Thank you for your query. you seem to have described the symptoms of Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The emergency surgery and the ways it has changed, interfered and manipulated with your life has taken a toll on you. This is absolutely understandable and as normal as a reaction can be. However, in order to get our lives back on track and with all the hospital and doctor visits, the financial crisis, the upset routine at home and your helplessness, we forget to feel and deal with our suffering. this then digs roots in our brain and grows silently in the background, popping out on us as and when it pleases. Our body s and mind s normal response in one of defense . this includes preparing our body for fighting back ( increased blood flow, heart rate and pressure, with maximum supply to the muscles and brain) Our mind tries to run away from the negative and scary feeling and pushes it farther away. The first step is to identify the exact feeling that causes you distress. Not the cause and result but the trigger. You have to train your mind too seek out this weed that is growing everyday and becomes stronger, the longer it is supressed or ignored. The brain does its work by transmitting signals using chemicals ,ions and other particle matter. Medications interfere with this transmission or put the brain in a sedative state that prevent it from communicating to your conscious mind. This may be useful in severe conditions or if the anxiety is so overwhelming that you have no normalcy at life. I believe that you are not in either of those situations and urge you to actively pursue the above suggestion. Hypnotic therapy may be useful, talking about your experiences and monitoring your responses while you do will help you undertand your problem better. when you are aware and know what is wrong, you can do something about it by simply and repeatedly telling yourself that you wont let it affect you anymore. Anxiety is our body s way of telling us something is wrong. Dont try to shut it out. Medication will only deal with the symptoms temporarily. Also try meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga. these will help you regulate your normal body functions, especially breathing and can calm you down if you practice them when you feel and anxiety attack coming along. These attacks are relayed through chemical signals that your sensory perception conveys to it. you could easily divert your mind to something that is known to be pleasant or pleasurable or a happy memory for you, thus sending different signals to your brain. Hope this helps. I am not sure if this is what you expected but I beleive this is what will give you better, lasting effects in a PTSD setting. WIsh you good health and we at HCM will be happy to answer any further queries you may have