I am familiar with stress, anxiety and panic attacks on theory but to experience them in a peculiar manner has become debilitating for me.
I have a sedentary lifestyle, working in an environment that is target oriented, married and has a 1 year old daughter. I can very well provide for the day to day needs of my family but when you aspire for financial stability, dream for a house of your own and car to drive everyday, there is a sense of urgency to do them all together. However, reality will not conform to your desires. You have to plan, prioritize and do things one after another and it takes a while.
4 months ago I experienced sudden shortness of breath, feeling of impending doom, chest tightness and numbness of extremities. I was rushed to a medical facility where I was diagnosed with hypertensive urgency. A battery of tests were conducted and showed within normal results. Dietary modifications, lifestyle change and oral medications were given.
I thought all the while it was a solitary event and my life will be back to normal, but it was not to be. After discharge from the hospital, immediately upon sitting inside the car, my shortness of breath returned, I was trying to calm myself by thinking that this is only psychological but to no avail. I opened the window and the rush of air slowly made my nostrils clear and I began to breathe naturally.
Each time I drive the car, this sudden shortness of breath returns, sometimes accompanied by palpitations and tingling sensations in my extremities. It makes me pull-over, switch off the air conditioner and open the windows to allow for the warm air.
As I research and read literature regarding these symptoms, it begins to fit the description of anxiety. I may be having generalized anxiety disorder.
I applied some self help procedures to calm myself such as taking deep breathing exercises, walking, counting my blessings, listening to aural music and others but it may have only helped a bit.
My bouts of anxiety have made my nose stuffy most of the time but one day in the office, while writing a letter in the laptop, I suddenly felt my nose clearing, my breathing cold, my chest tightening and was about to pass out. I hurriedly went out of the room and was again rushed to the emergency room. And EKG was performed, blood tests done and all returned with normal results.
Additional out-patient procedures were conducted such as stress-echo, 2D echo, 24 hours holter monitoring and others. The results were non-remarkable and did not warrant further tests. My thyroid function was also assessed but it was normal too.
I was feeling lethargic for most of the days last week and again had a check-up. My complete blood count and electrolytes were checked and another EKG done, still with normal results.
It is very debilitating, I have to keep saying to my self that this is anxiety and I have to live with it until it resolves. I am also contemplating of andropause, can it be since I am 41 y.o. already?
Whatever it is I have to live with it, Pray to God for good health and trust Him that He will heal me. All these I entrust to Him.