Stress Center Peer Support

Hi folks. Just found this site today and would like to share and solicit feedback/support. This will be a little long, so please forgive me.

About a month ago, I started suffering from what I believe are tension headaches. I have always been a relatively healthy person, so sudden, regular headaches started me worrying about my health. Sometimes, the headaches made me feel as if I wasn't all there and I started to worry that I would pass out while driving or something.

I treated the headaches for a month like a lot of us would - lived with them, took tylenol, tried to relax, etc. But, they persisted and my fear of something really bad happening while I was driving grew and grew. My feelings were especially bad when I got stuck in traffic jams or at red lights. I would feel that I could pass out. I started driving and evaluating where I was only by how wide of shoulder there was so I could pull over if I needed to.

Two Saturdays ago, I was out with my wife and son to celebrate his birthday. I had a headache, but was plowing through. Suddenly, I felt my headache more and got a weakness/tingling in my knees. I felt, "oh crap, this is bad". I almost went to the ER right then, but felt a little better when we got home.

Well, I finally went to the doc last Monday and we started by scheduling a full physical. He said I had tension headaches and that my fears and feelings while stuck in traffic were probably because I was focusing on my headache pain.

After getting blood drawn last Tuesday morning, while driving to the office,I had an immediate bout of chest pain, sweats, cold flash, and left arm pain. (Of course, during my entire drive, I'm listening to the traffic station to try to avoid any jams) The chest pain did not go away, so I went to the nearest ER. I was certain this was "the big one" - even though I am only 37 years old. Well, to be honest, I started feeling better right after they gave me my first EKG and it was normal. However, just to be sure, I agreed to be admitted and observed overnight and to take a stress test the next day. Wouldn't you know it, my heart is fine.

My first night at home after being discharged, I suddenly awoke in the middle of night with more chest discomfort. It lasted about an hour, then went away after I calmed myself down and checked by BP and pulse for what seemed like 100 times. All I could think of was how safe I felt while in the hospital.

The next day, I took the day off from work and drove to a viewing for a friend of mine's mother who had passed away. While there and on the drive home, I felt very uneasy and axious about my health. I even had some chest discomfort and my normal driving panic (I was admitting to myself it was panic by then) on the way home....even though my heart had just been given a good bill of health!

Over the next two days, periods of chest discomfort, weird tingling in my arm and knees, etc. continued. By this past Saturday, I was now convinced I was having a stroke. My loving wife took me to the ER Saturday night. Of course, CT scan and other tests showed my head is perfectly OK.

So, long story, but the more I researched online about my symptoms, the more I ran into "panic attack" and "panic disorder". My sister has a friend that used to have anxiety attacks and she turned me onto this site. Reading the program descriptions and listening to the testimonials, it sounds like someone is describing me! I am now seriously thinking of buying the program.

I am not sure why I am sharing this except to maybe hear back from folks that have gone through similar things. If so, did the program help you? I am still anxious I have a medical problem going on, but more and more evidence says I don't. Your thoughts are appreciated. God bless!

Hi Guy.

What you're going through is very common. It's called anxiety. I hope that you will get the program, but for now, just know that those strange feelings that you have will not hurt you, they can only make you feel uncomfortable. Try not to worry yourself into going to emergency rooms too often and running up big tabs, as most of us do.

I had anxiety for 15 years, but when I look back on my life, I probably had anxiety since I was a child. I am 43 years old and that's a long time to suffer with anxiety. I finished the program around spring or summer of last year.

I use to have so many symptoms. From being lightheaded to chest pains to migraine headaches to weird, spacy, and unreal feelings. I've had so many other body symptoms and all kinds of fears. But today I feel great.

Get the program so that you can get rid of the anxiety now. Don't wait.

Hi, I lost my reply to you so will try again! Now you know that your heart and your head are OK. That's good!

I think a lot of us can relate to your symptoms. Because you seem to get these symptoms in traffic I wonder if traffic makes you angry? If you get really angry but don't vent your anger in a healthy way, it can backfire and attack YOU ! I know this only too well since I suffer from this. Anger is an emotion I was always taught to hide because it was bad and a good girl never showed anger. As a child and an adult I have had LOTS of events that caused me a great deal of anger but I didn't show it. Now I have to pull it out and look at it and deal with it now.....

The Lucinda's program has sessions on anger and assertiveness. This is certainly the best way to go.

Traffic may also make you feel vulnerable, and at risk. This could also give you panic attacks. Just remember panic shows itself in thousands of ways both physical and mental. What are you thinking when you have the panic attacks?

I am certainly no expert - just a sufferer. Can anyone else help out with some words of wisdom?

Thanks deedee & JayBee. To answer your question JayBee, I am thinking when I have the panic attacks that I'm going to die right here or I'm going to pass out in this car in traffic. The attacks I have not in the car are similar.

What's weird is I got a great result on my stress test, but when I went rollerblading yesterday in the park, I actually thought at one point: "If I have a heart attack right here, there's no one around". I did really enjoy the exercise though. It was the best I felt in the last several days.

Thanks again for your words. I am happy to have found a forum where people have shared similar experiences.

I'm 40 and have had bouts with anxiety since I was 16. I'll go years without it and then, bam, a month or two of exactly what you described.

I've been to the ER, I've had EKG's, I've had the thoughts of "how far away am I if I have to drive to the nearest hospital". It's a vicious cycle.

It's good that you got checked out and now you know you're heart is fine. A huge part of your battle is to acknowledge it for what it is: anxiety. Nothing more, nothing less.

Once you're able to accept that it will pass, you'll feel a little less threatened when it happens again.

My husband went through a bout of anxiety/panic several years ago. It came and went off and on for about 4 months. It stopped and he's never had it since, nor had he had it prior.

This may be circumstancial if you're overly stressed right now (you mentioned your friend's mom passed away). Our mortality alone can do a number on us.

Anyway, regardless you'll be fine. I am fairly new to the program and I love it so far.

Good luck.