Unfortunately GAD/anxiety/panic etc are not like the common cold, and just go away . Some folks will have 24/7 feelings that "something is amiss", others have symptoms that come and go....sometimes many times a day, some folks only several times a week. We are all different.

You have pinpointed your original trigger - the bat incident.........now u have to figure your triggers that keep this going.... for instance you mention a "twitch" somewhere. That's one of your triggers now. Its sorta like - Oh my gosh, my "whatever" feels different, there must be something wrong with me.....thus feeding your fear/anxiety, thus starting a cycle. One major key with anxiety/panic - there HAS to be fear before there can be anxiety/panic. We tend to be scanning our bodies all the time to see if there is anything different going on - we become hypervigilent. IF we can take the fear away, or replace it with rational self talk "Geez, my gut has twitched like this before and nothing was wrong, its just trying to get me all worked up, and guess what, I am going to ignore it", That will sorta trip your thinking (stinkin thinkin).....and where there is no fear, there is no anxiety/panic.

You mention waking up feeling ok - taking your walk and feel ok , have your coffee - and then it starts......see anything perhaps strange about that? Unless you are drinking decaff - thats the start of your problem. Caffeine is liquid anxiety !!! IMHO - everyone with panic/anxiety should get off ALL caffeine PDQ. You will be surprised at the difference this will make in your anxiety level !

Something else - taking Nyquil + Xanax + Vistaril = sleep.....no doubt in my mind (I might never wake up), but think about it like this - you take that amt of medication to calm you and sedate you, then when that wears off, your body is going to react......big time. Its a rebound effect. I realize we all need our sleep, some people think they need more than their body really requires.......but we WANT to sleep, so as not to have all these unpleasant sensations......been there, got a T shirt to prove it !

Unfortunately, I suffered with symptoms for 17 years before I was actually diagnosed ! Back when I had this crap going on - Docs had not been taught in Med School what it was ! Everything was treated as depression - I did not have depression - until they told me I did......we are REAL easy to convince we have something wrong with us that we don't. Once I found out what was wrong with me, had CBT, and In Vivo Therapy, and meds, I have been panic free for 15 1/2 years. Sure, I still get anxious from time to time - everyone does - even with NO dx of anxiety or panic - but I know what to do with it now...... I just LAUGH and say - "NO WAY are you going to trip my trigger, that little twitch in my gut (or where ever) means nothing, so leave me alone".....and it works.

I truly understand your frustration. PLEASE get the book I have mentioned many times - Anxiety,Phobias and Panic - Taking Charge and Conquering Fear by Reneau Z. Peuifoy. I used that book for 7 years facilitating a support group - and as far as I am concerned - its the best there is. I also use it with clients now that I see for In Vivo therapy. Not an easy read book - you have to WORK.......but I have seen it work wonders for literally 100's of people. Education about this disorder will give you power.....and this book will give you the education!

Good luck - but please remember, there is no magic pill, no over night cure. Like others , you have GAD or some form of anxiety disorder, and only you can do the work to learn how to deal with it. Medication helps for sure, but the underlying anxiety is still there - we have to know what to do with it ! Best of luck to ya !

THERE IS LIFE AFTER PANIC !