Spent Another Afternoon at the Doctor's Office

Those of you who read my stuff regularly know that I am suffering from Panic Disorder.  It  is not that I am panicking all the time but I seem to an almost constant fear that I am going go.  This means most of the time I have too much adrenaline running through my system which can cause tension in the neck and shoulders, heart palpitations, and shaking.  Well I have having a lot of pain in my chest, and although my doctor was pretty sure it is being cause by adrenaline they did a stress test on me on Monday.  The stress test went really well and my heart looks completely normal.

Yesterday though I was having a tremendously hard time breathing so I went to the doctor again.  I was also very tired and dizzy, so my husband came home from work and rounded up all the kids from school so they would all be home in case we didn't get out of the appointment in time to pick them.  My oldest is old enough to watch  her brothers so it was good to have them at home safe and secure.

Because the heart looked good and so far all of my vitals and blood counts and everything look good the decided to do a lung test to check to see if I have asthma or any other kind of lung disease.  I had to basically breath in to a tube that had had vapor coming out of it and test my lung capacity.  I had to do that for like 7 minutes.  Breathing 2 times normal and taing a really deep breath every third breath. I thought I was going to pass out after a while those 7 minutes felt like an hour.  But there are a lot of worse tests to take.  The test revealed my lung capacity is normal.

I have to say though after breathing in that air like that for 7 minutes I actually felt really good.  I could breath easy and my chest felt so much better.  I think they should have treatments like this for people with panic disorder like me.  I know it is a treatment for asthma sufferers someone with panic disorder also has restricted breathing.  I actually felt pretty great until I went to bed and if you had seen me when I walked in the place you would have thought I was a totally different person walking out.

I had a long talk with doctor about the panic disorder and how I just want my life back and I just want to feel normal again.  He has me on two types of medicine one is for immediate need when you are having an attack and the other builds up seratonin and helps to clear out the excess adrenaline over time.  The good news I was assured I would again be myself, the bad news is that it takes 6 to 8 weeks for the medicine to do what it needs to do.

It kind of makes me mad because my old doctor could have put me on those pills a month ago and I would have half way on my way to recovery.  I am really glad I got a second opinion and a doctor who is taking a lot more time to get me healthy.  He is also working more on my diabetes with me.

So 6 to 8 weeks is a long time to feel normal again but at least it looks like there in an end in site.  I have my good days, and my bad days, my good hours and my bad hours.  This morning was kind of rough but at this very moment I feel good.  I took a long walk before eating a health lunch.

I also plugged in a humidifier that is really helping me.