severe anxiety,panic attacks

[ali786]

Hello everyone,
I am in Karachi, Pakistan, a married 34 years of male, suffering from severe anxiety, panic attacks, suffocation (breathlessness), depression, mental exertion/exhaustion, vertigo/diziness and sometimes palpitation (nearly 200 beats/minute).
I am suffering from these conditions for the last 5 years.
Few years back, I have consulted with a psychiatrist who gave me Xanax and Clomfranil. For the time being, I temporarily recovered from my illness but it re-occurs after every few months.
Despite I am taking Xanax (0.25 mg thrice a day) and Clomfranil/Anafranil (25 mg thrice a day) these days for 4 months, but still I am completely house-bound and cannot go for work or shopping.
Few examples of my condition for 5 years are:

Sometimes it feels that I would collapse and fall down (nervous breakdown).
Uncontrolled and very weak nerves.
Fear of death.
I dislike to go in public places or even for work. Always like to be at home. Extremely pressurized and heaviness of the head.
Nearly get collapsed if hear any bad news.
Impatient, restless and nervous.
Irregular heart beat. (sometime it suddenly reaches at 200/minute and sometime 60/minute)
I am not able to fully enjoy my married life.

With thanks.
Sincerely,
Muhammad Ali
ali786@akunet.org

P.S: I don't take alcohol, caffeine or nicotine.

[Meg]

Hi Muhammed,

I'm sorry to hear that you've had panic disorder for 5 years.

Apart from taking your medication what else are you doing to help yourself ?
I would strongly suggest that you try each day to push yourself just a tiny bit. For example - every day for a week you open the door and step outside or if you can do that already then do something that you find difficult to do and aim do that same thing for a whole week- do it with all the symptoms. The symptoms will not hurt you however horrible they feel. You need to draw on all your courage here and force yourself the first few times thereafter it will get easier. You need to feel the fear and do it anyway. You are afraid of feeling the fear - you are not afraid of going outside.

http://www.algy.com/anxiety/agora.html

This is a very helful site for agoraphobia.

We wish you well in your recovery.

[tracey]

hi muhammad

my partner suffers from panic attacks and a few weeks ago my brother got us tickets to a football match. i know that it was so hard for him to actually agree to go let alone anything else but just remember to take it one step at a time, you will not come to any harm.

We did go to that footy match and even though my partner was a bit anxious when we got there, we had a really good day and are both looking forward to going again.

you have made the first step to your recovery by asking for help. keep going and i'm sure you will soon be able to overcome and conquer this, don't let it beat you. you are a strong person you have proved this by logging on.

keep us informed on how you are doing,
all the best

tracey