39 years old and was diagnosed with anxiety for 2 years now

[Ebbie08]

Hi all, I was wondering if I'm the only older person in this website because when I read your comments some of you are either 20 or 21 years old and I'm wondering how come I got anxiety at an older age.  If anyone have answers please let me know, I'm just curious, hope all is well and we just have to stick together to beat this illness.  I hate it!!!!!

[daisy7113]

Well, that is hard to say. I am 26 years old. Mine started the beginning of this year after a death in the family followed by a miscarriage 10 days later. I am still struggling day after day. You are right, it's no fun. Mine all come out in physical symptoms, rather than emotional for some people.
We do all need to stick together. People who have never experienced this have a hard time trying to understand. My husband for one doesnt understand. The answer of "it just happens" doesnt seem to suffice him. But he tries to be supportive.
I think it can hit at any age really. Depends on if something has happened in your life to bring it out.

Do take care!

[MATT12]

Ebbie08,

not to the point i want to be called older, but if it helps
i think mine stated really bad at age 32-33 i'm now 36.
i'm not really sure why my HA started but i'm just tring to deal with it.
Everyday is a stuggle.

[Ebbie08]

thank you guys for that.  My husband also doesn't understand that this just happens without it being provoked.  But he's also supportive.  I think my panic disorder was brought on when a girl that lived a block from me was found dead because she was drinking and smoking at her house and it burned with her in it, so ever since that incident nothing was ever the same for me.  So I guess that's what brought on my panic and anxiety attacks.

[firebird]

hi ebbie,

i'm here since last week. can't tell you if there are much more younger people here. Normally, there are more women with anxiety problems than man and in the majority of the cases, people with anxiety problems are older. So, i think younger people use more internet, that's why you get that impression.

greetz

[Godb4me]

I was 31 when the anxiety started (AWFUL BAD), im now 33. You might have your hormones checked b/c its not unusual for a 37 yr old to start menopause....jst a thought?  I wonder if mine isnt hormones too b/c i get way way worse about 7-10 days before my cycle, then afterwards I have a period of feeling pretty much normal for a week or two. take care! 

[Deemet99]

i am 35, but my anxiety started way back when i was 20.  had my first episode then. 
but i do remember being very nervous as a child, always.  (my mom was a worrywart,  )

i do think there is something to the increased anxiety and hormones as well.  i am worse now than ever before and i also experience really bad anxiety a week before my period.  i was thinking of asking the doctor about that on my next visit.

it is so frustrating for me to have a husband who does not understand this illness and shows no support, but everyone here has been a tremendous amount of support, and i look forward to reading all the messages. 
i think anxiety affects a wide variety of people.  either you have it or you dont, and if you do...you know it!
danielle

[Ebbie08]

I also feel so much support from you guys, everytime I start getting anxiety I come to this website and I start to feel much better.  In regards to hormones, I asked my gyn doctor if it's possible that my anxiety is coming from hormones or premenopause he said absolutely not and that was it.  I'm still not convinced, I will definetely ask my pshychiatrist if that can be the case.  Thanks once again you guys, God Bless all of you and we need to stick together and support each other to beat this evil thing......

[firebird]

there's evidence that anxiety problems are related with hormones. look at this article:

http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/13/3/396

''Patients with generalized anxiety have significantly lower levels of the hormone pregnenolone''

Pregnenolone, allopregnanolone and other brain-hormones increase the inhibiting neurons like GABA, but also serotonine. When you have a defect hormone-system, this could result in anxiety problems. In 2009 ganaxolone will be released. This is a neurosteroid.

Some women use progesterone for there anxiety problems. Don't understand why your doctor said that.

[MissWhat_If]

Ebbie--

I agree with Firebird.  I think you are seeing so many 20-somethings on here simply because a greater majority of the users of online forum are that age.

My GAD was diagnosed when I was 31, however, I now realize it's been there since early childhood.  The physical symptoms just weren't obvious growing up.  I always wondered why I had such weird things happening to me all the time.  I never thought of asking a doctor.  Now, looking back, all the nausea, insomnia, flushing face, and cold hands/feet make sense.

[Dune]

Hi Ebbie

I'm older as well. Anxiety tends to manifest itself first in young age, hence why people who end up here are younger usually - or by the time they have had GAD for 10 years most wont be coming here anymore as they will have found a to either live with it, or dont research the area anymore.

Thyroid hormones are the ones that have the most impact on anxiety/depression, so get you TSH/T3/T4 levels checked.
Also, you may have low/high levels of cortisol. Again these can be checked via a blood test.
I would suspect that if you did have lower neurosteroid levels due to peri-menopause you would be seeing other physical symptoms as well (flushing, thinning hair, thinning skin, etc).

There is no guarantee, indeed the chances are low, that ganaxolone will be released in 2009 or at all so I wouldnt pin hopes on that.
But there is renewed interest in neurosteroids and hopefully someone will crack the code.

[Deemet99]

dune
i have thyroid issues, haven't had em tested in a while.  also wondering about peri menopause like you mentioned earlier, have those symptoms as well, but never tested. im only 35, is that too young?  you seem to be pretty knowledgable, and wanted your opinion, but i will check out the site firebird entered above.
thanks,
danielle

[Tannyluck]

Hi there, 
 I don't know what you'd consider to be older, but I'm 32. I've read alot about younger people as well. I also know that I've suffered with my anxiety for a long time. I just didn't know what it was until recently (as silly as that sounds).

[Ebbie08]

Dune, I have a thyroid problem, I've been taking synthroid for years, I was told thyroid can definetely play a part in axiety but my question is how come did I get this so late in life but if it happens then i guess I have my answer.  Thank you guys for all your replies this place is awesome and I definetely feel good after being here.  take care all.

[Gusizzy]

Hi all,

I'm 40 and have struggled with anxiety for over 20 years.  Just now getting treatment - went on zolot a week ago.  I've never really let my anxiety/panic stop me from doing things but it sure has made life hell most of the time!  My doctor put me on zoloft as I finally admitted my anxiety as I'm dealing with a divorce.  She also recommended a psychiatrist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy.  I'm very curious to learn more about it as I hate resorting to medication. 

Have you tried medication?  My first week on zoloft has been awful but all I keep hearing is "hang in there" as it can take a few weeks for the side effects to subside (I'm sleeping a lot and fuzzy-headed and my anxiety has increased).

I just recently found this website and find it very helpful.  The chat room is nice too.

[shanks]

i am 32 and i have been suffering from severe anxiety disorder for the past 2yrs also.no amount of medications seems to have helped me either. i feel trapped and helpless.

[vicky28]

My panic attacks started when I was 35.  I had never had one before.  I was put on medication but after not having any panic attacks for a while i stopped the meds.  Then 9 months later here I am again with panic attacks, worse than before.  I have the same symptoms everyone else has described. Palpitations, racing thoughts, fear of dying, lightheaded, dizzy, now I've started with a flushed feeling around my chest, waist and arms.  I have been hospitalized 3 times out of 4 for this in the past year.  I have had mutiple EKG's and an echo cardio gram which have been normal. 

[ekoworld]

Well I think I have had anxiety for the majority of my life and didn't really know it ,up until about 1 month ago I am not sure exactly what kind maybe GAD the Dr never really told me and guess I really didn't ask ,But I have been taking lorazepam(Ativan )since may 15th for the anxiety,and I have been taking Zoloft for 14 days now low dose as I am a wimp when it comes to side effects and all (baby steps) I find that I have been having to take the anxiety med on a regular basis 1mg 3 times a day I think the zoloft heightens the anxiety some,I feel tierd from both meds I am sure . But really if you look around hard enough or even go into the chat room there are older people here,I am 45, and I have been told that Peri menopause pre menopause and menopause can increase anxiety and panic disorders, I am Peri menopausal and my Dr.s have claimed you can start that at the age of 34-35 and it can last 4-10 years,yuk, you will find lots of info on this forum though tons of stuff and like I said check out the chat room also people in there can help with alot sometimes you just got to bud right in but they don't mind at all.

[traditionalgirl75]

I'm 36 & was always a nervous / anxious person but I didn't have an anxiety attack till a couple of years ago. Since then it's been really hard to keep under control :/

[Rik]

There are many of us here that are...well...well over 50

[Rudyray75]

I'm 53, I've suffered from anxiety and depression all my life! My worst symptoms started at 42, 2011 I started a new family, My dad died, My Mother right after plus 9-11.. I lost my house, I filed Bankruptcy, My whole world crumbled, Got Divorced.. Lost my job! Been the toughest 10 years of my life...........