Constantly out of breath, overwhelmed

[gillianstothard]

Hi,

I just turned 17 and I am a girl. For about the last 4 weeks, I have felt constantly out of breath. I am always trying to get really deep breaths and I always seem to have to fake a yawn in order to get a satisfying breath. I don't know if I am explaining this right but I have a wierd feeling in the back of my throat/lungs that is only satisfied when I take a good deep breath (which happens very rarely). I always feel sort of as if all the air is being sucked out of the room and I'm the only one that notices. This is extremely terrifying and I feel like I am dying. In fact I am surprised I am still alive. I am absolutely terrified to be alone. I freak out when my parents leave for work in the morning because I have to be home alone all day (I am doing online school this year so I don't leave every day to go to a school building). I guess I'm scared that I will suffocate and pass out and no one will be home with me to call 911. I have been to the doctors twice. The first time I didn't mention anxiety because I didn't think at all that that is what it could be. Sure I have a lot of stuff going on (school, dance, SAT's, trying to get into college, about to become an adult, etc.) but honestly when I think about those things it does not stress me out. It just makes me excited. Anyway, so because I didn't mention anxiety, the doctor just listened to my lungs and she said they sounded great. She prescribed singulair in case my 'airways needed more opening' , but she sounded so passive about it I've been too scared to take the meds. She basically said "I think you're fine, but if you want these meds, here they are".  I don't want to take unneccesary chemicals that could cause side effects if the doctor doesn't even think I have a real problem. So I went home hoping it would get better.
IT ONLY GOT ABOUT TEN MILLION TIMES WORSE. I started having awful panic attacks. I would (and still do) get diarrhea all the time, terrible bloating and stomach pains, chest pains, thinking I was having a heart attack, losing feeling and tingling in my arms, feet, legs, and shoulder. And I still constantly felt like I couldn't breathe. Honestly I just wished I could sleep all day so I didn't have to be tortured while I was awake.  So I went back to the doctor a couple days later and asked if she thought it could be anxiety. She listened to my lungs and heartbeat, said they both sounded great, and said it was probably anxiety. She prescribed zoloft which I have been too scared to take out of fear of side affects. (just thought i should mention this fear of medication thing is not new, I have always been scared of what certain meds might do to me). I also went to see a therapist who just kind of made me upset because I felt ok (although still not breathing normally) at the time of the appointment which I went to with my parents. And she was so suprised I wasn't feeling anxious at the appointment because apparently going to therapy makes most people anxious. But no one understands how I feel. MY ANXIETY IS NOT CAUSING MY BREATHING PROBLEMS.  I FEEL LIKE I CAN'T BREATHE, WHICH THEN CAUSES ME TO FEEL ANXIOUS. Additionally, lately I have started to feel just plain strange. I am constantly exhausted, and I usually feel as if I am out of my body if that makes sense? Like when I'm walking around or even just sitting there I feel like I'm not really there. I just don't know what to do. When I hang out with my friends I pretend everything is fine and I try to forget about it, but I just can't. It's like I can't make my brain stop thinking about it. No breathing exercises have helped me. Does anyone have any ideas for what will help? I cry every day because I am so scared that I will feel like this forever.

[tommy1234567]

It's anxiety. Anxiety can do some really weird stuff to you trust me & the feeling of being out of your body it's called derealization it will not do you no harm. I'm going through some stuff right now to I'm a 18 year old male an I have panic attacks so bad I went to the er to only be told it's anxiety I've been going through derealization too where I feel like im not real an stuff ain't real I feel as if im out of my body it's so scary sis trust me.... Im finding it so hard to cope but it will go away eventually my doctor just prescribed me lexapro last night i took it for the first time don't read the side effects I was terrified to take it but I wanna be normal an get my life back so I'm willing to try anything at this point it's been 3 weeks for me feeling this way not to mention I feel dizzy an get head aches there is alot of people out there like us it's misery God bless I'll pray for you...