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first intense attack

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Posted 7/3/2011 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
hello everyone and let me just first say how great this forum is. i have been reading for about a week. ive had a pretty long worry about my health since i was about 17 18 years old. i have always thought something was wrong with me and always in the back of my head i would have the what if i have this what if i have that kind of feeling. Recently ( 2 weeks ago) it started to get really bad and i started to look stuff up on google and i thought i had every disease there is. All of a sudden i started convincing myself i had every symptom of every disease. i made myself crazy anxious and depressed and started getting really bad. Stayed in my room, stopped eating because i lost my appetite. Lost about 12 pounds in 2 weeks. Started getting a lot of weird symptoms and thats how i found this site. TO this point i had not had a panic attack i dont think but i had all the anxiety symptoms (body vibration,shaky hands, nausea, chills, tingle in my head) and this made me think something was really wrong with me. Got checked out and everything turned out to be fine so i figured this all must of been from anxiety and not eating. Once i started believing that and believing that nothing was wrong with me everything changed. Appetite came back and gained 5 pounds a lot of the symptoms started to simmer down a lot and i only had the occasional muscle twitch and head tingle. Today at work though for some reason i had my first panic attack i think. MAybe it was because of those 3 weeks of intense anxiety and worrying that spilled over but i dont know. Whatever it wss i never want it to happen again. The panic attack happened at work just tonight. All of a sudden my vision blurred a little bit and i felt really weak. I started to shake a little bit heart started racing legs were wobbly and i thought i was going to die. i freaked out and ran outside to take a walk and breathe. Is it normal to not be anxious at one point but still have a anxiety/panic attack out of no where? and how long do physical symptoms last usually after your anxiety free? any help or advice is greatly appreciated as i am pretty confused about what happened. i was feeling great until tonight. The attack only lasted about 4 minutes but it was the scariest experience of my life. What do you all think? SOund familiar? Oh and i am a 21 year old male. Just thought i would throw it out there.
Posted 7/3/2011 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi ASH and welcome! Part of what makes panic attacks so baffling and frightening, is that they do usually come unexpected and out of nowhere. My first attack happened (and most of the subsequent ones) at a time when I was not feeling stressed.

You are right, that there is a 'carry-over' effect. One needs to look at the ovr-all anxiety in one's life as a whole, not just at the moment of the symptoms. The mind and body can be triggered by the stress, but we can't predict when it is going to react!

I would suggest to first avoid looking up any symptoms/illnesses on the internet. It will only lead to more worry, and is a disaster for those with health anxiety. If you have been given a clean bill of health from your dr. with a recent check-up, then trust that you are just dealing with anxiety.

Next, look into getting some therapy to help you deal with this. Anxiety, panic attacks and health anxiety are treatable! I, as well as many members here have had great success with therapy, specifically CBT.

In the meantime, check out our Anxiety Resource Guide. You will find many helpful links to get you started on some helpful practices to drive down the anxiety.

You are not alone in this. Your post read so much like many of us! In fact, I came to this site in the same way:) You are going to start to feel better with some help soon!

Keep posting with us,
Scaredy Cat
Posted 7/3/2011 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for the reply it makes me feel a lot better knowing im not alone with this. Just reading over my post last night reminds me of how distraught i was when i posted it. I wasnt even using propper grammar i apologize. Anyway i feel great so far today except i had diahrea this morning. Could this be due to my stomach churning last night during the attack? Also it felt like my hand and arm fell asleep (probably slept on it the wrong way). Thank you so much for the great advice. Im not going to look up anything else on the internet. If my symptoms get worse ill get a second opinion and if everything is clear ill have to get professional help because i dont want this running my life. Im too young to be in my room worrying all day.
Posted 7/3/2011 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
No apologies necessary:) We aren't going to grade on grammar or spelling! (thank goodness, I'd be in trouble)

Yes the D happens when you are under stress. The digestive system can take the biggest hit with anxiety, you should feel better soon.

And yes, just reaching out and connecting with others does help! I am still amazed at how healing this community has been for me.

You are right that you are too young to let this get you down...so am I for that matter, and I'm almost twice your age;) That is why looking into therapy will be the greatest gift you can give yourself!

Let us know how everything is going soon,
S.C.
Posted 7/3/2011 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
We are all too young! I will keep you all posted and thanks again :)
Posted 7/7/2011 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi ash, as a fellow anxiety suffer, I totally agree with what everyone has said and please don't look on the Internet sure there are some good sites and there are lots of rubbish on there too guaranteed to scare you...that's why I'm banned from dr google...:))).... Welcome and I look forward to your posts.....best wishes to you ....shannon
Posted 7/8/2011 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your support shannon :) yea no more dr google for me
Posted 7/9/2011 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
Good girl, proud of you and remember if your tempted to google come on here and post much better advice and more sensible people keep up the good work....Shannon :))
Posted 7/9/2011 5:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hey sorry good boy......forgive me I have fibro fog today...completely gone......:)))))shan
Posted 7/9/2011 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
haha no prob shan thanks for the advice ;)
Posted 7/13/2011 10:48 PM (GMT 0)
Anxskyhigh,

Hello, I'm Serenitee, thought I would introduce myself and welcome you here if you are a new member. This is a fantastic site with wonderful people that are here to listen, support, give advice if its wanted and not judge.

I suffer from extreme Anxiety and panic-Attacks on a daily basis. I know now that I had them years ago but didn't know what it was. My Psych Dr. has recently diagnosed me with Bipolar 2, Borderline, Anxiety & Panic Disorder, Ptsd. I never knew there was a separate disorder just for panic's. They even wake me in the middle of the night when I'm completely sound asleep, and I wake up in a full blown attack. My anxiety will start and my meds take like 45-minutes to an our to work. During the period that I'm waiting for them to work...I feel like I'm not going to survive thru it. They are horrible to deal with, at least for me. I now worry about the next one and so on after that.

Do you see anyone for your anxiety, and or are you on meds for it? I will be praying for you that you get this figured out.
Wishing you all the best.
Your Healingwell Friend,
Serenitee
Posted 7/15/2011 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the welcome, the advice, and the prayers Serenitee. I really do appreciate it. It really does make me feel a lot better.
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