New, hoping, my life depends on it

[noahnaomi]

Hello, I just started session 1 today. I suffer from severe anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I thought I was alone, but after hearing the first CD, I am hopeful. I have had anxiety and depression all my life. Anxiety was bad but not enough to take control of my life, I was finding ways to cope with it and it didn't interfear to much. But for about a 18 months now it has gotten so bad that I am now afraid to leave my house. I guess the anxiety has turned to panic, during a panic attack I get very dizzy, my blood pressure goes to above 160/115 and pulse well over 180 (I am 34 years old) and I then pass out. I don't pass out every time but I fear that I will and it sends me into a complete tailspin. I feel like it has taken over my life and I am no longer able to function. I have frequent chest pains, PVC and dropped beats on my EKG and at time A-fib. Doctors have tried to put me on Paxil, Seroquel, and Celexa but they all made the attacks 10 times worse....if that is possible, landing me in the ER every time. The only thing that works is Adivan, but I dont want to live on it, makes me feel "drugged" and I often fall asleep.
Like I said I have pretty much been anxious ever since I could remember but it was diagnosed as ADHD when I was young. It only got worse when I started college in the fall of 2010. I have been going to school to be an Respiratory Therapist, when I started clinical about 14 months ago me and the RT I was following got called to the ER for a concious sedation, no big deal....or so I thought, then I fainted right there in the ER in front of everyone for no reason. I just got really nervous and fainted, this has caused a huge rollercoaster of fear for the rest of my clinical rotations which have caused me to run to the bathroom, sometimes fainting right there on the floor. Sometimes I was not able to leave the situation and I would almost faint again causing me to have to sit down or bend over and brace myself against the wall.....and try not to let ANYONE see the horror and complete and utter terror I was feeling inside. To make a long story short it just got worse and worse and worse. I finally graduated (thanks to Adivan ...) on April of this year. I thought to myself that it would get better and I would have time to "de-stress" but it has only gotten worse...much worse, now I am fainting in line at the grocery store, I have to pull over in the car every time I drive (I dont drive now), and now it is even happening at home. I have a licence to be a Respiratory Therapist and worked so hard to be where I am, now I cant even leave my house. I feel hopeless and at the end of my rope. I cant live like this anymore.
I hope this program works, it is all I have.

[coachchris]

Hi Noahnaomi,

My name is Chris and I am a coach here at the StressCenter.com. I feel like we may have spoken on the phone and done some free coaching recently. Does that ring true for you?? Moving on...congratulations on your graduation! You are one determined woman and that is going to get you through this tough time. It sounds like the stress of school really activated your body 18 months ago?? I highly recommend the relaxation cd, lesson 2 and making sure you are taking good care of your body. Eating healthy, drinking lots of water and getting good sleep. Your body is stressed and it needs time to adjust. I went through 2 years of high stress and got into anxiety attacks, dizziness and the PCV's too. I was 35 then. It took about 8 months for my body to get back to a good steady place and that was with a lot of hard work and using the StressCenter.com tools. I know the program is going to help you connect all of the dots in your story and set you up for complete success for your future. Follow page 9 in your guidebook, take your time. I am excited for you!