My Panic Disorder/anxiety Attacks & Medication

A dear friend of mine was killed on October 19 on November 17 I had an awful panic/anxiety attack, but didn't know what it was at the time.

The first thing I felt was aggrivation, then confusion, fear, paranoia, light-headedness and distachment from reality. I felt as if I was going crazy. I even had thoughts that didn't seem to be my own.

I tried to take a shower and go to sleep but my heart was racing and my body started to shake and I was terrified that I was going mentally insane. My hands and feet were also very tingly. I had my boyfriend call 911 and the paramedics took my vitals and tested my blood sugar and took me to the hospital where they checked my vitals for the 2nd time. They told me I was perfectly healthy. The doctor at the hospital said he didn't see any reason to take any blood tests and sent me home.

I took a gravol that night and watched a calm movie and went to sleep. The next day I felt as if I were in a daze and was trying hard to feel normal although I didn't. I went to Wal-Mart with my boyfriend and became confused, paranoid, scared and distached from reality. I felt as if I was going to forget where I was and who I was and nothing felt real.

For the next few days I still felt as if I were in a daze, dreaming and distached from myself. I would wake up in the middle of the night terrified that I would forget to breath and would die in my sleep. I saw a doctor and he said it sounded very likely that I was suffering from anxiety and prescribed Ativan (0.5mg). He told me to take it as needed but not to exceed a certain amount a day.

The ativan would calm me down and make me sleepy, like gravol would. It gave me great sleep and I never woke up in the middle of the night. However, I still felt like I was in a daze during the day so I saw my family doctor and he prescribed Effexor (37.5mg). Effexor is an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pill.

I've been taking the pill once a day for 6 days in a row now. At first it made me very tired during the day (which is a side affect) and I had a good couple of days but I still feel as if the panic/anxiety is hovering over me and waiting to attack.

At night I feel a very mild form of an attack when I get into bed and during the day I'm started to feel in a daze again and slightly dream-like. I watch funny tv shows and movies to take my mind off of things and I do relaxing things and concentrate on my breathing. However, this doesnt make the 'daze' and dream-like feelings from going away.

I'm also developing a fear of traveling far from my home, as I feel my room is my 'safe zone'.

I'd like to know if anyone else is on medication for panic/anxiety attacks and how long will it take for these uncomfortable feelings to go away? Also, is it a wise thing to be on medication for panic/anxiety attacks?