bad anxiety/panic

[joe112]

Okay so heres a little background of myself:

I am 20 years old, I live in Arizona currently. I was addicted to xanax, valium, kalopins, and percocets for about a year when I was 18-19. I used to get all these pills online and was selling them, i had basically an unlimited supply. When I moved to arizona I quit selling and began a new life, only smoking weed and drinking on rare occasion.

at the end of march I was sober in my friends F-350 pickup truck, we hit a light pole with the back end of the truck at about 70mph, then hit a tree and came to a hault. We all jumped out immediately, I was barely injured just a minor concussion, then some issues with light sensitivity to my right eye on the side I hit my head.

After the accident I was smoking a little weed during my long recovery. About 3 weeks after the accident everytime I smoke weed I get panic attacks and felt like my heart was going to explode. I then quit smoking weed for good because I had no urge to smoke anymore.

After that I noticed myself always checking my heart rate, thinking about my heart beat even thou I was fine. This has gone on for close to a month and a half, I try to relax and ignore it but i cant seem to all the time, my heart would pound harder than normal but at a normal rate. Right now I am all worried about nothing because I don't feel my heart beating as much and I really feel I should see a doctor, I just dont know any in Phoenix area since Im not from here.


Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Joe

[Bamboozle]

Originally Posted by joe112

After that I noticed myself always checking my heart rate, thinking about my heart beat even thou I was fine. This has gone on for close to a month and a half, I try to relax and ignore it but i cant seem to all the time, my heart would pound harder than normal but at a normal rate. Right now I am all worried about nothing because I don't feel my heart beating as much and I really feel I should see a doctor, I just dont know any in Phoenix area since Im not from here.


Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Joe

That sounds like me, always checking my pulse.

Hello, Joe. Welcome to SR!


I get premature beats. It feels like my heart skips a beat. Every time I get a run of them I'm checking my pulse.

When it began about a year and a half ago, I was scared out of my mind. I was afraid to be by myself or go anywhere by myself. I went through a long process of getting checked out by a doctor, wearing a heart monitor, seeing a cardiologist, and then getting an echo done. I'm lucky. These things are essentially harmless for me.


Open up the phone book and make some calls and get an appointment pronto. Only a doctor is qualified to tell you how serious it is. The sooner you go, the faster you'll get some relief for your anxiety. I felt so much better just letting professionals know what was going on. And make sure they don't blow off your concerns when you go. I practically had to twist arms to get them to take me seriously. I was sure I had damaged my heart due to my drinking, so I kept bothering them until they listened.

Keep us updated.

[Cleansing]

Yeah definitely go see the doctor. Im only 23, but because of my drug use (and maybe some of the meds I'm on) I have high blood pressure. You're never too young to have heart issues. Not saying that you do. I hope you don't.

But it's funny. I had a friend who started smoking weed at 13, but at the age of 21, he couldn't handle it anymore. He used to get panic attacks and his heart would beat really quickly. So he stopped smoking, but this was huge, because he started so young and he used to smoke A LOT.

You know weed stays in your system for about 30 days, maybe that's my you're having those heart problems. Your body is not purified. Or maybe you're worried about it so much that is psychosomatic. Go to the doctor, be honest about your use (past and present) and it'll give you peace of mind. Maybe your heart will feel better.

[joe112]

Thanks for the suggestions! I never did see a doctor yet, I have calmed down quite a bit since last time I posted. I still feel the anxiety but dont have any issues with checking my pulse 24/7 anymore. I have many days where I get 8 hours of sleep but I am dead tired the whole day. I sometimes feel weird all day mainly anxious but I dont know what to do.

[NewBeginning010]

Hi Joe, I have been struggling with anxiety & panic attacks for over 20 years. Definitely see a doctor regarding this, I understand what you are going through.

It is pretty scary isn't it? Its hard to explain to people that dont have it. Its also known as a fight or flight response, basically we are releasing all of the same endorphins & chemicals into our body as someone who may be fighting for their life... problem is our attacker isn't visible. Just to make things worse we also have the catastrophic thinking etc. to really kick things in & keep them going/feed them.

Take some time to go to the doctor & to learn about your situation, you are worth it.

Take care & all of the best in your recovery.

NB

[Trying2Fly]

Hi Joe,

Your anxiety could poss. be realated to post traumatic stress disorder. I developed PTSD early in life, following a period of molestation. I started having intense anxiety, panic attacks, and heart palpitations later on. Through a competent therapist I have learned that my anxiety stems from my early trauma + PTSD, and I've learned many coping mechanisms. Learning about it and processing the molestation through therapy has been extraordinarily helpful, too. Maybe the accident you were in has triggered PTSD?

[av001]

benzos make it worse

[mrhealthie]

i also agree with other only licensed doctors can help you on this... because they are the one who knows what you're going through and what possible treatment can be made... you must act now before its too late...

[rondfw777]

I've been down this road for 20 years. The exact same thing that Bamboozle talked about. Still have PAC's PVC's, but not as bad. Weed had to go! It triggered them, and when I quit drinking and started having anxiety attacks I went to the Doc and Xanax has kept it pretty much under control. Still spooky to this day though. Go get checked out for sure!

Ron

[mumbai78]

I suffered anxiety and panic attacks at the age of 22 , a few months after i got off opiates. it is very scary. I remember a couple of times when I felt that I was going to have a heart attack. I rushed to the doc who did a few tests and said everything was fine. For a whole year I was always anxious, always thinking something abd was going to happen to me - maybe a heart attack or a brain haemmorphage. I was obsessed with negative thoughts about all sorts of ilnesses.

Once for a week I thought I was going to die of rabies. Why ? A dog rubbed his tongue against my leg. Sounds silly but its true. I didn't sleep well at nights for days thinking I was going to die. Then that fear would be replaced by another fear of going insane. I was scared I would lose my mental balance, there was a constant thougth in my head about how I would walk the streets naked and people would laugh at me.

Then I had a fear of contracting a deadly illness. I stopped consuming food items from stores outside the house. I wouldn't even touch stuff that people offered me, I thought they were either trying to poison me or that the stuff was contaminated and I'd die if i ate it.

Sorry for the long ramble. I could write a book on all the stupid things I thought about and did during that year.

Things got better over time and then all this anxiety just disappeared. I think it was all a result of the opiates I took in the years before.