Fairly new 29 year old women here but am looking for some answers (and mostly just understanding). I began developing anxiety symptoms after my 24 year old brother passed away this last December from a massive heart attack (which we later found out was caused due to drug use). It was totally unexpected since we were unaware of the drug use, happened in the home I still reside in (even though I was already at work when my Mother found him), and even 8 months later I'm still really struggling from it. I've had a full cardiology workup (multiple EKGs, ECHO, Treadmill Stress Test all of which came back as normal), breathing test (which the Doctor said showed symptoms of textbook anxiety), and a handful of MRIs and CTs (due to chest pain, shortness of breath all of which also came back as normal). I've had a ton of anxiety symptoms such as panic attacks, dizziness, shortness of breath (which can range from weeks at a time to just an hour and had no particular "cause" that I can notice), heart palpitations, and fatigue.

My doctor has placed me on .5 mg of Ativan as needed for the anxiety and for the most part in the past few weeks I haven't needed it as I've been working really well through my anxiety symptoms.

Then all of a sudden today I had a pretty big emotional breakdown. Yesterday was one of those "firsts", my first birthday without my brother here, and the loads of emotion involved in that seemed to trigger a spiral of sadness I've been on since yesterday. After a pretty significant cry about an hour ago the shortness of breath has returned (it had been absent for weeks) and of course I'm freaked out by it.

I guess my question is, is the shortness of breath, especially after something that emotional normal when you have GAD? After having all the tests I've had is it safe to assume that it is "just" anxiety?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.