Ready to give my anxiety/panic attack confession and just vent a little bit.
I've always been a worried, anxious, and generally stressed out person but ever since my mom passed away at 60 from completely random terminal cancer my anxiety, especially about health and health related things, has been through the roof.
Especially since I have high blood pressure and I'm only in my late 20s. I'm trying to fix it and working with my Dr., but this HBP only makes my anxiety worse.
I had a full-on no holds-barred panic attack maybe six months ago or so where it was completely debilitating and I truly believed I was having a heart attack. Awful chest pains, pain in my left arm, all of the symptoms you hear about. I left work and went home and lied down in bed and was within just a few seconds of going to the ER because I thought I was gonna die, although there was a voice in the back of my head telling me there's no way this is a heart attack, it's a panic attack, try to calm down. I eventually did, but even just retelling this story is frightening to me.
I tried everything before making my appointment with a PCP. I should add I already exercise 5-6 days a week, have a decent job, a good girlfriend, I eat reasonably well, and quit using tobacco products. But it wasn't getting better. I was able to recognize the attacks coming on, and would try to fight them off (breathing, self-reassuring, etc), but it wouldn't always work.
Finally see a Dr about it about two months ago. Dr is hesistant about putting me on meds (and having read this thread, maybe rightfully so) so instead is having me try this supplement called Cortisol Managers, I take 2x a day (on top of the normal stuff like exercise, try to do breathing exercises, focus on the "now" type stuff). It sort of helps, and was for awhile, but I've recently been getting concerned about my blood pressure again, and it's causing me massive anxiety and giving me mild panic attacks (I'm gonna drop dead, my hearts gonna give out, what can I do, what should I do).
It's all very frustrating for me because like I said I think I'm objectively speaking healthy but lately feel like I'm unraveling. Late 20s, in good shape, workout 5-6 times a week both weights and cardio, eat well, and quit using tobacco about six months ago (dip). The onyl thing I can think of now is giving up alcohol completely and hope that helps with both the BP and anxiety/panic attacks. I admittedly drink quite heavily on the weekends.
I have my yearly physical on 10/18, and if I'm still ticking then, plan to have a serious discussion about what to do about my HBP (medication perhaps?)
I'm just a mess right now
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