does anyone here suffer from panic attacks?

Question

i've have them on and off for about 5 years, and i've been on and off medication. i don't have agoraphobia, but i get major anxiety once in a while. i don't drink caffeine and i exercise a few times a week. how do other people deal with it, and what medicine have you taken that works?

Answer 1

I have panic (anxiety attacks) but not as frequent as I once did. I take the prescription medication xanax, whenver I can feel one coming on, hopefully I take it in time (sometimes I have to put it under my tongue and it taste terrible) The strange thing is that I never had panic attacks until 8 years ago when I was in the hospital on complete bedrest for the last 17 weeks of my pregnancy with triplets. At first I just thought I was going stir crazy. I had my first panic attack the night that they gave me moraphine through an iv to slow my contractions and stop my premature labor. I had my family in the room so it helped just a little bit, but the drug was so strong that as soon as it hit me I threw up and then i just felt like I was spinning out of control (isuppose this is the drugged out feeling that people who take drugs like) anyway I thought I was going to die, I had myself convinced that they had given me too much or that I was allergic or something, I could barely talk, I was hyperventalating, my heart racing and i remember saying"i can't breath"

I later learned that it was just a panic attack, and I ended up taking moraphine the rest of my pregnacy and was usually ok. But to this day I still get the attacks, they usually start when I am extremely upset or worried and happen more often when I am alone and feel more vulnerable. My older brother and my youngest sister have suffered from anxiety attacks all of their lives. My brother taught me how to "walk myself through it " so to speak, just keep telling myself that there is nothing wrong with me physically and that this feeling will be over in about ten minutes, just hang in there. things like that. It helps immensly if I have someone I am close to to help me through it. Luckliy I have never had one at work or anywhere in public. I was actually surprised to learn after my first few attacks how short they were, to me it felt like a few hours when in reality they vaired from 10-20 minutes with 5-10 minutes being the excrutiating part where I was really scared to death.

My younger sister has them much more often that I do and they are far more intense. She used to have to pull her car over and call someone to come and get her. She was convinced for about a year that she had some rare disease that the doctors just could not locate. She was hospitalized 3 or 4 times for up to two weeks while the Dr's ran every test known to mankind to rule out anything physical. The thing about panic attacks is that the symptoms are VERY VERY REAL, they actually mimic a heart attack, your heart rate can skyrocket out the window, blood pressure can go up to stroke levels. The key is to learn to control them just a little bit so that you don't cause any real physical damage. It took years for my sister to admit to herself that she was having panic attacks and just as long to find the right combination of medication to control them, She has been on klonopin, adavan, valium, xanax, effexor. I really do not know what all she takes now, but she sees a dr. who specializes in manipulating medications together to control certain problems. So it is not so much one or two medications it is the combination of whatever she takes. The big difference between my sister and me is that i KNOW I am having a panic attack and I just have to get through it, she does not realize it is a panic attack, every so often she will say "no this is different, this is not a panic attack, I really am having a heart attack, and off to the emergency room she goes.

I have a close friend who is also my neighbor, he suffers from terrible panic attacks, he becomes almost catatonic. Which is quite the opposite of both my sister an me. We both get very worked up, excited, nervous, anxious, etc. My friend goes into a DAZE AND IT APPEARS THAT WE HAVE LOST HIM. HE ALSO SUFFERS FROM OTHER MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS THOUGH IN ADDITION TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICITON. He wnt to a residintial treatment center in Malibu California, which was extremly expensive, it nearly broke his family. he was in the same treatment center with several Movie and televison stars. I went to his graduation, the place was like a luxureous spa. Anyway when he got back he did really well for about a year, the doctors had him off ALL of his medicaiton except for what he needs for his heart ocnditon and his pain. He was not even on an anti-depressant. I don't lnow what happened but he slipped backwards, had to go back into a behavior modification clinic, but it was only short term this time. I think the problem when he got out of the residential one, was that eventually he stopped the follow up after care, all the out pateint care and group therapy etc. I also know that both he and I suffered something terrrible when we were both very young kids. I know that I absolutely refused to talk about it (I did not block it from my memory and later remember it for the first time) I just chose not to ever address it. I had a child die and then a year later my brother was killed in a car accident, this was 3 years ago. I started seeing a therapist again and it finally came out and he told me that he knew all along, but was just waiting until I was ready to heel. I don't know that I will ever be ready (I am what the doctor calls a "functioning victim of post traumatic stress syndrome) meaning I can work, function, take care of my family etc., but as he says it is all a fascade, it is not the real me. Well I tried for two years to get to know "the real me" the one who is not always striving to make the best grades, excell in work, be the best etc., b/c according to the doc I am in constant need of my parents approval b/c I feel like they are never proud enough of me (they are not, he sees this and they admit that they have always had too high of expectations of me & higher than any of my brothers & sisters) but of course they have some lame excuse to justify it. anyway, I tried, i read his books, did the workbook, and the more I worked on it the worse I felt (I know you have to feel a whole lot worse before you get better), but bottom line, i have a large family and although we are dysfunctional we are very close. I was becoming more and more alienated from them during my therapy, they thought i was acting
CRAZY" when I was just doing what the doc told me to do. But the therapy tooks its toll on me, on my marriage, and was starting to interefere with my ability to be a good mother, b/c i was always so down, drained, sad, depressed, crying, I hated reliving the past. I was having more and more panic attacks. I decided to stop so I could get along with my family again. I am sure that it was not the prudent thing to do, but perhaps emotionally i was not ready or able to go there. Coincidentally, reliving his past.

I am doing ok now. I take the xanax only when needed, and occasionaly to sleep b/c i also have bad insomnia. I try to stay busy, focused (i also have ADHD), AND EITHER WORK, OR TAKE CARE OF MY KIDS (I HAVE FOUR), or work on my house, or a hobby, or write, or exercise, but I do not hesitate to take the xanax at the first sign of anxiety. If the person I am now seeing and I have an unusually bad fight and I get that terrible feeling in my stomach that we are close to ending- i take a xanax. I am sure this is not the best answer, I am using it as a crutch, when I should really be learning more realistic and effective ways to deal with everyday stress, dissapointments, sadness, depression etc. I don't know how to put it, it is hard to explain, I was always a very happy person, but after my daughter , my little girl so young died, then my brother only 32 killed in a car accident leaving a wife and fou precious baby girls all 6 and under at the time of his death, things have been different. I get emotional very easily now. In the past if a person I was dating did not treat me the way I should be treated I was out of there, now I am more needy in a way. maybe b/c i jeopordized my best freindship for to take a risk at romance after my divorce when i began dating my best friend of ten + years, so when we argue, it scares me b/c if we end it is like losing a boyfriend/lover/and best friend all at once. i find myself wondering "who is supposed to catch my tears, when the one who always has is the one I am crying over?"

Anyway long stroy short, I do not know how to control panic attacks without the aid of medication nor do I know of anyone who suffers from them who has been able to successfully manage them without prescription meds, but i have seen plenty of of infomertial offering just that. For me I am content, in fact just knowing that I have my xanax with me is enough to prevent over 75% of full blown attacks, it is when I do not have the medication with me, that just the thought of can start an anxiety attack.

Sorry so long and hope i helped a little

Answer 2

I, too, suffer from the oddities that go along with panic attacks. You never know when they'll hit, and usually you don't know WHY they hit when they do. All I know is coming awake in the night with my heart pounding in my chest so hard sometimes I think it will explode. Or being in the front seat of my car and suddenly not being able to finish the trip if there is someone in the back seat. They aren't funny and they aren't imaginary!
I used to take meds for them, but the one I was on, while it worked, made my mouth ALWAYS taste like I had just sucked on a penny, and made me SOOO thirsty all the time that I just decided to take matters into my own hands. I stopped taking the Rx, and now I just sort of go with the flow when I have one. I remember to breathe deeply and evenly. I get up and drink herbal teas if one wakes me in the night instead of staying in the bed and weirding out. If I know that a particular bridge or road or book or person can cause an attack, I try my best to just avoid that person, place or thing... it's easier (and cheaper) to just avoid than to take the scripts! This may not be everyone's way of dealing, but it has worked for me. Another thing I don't do is panic about the attack while I'm having a panic attack, if you understand what I mean by that. Sometimes you can exacerbate a problem by dwelling on it and it's why's. I forget the why's and try to focus on the dealing instead.

Answer 3

I used to have panic attacks about once a day until about 18 months ago. I went through a program put out by the Midwest Center For Depression And Anxiety and learned how to deal with anxiety and panic attacks without medication. The program took 11 weeks, but it changed my life. I was very skeptical at first, but I didn't want to rely on medication because it wasn't working for me and made me too sleepy to function. I would highly recommend the program to anyone who suffers with Anxiety, depression or panic attacks. (No, they don't pay me to advertise for them). LOL.

Good luck and God bless.

Answer 4

I have read some litterature about panic attacks. But they allways seem to have a more scientific approach and that is nothing I need in my struggle to survive those horrible panic attacks. This is a "hand on" and very practical book. I felt it was written to me. I am sure that you are going to feel the same.

Joe Barry writes exactly how I think. The examples are perfectly described. And the method is genius. I recommend this book and thanks Joe Barry for writing it. It changes your life

Answer 5

I had them several years ago....several a day...and thought was dying. Went to my doctor for a complete checkup and found my hormone level was zip....began shots to raise that and none since but am on Lexapro for stress, but this was added years after the panic attacks happened.
I know in todays medicine ob/gyn doctors and others frown on hormones for women especially those that smoke, afraid of strokes, but it was not an option for me I had to have them since my level was so bad.
At that time, when I felt one was coming on, I would get up and walk around and try to think of something to do, or began a task that would get my mind off the attack itself as it happened...seemed to lesson it somewhat.
Good Luck

Answer 6

I think of self-improvement/self enrichment as a big pie (you know a circle w/a % of ea. good thing=ultimate health: physically, mentally/emotionally/spiritually)
Then I write within the circle all the things that definately contribute to overall health/combating depression.
I personally find all these work for me:
Therapy(for support/positive feedback/expressing emotions), meds (20mg. Paxil--it takes the "edge" off anxiety & any potential panic attacks--that I used to have yrs. and yrs. ago)
Walking several miles per week to feel really good physically, it's rejuvenating for the mind and spirit too.
Spirituality--becoming interested in something that suits ur belief system
sometimes doing volunteer work--just to get ur mind off self helps a LOT while helping someone in need and connects u w/others too. It's fulfilling and adds comfort to one's life seeing someone light up when you just give to another.......
Socializing w/good people
Healthy eating, good sleep, meditation (yoga works for me so MUCH :o) !!!)
Vitamins---make sure to take cod liver oil or fish tabs (proven that it helps relieve depression) IT always worked 4 me

Answer 7

Hello,
The question you are asking is kind of hard to anwser. For instants where are you when you have these attack's,in a store? or at home? axniety attach's are actually brought on by major stress so you need to avoid the stress if you can. A good medicaion for this is ( Klonopin ) it is used for axniety.
I hope I helped you and I hope you feel better,
Deb

Answer 8

I found out that I had thyroid problems (under-active)
After taking the thyroxine for a few months my anxiety problems subsided.
Might be worth a test.
Visit one of the thyroids help groups to find out if you have any of the other symptoms(very similar to anxiety)

Answer 9

My mom has had anxiety since I was about 6. She has it so bad she can't sometimes drive back home. She has been on Xanax the whole time since she has had her panic attacks... Hope this helps..

Answer 10

getting good sleep usually helps me or running long distance. Unfortunately wearing my body out is the only way. My panic attacks get the point where i am dry heaving sometimes.

Answer 11

I have had periods of them and they are awful. They happened mostly after my divorce and periods of overwhelming stress. I was prescribed anti-anxiety medicine called Lorazepam, but the truth is, you have to get to the root of the stressor and get that under control.