First of all hello everyone. I spent an awful lot of time reading your comments and experiences, and I think it's only fair I posted mine. I'm not happy that some of you guys are feeling really off, might feel even worse than me..but your posts helped me get through the night!
I'm 19 y/o and it all started in May 2014. After going to the doctor for a persistent cough (smoker, guilty) and getting no prescription, I decided to take over-the-counter Benylin cough syrup. I took a double dose twice that day by sheer mistake, and that night I had a royally severe.. "panic attack?" episode. It was a horrible nightmare that lasted a few hours with my heart rate racing off the charts, and I had to make my parents call 911 because I couldn't do it myself. At the hospital the doctor never said anything and told me to go home.
Ever since this incident, I've been having exaggerated symptoms of anxiety, exaggerated sensitivity to heat.. as if I was drunk ALL the time. Actually having a drink re-establishes some kind of feeling of normality for a little while..I don't feel "head pressure" so much.. and it seems like the "congestion" is temporarily gone. I also suddenly can't stand horror/action movies, or electronic music.. to the point where I'd get palpitations and dizziness, I need to stop watching or listening and go outside. I feel most anxious at night or sunset.. I feel weirdly sensitive to artificial light.. my eyes are red at the same spots no matter how much I sleep, it's so bad I stopped drinking coffee, and it didn't change. I feel dizzy..or disoriented..sometimes.
If I even let myself think there's something wrong with me, my body temperature suddenly seems to rise and I feel out of it, like a cycle I can't get out of.. especially when I'm having a conversation, I can space out for a minute without warning, then not realizing what happened, I lost track of what the other person was saying...that would make me feel retarded.
I had a tough 2 years of College, and had a rough time about everything concerning my future. My love life was emotionally unstable, and I basically felt like I had nothing under control. I finally got it resolved this year, everything is in place. I would expect that I wouldn't feel anxiety symptoms since it's all in place, but I do now like never..mystery.
I don't know what's up with me, I'm 20 y/o and this can't be serious...but it's affecting my everyday life..
I thought this "buzzed" feeling from the "Benylin" incident would go away in a few days.. but it has been 2 months and I'm scared... doctors don't know what it is, since I'm apparently fine physically... however I never had a brain scan.. no family history of Parkinson's (yes, it came up #2 post in Google search from my symptoms. It just had to, right??) or any other mental disorder.
P.S.: I take Yaz hormonal estrogen pills since 2 years..
Any of you think prolonged panic attacks can cause brain damage? I'm lost.
Thanks for reading, means a lot!
-Firecandy