Bowd19
26-03-10, 23:08
actually looking up at the title of this it sounds like a depressing story. and lets face it, we don't need more depressing... no, this is a happy story! or at least the beginning of a happy story any ways...
ill start from the beginning...
i was 16 and on my way to work at the supermarket and i came over all shaky. my vision went blurry and i was heaving. i decided to go home (luckily my dad was driving as i would have most certainly crashed). i was then to scared to get out of bed for 3 days! at first i wasn't sure what was going on as i had never had a panic attack before in my life!
just to fill you in on a little history of me, im a guitarist in a popular band in my area... so i'm a fairly confident person! i've always been confident, i was the life at parties, i loved meeting new people, and (not to blow my own trumpet) im a really good guitarist and love being on stage... however thats all changed now... i still love being on stage, and once im up there im fine, but getting on the stage is the hardest thing i have ever had to do!
anyways back to my story...
after the 3 days in bed i decided to just grit my teeth and bare it... i got out of bed got ready for work and on the way there, the same thing happened again, and for another 3 days i was bed ridden. it took 6 months before i figured out what was happening were panic attacks... (i know i'm stupid right? lol)
eventually the panic spread from just work to even going to the shops... i could no longer attend college (i will expand on this in a moment) and completely lost my social life... i managed to just about cling on to my place in my band with great difficulty...
college: i was fortunate enough to attend a fantastic college and the councilor was a panic/anxiety disorder specialist so they were very very understanding and managed to set up a home education for me via the internet so that i could carry on and get my qualifications.
its now about a year and a half after my first panic attack and i'm finally getting the right help that i need. about 4 months ago i was prescribed propranolol to help with the racing heart, and lansoprazole for the upset stomaches cause by panic. these were great and helped a little bit by lessening some of the symptoms but did not help with the underlying problems. i would defiantly recommend this path for someone trying to over come this problem. but a little over a week ago i was prescribed an SSRI called Cipralex. this has been a MASSIVE help! i cant tell you enough! my mood has generally improved, i'm less panicky, less anxious and just fantastic!
ill start from the beginning...
i was 16 and on my way to work at the supermarket and i came over all shaky. my vision went blurry and i was heaving. i decided to go home (luckily my dad was driving as i would have most certainly crashed). i was then to scared to get out of bed for 3 days! at first i wasn't sure what was going on as i had never had a panic attack before in my life!
just to fill you in on a little history of me, im a guitarist in a popular band in my area... so i'm a fairly confident person! i've always been confident, i was the life at parties, i loved meeting new people, and (not to blow my own trumpet) im a really good guitarist and love being on stage... however thats all changed now... i still love being on stage, and once im up there im fine, but getting on the stage is the hardest thing i have ever had to do!
anyways back to my story...
after the 3 days in bed i decided to just grit my teeth and bare it... i got out of bed got ready for work and on the way there, the same thing happened again, and for another 3 days i was bed ridden. it took 6 months before i figured out what was happening were panic attacks... (i know i'm stupid right? lol)
eventually the panic spread from just work to even going to the shops... i could no longer attend college (i will expand on this in a moment) and completely lost my social life... i managed to just about cling on to my place in my band with great difficulty...
college: i was fortunate enough to attend a fantastic college and the councilor was a panic/anxiety disorder specialist so they were very very understanding and managed to set up a home education for me via the internet so that i could carry on and get my qualifications.
its now about a year and a half after my first panic attack and i'm finally getting the right help that i need. about 4 months ago i was prescribed propranolol to help with the racing heart, and lansoprazole for the upset stomaches cause by panic. these were great and helped a little bit by lessening some of the symptoms but did not help with the underlying problems. i would defiantly recommend this path for someone trying to over come this problem. but a little over a week ago i was prescribed an SSRI called Cipralex. this has been a MASSIVE help! i cant tell you enough! my mood has generally improved, i'm less panicky, less anxious and just fantastic!