Panic Attacks/Anxiety

[xtremx]

Hi, I am a 39 year old male, Live with wife (get on alrightish) and 2 kids 2year old and 10.
Have been suffering from Panic Attacks/Anxiety (maybe) for nearly 2 years.Also have GERD and costochondritis (which seems to be all carm at the moment).Bloodpressure varies from 100/70 to 130/80 normalpule around 60-80 I am overweight by a few stone.

But in the last 8 weeks thing have started to happen quick was rush to hospital with chest heaviness left pec/shoulder and neck and my bp was 154/130 ish and pulse 130 was keepin for around 8 hours having tests done but they found nothing to worry about but sence then i have been having major attacks of anxiety.
Chest tightness (have had several ecgs and 1 treadmill ecg all fine)
Find it hard to go sleep as will nly do it when i wish to hate suddenly nodding of have to jerk myself awake, Have a routine I have to follow before I am ready to try sleeping every night.
Find it hard to breath sometimes throat tightness only can last a few seconds-minutes.
Lightheadness
Jumpy all the time ie when my 2 year old site funny on the sette i start to panic that she will fall of and than i start a circle of hard to dizzness etc.
Headaches mainly left side feels like pressure.
Cannot go out alone as fear i will have an attack and not get home.
Hands go numb start to sweat and get lightheaded feel like I am not in my body.
Sometimes and this is STRANGE when i rub my hands together I get lightheaded and start to panic also is I sometimes push my hands over my head it starts.
Was give citalopram 20mg but only lasted 4days on them as wish not to go down that route. But have started st johns wort 900mg aday.

I am going mad

[oldtime]

You are not going mad, although you probably feel like you are. I have experienced pretty much all the symptoms that you described except the heavy chest, I get severe back and neck pain instead of that.
I think you should re-consider the Citalopram, you have been suffering for 2 years the longer it goes on the harder it will be to recover. Citalopram works for me after 6 weeks of taking it I feel great and nearly back to normal, my anxiety has almost completely disappeared. St John's Wort is a drug just like citalopram, its a natural drug but that doesn't mean its any safer.

[Meewah]

Hi Xtremx

I am a 42 yr old male with 3 kids and a wife. At 38 with the birth of my third Son I had chest tightness and numbness and was convinced I was having warning signs of a Heart Attack. I went to the Docs and Had an ECG All OK. I still had the tightness so I went to A &E and they admitted me and then released me the next day. Two months later after feeling they had missed something I had a Exercise test, 24 Hour tape, Heath scan. All OK. Only after having all the tests did I try to convince myself I was ok. My mind started looking for other reasons and over the following 12 months I went for many tests. Bloods etc.... Each Time I was told nothing could be found. Anyhow. 4 Years on and I still feel jumpy, Feel like I am in a dream, Very sensitive to my family's ailments and just generally feel as if something bad is going to happen.

Nothing has so far but day by day my body is on high alert. It is as if someone had turned up the volume in my body. I would love to return back to 2005 but I know it wont happen. I have got used to living with this high arousal.

I feel you have only started on the quest to explore anxiety. My body threw many symptoms at me and each time I just dismiss them as anxiety. I feel as if I go to the docs the anxiety has won. So far I am still here and the symptoms just come and go. The dizziness is the worse followed by a close second on acid reflux and then numbness and tingling in my finger(s).

No matter what I say you have your own journey to follow. Just remember this " You are not alone" You are not going mad!! Its just High stress anxiety etc. My doc said you have just discovered your mortality and now you have kids you have to deal with the possible damage your teenage years have had on your body. Thanks Doc.

Take Care. It will get better.


One dad to another

Mee

[xtremx]

Hi Mohc, Thanks for your reply I started the Citalopram but after reading some of the side affect that others have had on them(I know it is am individual thing)ie sleepy and spaced out, i kind of ruled them out with looking after this kids and my 22 month old is into everything and went with the st johns wort + tryin a paul mckenna cd.
Have a appointment sometime to have some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Chris

[xtremx]

Hi Meewah

I found myself reading your post as if i had written that myself (but i could not have done it so well).
It my sound strange but it is nice to find someone who is so alike (wish it was under different circumstances), I find it hard to talk to people as have no family or Friends except for the wife and kids to talk to.So sometimes feels like i am in a deep-hole with everyone looking down on me.

Hopefully we are all on a short journey to a full recovery

Chris