Panic attacks suck

[M4P]

I started having panic attacks last summer. It was the worst feeling ever. I thought I was having a stroke - lost my strength, I'd sweat, tremble and, when it happened, I'd be terrified to be alone. I'd walk around the house with the cordless phone in my hands

I endured the attacks on and off for a month. I saw my doctor right after it started and he thought it might be a virus. Two weeks later I was sent for bloodwork and they tested me for everything under the sun - nothing! Two weeks later my doctor diagnosed me with depression and prescribed Effexorer

Here's a great website for the drug:

http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=4513

Funny but I started feeling better while waiting to have the prescription filled. I think my recovery was a combination of the meds as well as learning about my condition. Also, talking to other people who've gone through it made a difference

Another good resource is a book my doctor recommended called The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

http://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Phobia-Workbook-Edmund-Bourne/dp/157224223X

The book has been helpful

I've only experienced two panic attacks since August and they've been relatively mild. I think a big reason for this is because I know what's going on and breath slowly and tell myself its okay

I'm still on the meds but we (my doctor and I) hope he can put me on a lower dosage by summer and eventually take me off them altogether

I hope this helps you and I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss in more detail


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[tbh77]

I've had several panic attacks, but the most severe one happened about 4 years ago and was work related. I was so stressed out about the upcoming day that started feeling sick to my stomach as I got ready for work, then came coldness and sweating so bad that I was just dripping from everywhere. Next came white spots in my eyes and I knew then that I had to lie down and the only place I could get to was the doorway between my bedroom and the bath. I was lying there trying to breathe normally when the tightness in my chest started----a heart attack???. I freaked out and called 911; the paramedics talked me into going the hospital----no heart attack but I did get out of work for a day!!! Now I take a drug for aniexty----it works well and no more problems.

Pushover, make sure you get yourself checked out. The whole thing maybe simple to control. The meds I take calm me down and I haven't had anymore problems; but added to that I finally changed jobs to reduce the stress. Make sure you find out what stimulated the problem----it maybe a simple fix.

 

[gsdx]

I've posted this before, but I thought my breathing exercises might help others.

They work because so much concentration is required if done properly that you forget about the attack and concentrate on the breathing instead. And they can be one anywhere and in any position. No-one need even know that you're doing them.

There are 2 parts to the exercise and those are repeated as often as necessary. It's a good idea to practise this beforehand so you can do it properly when you feel an attack coming on or to deal with one which has taken hold.

Part 1 - Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose whilst counting very slowly (in your head) from 1 to 10. Begin inhaling as you begin counting and try to time it so that you are still inhaling when you reach 10, but your lungs should be near full to bursting as well. (This is the part which takes practise.) It usually takes me from 30 to 40 seconds to count to 10 at the speed I go, but I have had several years of practise at it.

Part 2 - Reverse the process and breathe out through the mouth, counting just as slowly to 10 again. By the time you finish counting, your lungs should be empty of air.

Repeat as often as you must. You should find yourself becoming more relaxed after each cycle.

As I said, this takes plenty of practise to get the timing down. Try not to adjust the speed of your counting once you start. Instead, adjust the speed of your breathing, no matter how difficult it becomes.

It works miracles for me and may help you as well.

 

[gsdx]

PS - I don't take, nor have I ever taken, any sort of drugs for the attacks. I use only my breathing exercises.

 

[Hugo]

I am really sorry to hear about your panic attacks, Pushover. I know from personal experience how awful they are. I am glad the replies you have gotten so far reflect the reality of personal experience and acknowledge they are difficult to manage. I hope some of the suggestions have been helpful, as well as the knowledge that you are not alone in this experience, you do survive them, and you can overcome them. We're thinking of you. Good luck, buddy.

 

[Pushover]

I went through a hard depression about 11 years ago. I had a couple of panic attacks during that time. Most of the time, I was in an anxious state. The doctor prescribed zoloft. Since that takes a while to work, she also gave me klonopin. The klonopin worked wonders. Essentially, it takes the physiological symptoms away (ie the knotty, anxious stomach). I remember the morning I took the first one was the most normal I'd felt in months. It's not a long-term solution because it is narcotic, I think. It was used to bridge the gap to the zoloft. Eventually, I dropped the zoloft and was able to deal.

Zoloft had little or no effect on me. I took it for two months and it did absolutely nothing.

 

[Christopher123]

Add me to the list. I'm kind of an 'anxiety newbie' (was diagnosed Feb 1st after being in the hospital for hours on end while they tried figuring out what was wrong with me). I wrote all about it in my latest blog, in case anyone is interested. That way I don't have to type it all out again.

My main problem right now is insomnia. I'll go to bed and go to sleep fine, but then I always wake up about 4am and toss and turn until around 6:30. Sometimes it's just the usual tossing and turning and other times the anxiety hits me and I wake up in a sweat and my heart is pounding and I have butterflies in my stomach and I can't breathe very well. In those cases I get up and take a pill. I've been prescribed lorazepam (generic for ativan) and that usually works to calm me down. I only take 0.5mg at a time.

But this anxiety crap blindsided me, I didn't see it coming, and had my first really bad panic attack the day before Thanksgiving (yes I know anxiety is something that builds for years, it doesn't just show up on your doorstep one day). The rest of them have been fairly mild, but I've had 2 that were really bad; was hyperventilating, I couldn't get enough air. I don't think my heart has ever beat that fast in my life, I thought it was going to explode. I was dizzy, ready to pass out, and thought I was dying. If I could have walked to the phone (which I couldn't have or I woulda hit the floor) I would have called 911. My first one only last a few minutes. My next one last a couple of hours. And the shortness of breath would sometimes go on all day. I've had days where I was pretty positive I wasn't gonna live to see the next couple of hours. But I eventually learned to tell myself that I was NOT gonna die from a panic attack, that it would pass, and I think that's what helped to lessen them some.

So yeah. I'm there too. I don't know how the hell this happened or where it came from, but it happened and it's here and it's just something I'm trying to deal with. My doctor put me with a therapist and that seems to be helping. My biggest problem is just the loneliness. It's excruciating. Nobody around me knows what's happening to me or how to help me. If I didn't have my therapist to pour out my guts to every week, I'd lose it completely. Mostly because I'm scared. I don't understand what's happening to me.

And, so... I'm there too. A JUB friend I still talk to alerted me to this thread cuz he still peeks in here from time to time and thought it might be of interest to me, since he knows I'm going through this same thing.

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble.

 

[ElMmSM]

It's like your entire body is shaking and you have little or no control over it. Being afraid to go out of your own home, get a job, drive a car, disliking large groups of people, and being naturally suspicious and edgy is no way to live, yes.

that describes me perfectly. But I've never had a panic attack like that, or any really. The most I've gone through is just like a breakdown occasionally.

 

[Christopher123]

It's like your entire body is shaking and you have little or no control over it. Being afraid to go out of your own home, get a job, drive a car, disliking large groups of people, and being naturally suspicious and edgy is no way to live, yes.

This is what they refer to as Agoraphobia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agoraphobia

 

[Pushover]

This is what they refer to as Agoraphobia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agoraphobia

Yeah, I know the phobia. I'm not THAT bad when I'm out in public but I'd say it's the nearest thing to. I certainly don't have an actual fear of public places, but I do get extremely self-conscious and easily irritated when outside the home.

 

[Christopher123]

Yeah, I know the phobia. I'm not THAT bad when I'm out in public but I'd say it's the nearest thing to. I certainly don't have an actual fear of public places, but I do get extremely self-conscious and easily irritated when outside the home.

Oddly, most of my anxiety attacks come in the middle of the night. I don't have that much anxiety during the day anymore, not like I used to. But nighttime is the worst for me. In fact my sleep cycle is completely screwed. I don't sleep well at night, so lately I've been trying to sleep during the day.

I have an appt. with my doctor on Monday to discuss this insomnia crap because it's driving me up the wall and it's wearing me out.

I'm so tired of this shit. I just wanna lay down at night and go to sleep like most normal people do. Some nights I literally cry myself back to sleep... if I get back to sleep at all.

 

[M4P]

Oddly, most of my anxiety attacks come in the middle of the night. I don't have that much anxiety during the day anymore, not like I used to. But nighttime is the worst for me. In fact my sleep cycle is completely screwed. I don't sleep well at night, so lately I've been trying to sleep during the day.

I have an appt. with my doctor on Monday to discuss this insomnia crap because it's driving me up the wall and it's wearing me out.

I'm so tired of this shit. I just wanna lay down at night and go to sleep like most normal people do. Some nights I literally cry myself back to sleep... if I get back to sleep at all.

Prior to going on the medication I wasn't sleeping well. Now I find I'm out like a light when my head hits the pillow and I sleep very soundly

Do discuss this with your doctor. A friend of mine in Montreal is on a different med than I am but was having trouble with sleep. His doctor prescribed a mild sleeping pill which is working wonders for him

 

[Christopher123]

Prior to going on the medication I wasn't sleeping well. Now I find I'm out like a light when my head hits the pillow and I sleep very soundly

Do discuss this with your doctor. A friend of mine in Montreal is on a different med than I am but was having trouble with sleep. His doctor prescribed a mild sleeping pill which is working wonders for him

Thank you so much, that gives me encouragement. Because I've been paranoid about taking any sleep aids, even melatonin, while taking the ativan because I'm afraid of drug interaction. I mean, ativan is, basically, a tranquilizer. However, oddly enough, the ativan doesn't make me sleepy. It works wonders for taking the edge off of my anxiety, but it does nothing to promote sleep for me.

 

[M4P]

Thank you so much, that gives me encouragement. Because I've been paranoid about taking any sleep aids, even melatonin, while taking the ativan because I'm afraid of drug interaction. I mean, ativan is, basically, a tranquilizer. However, oddly enough, the ativan doesn't make me sleepy. It works wonders for taking the edge off of my anxiety, but it does nothing to promote sleep for me.

You need to discuss this with your doctor. Perhaps he/she doesn't have you on the right medication? There are so many

I'm glad this thread has been revived. I find it very helpful and wish it had been around when I was suffering last summer

Thanks guys

 

[springboksfan]

I'd never had one in my life until I switched from Zoloft to Wellbutrin in an attempt to kill two birds with one...er, pill. Then they came on randomly and with such force I was stunned. I've never been so miserable in my life as in the midst of an attack. I quit taking the Wellbutrin and they went away (not immediately, but eventually).

Lately I've had a few minor ones again. I'm assuming my stress level is the cause these days.

 

[Christopher123]

You need to discuss this with your doctor. Perhaps he/she doesn't have you on the right medication? There are so many

Well I'll be honest about something... my doctor has actually prescribed Celexa for me, but I don't wanna take it. The whole bottle is still sitting in my cabinet. I have this 'fear' of anti-depressants. Just something I haven't gotten over yet. That and my anxiety is getting better (I think my therapy is helping), it's just the night thing that I'm having trouble with right now. I just want to be able to sleep.

Has anyone else taken Celexa? I guess that's a form of Lexapro, right? See, I'm paranoid of the side-effects I've read so much about. Including crazy shit like inability to achieve orgasm???



If anyone else here has taken Celexa and can tell me about their experiences on it, I'd appreciate it very much.

I'm going to bed now (well... I'm gonna TRY, I guess I should say) but I'll check back on this thread tomorrow

 

[Christopher123]

I'd never had one in my life until I switched from Zoloft to Wellbutrin in an attempt to kill two birds with one...er, pill. Then they came on randomly and with such force I was stunned. I've never been so miserable in my life as in the midst of an attack. I quit taking the Wellbutrin and they went away (not immediately, but eventually).

Lately I've had a few minor ones again. I'm assuming my stress level is the cause these days.

I've read "horror" stories about Wellbutrin as well.

 

[springboksfan]

Christopher, I've been on Celexa since about 2003. It's been good for me. The usual side effects from anti-d's seem to be minimal in regard to Celexa. I remember with Zoloft, the sexual side effects seemed to last forever. With Celexa, the orgasm shyness (as I like to call it) only lasted a couple of weeks; and I don't think it has diminished my drive much at all.

I've been out for about two weeks and can definitely tell a difference (my roommate hates me lol). Long post short, you really shouldn't worry about this drug, IMHO.

 

[gsdx]

I'm glad this thread has been revived. I find it very helpful and wish it had been around when I was suffering last summer

Thanks guys

There have been many threads posted about panic/anxiety attacks over the past few years but, each time a new thread pops up, we discover many more Jubbers who thought they were alone in the world for suffering from them. Even if we help one person with each new thread, then that is an accomplishment.

 

[Christopher123]

(my roommate hates me lol).

Awwww

Yeah, I know, I've kinda heard the same thing about the Celexa, that it isn't as "side-effecty" as other anti-anxiety/anti-depressants.

I dunno. I'll think about it. I mean, I definitely can't stay on the Lorazepam for the rest of my life, although I've read about people taking that and Xanax (they're all benzodiazepines) for like 10 years or something crazy like that.