GrizelCraigie
17-01-15, 00:36
Hello everyone!
I'm completely new to this site, but I feel like I should have been here much sooner. I've had panic disorder for over half my life. I'm 42 now (and still having them, the latest was this morning), and had my first panic attack at 19. Originally, I was diagnosed with PTSD (I had some traumatic events happen to me around that age), but every physician since has diagnosed me with either anxiety or panic disorder.
In addition to this, over the years, the panic attacks have given me some agoraphobia and heath anxiety. I hate going places alone, because I'm afraid I'll have a panic attack or "something bad" health-wise will happen (ie. heart attack, passing out, etc). But, oddly enough, I'm usually calm about being home alone, which obviously speaks to the agoraphobia.
My family, (husband and son) are both very supportive of me, but the rest of my extended family is not. They have made it very clear over the years that they don't understand it and think I'm just being weird or melodramatic.
I am on medication for it, clonazepam (the lowest dosage), and have been for years, but I only take on days when I feel like a panic attack is eminent or in situations that I know will cause a panic attack. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't, it depends on how extreme the panic attack is. (I had a panic attack in the ER once while I was being treated for asthma that was so severe they had to give me a shot of Atavan, even after I had taken my clonazepam).
Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and give some background info. At this point in my life, I'm just hoping to find consolation and commiseration in other people who are dealing with the same problems. It's been a lonely-feeling 23 years, having no one around who really understands how awful panic attacks can feel, and I felt the need to reach out and find others (and hopefully gain some more insight into myself, as well) :D
I'm completely new to this site, but I feel like I should have been here much sooner. I've had panic disorder for over half my life. I'm 42 now (and still having them, the latest was this morning), and had my first panic attack at 19. Originally, I was diagnosed with PTSD (I had some traumatic events happen to me around that age), but every physician since has diagnosed me with either anxiety or panic disorder.
In addition to this, over the years, the panic attacks have given me some agoraphobia and heath anxiety. I hate going places alone, because I'm afraid I'll have a panic attack or "something bad" health-wise will happen (ie. heart attack, passing out, etc). But, oddly enough, I'm usually calm about being home alone, which obviously speaks to the agoraphobia.
My family, (husband and son) are both very supportive of me, but the rest of my extended family is not. They have made it very clear over the years that they don't understand it and think I'm just being weird or melodramatic.
I am on medication for it, clonazepam (the lowest dosage), and have been for years, but I only take on days when I feel like a panic attack is eminent or in situations that I know will cause a panic attack. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't, it depends on how extreme the panic attack is. (I had a panic attack in the ER once while I was being treated for asthma that was so severe they had to give me a shot of Atavan, even after I had taken my clonazepam).
Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and give some background info. At this point in my life, I'm just hoping to find consolation and commiseration in other people who are dealing with the same problems. It's been a lonely-feeling 23 years, having no one around who really understands how awful panic attacks can feel, and I felt the need to reach out and find others (and hopefully gain some more insight into myself, as well) :D