Dogman
09-02-2011, 12:51 AM
Hello, I'm new to the forum. I felt like sharing this with people of similar conditions would somehow relieve me a little :D
Anyways, I'm a 20 year old male, had been physically active in sports since 4th grade, never used any sort of drug before and I only drink on social occasions if I feel like I have to and I don't smoke.(smoked a few a little there and there though)
During early summer however, I started have these palpilations once a day...but did not care much for them, nor felt bad about it. Things were actually going pretty well for me as I was going to study abroad and stuff.(although lots of stressfull stuff was going on about it, and still going on as of now but it is a great oppurtunity for me)
So this one night, I was pretty calm and at peace, playing a game online with a friend, I had a palpilation again. I thought I was showing signs of heart attack. So I turned off the pc and went to bed just to jump in fear again due to a new palpilation. I believe I then had my first "panic attack", went to ER. Everything came out fine.
Next morning I woke up(from 1 hour sleep) deoxygenated, bam second panic attack.
Went to a cardiologist, I was fine despite feeling extremely bad and anxious. I then went for a blood test to see my thyroid hormones, they were all in "normal range" except T3 was on extreme border.(I also have a family history for thyroid problems)
After accepting my problem as a psychological one I went to a psychiatrist and she confirmed that I have panic disorder.
Despite my cold blooded, calm character and all those years of sports and healthy life I was having difficulties accepting this bt meeh.
She gave me an anti-depressant called lustral, which I brought home and did not use.
I was determined to solve this without any chemical support thinking what the hell would I do if this happened 100 years ago :P
So I slowly went back to my normal life, even started exercising again which helped a lot. At that point I seemed to be in control of my life after a week of literally hell.
Went out with friends all the time, did not hide from alcohol and everything was fine. I got anxious from time to time, but there were streaks of days I did not get any anxiety. I actually thought it was gone, probably was a short term problem.
2 months passed since then, I'll admit lots of stressfull things happened about my studies, my friends are mostly gone and I got a little bored and depressed, haven't exercised for a week...and what the hell I'm anxious again most of the day, sleeping is like impossible. I spend hours in bed trying to sleep, jumping off in fear in slightest of noise I hear. My body is extremely alert. I got used to palpilations and stuff, accepted my condition but when I go to bed....I just can't sleep, I mostly have trouble abouy my breathing, its like I have to take control of my breathing to make it go.
As a long-term planner who will go to live on his own to a foreign country soon, this is worrying me a lot. Will this keep me back and ruin my life? I see that there is no cure to this, it is just there your whole life...can get worse and good in times. Is that it?
I get the feeling that my problem is completely physical because this happens regardless of my emotional condition.
And what exactly is my condition? Is this GAD?
ps: My father had this for a few years in his 30s, he is now telling me he is cured.
And his sister, and a few other on his side in family.
Seems to be a genetical problem to me.
Anyways, I'm a 20 year old male, had been physically active in sports since 4th grade, never used any sort of drug before and I only drink on social occasions if I feel like I have to and I don't smoke.(smoked a few a little there and there though)
During early summer however, I started have these palpilations once a day...but did not care much for them, nor felt bad about it. Things were actually going pretty well for me as I was going to study abroad and stuff.(although lots of stressfull stuff was going on about it, and still going on as of now but it is a great oppurtunity for me)
So this one night, I was pretty calm and at peace, playing a game online with a friend, I had a palpilation again. I thought I was showing signs of heart attack. So I turned off the pc and went to bed just to jump in fear again due to a new palpilation. I believe I then had my first "panic attack", went to ER. Everything came out fine.
Next morning I woke up(from 1 hour sleep) deoxygenated, bam second panic attack.
Went to a cardiologist, I was fine despite feeling extremely bad and anxious. I then went for a blood test to see my thyroid hormones, they were all in "normal range" except T3 was on extreme border.(I also have a family history for thyroid problems)
After accepting my problem as a psychological one I went to a psychiatrist and she confirmed that I have panic disorder.
Despite my cold blooded, calm character and all those years of sports and healthy life I was having difficulties accepting this bt meeh.
She gave me an anti-depressant called lustral, which I brought home and did not use.
I was determined to solve this without any chemical support thinking what the hell would I do if this happened 100 years ago :P
So I slowly went back to my normal life, even started exercising again which helped a lot. At that point I seemed to be in control of my life after a week of literally hell.
Went out with friends all the time, did not hide from alcohol and everything was fine. I got anxious from time to time, but there were streaks of days I did not get any anxiety. I actually thought it was gone, probably was a short term problem.
2 months passed since then, I'll admit lots of stressfull things happened about my studies, my friends are mostly gone and I got a little bored and depressed, haven't exercised for a week...and what the hell I'm anxious again most of the day, sleeping is like impossible. I spend hours in bed trying to sleep, jumping off in fear in slightest of noise I hear. My body is extremely alert. I got used to palpilations and stuff, accepted my condition but when I go to bed....I just can't sleep, I mostly have trouble abouy my breathing, its like I have to take control of my breathing to make it go.
As a long-term planner who will go to live on his own to a foreign country soon, this is worrying me a lot. Will this keep me back and ruin my life? I see that there is no cure to this, it is just there your whole life...can get worse and good in times. Is that it?
I get the feeling that my problem is completely physical because this happens regardless of my emotional condition.
And what exactly is my condition? Is this GAD?
ps: My father had this for a few years in his 30s, he is now telling me he is cured.
And his sister, and a few other on his side in family.
Seems to be a genetical problem to me.