Battling for 13 years of Hypochondriasis, but still going...

[mrdanielpartridge]

After many doctors including internal medicine, family practice, psychologists and psychiatrists...I am here to say that you can deal with and overcome this type of disorder.

Just today I was feeling especially anxious, and I found that my throat was tight and sore.  I went on-line and looked up some stuff on hypochondria and found this website.  I felt better after reading some of the posts on here, and I wanted to take part in this wonderful site.  I think I may be able to help some other people...just as I got some help in looking out there to find a few people like me.  I am on PAXIL, BUSPAR and KLONOPIN, and I have been for over 5 years now.  I still get anxiety attacks from time to time, but I have the tools to head them off at the pass before I spiral into a mess of doctor visits, nagging friends and family and sleepless nights. 

I remember sometime in 1992 and into 1993 this all started in college.  I was always running to the campus health center.  I always tried getting a diagnosis of my ailment physically (Always thinking I had some sort of cancer the terminal kind.), but I always found that a doctor was telling me I was fine physically.  In yet, I would continue to question the doctor's diagnosis.  I have had blood tests, EKG and even a colonoscopy.  I finally got to a point, crying in an urgent care office, that I realized that I needed help beyond my normal doctor...I needed a mental diagnosis.  Sometime in 1996 or 1997, I started seeing a psychiatrist, but I was not ready just to pop a pill.  I started seeing a psychologist.  It helped, but I got to a point where I felt fine and stopped going.  I then moved to another town and got another job.  A few months later, anxiety reared its ugly head again.  I went to the doctor (internal medicine) who agreed I was fine but that I could use some psych help.  I started seeing a psychologist again in 1998.  That was good, but each time anxiety came up...it came harder and longer with more teeth and tenacity than previous.  My wife finally said, you need more help or we are not going to have kids and our marriage was uncertain in 1999 going into 2000.

I scheduled an appointment with my psychologist again to discuss this BOMB my wife just dropped.  This psychologist is more of the holistic type...a practicing native American shaman if you will, and he said that medication would help me definitely.  I scheduled a visit with the psychiatrist at the same office.  He started me on PAXIL and KLONOPIN.  The KLONOPIN was to help me sleep as I was having bad panic attacks at night and early morning hours.  The PAXIL was for what he diagnosed as GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder in early 2000.

PAXIL takes a long time for the full benefits to become realized.  It took me 2 months to become used to it, and I had to change dosage a couple of times.  A few anxiety attacks later made the Dr. add BUSPAR to maximize the effect of PAXIL.  I have continued to take a small dose of KLONOPIN as I still have the most trouble at night and in the morning.  I can honestly say it has turned my life around.  I can function normally.  I can recognize things that trigger my anxiety and stop it or prevent it or at the least lessen it.

That is a little bit of my story, and I am willing to chat and share more with anyone who is interested.  Thank you.
Jon

[mistayken]

I am interested in how anxiety effects you in the early morning hours. I am sleeping sound for only a few hours and then I am in and out of sleep and sick in the stomach. After I get up and move around the feeling goes away. Of course I am convinced that I am sick because my blood pressure is too high or low.