My wife and I were about to begin a family, now I am scared that if I do, that I might not live long enough to raise my child properly. Any help and advice would be great. I am new to all of this and I dont really know what is going on with me. I have improved over the course of the 5 months, but it has been an extremely slow process. I have no craving to go back to smoking at all, but sometimes am curious to see if possibly this is attributable to quitting cigs as well and to go back to see if I improve. Thanks again and please send some help my way.
P.S. After researching the chemical that was supposedly on the blends I was ingesting, I have learned that it can give people a panic disorder but I havent read of people having it last so long. The chemical was JWH-018 or one of its relatives as I am not sure what was on it since it wasnt listed on the package itself. It produced a similar effect to that as marijuana.
This is gonna be a long read and I am gonna be extremely honest about what I have been going through as I am looking for help. I was introduced to a substance called herbal incense back in November of 2009. I have a job where I cannot partake in any illicit activities such as marijuana, so my friends told me about something that was sold legally in gas stations, tobacco stores and smoke shops that produced similar type feelings to that of said substance. I began smoking these herbal incenses thinking they were nothing more than various plant materials. Fast forward to December of 2010, I took one puff and got an elevated heart rate, I couldnt breathe and I felt as though I was gonna have a heart attack. These feelings lasted for 2-3 hours, my BPM were around 180-200 and eventually that night I checked into the ER. I found that there was a chemical in the blends that I was smoking and nothing is known about them.
That was the first time I have had a "panic attack" in my entire life, never had prior anxiety or anything like that. After that night, the next 6 days I couldnt even eat, sleep or anything. I felt as though I was gonna die. That day also, I quit smoking cigarrettes which I consumed for 13 years at a rate of 1 pack per day. Since then, I have batteled insomnia, chest pains, shortness of breath, tingling, and various abd pains. I went to my dr and they ran a gamut of tests which were all negative. I had an Echocardiogram, Chest Xray, Pulmonary function test, stress test, ultrasound on my Liver, urine tests, blood tests, my BP is 119/79 and pulse of 70bpm.
Currently I am battling a few symptoms even 5 and a half months after that panic attack. I still have some insomnia which I awaken about 2-3x a night down from 6-7x a night which was happening right after the attack for months. I bought a new mattress even to combat this. I also still get a tingling in the middle of my chest that feels like a ball of energy is building under my sternum. I battle constant bouts of feeling lightheaded/dizzy all day long everyday. When I am seated it is not too bad, but when I stand, I feel lightheaded. Also I have been getting panicked and feeling short of breath any time I encounter warm air or air that is standing. If I enter a room or go outside when it is warm, I feel like I cannot breathe and start to panic. I blast the AC in my car and when I first get into the car because I feel as though I am gonna suffocate. I still get various chest pains, but the lightheadedness, tingling in the chest and the feeling of suffocation are really ruining my life right now and I do not know how to make it end or improve it.
First, do my symptoms sound like anxiety to you guys? My doctor wants me to go on Lexapro, but I am still not sold that this is anxiety, or I damaged myself with that unknown research chemical. I feel as though I have permanently damaged my brain and that I ruined my entire life. My wife and I were about to begin a family, now I am scared that if I do, that I might not live long enough to raise my child properly. Any help and advice would be great. I am new to all of this and I dont really know what is going on with me. I have improved over the course of the 5 months, but it has been an extremely slow process. I have no craving to go back to smoking at all, but sometimes am curious to see if possibly this is attributable to quitting cigs as well and to go back to see if I improve. Thanks again and please send some help my way.
P.S. After researching the chemical that was supposedly on the blends I was ingesting, I have learned that it can give people a panic disorder but I havent read of people having it last so long. The chemical was JWH-018 or one of its relatives as I am not sure what was on it since it wasnt listed on the package itself. It produced a similar effect to that as marijuana.