Your first time?

[mr_drew]

I wondered if everyone could post their first recollection of having a problem with anxiety? If I think about my first panic attack, then it helps me to believe the subsequent symptoms/attacks are just variations on a theme.

I'm 30 and my first time was 15th June, this year - I'd had a painful left shoulder/arm all day and when I got home my heart started racing and I couldn't get comfortable. Then I started getting sweats that came in waves with the racing heart. I asked my friend to get an ambulance and they did an ECG that was fine and diagnosed panic.

Before that I had been feeling bad for about two weeks (arms would be heavy and I'd be unable to get comfortable, nausea etc)... I honestly felt like I could be seriously ill. But it culminated in the attack.

[kazzie]

Hi:D

My first panic attack....

I was 14 and at the church youth club, major tom by bowie was on the juke box and I felt dreadfull!!!!

Im 47 on Sunday and its not killed me yet lol

Hope this helps

Luv Kaz x xx :hugs:

[SueBee]

Hmmm, my first panic....... when my son was 8 weeks old we were walking into town when a lorry mounted the pavement and just missed the pram. I panicked every time I went out after that, especially if a lorry went past me.

I was fine for a good few years then it came back big time when I found out my husband was having an affair. It was my worst nightmare and it came true :weep:

[sandy35]

My first panic attack was when I was 14 when I was trying to eat a meal at the table and i started shaking and hyperventilating.

[JohnLuke300]

Can't recall when I had my first panic attack. But the first symptoms of anxiety were when I was 7 and had a 18 month period of almost constant nightmares and sleepwalking. Although I can't recall any other signs of anxiety I think it likely my anxiety did start around this time.

All the best

John

[pd]

First panic attack at 18 after viewing my grandads body at the funeral directors. No more for a year or so, then they came back and haven't stopped again as of yet... I've always excessively worried about my health though, one of my earliest memories is being scared to watch the news because they kept talking about CJD and I worried that I had it. (I didn't know what CJD was at the time, just that it was a horrible disease!)

[joshuaainsworth]

My first real panic attack was about 6 weeks ago, I woke up from a night terror where I believed I couldn't breathe and upon waking I couldn't convince myself that it was just a 'dream', neither could my partner who had been right next to me and would have noticed if I'd have been sat up gasping for air!

I had terrible shakes, coldness and a horrible irrational fear that stemmed from having a horrible breathing attack from pneumonia the week before.

Been anxious about my breathing ever since.

[Luci-loo]

I was working as a holiday rep (in the children's clubs) when my anxiety got really bad. I was taking a bunch of people to the airport when I just had to get off the bus- there was simple no 2 ways about it if I didn't get off the bus that very second I was either going to wet my pants or throw up. The driver stopped at the first hotel I dashed to the toilet but as soon as I got back on it happened again so I picked up everyone and sent the bus to the airport without me and thankfully my guests where understandable as they could see I "wasn't right"- I think I told them I had food poisoning- and called ahead to get someone to met them and went home.

It kept happening and in the end I got sent to the local doctor who said I needed to see the "head doctor" in the city but I refused as my anxiety was so bad by then. I got a tablet and a note to tell this man what I had taken and was told- you be fine. I wasn't fine at all in the car and actually jumped out the car when we hit traffic lights and had to be dragged back in. The "head doctor" diagnosed anxiety right away and told me I could get "good stuff" because the magic tablet the local guy gave me didn't work. I asked how that was and got told they give people asprin at first to see if the symptons go away like magic and apparently I passed the test....

[Wee-Mee]

Hmm...good question and oddly enough,easy to recall! My first HA related anxiety was when I was about 13 or 14 and I had a swollen gland or lymp node on my neck and jaw and I literally started shouting to my mum and dad,"OH MY GOD I HAVE CANCER"!

I was so sure,I went to the doctor and TOLD them I had cancer.. what the hell? The doctor bless was so lovely to me and told me to calm down and insisted it was not.

I think I msut have went back about 4 times in one weeks with that.

From there,it just escalated.

And I'm only 23 just now. :weep: And still going (HA) strong..

[Rod]

I have always been a bit anxious and worried about upcoming events as long as I can remember. But as soon as I was at the event or after it I was fine. So it never really prevented me from doing anything.

About 2 years ago I thought I had had a heart attack and went to the local hospital. I stayed there for a week and all tests came back clear. After this if I felt a pain or ache in my chest area it would alert me to my heart but still I could cope with it and it didnt bother me to much. I was 41 at the time.

Then one day about a year ago I was driving the kids to school and my face went numb with tingling down my arms. It really scared me. I continued on to work and when I arrived at work I thought I was going to faint. I felt really dizzy. I am lucky in my job that I can work when I want to. So I went strait home to bed. I spent the next few weeks in bed all day only getting up to do what could not be put off.

After many visits to the Doctor and a heap of medical tests I was diagnosed with anxiety and its been a long journey of ups and downs since then.