Question once again, important. - Anxiety Message Board

KingPaulos · 11-24-2005, 12:10 AM

Alright hello everyone... me again. Hate to be pestering but another question but I'll brief you on my condition first... and also I've had tension headaches for about 4 years, and MINOR palpitations like 3 times every year or so when I did serious physical work.

Been 13 days without alcohol *had been drinking blush wine for over 6 months, quite some glasses a night*, then on the 11th night I experienced a huge anxiety attack which felt like chills in my legs and felt like I was going to die, begun experiencing palpitations and so on, then had chest pains, some slight shortness of breath, some more palpitations, and not to mention anxiety, fearing it all. That night I took a paxil 20mg for a few days as well, but I realized that was a bad idea so I stopped, so I went through alcohol withdrawl and paxil withdrawl at once, but now it's nearly over... or is it?

Well I went to the dr yesterday, and he said there's no need for testings and it sounds typical of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and now I am on Zoloft. However..... I experience the sometimes fatigue when I walk, the pains of chest also known as nerve pains, sometimes it feels like my organs are crushing lightly inside, shortness of breath has become a little more common... and anxiety, not anxiety attacks, but if I get fired up enough about it I could get one, but not as bad as the first time.

I SHOULD POINT OUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER EXPERIENCED such brutal anxiety attacks, chest pains, shortness of breathing in my life, never did I once had such things. Anxiety has been building in me lightly due to moving in the past 3 months, but when I get the pains I am fearing poor circulation or something like that... I've always been in good health, I'm a bit afraid... even 1 mg of Xanax didn't help me,... any comments, everyone...? Thank you....

jennymar · 11-24-2005, 12:40 PM

I have had several panic attacks before in my life, but I have been experiencing worse ones lately with much stronger physical symtoms as well. They use to be triggered by thoughts but these bad ones seem to come out of the blue. Could you have panic disorder rather than GAD? I'm not sure why yet, but I do know I am getting over an illness and that could be contributing. I would guess that it is just taking some time for your body to get back to normal if you are trying to give up alcohol. Once we get caught up bad enough in this anxiety cycle, it takes time to break it.
The shortness of breath, shaking, wierd feeling in my back, chest and head - these are all new to me. When you get new symptoms, it is scary. Maybe this is happening to you too. But - it's still just anxiety and you will get through it!!

hry33 · 11-24-2005, 02:26 PM

xanax, a valium type med is very helpful but you may need 2 or more mg to reduce a severe panic attack, fastest if disolved under the tongue
paxil and zoloft are both prozac type meds and may eventually help a lot but take 2 to 6 weeks to work properly and can make your anxiety worse until then
try to get some more xanax, if doc is reluctant, say you need it until the zoloft is working properly
panic attacks never kill anyomne although it can feel as if you are dying at the time

stay with us

KingPaulos · 11-24-2005, 02:50 PM

Ty hry, I assume my messages would get tiring after a while. I got palpitations today and fatigue when I walk, just wonderful... no pains/shortness of breath today though, still on Zoloft, HAPPY THANKSGIVING BY THE WAY. I'm also on Zoloft 50mg <recently, like 3 days now> and Xanax 0.5

hry33 · 11-24-2005, 03:28 PM

try to relax and let go of all excess tension in your muscles, dont tense up or fight back against the anxiety
breathe deep and slow