Set up appointments to see a psychiatrist (for meds), and a psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders. You should be able to get referrals from your primary care doctor.

The people who have told you that the panic and anxiety will just "go away" do not know what they are talking about. The good news is that panic and anxiety are treatable, if you get help from the right people.

In the meantime, it might be worth checking out this page to help you better understand your anxiety:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topic...rs/index.shtml

If researching anxiety causes you to panic, then it might be better to hold off until you can get an appointment with a specialist.

Hang in there; I know how awful panic is.