Court14
10-28-2011, 06:50 PM
I found this site while browsing the web and thought it might help with my anxiety to speak with others who understand it. I am a 22 year old female. I had my first panic attack when I was 19. I had never had anything like it and it came on all of a sudden one day. I was shaking, had diarrhea, felt weak, and it lasted a few hours. I convinced my cousin to run me to the er. I thought I was having a heart attack. They diagnosed me with food poisoning! I talked to my dad about it. He suffers from anxiety himself. He told me that must be what I was experiencing. I started sneaking his pills (Clonapin or something?) because they relaxed me temporarily but at the same time, I was so afraid they were going to kill me because they weren't prescribed for me.
During an attack, I would break out in hives and I would think, I'm not gonna make it through this one. My husband didn't seem to understand and I think he thought I was crazy!
I suffered from the attacks every day for months. I had my first son and afterward suffered from postpartum. Then when he was only a few weeks old, I called my doctor during an attack, barely able to speak. I was so choked up. I made an appt and he put me on Zoloft. I took it for a while and it seemed to help. Then I didn't like the side effects I started to experience, like short term memory loss, so I stopped. I thought I was ok, till a few months later, I woke up and my heart was pounding. It wouldn't stop! After a while, it went away, but the next night, it happened again. I was prescribed Cymbalta. That was a good medication. I had to stop taking it though when I found out I was pregnant with my second son since it hasn't been proven to be completely safe when taken during pregnancy.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I am back on Zoloft and it helps some but not much. It takes the edge off a panic attack so I don't exactly freak out, but I still get that antsy feeling, dizziness, feel like I may pass out, and for some odd reason, it seems to happen in the late afternoon/evening.
I started working at a nursing home as a nursing assistant and now I'm terrified of growing old. (Mainly just because I'm afraid of being alone), but more so I'm afraid of my kids growing old and ending up in a nursing home. I think about it all the time. I can't seem to enjoy the present because I'm sooooo worried about the future.
I became a Christian and that has helped tremendously. God has pulled me out of some of my worst panic attacks almost as soon as my prayer was over. I now understand the true meaning to life, and without God, I think I'd be in a nuthouse right now.
I think I'm also a hypochondriac. Every time someone mentions an illness or something, I think oh no. What if I have that?! Or sometimes I'll get a slight twinge or pain in my head and think I have a brain tumor or something. The list goes on and on. I just wanna be normal!!!!
During an attack, I would break out in hives and I would think, I'm not gonna make it through this one. My husband didn't seem to understand and I think he thought I was crazy!
I suffered from the attacks every day for months. I had my first son and afterward suffered from postpartum. Then when he was only a few weeks old, I called my doctor during an attack, barely able to speak. I was so choked up. I made an appt and he put me on Zoloft. I took it for a while and it seemed to help. Then I didn't like the side effects I started to experience, like short term memory loss, so I stopped. I thought I was ok, till a few months later, I woke up and my heart was pounding. It wouldn't stop! After a while, it went away, but the next night, it happened again. I was prescribed Cymbalta. That was a good medication. I had to stop taking it though when I found out I was pregnant with my second son since it hasn't been proven to be completely safe when taken during pregnancy.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I am back on Zoloft and it helps some but not much. It takes the edge off a panic attack so I don't exactly freak out, but I still get that antsy feeling, dizziness, feel like I may pass out, and for some odd reason, it seems to happen in the late afternoon/evening.
I started working at a nursing home as a nursing assistant and now I'm terrified of growing old. (Mainly just because I'm afraid of being alone), but more so I'm afraid of my kids growing old and ending up in a nursing home. I think about it all the time. I can't seem to enjoy the present because I'm sooooo worried about the future.
I became a Christian and that has helped tremendously. God has pulled me out of some of my worst panic attacks almost as soon as my prayer was over. I now understand the true meaning to life, and without God, I think I'd be in a nuthouse right now.
I think I'm also a hypochondriac. Every time someone mentions an illness or something, I think oh no. What if I have that?! Or sometimes I'll get a slight twinge or pain in my head and think I have a brain tumor or something. The list goes on and on. I just wanna be normal!!!!