DelayedPenalty
07-14-2011, 01:44 PM
Hello,
My name is Ryan, I'm 25, from Michigan and I have generalized anxiety disorder, as well as social anxiety. I was diagnosed around this time last year a few months before my wedding. At the time I figured that the added stress and anxiety was natural, so I was hesitant to seek professional help. Eventually I got to the point where I couldn't function from day to day without having severe symptoms like chest pains, heart palpitations, cold sweats, etc. I finally decided to talk to my doctor. At the time I was prescribed Zoloft, a very low dose, but it seemed to help.
After the wedding I decided to stop taking it and see how things went. I figured there wasn't any reason to continue on the medicine now that my big stress was over. I quickly realized that it wasn't just the wedding that was troubling me, but things like hanging out with friends, being away from home for even just 1 night, work, etc. would send me into an anxiety attack. Following that I went back on the Zoloft and after getting readjusted I spoke to my doctor about increasing my dose. I experienced a lot of side effects which counteracted the help I was getting, making me anxious about the symptoms I was feeling and totally defeating the purpose of the medication. We decided to go back down to my original dose.
A few months ago my doctor left the practice which then sent me into another anxious outburst because he and I had developed a rapport. My new doctor is fantastic, and she seems very understanding of my situation and well-being.
In May I experienced my first panic attack. I was traveling with my wife to a cousin's wedding, staying with friends I hadn't seen since my wedding. In addition I had just taken on some additional responsibilities at work. We were sitting in a traffic jam and I suddenly became panicked. My palms began to sweat, my throat got very try and felt like it was closing up, my heart was racing and I was hyperventilating. I was able to make it through the weekend without another episode.
When I got home I spoke to my doctor and we decided to bump up my dose. Again, after a few weeks I was experiencing side effects that were counteracting any benefit I was feeling from the medicine.
I have been on Paxil now for a little under a month and it seems to be helping so far. I'm so glad I found this forum and have people who are understanding of my feeling. My parents don't really get it, why I can't just "calm down". My wife, although sometimes not understanding as well, has been very supportive of me as I go through this process of getting to a place where I feel "normal" again.
I look forward to hearing from you, and reading your stories as well.
My name is Ryan, I'm 25, from Michigan and I have generalized anxiety disorder, as well as social anxiety. I was diagnosed around this time last year a few months before my wedding. At the time I figured that the added stress and anxiety was natural, so I was hesitant to seek professional help. Eventually I got to the point where I couldn't function from day to day without having severe symptoms like chest pains, heart palpitations, cold sweats, etc. I finally decided to talk to my doctor. At the time I was prescribed Zoloft, a very low dose, but it seemed to help.
After the wedding I decided to stop taking it and see how things went. I figured there wasn't any reason to continue on the medicine now that my big stress was over. I quickly realized that it wasn't just the wedding that was troubling me, but things like hanging out with friends, being away from home for even just 1 night, work, etc. would send me into an anxiety attack. Following that I went back on the Zoloft and after getting readjusted I spoke to my doctor about increasing my dose. I experienced a lot of side effects which counteracted the help I was getting, making me anxious about the symptoms I was feeling and totally defeating the purpose of the medication. We decided to go back down to my original dose.
A few months ago my doctor left the practice which then sent me into another anxious outburst because he and I had developed a rapport. My new doctor is fantastic, and she seems very understanding of my situation and well-being.
In May I experienced my first panic attack. I was traveling with my wife to a cousin's wedding, staying with friends I hadn't seen since my wedding. In addition I had just taken on some additional responsibilities at work. We were sitting in a traffic jam and I suddenly became panicked. My palms began to sweat, my throat got very try and felt like it was closing up, my heart was racing and I was hyperventilating. I was able to make it through the weekend without another episode.
When I got home I spoke to my doctor and we decided to bump up my dose. Again, after a few weeks I was experiencing side effects that were counteracting any benefit I was feeling from the medicine.
I have been on Paxil now for a little under a month and it seems to be helping so far. I'm so glad I found this forum and have people who are understanding of my feeling. My parents don't really get it, why I can't just "calm down". My wife, although sometimes not understanding as well, has been very supportive of me as I go through this process of getting to a place where I feel "normal" again.
I look forward to hearing from you, and reading your stories as well.