Spent the night in the ER

Mom2Boyz wrote: And I still don't know what the heck is wrong with me!!!!
When I was about 20, I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and put on meds for it. When I left my ex husband, things seemed to be much better and I quit taking them. I've been back on them off and on over the last 3 years, but I thought I was doing better.

But for the last Month and a half or so I've been having heart palpatations, feeling dizzy, extremely tired and just not myself. I made a dr appt for the 28th, but last night I started to feel really really bad (real bad palpatations) I serioiusly thought I was going to die!!!! So dh took me to the er.
They did and EKG, and according to the dr it was perfect. But of course by the time I got there I was feeling much better. So they have me wearing this monitor thing for 48 hours to see if they can catch one of these episodes and see what's going on.

I'm about 95% sure that it's just stress, anxiety, depression or a combination of the 3, but it's still scary!!! Hopefully I can find out what is going on soon and get something done about it!!!

amynicole21 replied: Oh man, I'm so sorry! Panic attacks are nasty business. I hope you can get to the bottom of it and get rid of them for good.

luvbug00 replied: OH I hope they can get you somthing to help!!

gr33n3y3z replied:
Yes I had to waer that also
48 hours couldnt come any faster for me

Mom2Boyz replied:
That's what I'm thinking!! I havn't had a shower since Saturday afternoon, and the tape is making me itch like crazy only 34 hours and 35 minutes to go

amymom replied: Those monitors seem like a pain. I could not wait to get mine off. But I hope it tells them something.

jcc64 replied: First of all, I'm so sorry you are having a hard time. Unfortunately, your situation is extremely familiar to me. I've had an anxiety disorder for over 10 yrs, if not longer. I've been through the same scenarios- the visits to the ER, the tests, the heart monitor. It's important that you do that, to rule out any potential physical abnormalities. But once you've been told by the drs that it's not a physical problem, you need to trust the fact that you will be ok from a physical standpoint. Sometimes that's enough to make you feel better, which is probably why you felt better once you got to the hospital. But the underlying dysfunctional thinking that leads you to freak out in the first place is what really needs to be addressed. Panic disorder can make your life extremely unpleasant, as I'm sure you know, and it's critical that you find a way to treat it that works best for you. You mentioned that you were taking meds off and on- it might even be possible that some of your symptoms are related to the meds or the way that you are taking them. Maybe you need to try a different medication, or therapy? In any event, the worst thing you can do for panic disorder is to keep worrying. Chronic anxiety and its related symptoms are like the monster in the closet- once it's brought out into the light of day, it looks alot less scary. Once you realize that, you will notice a big improvement, believe me. If you have these tendencies, they never really go away for good. But you absolutely can learn to deal with them in a way that they consume as little of your life as possible.
Feel free to pm me. I'd be happy to help you in any way I can.

Mom2Boyz replied:
Thanks Jeanne It sucks that you've had problems with anxiety, but it's also nice that someone understands, and doesn't think I'm nuts
My DH has no clue!!! It's almost like he thinks that I'm just faking or something. I can't get it through his head that I really do have these fears (maybe irrational) but real fears none the less.
I think you're right about therapy, I think that if I had someone to talk to about everything that runs through my head I might just feel a little better. I just feel like an idiot when I try to talk to my dh or even my mom about it.
I think you're right about the physical symptoms too!!! As soon as I got to the hospital, I was feeling much much better. And I havn't had any palpatations since they hooked up the monitor I just want to get back to normal!!!! Whatever that is?? I don't think I've felt completly NORMAL in 7 years or more

jcc64 replied: I know what you mean about having someone to talk to that "gets" it. Both my dh and my mom, while very sympathetic, haven't a clue about what it actually feels like. Luckily, my dad did, b/c that's who I inherited it from (there is a VERY strong genetic component to this), and he really saved my behind when it first happened to me. Unfortunately, he died last year, and I do feel the loss whenever I'm struggling.
One of the hallmarks of this disorder is the tendency to obsess about scary physical symptoms ("Do I have cancer, are these strange feelings in my chest a heart attack, is there something wrong with my kid, etc.) and like a broken record, the thoughts just keep swirling around in your head until they start to manifest in physical symptoms. The trick is to recognize that the thoughts themselves are what's causing you to feel bad physically, and to reprogram your mind in a more positive direction. Easier said than done, I know. Only after I was on medication for awhile did I realize that there was another way to be other than in a constant state of worry. A very blessed relief, to be sure.
Seriously, feel free to contact me whenever you are feeling bad and need someone to "talk" to. Just pm me, it shows up in my email and I do check my mail several times a day.

Emeraldsmom replied: I am so sorry, I hope they can find out what is wrong and you start to feel better soon.

gr33n3y3z replied:
Yes I itched so bad I almost ripped it all off and Ed said you do it and they will make you wear it another 48 hours plus while sleeping I kept rolling on the box and scratching and dropping the box on the floor and when I dropped it off I got a phone call the next day and they asked me what I was doing and I'm like what and they said between this hour and that hour I said it was me scratching in my sleep or dropping the box on the floor lol

It showed I had a rapid heart beat now I have to take a pill to slow my heart down.
and I'm also 100% caffeine free.

mom21kid2dogs replied: So sorry you've been feeling so badly. This might be a stupid question but has anyone checked your thyroid levels? I had all those symptoms and about 10 more and ended up hypothyroid. I still get heart palpitations if I miss a day or two on the meds.

Hope things get better for you soon!

A&A'smommy replied: OMG how scary!! I'm sorry that happened to you and that I didn't reply sooner I have been SOOO busy and I'm sorry I hope that doesn't happen to you again!!!