Here's my story: I turned 35 in April, I'm married, I have one 4 year old daughter and another baby on the way in January. Up until 2 months ago I was "Mr. Invincible". I never worried about my health. I hardly ever went to the doctor for anything. Then, one day at work (a few days after a bad cold and a bad leg injury) I felt a little lightheaded/dizzy. It made me very nervous and my heart raced, etc. (you know the panic attack routine). I guess that was my first panic attack. The next few weeks were hell. I had several full blown panic attacks. I broke down and cried several times with my wife telling her that I was afraid I was dying. I thought I had a brain tumor, stroke, aneurysm, cancer, etc. (you name it - I had it). After several "regular" doctor visits (my GP and an ENT) that all checked out fine (blood work, EKG, urinalysis, etc.), I finally accepted the fact that I needed to see a psych. I have had three visits over the past three weeks and have gotten better - no more full blown panic attacks. He always makes me feel better after a visit because he is very reassuring that I do not have some fatal disease. But, I keep telling him that I think I need an MRI
or CAT scan for proof, but he assures me that is not necessary. I'm taking 100mg Zoloft per day and .5mg Klonopin twice a day. He said I will probably need to stick with the Zoloft for at least a year and he will try to wean me off of the Klonopin in a month or two.
I still have moments of fear and anxiety. My biggest fear is dying at an early age, leaving behind my beautiful family - my wife, my 4 year old daughter, and unborn baby. I think of the pain that would cause everyone. I also think of how much I would miss in their lives. I'm still having some lightheadedness/dizziness from time to time - That scares me the most of all my symptoms. I'm not sure if it's symptomatic of GAD or a reaction to the meds or both. My psych did not seem too worried about it in my last visit. I also have an occasional headache (but they don't last very long), tired and fatigued a lot (probably the meds) and tension muscle aches in the back of my neck and shoulders (feels better after a hot shower or lying on a heating pad).
Sorry to be so long winded.......That's about my whole story an