Panic Disorder destroying my life or serious illness?

I am 24 and panic disorder has been a part of my life since I was very young. It got worse when I turned 18 and almost completely debilitating when I turned 20. THese last years have been ups and downs of torment of some form or another. It always seems to latch on to something and make that thing the center of my misery. First, unnatural fears that I had epilepsy. Then, a constant fear of coming in contact with LSD and going into a trip. Then I beleived I had aneurisms. Then finally just some kind of solipsistic nightmare where everyday I would feel more and more detached with everything around me. My panic attacks later turned to my marriage and a constant fear of loss. They seem to constantly adapt, finding new ways to terrify me.

Over this time, the stress made me develop health problems. Gaining weight, GERD, and eventually using alchohol too much(though I cut down recently). In April I found out that I had esophagitis from the GERD, and went on prilosec. Now I fear what health problems this plague has brought into my life.

Recently(the last week or so) I have had a strange sensation wash over me at random times. It is a feeling I can barely describe, but is very substantial. It is akin to the feeling a person may get if they have stayed up way to late, or perhaps did not sleep for a whole night. I sleep fine, despite the fact that I wake up a lot during the night. THis feeling is a rush, sometimes accompanied by twitching of random muscles(eyes, leg, chest, fingers, or arms muscles) and sometimes there is also a tension headache involved.

THese symptoms worry me. I have never felt anything like it.

Sorry Larry. I have been to the hospital because I have felt skipped beats or hard, heavy heart rate. They did bloodwork on several occasions and told me that they did not find anything out of the ordinary. They did not notice any problems with my heart. The only reason I have recently want to the doctor is because of tenderness and pain in my stomach over the last year or so, that turne out to be the esophagitis, I beleive. Nothing else I can think of in my medical history.

Thanks for the information, your symptoms are like 98% of our members so I'm glad you found us but wish
you were well instead. SC knows Her stuff about the things that help fight PAD.Panic/Anxiety/Depression
I used medicine and group therapy to recover, it did take both I can't deny it. Therapy helped me more than
I can describe, one of the main things that finally got through to Me was Distraction, it's one of the most
powerful tools you can use, and I don't care what it is if it works use it. The more you are able to put PAD
to bed the easier it will get and the stronger you will become. Main thing is don't be afraid, PAD will not kill
you, no one has ever died from it. So fight back! Peace

PS:Interesting what you said about books, I love old books, old school books on history, I feel like if someone
took the time to write a book it would be worth a read. I bought a 110 year old Bible.

Larry ***

Post Edited (lgm1942) : 10/20/2013 9:48:44 PM (GMT-6)