Hi - here is my story. Do any of you identify?

[missacorah]

Hi, here is my story. I havent had a chance as yet to read all of your experiences and wondered if any of you had experienced anything like I have.
In October 2004 I was on a Xmas shopping trip to Nottingham with my sister and my daughter who was 10 at the time. We had to park the car about half an hours walk from the shops. As we neared the shops I started to feel really jittery like nothing I had felt before. Although I have always been a very nervous person this was something I couldnt quite put my finger on. I went into a couple of shops but had to leave right away, then I went into 'Lush' and had to ask the girl there for a glass of water as I felt I was about to pass out.The worse thing was I couldnt escape straight away as I had arrange to meet my sister in that shop after she had nipped somewhere and the crowds were heaving. Finally she came and met me and I had to leave immediatel and get back to the car where I felt shaky but better on the whole. I still did not dare go back to the shops in case it happened again.

When we got home I started feeling dizzy and weak and could not go anywhere without feeling the same. It was non stop, the dizziness was even at home so I thought this was a medical condition.I went to the doctors and he said it was a viral illness and would pass.But it didnt and I became housebound. I had dizziness, feeling faint, nausea, palpitations, anxiety. I couldnt leave the house except for my doctors appointment and even then I would wake up with a thought of sheer terror at having to go there and sit in the waiting room. Once I was in there I would be fine it was just the waiting to go in.

So I eventuall went into hospital for 10 days while they did allsorts of testes and found nothing at all wrong with me. they too just said it was a virus.

I am not sure whether it was a viral illness that then through me feeling so bad progressed in to panic attacks or whether it was a kind of mini nervous breakdown type thing. Be interested to hear all your views and whether any of you have gone through similar stuff x

[kate]

Your story sounds very much like mine!

I had my first panic attack whilst standing in a queue in Tesco 25 years ago.
I felt dizzy, wanted to run, hot all those horrible panicky feelings.

I carried on having small panics and these escalated over the next week. I went to the doc's and he said I also had a virus. Dunno if I did, but I carried on having panic attacks and was put on diazepam. I have since suffered with anxiety and depression also.

Are you receiving any treatment?

Kate

"Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same"

[Wenjoy]

Me too- I cant cope with busy hot shops where you feel trapped and crushed and cant breathe whichmeans I cant go to concerts etc as I feel freaked out by feeling trapped!!
Love wenjoy x

[chucklehound]

Welcome to NMP

Take care

Chuckle

xxxx

[arethaire]

Your story sounds very much like mine too ..... I spent a week in hosital, had lots of tests & they found nothing! (Which is good I know)
I had dizziness, felt faint, was sick lots, palpitations, anxiety. I couldnt leave the house either. That was over 3 yrs ago now & I had a similar thing just before Xmas too. I'm sure that I have had 2 nervous breakdowns!

Are you over yours now or are you still having problems?

Cath x

[**whenwillthisend**]

hi mine started similar too i just went dizzy and thought i was going to faint...a horrible weakness came over me and since that day i havent felt right ..been having panics and anxiety for 8 months...at least the medical proffession took you seriously and checked you out...my doctor took all her time to do blood tests

[ardyce]

Sounds familiar to me too. Though it took me almost 2 years to realize/admit that I have anxiety. I was ABSOLUTELY convinced it was all medical ....like I mainly thought my heart was failing. I still have a hard time beleiving it is just panic and anxiety.

One thing that I seem to be the OPPOSITE on is that I feel better when I am in a crowd or downtown close to the hospitals. I live way out in the country and always feel like the medics couldnt get to me fast enough when my heart fails so I feel safer in the midst of people because I know they can bring me back .....stupid! I know[:X] .

Ardyce

[pinkpenny1uk]

hi,
i started having panic attacks in much the same way.mine started early dec last year and when i first had one i was convinced i was having a heart attack.
i went into hospital for a few days and all the tests i had done on my heart kidneys etc came back normal. eventually they said i was suffering with panic attacks and anxiety.
i hate going shopping in big crowded stores as i can feel the anxiety building and i end up having to get out. i did get to the point that i didn't want to go out as i felt safe at home.
since being on medication i have started to improve. i do feel anxious still but the gap between my panic attacks has widened slightly.
all the best
pp

[mirry]

Miss , sounds just like how I started.
What delayed my recovery was denial, exceptance is so important.
good luck and hope your bounce back soon .

mirryx

[polly daydream]

Hi Miss and welcome to the forum.

Best wishes,

Polly