Alright first of all I have a appointment with my Internist Doc on Feb 28th, but would like to get your opinions first.
So in late 2011 I spoke to my doctor about me thinking I have General Anxiety, Social Anxiety, and OCD. He agreed when I explained my symptoms, and put me on 25mg Zoloft. I took it for a few months and stopped taking it- along with my blood pressure med, because I didn't really notice any difference. He did do a EKG and said my blood pressure has not been high for that long, and seems to be recent. I feel my anxiety/panic is raising my blood pressure all the time.
Pretty much when I go into panic mode my scalp/face starts to sweat REALLY FAST and A LOT within seconds of it starting. It is really embarassing! So somehow I've been ignoring all the other symptoms and thought it was all because facial hyperhidrosis. I went back to my doctor, and told him how I thought it was hyperhidrosis. I asked him about glycopyrrolate for it, he seemed clueless. He prescribed me .25mg Clonidine (cut it in half 2x a day) because I needed to take med for high blood pressure, and said it would help with the sweating. Well it did not help at all with the sweating, so a couple weeks later I went ahead and ordered Avert (glyco). The glyco did stop the sweating, BUT if I was anxious or in panic it didn't do squat, my sweating would trump the glyco easily.
I began to think more deeply about everything, and came to the conclusion that I have pretty severe GAD/SAD/OCD/Panic. After more in depth research I noticed a lot of stuff that I didn't think were symptoms are actually symptoms!
It wasn't always like this, I believe I was pretty damn normal. Was going to school, had a part time job, was seeing a girl, going out, and keeping fit. After turning 21 my life has been going downhill ever since it seems... Before all this started I was a guy who never wanted or needed to see a doctor.
This is just some of my symptoms/ behaviors I've been experiencing:
Is intense facial sweating normal for panic attacks? I mean the sweating can start so fast it's ridiculous, I have to constantly wipe it away.
Honestly I can keep on going, but am going to stop here.
Pretty much the OCD symptoms & behaviors have been getting better and manageable. But the Anxiety and panic has been getting worse very fast.
How severe do you guys think my anxiety/ panic disorder is on 1/10 scale?
I have been reading a lot on meds, and it seems SSRI's are more for depression than anxiety and panic. And the 25mg Zoloft he prescribed me is pretty much nothing. It seems I should be on a higher dose SSRI and a Benzodiazepine combo. I've read about benzos, and seems if I ask my doc for them, he's going to think I'm a drug addict or something, I'm too scared to ask.
So in late 2011 I spoke to my doctor about me thinking I have General Anxiety, Social Anxiety, and OCD. He agreed when I explained my symptoms, and put me on 25mg Zoloft. I took it for a few months and stopped taking it- along with my blood pressure med, because I didn't really notice any difference. He did do a EKG and said my blood pressure has not been high for that long, and seems to be recent. I feel my anxiety/panic is raising my blood pressure all the time.
Pretty much when I go into panic mode my scalp/face starts to sweat REALLY FAST and A LOT within seconds of it starting. It is really embarassing! So somehow I've been ignoring all the other symptoms and thought it was all because facial hyperhidrosis. I went back to my doctor, and told him how I thought it was hyperhidrosis. I asked him about glycopyrrolate for it, he seemed clueless. He prescribed me .25mg Clonidine (cut it in half 2x a day) because I needed to take med for high blood pressure, and said it would help with the sweating. Well it did not help at all with the sweating, so a couple weeks later I went ahead and ordered Avert (glyco). The glyco did stop the sweating, BUT if I was anxious or in panic it didn't do squat, my sweating would trump the glyco easily.
I began to think more deeply about everything, and came to the conclusion that I have pretty severe GAD/SAD/OCD/Panic. After more in depth research I noticed a lot of stuff that I didn't think were symptoms are actually symptoms!
It wasn't always like this, I believe I was pretty damn normal. Was going to school, had a part time job, was seeing a girl, going out, and keeping fit. After turning 21 my life has been going downhill ever since it seems... Before all this started I was a guy who never wanted or needed to see a doctor.
This is just some of my symptoms/ behaviors I've been experiencing:
- I quit college and work
- I think my first major panic attack was on the first day of art class 2nd year college for no reason. I have never went back to school after that day.
- Endless stupid thoughts and worries, I cannot stop it, takes hours to fall asleep, sleeping pills don't help, sleep with the T.V. on if it's still dark out because I think it prevents sleep paralysis.
- Sleep paralysis (get it rarely now, before was almost every night)
- I have been going to bed at 6am-11am for the past 4+ years. It has become a habit ever since I started getting sleep paralysis, and I panic sometimes when it's dark in my room trying to sleep (constantly look around in my room).
- The only way to fall asleep fast and comfortably is from food coma.
- I rarely go out or keep in touch with friends anymore.
- I get startled very easily, and get panic attacks.
- Cannot watch horror movies anymore, I even look down when a trailer comes out on TV.
- I used to love driving with all my windows down, now I never open them or look at other drivers.
- When I go out to any store or anywhere in public I start to panic- get racing thoughts, can't think clearly, head overheats and starts sweating badly, heart rate jumps, red cheeks, hands trembling, can't focus, throat slightly closes up while talking sometimes, "flight or fight" mode activates all the time, feel like everyone is watching me, I just want to get the hell out of there as fast as possible. One time it got so bad I just left all the stuff I was going to buy, and started walking out. On the way out a worker was like "you alright boss?".
Made it a habit to get in out of stores really quickly, going with someone helps, go shopping when store first opens, do a lot of online shopping now. - I get migraines almost every night
- When I get panic attacks I feel a rush of current type sensation throughout my head. Sometimes it's a long burst or short bursts of it- seems to originate from the back of my neck and moves it's way up to my head like a tingly sensation.
- Waiting in lines = huge panic attack for some reason now...
- Waiting at doctors office = huge panic attacks, one time I almost just left, but decided to fight and went to the bathroom to try and calm down.
- I know my appointment isn't untill the 28th, but I'm thinking almost all day what I'm going to say to him, and what not.
- It is so hard to even make doctor's appointments now, because I do not want to go through the whole waiting room panic thing. I ask for the very first appointment of the day, which is never available.
- Because I have to wait in line at Wal Mart pharmacy so long and get panic attacks I'm a sweaty mess by the time it's my turn, I go to a more expensive pharmacy where there is never a line.
- Almost everyday my stools are like diarrhea, it rarely comes out solid.
- I've developed Eczema
- I've developed some cyst like bumps on the back of my head.
- I roll my ankles and feet around non stop when lying in bed, shake my legs when sitting, weird habit of scratching my thumbnail with my middle finger nail.
- Most recently for about 2 weeks my throat felt very very uncomfortable like there is a lump below my adam's apple. Sorta feels like your wearing a tie and it's really tight.
- If I go running outside at night I barely sweat. If I go to the gym where there is tons of people my whole shirt in the front is soaked within 30 minutes of elliptical. I get anxious thoughts and go into panic mode while I'm there. The adrenaline enables me to go crazy on cardio. But I think I overheat myself when there, as I get really feverish when I get home. But when I'm the only one with a red face and sweating like crazy on the head/face it's embrassing as hell. The elliptical machine tells me my heart rate is 150ish right when I step into the gym, and jumps to 180+ within 3 minutes of starting. I used to go to the gym religiously, had to take thermogenic pills to sweat like I do now, lost 100lbs down from 300. Since the anxiety started I've gained all my weight back within 1-2 years, and it is so hard to step foot in the gym now, so I rarely go but am working on it.
- I have trouble making eye contact when talking now.
- I don't care about doing my hair, or having stylish clothes anymore.
- Pretty much going to any public place now, is such a big thing for me, I will try to avoid it or make excuse not to go at all costs.
- Pretty much people think I'm lazy ass hell now, but i'm not! Everywhere I worked before they wanted me to stay and told me I'm a good worker.
- Parents know I can get stuff done- but are clueless to why I don't want to get a job and go back to school (I have not told them about my anxiety/panic).
- When eating at restaraunts, I tend to lose my appetite because of the anxiety and panic.
- I tend to worry and stress about the smallest things. If my mom comes home a little late from work, I will think the worst and think she's been in a accident or something. When I go camping I think a bear is going to come, or the campfire embers are going to start a fire in the forest. Pretty much anything I do, I imagine/expect the worst and get stressed out.
- Anytime I have a project/chore/job to do I have to get it all done that day no matter what, or else I will just worry and have anxious thoughts about it til it's all done.
- Credit card bills need to be paid off next day. I cannot stand being in debt or owing money to anybody.
- I reformat my hard drive on the computer anytime someone else uses it, because I feel it's dirty after they used it.
- If there is any fingerprints/dust on my desk it bugs me untill I clean it.
- If anyone goes on my bed, I will wash the sheets and blanket right away.
- I have to take a shower before I can go back on my bed again, or I will sleep on the floor.
- If I go #2 I have to take a shower and change cloths before I can go back on my bed.
- I wear slippers to walk around anywhere in the house but my room, because of lint/dust/dirt sticking to my feet feels dirty. Anyone walks into my room it feels dirty, and irritates me untill I vacuum it.
- When the house is messy, it bugs me untill I clean it. Even when I see the grass gets a little tall- I have to cut it asap.
Is intense facial sweating normal for panic attacks? I mean the sweating can start so fast it's ridiculous, I have to constantly wipe it away.
Honestly I can keep on going, but am going to stop here.
Pretty much the OCD symptoms & behaviors have been getting better and manageable. But the Anxiety and panic has been getting worse very fast.
How severe do you guys think my anxiety/ panic disorder is on 1/10 scale?
I have been reading a lot on meds, and it seems SSRI's are more for depression than anxiety and panic. And the 25mg Zoloft he prescribed me is pretty much nothing. It seems I should be on a higher dose SSRI and a Benzodiazepine combo. I've read about benzos, and seems if I ask my doc for them, he's going to think I'm a drug addict or something, I'm too scared to ask.
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