Hey Kate

I know the contest is pretty silly, but I would love to win Wellsphere's Health Blogger Award

I would appreciate it if you could <a href="http://www.wellsphere.com/voteBlogger.s?bloggerId=92707">cast a vote for me.</a>

It might even boost your good karma.
 

How wonderful to have a place like this to receive answers and support toward a goal of overall wellness.  I started having panic attacks years ago, after having two pneumothorax's and then a landslide of symptoms.  I was told I had MS, or Lou Gerig's, then possibly a brain tumor, cancer, etc.  then finally a well respected pulmonary specialist told me because I was a woman and it was common, the chest pain I was having was "all in my head" and was due to depression and anxiety.  Well guess what...I then started having anxiety and panic attacks!! thinking I was crazy.  I saw another specialist who immediately ordered tests and found that I had an ulcerated esophagus with erosion and the swelling was putting pressure on my heart causing tachychardia.  I went a year before that diagnosis of non stop panic attacks which interfered with the raising of my children, my job, my life.  I was blessed because they then went away for the following 15yrs and came back recently.  I now have fear of the fear, fear of the dentist, hospital, any procedures in a hospital and flying.  I have upcoming surgery and am trying to get control of my panic and anxiety but am struggling.  I live in a small town upnorth in Michigan and you are lucky to find a counselor or therapist of any kind, then they say anxiety is not their area...so no access to bio-feedback or any type of help.  Here it is just prescriptions for anti depressents, which I know are helpful but which have now put 25lbs on me that I can't get rid of.  Do you know of any other type of assistance that is helpful with anti depressents?