Panic attacks
 

This is a very sensitive subject, and if someone reading this doesn't feel comfortable with it, don't reply. I've been dealing with an anxiety disorder for about 6 years now. But six weeks ago it took a turn for the worst and i developed my first full blown panic attack. It had gotten so bad that i had to withdraw from school for a semester, and i hadn't left the house until yesterday. Now things are looking up finally as i broke my main fear yesterday (really hard) and am doing a little better (i have more work ahead of me yet). Is there anyone else who's had this problem? And can you tell me how you delt with it?

Are you already on a prescription drug regimen?

Re: Panic attacks
 

Sorry to hear about your struggles. I'm not an expert but I have a lot patients who deal with panic attacks and anxiety disorders. If it is getting so bad that you have to leave school and can't get on with your life, you truly need professional help. I know the medications aren't perfect, but I have seen them work wonders for people.

One thing about anxiety disorder and panic attacks, the prognosis is generally pretty good. It won't feel like this forever. Get youself some help. It can be a life saver. Good luck!

I have dealt with anxiety disorder since I quit self medicating about 8 years ago. I thought I could remain chemical free, but after about a year & a half I had to see a doctor because I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't get out of bed. After explaining what was going on (omitting my drug history), he asked me if I had a history of using my drug of choice. I was shocked & stated that I didn't want anything in my medical records that reflected such. He said he sees people like me everyday. He gave me a prescription & explained how it would work coupled with my recovery program.

I have progressed enough in my program that I no longer need to take medication, but faced with that kind of anxiety again, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to the doctor.

People who look down their nose at others who seek professional help for these kinds of problems are simply ignorant & have no clue to the personal hell that is involved. I suspect some in recovery programs buy into this backward thinking & end up doing their meditation with a gun in their mouth.

Wow, took a lot of courage to post this on a public forum, I commend you. Have you been able to identify the "trigger" to your anxiety? You are not alone. Depression and anxiety go way back in my family tree. Seek some help before you get worse. There are a lot of choices in medications these days and you should be able to find one that has minimal side effects. Excercise can help too. Best of luck to you!

Yep, we appreciate your courage. I've had the shortness of breath phenomenon, but nothing like you're dealing with. Moses is correct. The field of psychology is still very much full of *****, but it has stumbled upon some techniques that can be effective. Further, clinical psychology is at least as much a gift as a skill. there are psychologists who are useless, and a few that are worth their weight in gold. find one of the latter. Also, yes there are drugs that can get you on top of this problem, where you can consciously deal with it. I do wish you the best of luck.

I also commend your courage. I turned myself into an alcoholic at the age of 21 trying to self medicate. I dried up with the help of a doctor. I was diagnosed with severe panic disorder, meaning medication was about the only way to go. I have been alcohol free and on a very good CNS depressant for about 12 years now. I live a full and happy life with a good job and a family. My therapy is a mix of medication and cognative behaviorial. Please go visit a good psychiatrist, the quality of your liife depends on it.

Feel free to ask me anything either here or via PM

Sincerely,

Christian Sokolowski

Hey, sorry to hear about your situation. I spent decades battling clinical depression and anxiety together. At my lowest point, I was actually out of work for over a year and ended up losing everything. So don't take this thing lightly. It's a serious condition.

That being said, it can also be amazingly easy to treat. After going through a string of well-intentioned, but ineffective doctors, I got a referral to one of the best psychopharmacologists in New England. He cost me a small fortune ($300 per hour), but he solved my problem with stunning efficiency. He prescribed meds very aggressively, monitored the results with an eagle eye, and adjusted dosages and chemicals like a master mechanic adjusting valves and carbs. So within a very few months after meeting him, my disease, which had once literally destroyed my life, was just a bad memory. I was (and still am) completely surprised by the dramatic turnaround.

So the moral? Don't skimp. Get the best doctor you can right away. My doctor charged more than the rest. But in the end, he cost less than the doctors who wasted a lot of my time and didn't solve the problem. Brain chemistry is a tricky thing. And most GP's and even most psychiatrists don't really understand it. So going to a super-qualified specialist really helped me a lot (obviously I am a big fan of medication - some of my colleagues at work have called me the poster child for "better living through chemistry").

And one more thought on the topic...take care of yourself. For some reason, we who suffer from these disorders seem to feel the need to do way too much and "fight" the symptoms. I did it and so did my friends with similar disorders. But now I say, "Fuk that". I recommend you take it easy, get some comfort food (delivered if necessary), watch the comedy channel and relax. If you had a broken leg, nobody would expect you to run a marathon, right? Same with anxiety (or depression). Feel free to blow off life for a while and let your doctor(s) figure out what to do.

Anyway, please feel free to contact me any time about this. I'm very comfortable talking about it. No problem. Good luck.

OK my friend you taken the first and most important step...your asking for help.

I do think you need a professional to help....It's a matter of being able to talk to someone who you can trust and who will not be judgemental about what you are feeling. I think talkiing will give you a sense of relief..that you have gotten what your fears are onto the table....Sombodies listening to how I feel.

This maybe a bit early in the discussion..but I feel medication can help for the short term..to get yourself back on an even keel....but medication doesn't untangle the deeper issuses of why you are having these attacks...

I personally think you keep things inside, until something triggers a release of these feelings all at once...I think your feeling are legitimate and perhaps need to be able to learn how to recognize the the build up of feelings and learn how to keep the valves open by talking about your feelings.

i have battled bouts of depression, and still do. my story mirrors pauls in many ways, had to clean up prior to stepping up. i dont think i could have exibited the courage you have by announcing this in a public forum prior to being treated and understanding my problems. here's to you, recovery and getting back on track!

if i was to have the stones announce something like you have in a public arena i think this would be the place of choice for me too. as long as politics is kept clear of the subject at hand i think this can be one of the most supportive groups i am involved with, not counting family i guess.

good luck, and i will be thinking supportive thoughts.

see a good psychiatrist. xanax works wonders with a lot of people, especially for short term treatment. Longer term use is somewhat controversial, but it depends on the person. There are other antianxiolytics out there, all with pluses and minuses. You can also look at CBT (cognitive behavior therapy). And of course getting with a psychologist to get at the root issues is the best plan of action...but in the meantime you need to get some relief. And don't necessarily trust what your GP says. They often underprescribe.

http://www.adaa.org/AnxietyDisorderInfor/GAD.cfm

wow...think there's a connection between old 911s and anxiety/substance abuse? Must be the addictive/obsessive personalities...

GAD sucks (although you might have a variation...you can get a feel for your symptoms at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm). And the tendency, especially if you come from certain backgrounds (including substance abuse) is to just "be strong". That is total BS. Great comments in the posts above...all spoken from people who have been there. I've had very good luck doing more regular exercise...martial arts twice a week that includes qui gong and tai chi (moving meditation). I'm now med-free, but it has been a lot of work and will continue to be.

But being insane has its benefits...

Depression and Aniexity are part of life..there are usually good reasons to feel these feelings... totally appropriate...

If there is a death or illness, divorce, loss of job ...depression is the appropriate response....happiness would not.....

If your waiting on some news that effects you life....like waiting for a medical report, or on a deciision as to whether you got the job or not, or someone you love gets to where they ar going safely...also those thing produce anxieity, and to not feel those feelings wouldn't be natural...

The thing is to just be able to ride the rollercoaster of life...nobody ever promised you that it wouldn't rain on your parade...the trick is to take each hurdle as it comes, rolll with the punches and try not to let it all build up within yourself.

Also I feel if you can recognize that you depressed or anxious helps..then you can say yeah I'm depressed cause my cat died and my Porsche won't start.

just reading this is therapeutic. thank you guys

Hah..now U got it Nostatus....U stumbled upon the rational of everything I do and am....

I am perfect in my imperfection...Nostatus....

Hey kid everybody is fked up, once you realize that you can start working on making yourself perfect at it....

while anxiety and depression are "normal" responses to certain situations/stimuli, they are decidedly not normal in excess. The trick in today's "prozac world" is figuring out what is "just life's ups and downs" and what is clinical depression or anxiety. If it interferes with your life, odds are you're in clinical land...and for that imho meds should be seriously considered. But only with professional help. And realize that people are different...just because your friend responded to a certain med doesn't mean it will work for you. I was on long-term xanax (albeit low dose), but that is decidedly *not* for everyone. Worked well with my system though...ymmv.

I've given up on perfection. I just want to be in the moment. And *that* is the toughest thing I've ever pursued...but when I stop pursuing it, it will come.

uh oh...feel a zen moment coming on.

I feel I have to throw a qualifier in here. Happiness and sadness are normal. But when the anxiety and sadness are out of proportion to reality, then it is a sign of a disorder and needs to be treated. When I could no longer go to work, I knew it wasn't normal or appropriate and needed to be treated. And nostatic is right about GP's. They mean well, but they often don't grasp the seriousness of the disorder and don't prescribe aggressively enough. And some take the approach that being "functional" is good enough. But my doc didn't agree. He felt that being fully cured was the only acceptable outcome. And I thank him every day for that attitude.

Tabs, be careful you do not try to minimize the reality of the issues he and others face. Very often the depression and anxiety spoken of here are not of the passing, garden variety stuff you speak of. Rather, it can be, and often is, a dark and desparate hole which is very difficult to get out of. I speak from experience. Sadness due to life events like you mention is typically much different than not being able to get out of bed or leave home due to paralyzing fear.

I'm not trying to minimize anything... these are all very real feelings....and there is a good reason for having these feelings..

O

The first doctor I spoke with knew a lot about recovery. He broke it down into simple terms I could understand. He told me that recovery works like motor oil & that the chemicals I've done had corroded my oil pan. He explained the meds he was going to give me would plug the holes in order to make the recovery more effective. He was right, after I had a chance to inventory my life & get to the causes & conditions cleared the wreckage from my past & came up with a routine to deal with the present, I was able to get off the strong meds that I was taking.

I think that meds are a lot more effective if they are coupled with some sort of intense therapy.

I couldn't agree more! The sad part is that so many go on with life either without or undertreated. Janus is right on target, I have a great doctor. He holds 5 board certifications for psychiatry and is very aggressive with both medication and CBT. He is also willing to adjust as necessary, this is very important in a doctor.

One of the guys mentioned exercise. It's a good trick actually. If you go hell at it at the gym or a run in the evenings you can be so tired, you're actually to tired to stress, and you get a good nights sleep. After a number of good sleeps it helps break down this anxiety situation. Your mind needs to do some time out.

Herbal medications can help. I know they are not as effective as western medications, but they don't have the side effects. Again I'd recommend going hell at it at the gym and burn yourself out physically for a change, and you might end up with a stunning new body in the process and we all know what attention from females can do for ones mental state and self esteem.

i have a friend with this mindset. her motto is: Save the mind, shred the body.

best of luck 1fastredSC and find help.

cliff

Bill,

I lift three nights a week, it does help a little but not nearly enough for someone who has panic disorder. Diet, exercise, relaxation techniques all help but for many the only solution is medication. I personally am on a very small maintenance dose with permission to take more if I have an attack. I haven't had a full blower in about 11 monthes which is great but even doing 5x5 routines didn't stop it's onset. It's really hard to understand unless you actually have panic disorder. So much of it lies in the subconcious that better self esteem and such don't help all that much. Heck years ago I could barely even talk about the problem without getting anxious.

I've found that one of the best ways to deal with an anxiety disorder is to get into a support group (live, not on-line) , and talk to other people with the same problem. It really normalizes the situation for you, and gives you some friends that can help you out. Check out any anxiety/depression clinic in your area.

Also, on the exercise thing, in moderation it is a great idea, but some people have a specific type of anxiety that is tripped off by lactose in the system. When you exercise too much, that soreness you feel in your muscles is lactic acid. In some people overdoing exercise can actually worsen anxiety.

Hope this helps.

I've been there too... takes quite a set for you to post it here. I had a bout where my heart would race, to the point I thought I was having heart attacks (I'm 35). Once, while working on-site (software developer) working 15 hour days, I od'ed on caffeine, and skimped the sleep. When I went to bed, I was ripped out of bed with my heart trying to leave my chest. I was hospitalized, spent days in observation only for them to find that my heart was fine. The stress pushed me over the edge into a panic attack. For days, I would leave work (still on-site, hundreds of miles from home) I would finish my day, then drive to the ER, just in case it happened again. Even slept there (in my car) one night. I hit the ER 3 more times, and finally, met with a doctor with a brain.

The best thing that helped me was that I described my symptoms to a woman I work with (CFO at a customer) and she said she had that symptom all the time... comes when you are most relaxed... perhaps when you are trying to sleep. Heart racing (and hurting, like you just ran 5 miles), sweat, nausea, etc - basically like you're dying!

Anyhow, a very small dose of Paxil helped me. I went for almost a year taking it twice a day. Be prepared for some very uncomfortable side affects while you acclimate, but once acclimated, you're just a little tingly/numb in all the wrong places ;)

Anyhow, it's been a year this August since I went off the drug, with no relapses. I now run 2-3 miles every other day (See what Bill and others wrote above) and drink NO caffeine (really can aggravate the situation). Anyhow, sorry for the long post, I thought my story could help; feel free to PM me if you'd like.

-DMA

benzos? I have a stockpile but now only take them late at night on very rare occasions. Didn't used to be that way though...4x a day off and on for some time. Tapering was hard work though.

Agreed on the "have to be there." The mind can do scary things to the body, and there is no way that you can just "stop thinking about it."

Klonopin. 0.5mg once a day. We've tried tapering off, changing medications etc. the panic attacks come right back. Like I said my case is considered severe. I'm fortunate to be down to that level, meditation, exercise, proper diet and CBT have helped a great deal but have never been able to completely replace medication.

is it an xr formulation? That was recommended to me but I felt like I wanted to be able to regulate my own dosage. It worked out OK, but I have a lot of experience with self-medication...don't try this at home kids ;)

Sort of. Klonopin or Clonzepam has something like a 36 hour half life compared to Xanax which is only about 8 hours. This gets rid of the highs and lows associated with Xanax. I didn't believe it until I was accidentally given Xanax by the pharmacy, I asked for generic so I just assumed. Anyway about 4 hours after taking it I got really nervous so I called the pharmacy and described the pills. They told me to come right down and exchange them. Looking back I should have sued there butts off but at the time I felt "no harm, no foul" and didn't want the poor guy to lose his job. Monthes later I realized getting him fired could possibly save someone's life, only now I had no proof. YOu know what they say about hindsight... Anyway, Klonopin has been very good for me. The only real side effect I notice is dry mouth so I always keep a beverage handy. Seems lately I've been hooked on Propel Fitness Water, good stuff I could probably make myself.

Did I meantion this board is great? This is the first time since my diagnosis so many years ago that I've had an open discussion with others who've experienced what I have.

First off, just so everyone knows, i'm just curious about others methods of coping and such. Depression and anxiety problems are a sensitive subject for some, but i've delt with it for six years now. Here's what i've found, anxiety/panic attacks are a consiously derived illness that usually comes as an extra punch to the already lovely depression. I've also come to the conclusion that I'm genetically depressed, because i've had an easy life and nothing to really depress me. I will say one thing, in the whole new panic attack problem, i had developed a phobia of the highway (where the first hard one hit 6 weeks ago). I decided to go at it head on yesterday, because i had to see the doc, he doesn't make house calls. And with the help of my parents, it was the hardest thing i've done in quite some years, and once i got into town/city, it was like a weight of chains was lifted and i felt great. I do still need treatment, and i'm experimenting new meds just given to me. Unfortunately my pride and stubborness made me stop taking them. The new one i'm trying is zoloft, so we'll see where it goes. I need confidence to break my bad habits of panicking, and this is somewhere to start. Not only am i happy that there is hope, but also that there are many that actually replied. This is a subject to bring to light, not to over dramatize, but help others in the same boat realize they are not alone. I'm sure that many of you will agree that the worst feeling in the world, is when you start thinking that your the only one going insane from this.
PS I'm also really amazed at how many people are freely discussing this. It is you gentlemen who need to be recognized for that courage. -thanks

I also want to clear something up. In case there is any confussion as to what exactly a panic attack is. Imagine thinking that you are flat out about to die, like death is staring you in the face, can't breath, pacing like a mad man, getting dizzy, your vision is blurring, hand go numb, sweating, hot and cold flashes, dry mouth, and fatigue all at once. This was what i felt like 6 weeks ago, with an oxygen mask strapped to my face on my way to the hospital. Since then i've been rebuilding by concoring fears, but it's hard, almost like your mind is working against you. BTW, i've been taking xanax for awhile, and i hate that drug, so i only take it when i know i NEED it. It does do the trick though, but i've never been good at giving in to the easy way (i own a 911 remember, lol). Thanks everyone for the support, and if somone is reading that thinks they are battling with this, please do yourself a favor. Admit it, seek help, and go from there. If one of these meds starts turning my life around, i'm going to really kick myself in the a$$ for the past 6 years and my stupidity during that time.

You know what really funny about this, it didn't come on until i finished the rebuild of the trans and motor 3 some odd months ago and started driving the car. Now it's like instead of being occupied with thoughts of waiting for ups or fed ex to swing by, or checking my cam timing 4 times to make sure it's dead on, now it's like hmmm, no leaking, great power, perfect dead on ignition timing that i set twice to make sure, now i really can enjoy the car and can't. Ironic, LOL

1fastredsc,

Ask your doctor about klonopin, I think you'll find it works better and has less side effects than Xanax. I've been on Zoloft, Paxil, Remeron, Lexapro and a few others and none of them do the trick like Klonopin. Of course people are different and results may vary but it's worth a try. Xanax and Klonopin are in the same family BTW, both are benzodiapamines. (SP?)

It's great that you are facing you're known fears, just take it slow and conquer one at a time. As for an easy life, that could actually be part of the problem. People (like me) who grow up with relatively little hardship or trouble aren't as protected or hardened as those who faced great adversity. These days I create my stress, by working hard and setting high goals and standards for myself. I do this so that if things get bad I can back off a little and reduce a bunch of stress but also to harden myself to stress. Believe it or not I took up drag racing a few years after I was diagnosed as a way of facing stress head on. I gained a lot from that experience, maybe tracking your 911 will do the same? These days I'm an old hand at dealing with anxiety, I can mediate while doing other things (like work) change my breathing, self massage my neck and shoulders and if it still hasn't gone away I can take an extra pill.

If there anything good to say about having panic disorder it's that it has changed my life for the better, I am a more focused, responsible, creative and courageous than I have ever been in my life. Two years ago without thinking I even (on instinct) ran into a burning house across the street to make sure everyone was out, I escaped the collapse by about half a minute. Stupid? Maybe, but 12 years ago I would have frozen in place and somebody might have died. As it turned out no one was home but I still feel like a hero both for conquering fear when it counted and for at least trying to save someone's life. I guess what I'm saying is take this illness and make it a positive in your life, everything will get easier after that.

Hey man, please don't kick yourself for anything. You didn't ask to have an effed up disorder that is totally hard to figure out. Nobody does. And you're not a trained medical specialist with years of experience in anxiety disorders. So don't beat yourself up for not solving this complex problem all by yourself. It took me decades to finally solve my problems. But hey, I'm a programmer, dammit, not a doctor, right?

I must respectfully disagree. I had a full-blown ****ty upbringing (with no substance abuse) and yet I ended up with similar symptoms. I think it is just a crappy disease like diabetes or arthritis and while external circumstance can effect it, I believe genetics and plain dumb luck are far more important. I think it falls under the category of "**** happens". I guess it's obvious I feel strongly about not blaming yourself and cutting yourself every possible break. I think it is because these disorders typically have biological causes, but they feel like a character flaw - which often prevents us from seeking solutions. So I am always beating the "be good to yourself" drum.

It really is amazing how different we can be. Paxil rocked my sorry world and has very few side effects. And yet I have a friend who passes out when she takes paxil. Zoloft did nothing for me except give me endless diharria. Bizarre, huh?

I've taken paxil, celexa, lexapro, and xanax. Paxil obliterated my sleeping habits (16 hours sometimes, 3 hours others). Celexa was week, lexapro did nothing but made me weak stomached. And xanax just makes me feel at peace with the world, and sometimes a slight headache after it's done too. Zoloft i'm taking now, let's see what it does.

1fastredsc,

If you like Xanax but not the coming down part, seriously have a look at klonopin. Heck I'd even show this thread to my doctor if I where you, but I'm not and I don't know your doctor.

zoloft makes it hard/impossible to bust a nut. i was wearing my chick out on that stuff. paxil kinda the same but not as bad. just some side effects to be aware of.

LOL, maybe that will improve my non-existent love life, "hey ladies, i promise i won't finish early, i'm on zoloft, who's coming with me?"
I have to see him again for a check up on the zoloft in 3 weeks, i'll ask about the klonopin and his opinion on it.

Heh, what k911sc said ;) You'll see my above post about the tinglies. At first, it was like, hey, these tinglies feel great, and perhaps I can sideline as a replacement for Ron Jeremy.

After a while, the tinglies (paxil) lead more to the sensation of "whose d1ck is this anyway?" which was not so great :(

These drugs are actually used to treat "fast finishers", and now I know why.