Wow!! I always thought I was alone in this. I feel for every single one of you. I started having panic attacks a few years ago and I didn't know what was going on with me, I went to the emergency room because I thought I had a stroke (due to the tingling & numbness) and they just gave me medicine for my stomach and sent me home with no explanation. Lots of doctors later I finally realized they were panic attacks and have since been diagnosed with MDD, ADD, OCD and acute anxiety. My panic attacks usually don't happen by a trigger..I can be watching tv, washing the dishes, at work, even sleeping (yes, I've woken up to a panic attack and it's terrifying!!) and for me that is the scariest part. I know that when they happen I'm not dying or that anything bad is happening but it's so upsetting because I cannot control them or when they will happen. Not knowing if I'm going to have a panic attack any given day has completely taken over my life. I get scared to leave the house or go to public places, even work so I've twice had to go on fmla and short term disability last year until everything calmed down and the panic attacks weren't daily. Recently I'm going through another rough episode and having daily panic attacks so I was given klonopin about a week ago to help. I previously took xanax as my symptoms occured but it didn't control the anxiety when it was constant. Since on klonopin, I haven't had a single panic attack and haven't had to take the xanax at all. It makes me extremely groggy, forgetful and sort of zombie like which sucks but it is definitely better than the alternative.

But anyways...my symptoms are hyperventilating, crying, numbness that usually starts in my face, hands and feet and gradually works up to my elbows and knees. I can't speak, well according to my boyfriend, I can speak but I don't make any sense and he can't understand what I'm saying, I try to find somewhere to hide (if I'm at work I run to my car as soon as I get even slightly anxious), I feel like I'm shaking or trembling but my boyfriend says he can't feel it so I guess it's in my head, overwhelming sense of dread and hopelessness, I get a really dry throat and try to cough but because I'm crying it's usually just slobbery mess. Sometimes I also get a pounding heart and "the runs."

As far as what helps me...right now I see a psychologist once a day until my anxiety calms down again and I read a lot of a books (some about my disorders and others just for entertainment - they distract me). "Feeling Good" by David Burns is amazing. I swear to you, I feel like that book was written directly with me in mind. I also checked out a book from the library today by the same author called "When Panic Attacks: The new, drug-free anxiety therapy that can change your life" and I have high hopes since his other book was so amazing. My medicine helps but I know how addictive it can be and I hope for a medicine free life one day.

I've been dealing with anxiety since childhood. Heres my story:

-childhood (didnt know I had an anxiety problem)- I would get panic attacks thinking about "the end of the world" and everyone dying. Death was a huge fear for me. These thoughts would happen at night. While laying in bed I would start having dumb thoughts and then my heart would race. I would go into my moms room, wake her up...sleep in her bed and thats how I would calm down.

-teenage years- I would get them during smoke out sessions and think I was dying while being stoned. Hence, I stopped smoking weed because of the panic attacks. Then when I was around 18 or so, I would get them randomly without the drugs and they were your typical I cant breathe, im having a heart attack & im going to die panic attacks.

-early adulthood- still no medication at this point and it wasnt that bad. Would get a panic attack every so often...no biggie. i can handle it.

-mid-late 20's/current- my normal panic attacks have now turned into health anxiety and disturbed thoughts. I swear I've had brain tumors, aids, lupus...you name it, I had it. Now im fearing for my kids' health and its pathetic. I fkn hate it. My disturbed thoughts are what forced me to get the medication (along with my depression) because I couldnt take it anymore. Like if I were driving I could picture my car losing control and going off the cliff....stupid sh it like that. So I finally decided that medicaiton was the route for me if I wanted to live a "normal" life. It didnt help that I was super stressed or depressed neither. I guess they say the two go hand in hand.

Blah it sucks....

It's so refreshing to find this group! I've never thought about searching for Anxiety Support until today.

I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder along with OCD. I took Zoloft for 11 years, and recently switched medications. I was experiencing sever anxiety attacks that was taking over my life. I'm on a new medication at the moment called Luvox. (If anyone takes Luvox, I'd love to hear stories. I'm trying to stay positive.) The medication seems to be helping, but I know it will take awhile. I've only been on this medication for 14 days. (It can sometimes take up to 6 weeks for anti depressants to work.)

When I have an anxiety attack, so many emotions and feelings go over my body.
- Shakiness
- Anxiousness
- Nausea
- Irrational thoughts
- Fear
- Feeling as if I'm dreaming
(The list goes on)

If anyone is looking for a MFP buddy, please feel free to add me. I'd love to take this journey together. Anxiety and weight loss isn't easy, but we can do this!

Thankfully, I don’t have anxiety attacks often and nowhere near as often as I did prior to my daughter turning 18 and my not having to deal with my ex-husband nearly as much. When I lose an important paper or misplace one of my cards in my wallet, that makes me freak out. I get all sweaty (even if the temperature outside is below freezing) and my heart starts racing. It would happen to me every time my ex-husband would take me to Family Court or every time he would make a (false) accusation against me to CPS. Sometimes I would get a bad headache and feel like I was to vomit - sometimes I actually did. To calm down, I would try to think of where my lost item could be. In court, I would try to have a book with me in the waiting room while I was waiting for our case to be called and would make sure I wasn’t in the same room as my ex. I would also try not to talk to other people in the waiting rooms at court - I didn’t really want to hear about their child custody, visitation or child support issues since I had enough to deal with though I would have sympathized. I would pray the Serenity prayer silently while my public defender (and my ex’s) were yakking away to the judge unless she asked me a question. Reading has always been a go to for me for relaxation - even before the anxiety diagnosis. I love reading and try to do at least 2 chapters in a book every day.