I feel the need to introduce myself......

Well, I have been aswering, and asking, some questions on here, but I never really formally introduced myself to all of you. And by the way, I have gotten some really good advice here, so thanks for that guys! Anyway where was I? Oh yea! People call me Fox, I am a 39 year old female from Pennsylvania. I was diagnosed with GAD and Panic Disorder when I was 14 years old. So I have been dealing with these "demons" for 25 years now. When I first started taking meds, in 2002, I was put on Paxil, had to go off of that because in a years time I managed to pack on 60 pounds!   NOT GOOD! So then I started my journey on Zoloft. I have been on it, off and on, for the last 10 years or so now. I just started my journey back on it (almost 2 weeks in) after I was "smacked in the face" with perimenopause and PMDD, which by the way, if you have any anxiety or panic disorders, it WILL increase it ten fold! Both my Primary Doc and my Gyno told me this, and IT HAS, trust me! And I had something really devastating happen last year, in November, that sent me back into a spiral of panic. So now i've resigned myself to the fact that i'll probably be on it for the rest of my life. And that's fine with me, as long as it keeps the anxiety/panic away. I have done so much research on these disorders, and SSRI meds, in the years that I have been dealing with this, so if anyone has any questions, please don't be affraid to ask, i'm a walking anxiety/panic encyclopedia!   So, there's my story! It has been really great to be able to discuss all of this with people who actually understand what we all go through, and i'll try to give my best advice, but also give you something to smile at, I have a really sick sense of humor sometimes. But hey, we have to have something to make us smile and laugh huh? See you on the boards! Fox

Post Edited (Fox7) : 10/17/2011 5:49:05 AM (GMT-6)

Peri is very hard to diagnose through blood work, because there's only a certain time that it will actually show up any fluctuations or decreases in your hormones. My gyno went by all of the symptoms I was having, he asked me a bunch of questions, and made the diagnosis that way. Hormone tests are basically useless. He told me that right out. There's a great site with a wealth of info about peri, as well as a long list of the symptoms. http://www.power-surge.com Check it out for yourself. It's really helpful.

Thanks SC! I've gotten alot of good advice on this board, and I hope that i'm helping others just as much. I like it here, so I think i'll stick around a while. LOL It's so hard sometimes to read some of the posts from people who are new to this. Makes you want to give them a big hug and tell them everything is going to be ok. I remember when I was just starting out with it, it was VERY frightening, I wish there were boards like this back then. So now, I try to help people along with their journeys, and try to answer questions and offer advice. You have all made me feel really welcome here and I appreciate that. :)

hey everybody, im also new to this site and have learned alot about panic and anxiety since my first major attack last month. im 21m and i dont meet with my doctor until the 25th and am still trying to match my symptoms with panic disorder or anxiety, Breathing fine but feeling like im not getting enough air, head feels heavy. sometimes feeling like my body is swaying forword and backwards, i notice these things only occur when i think of having them. which i do 95% of the time im awake :l. i stopped playing racquetball at the gym because i am worried of having an attack, and after i went on a hike with friends i started getting tired and breathing a bit hard and panic set in, but only for 30 seconds or so. so now i dont want to do any excersise until i find the right medication. i know its all thinking but the hard part is to stop thinking about it. i try to do house work, read, write, which helps a little bit but still can feel the breathing problem a little no matter what i do. so i guess my first question in the forums is which meds have you guys had success with? my father had panic and ocd pretty bad for years and he is on paxil and he says he does not feel it at all anymore. sorry for the lengthy post just so much i am wondering lol

Hi Ty and welcome! I am glad that you are seeing your dr. soon! You don't have to suffer with your anxiety. There are medications to help you, but even more, I would ask your dr. for a therapy referral.

Since you are treating this early (great job!!!) it is very possible that you will have a successful recovery from the attacks. I went through two courses of CBT (an effective therapy for panic) and I no longer suffer the panic attacks that I used to have daily.

Everyone is different, but it is so worth your time and effort to give it a try!

Please post here anytime with us. You may even want to start your own thread of introduction, that way more members can see and welcome you (I myself almost missed your post!)

Take care,

Scaredy Cat