Stress Center Peer Support

Hi,
I'm so scared! I got my first panic attack 2 months after I got a strange flu back in 1996 when I was 17 years old (29 now). I ended up being very sick, swollen glands, constant low grade fever, muscle twitching, very sick. Doc told me I had mono. Years later, another doc tested me and said I never had mono, I would still have the virus and it wasn't in me.

Anxiety attacks happened for years at a time, then I would eat a raw veggie/fruit diet and 'get better', but still not myself, but could function somewhat normally.

Long story short, last fall a doc told me I had Lyme disease and one co-infection. He did this through electro-dermal testing and I kinda threw it under the rug since I wasn't having a lot of symptoms except some anxiety that was bearable (no panic attacks at the time).

The next week, something traumatic happened and had LOTS of stress. Started with the panic attacks, fatigue and months later started getting muscle pain like I'd just run 5 miles the day before (but hadn't exercised), then I started getting a swollen, stiff knee that was extremely painful, and then would go away and have no indication that there was anything wrong.

The anxiety has gotten much worse to the point I'm considering medication. I'm thinking I might really have Lyme disease and it scares me.

I worry because I have been like this more off than on in the past 12 years. What damage has it done to my body? Do my kids have it? 4 year old complains about knee pain sometimes, I thought maybe they were growing pains.

Please pray for me today, I feel like I either want to cry or will have a massive panic attack.
My appointment is at 2:30 pst, 5:30 est. I just want to make it through this appointment and the blood draw.

The appointment is 1.5 hours long, as it is a consult with one of the best Lyme doctors in the country, he has people from Hawaii and England who come to see him.

I'm hoping the test is negative and I 'just' have anxiety, not minimalizing it at all, it's awful, just that it can't kill you.

Anyhow, thanks for reading this, I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!
Ocean

That's really a difficult place to be, and you will be in my thoughts. I send you a bushel of positive energy and a basket of best wishes.

Thanks for the support Pecos,
I wish I could stop all of the what if thoughts. I am most afraid of the blood draw. I have never passed out or even almost passed out, but am what-iffing about it, or what if I have a panic attack and can't stay still? I read one person said that for the IGENEX test they are doing, they took so much blood, he felt like a blood donor. Ugh!

The results take up to 3 weeks, so I won't know for awhile, how I wish they would be available by Monday, they said 7-10 business days usually.

I'm rambling, anyhow, thank-you so much, I need to find courage in spite of my fear.

Ocean

Blood draws get me, too. I can watch orthopedic surgery all day long. But when it comes to me, even the idea of simple laboratory phlebotomy makes me want to head for the hills. I wish I had courage in a jar, I'd send you some. And those pesky scary what if thoughts, maybe you could write them all down and send them to those lab workers who will be taking so long to get you results. Just kidding, but thought a bit of humor might help. Take care.

Hello Ocean - Just saw your post so your medical appt. is probably already started. I hope everything went well for you.

Ocean,just read your post. I am pulling for you. I know how you feel about the waiting thing for results. Our minds play some awful games with us when we let ourselves go there. Hang in and keep us posted. We care.

Thanks guys for the support! I got through it, but I did ask him if I could walk a little during, just told him I was very nervous. It was also VERY cold in the office, so when I was sitting, I was shaking my leg that was crossed. He asked if I always had restless leg syndrome and I explained that I was just nervous.

Everything went pretty well, I don't get the blood tests til Monday (didn't realize that), but he gave me a bazillion, adrenal, Lyme, amino acid test thing, heavy metals, food allergies, and a few others I'm not thinking about.

When he did the short physical exam, he said, "Do you eat?" I was like, "huh?" He said, "no anorexia or bulimia?".

It was kind of embarrassing! I do get thinner when I'm anxious, but my whole side of the family is very thin. I love to eat, I think that's why he gave me a food metabolizing test, maybe I got that gene from my parents, my dad eats all day long and is still super skinny! I've never had anyone ask me that question and it kind of threw me off, lol!

Anyhow, thanks all for everything, I hope that one of the other tests is what's going on and not the Lyme, and at least he was very thorough in the testing!

Ocean

If I were you, I'd be soooooooooooooo relieved!

I am! Glad it's over and glad he thought it could be something else. Since he wasn't like, "yeah I'm sure it's lyme," then I'm thinking he thinks it's something else, yippee! Now I just have to give up a TON of blood next week

Thanks again,
Ocean

glad things went better then expected! Good luck on your blood tests next week and I hope you find the answers you need.