I later made inquiry at dive shop for more pool time...etc...or what my options are... i really dont want to give up.... they havent returned any response yet....my goal is to do some recreational diving while we vacation for the winter in hawaii....perhaps i should just do my OW testing there....however i think u have to do the dives within 6 months of the pool time... and i think i will be over 7 months before I am there....[/QUOTE:
More pool time sounds like a very good idea. Even though it was likely the heavy wetsuit and hood which initiated your feelings of confinement and anxiety, this time. It just as well could be any other unfamiliar circumstance, environmental change or challenge, marine life surprise, unfamiliar buddy action etc during a dive that could trigger anxiety and possibly escalate to panic in the future.
Some people can learn to recognize and respond appropriately in the face of symptoms of anxiety before they become compounded. Some people learn that in the underwater world their instinctive response to this kind of anxiety is too strong and that diving just is not a smart choice given the potential consequences if they are not able to develop a consistent, safe response even under stress.
So, first I would recommend double checking the fit of the wetsuit and hood with an instructor. Then, properly fit, I would highly recommend more pool time in the wetsuit and hood. More practice of some of the skills that you are least comfortable with especially using the hood, suit, and gloves with the goal to overcome some of your discomfort and anxiety.
I would recommend talking with an instructor who has a lot of experience about what you felt and experienced. Then, discussing with that instructor how you might practice, under their supervision, some small unexpected but likely skills challenges and then slightly more challenging conditions in a pool. I DO NOT recommend what used to be known as fright night in the pool where numerous DM's and Instructors used to subject a class of students to ripping off their masks or fins, unexpectedly releasing their weights, and other such things without any briefing and frequently when the pool facility lights were turned off.
If you find that you can reliably and repetitively respond to temporary discomfort and/or unexpected or anxious moments with self rescue skills (calming yourself, staying in the moment mentally, keeping situational awareness and making good decisions. AAnd, that you follow through with safe diving practice then decide if you still want to proceed. Make sure that you learn and practice: stop, breath, think, act .( I used to teach Safety Better Top All as a pneumonic to help students to remember the steps to avoid panic) If you demonstrate that you can apply this rule in a safe and consistent manner that allows you and your buddy to proceed and enjoy diving, then go forward if you wish.
Then, you should be able to proceed with completing your OW dives either in a cold water location, temperate water location like Hawaii, or a warmer water location. Most folks here, in Hawaii use full wetsuits (though usually thinner) and sometimes light weight hoods as well.
Though you may need to participate in a refresher course if more then 6 months passes between your most recent section of your classroom and pool class and the OW dives, you can proceed with training as long as you resume training within 1 year of the last class, pool, or dive signed off in your OW training record.
If you are able to develop the skill to respond safely when faced with anxiety you would be wise to plan a review of your skills with the instructor with whom you plan your OW dives anyway. This review will give you an opportunity, in pool like conditions, to get familiar with any equipment differences you will encounter, any stylistic differences you will encounter with a new instructor, and a chance to further reinforce your understanding and performance of your course skills. Taking things in smaller steps is how many divers who are initially a bit more anxious learn to mitigate their natural mammalian reponses to the unfamiliar triggers of being underwater.
I hope you find that this sport can be both safe and enjoyable for you. If so, you will grow with each experience if you choose wisely. If it feels neither safe nor enjoyable, for whatever reason, then it is not worth trying to "soldier on." There are so many choices of things to do in life that, no matter how geat our desire, pursuing something that we are not equipped to do and putting one's self and companion divers at risk is not worth it.
Best wishes. You will likely hear from many who had similar experiences-some who found they could continue with diving enjoyably and some who found other paths.