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!
Now you know that your heart and your head are OK. That's good!