Hi everyone, I've had anxiety and panic attacks for nearly 2 months now. The first one came in the middle of a 2 hour to drive to university in horrible wind and rain, and I constantly feel dizzy, sick, tense and have a headache.
It's ten times worse whenever I'm anywhere in public, so I've found myself avoiding going out. It's stopped me from going to university; I've moved back home to be with my mum while I get over the first hurdle.
My dad died suddenly in June at home with me, so I think this is also a contributing factor, I was so close with him and I was with him when he died.

My doctor prescribed me with buspirone, which slightly helped my racing heart, but I still felt terribly dizzy and had horrible migraines.
He's now prescribed me with sertraline, which I am nervous to start taking because (silly me!) I've read all the horror stories on the internet. I asked him for citalopram, because I was recommended it by a friend whose father also died and she developed it too, but the doctor said something about it being linked with a heart condition and that he wasn't sure if it was for anxiety.
I'll be honest and say I wish he had given me that rather than the sertraline, because my friend couldn't stop singing its praises and I was holding out hope for it. But, I'm going to start sertraline tomorrow. Hoping the side effects aren't too bad, especially while I'm adjusting to it.

I've also contacted a lady about hypnotherapy/counselling/CBT, so hopefully I will be starting that soon.

Wish me luck!