Panic Attacks

[Dani]

I didn't know where to post this, feel free to move if needed.

Does anyone suffer from panic attacks/stress related?

I have been going to a cardio dr. because I have a pain in my chest. My EKG runs normal, so they are doing a stress test on me next week. In the mean time, I feel stressed out and can't relax (not to mention a pulled chest muscle)

Today I was sitting at my desk and i just had to get out of there. It feels like the walls are closing in on me and I feel like I can't get out!

This is a horrible feeling to have, we were in Menards the other day and I felt the same way in the store DOug told me to sit down and just breathe and I felt better, but again, I just wanted to get out of the store!
Uggh.

[MrsDM]

Yes, I do. Even after being on anti depressants/anxiety meds it still happens. Whenever I get in a stressful situation that I don't know how to react to, I start shaking really bad, can't breath and get really light headed. It happend a lot at work with a lady who I couldn't stand. Going outside and getting fresh air helps me to just get out of the situation.

[Dani]

Yes, I do. Even after being on anti depressants/anxiety meds it still happens. Whenever I get in a stressful situation that I don't know how to react to, I start shaking really bad, can't breath and get really light headed. It happend a lot at work with a lady who I couldn't stand. Going outside and getting fresh air helps me to just get out of the situation.


OMG, thank you for posting! I used to be on Buspar a long time ago for anxiety when I was going thru my divorce, but then I felt I didn't need it. The light headed part I can't stand! I feel like someone is sitting on my chest! I feel like i just want to pass out to make it stop!

What is it that you are on?

[ikkin510]

I get them from time to time too. I can feel my heart racing, difficulty breathing...etc. For some reason it's normally just at night that I get them. I have a feeling it's because that's the time I normally have the most quiet time to think and then get stressed.
I really don't have any set ways to get over them. I try not to let myself get too stressed out. I found that I have less when I don't have as much caffiene. Dont' know if that is related or not.

[sandy03]

I have obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety which sometimes give me panic attacks. I usually get really hot, can't breathe, and start to hyperventilate. I have a sedative I can take to calm me down but don't always have it with me. Usually I just have to get to a quiet place where I can sit down and close my eyes and try to breathe. It's not as scary anymore now that I know what is going on and that I'm not dying, but I still absolutely hate them.

[savepaws]

I have panic attacks when I'm in stores or in strange or stressful situations. Except it affects my tummy. It really complicates my life! Yesterday I was stressed out about my mom's health issues and I had to leave work early because of a panic attack. I had to go to the hospital with her yesterday afternoon, and I barely made it thru that. I'm pretty nervous about my wedding day....

[MrsDM]

OMG, thank you for posting! I used to be on Buspar a long time ago for anxiety when I was going thru my divorce, but then I felt I didn't need it. The light headed part I can't stand! I feel like someone is sitting on my chest! I feel like i just want to pass out to make it stop!

What is it that you are on?

My doctor put me on Prozac. I was on it for about 6 months, tried going off of it, had really bad withdrawals from it, went back on for 2-3 months and then I've been off for about 3 months. The anxiety has gotten better, so has the depression aspect of things, but still not 100%.

I know what you are saying about the closing in aspect too. When I don't get any air, after the light headedness and starting to sweat, my face and upper body starts to tingle and everything gets really dark. Not like passing out dark, but just..dark. Like I said, it doesn't get better until I get fresh air and just remove myself from the situation which is sometimes hard to do.

[WebLady]

I get sort of anxious and extremely uncomfortable about things like being in crowds and such; sometimes having to go to the Gyno will bring it on too. When I get really stressed or upset about something I will get migraines that sometimes make me lightheaded and nauseous. But I have never had any sort of panic attack.

I try not to let things get to me too bad, when they do I will take something OTC and just lay down.

[amisteratwisterandme]

I have been struggling with these for years. Mine are brought on from things like bad weather more than stressful situations.

For quite a while I was on Lexapro daily and was given a prescirption of Lorazepam to help fight the panic attacks.

There was only two situations that I used the Lorazepam, first because you can't drive after taking it, and second because I didn't want to pop a pill the minute I started feeling out of control. It worked on my physical symptons within minutes, which I LOVED, but it was a bit odd to have my head telling me to panic and my body not responding. Just a weird feeling. I kept waiting for the racing heart and shaking and the feeling of having to get out of the situation and it never developed.

My understanding is that there are many causes of panic attacks, and it could be a physical or mental problem. Your doctor should be able to run test and rule out anything physically wrong.

The best therapy that I heard of is cognitive therapy, which I have an extremely hard time with, but it is supposed to work without medicaitons after you learn how to do it. Basically it is teaching your brain how to respond to the panic instead of letting the panic take over. PM me if you want any more info.

[gwenshack]

I do too - although not to the extent you described. Mine usually settles in my stomach and creates chaos there. I've been able to manage my anxiety and panic attacks without medication pretty succesfully, but there have been times in the past that I've been tempted to go that route. I have a little mantra I tend to repeat to myself when things start to suffocate me, and that seems to help.

[Dani]

My doctor put me on Prozac. I was on it for about 6 months, tried going off of it, had really bad withdrawals from it, went back on for 2-3 months and then I've been off for about 3 months. The anxiety has gotten better, so has the depression aspect of things, but still not 100%.

I know what you are saying about the closing in aspect too. When I don't get any air, after the light headedness and starting to sweat, my face and upper body starts to tingle and everything gets really dark. Not like passing out dark, but just..dark. Like I said, it doesn't get better until I get fresh air and just remove myself from the situation which is sometimes hard to do.

Funny that you mention the body tingle, my legs get funny feeling, like they want to go in there own direction or something and it does feel like things are getting dark. I mostly feel like i just want to take a nap just so it will go away as it just wears on me.

When I do try and take my mind off of it, i feel like I can't focus and shake it off.

Most of the time I wonder if in my head I am just bringing this all on because I worry too much.

I hope this passes soon! This is for the birds.

[MrsDM]

Funny that you mention the body tingle, my legs get funny feeling, like they want to go in there own direction or something and it does feel like things are getting dark. I mostly feel like i just want to take a nap just so it will go away as it just wears on me.

When I do try and take my mind off of it, i feel like I can't focus and shake it off.

Most of the time I wonder if in my head I am just bringing this all on because I worry too much.

I hope this passes soon! This is for the birds.

Oh I worry way too much too. See, when I get anxiety attacks, its usually because of something somebody said. So, by leaving the area and usually calling FH to just vent, calms me. I've never experienced anxiety like what you experienced in Menards.

[wannabeNurse2]

OMG, thank you for posting! I used to be on Buspar a long time ago for anxiety when I was going thru my divorce, but then I felt I didn't need it. The light headed part I can't stand! I feel like someone is sitting on my chest! I feel like i just want to pass out to make it stop!

What is it that you are on?


If you have an anxiety or panic disorder you will have to be on medication for the rest of your life. A lot of people stop taking their medications when they feel better. In reality the medications are why you feel better. I suggest going to a psychiatrist to be evaluated. I went through a bunch of needless tests with a general physician. She even put me on a hypertension medication, but it didn't help. When I went to a different doctor she recognized was going on immediately. She put me on Paroxitine (the generic of Paxil), and all of my physical symptoms have now gone away along with the panic and anxiety.

[wannabeNurse2]

I have been struggling with these for years. Mine are brought on from things like bad weather more than stressful situations.

For quite a while I was on Lexapro daily and was given a prescirption of Lorazepam to help fight the panic attacks.

There was only two situations that I used the Lorazepam, first because you can't drive after taking it, and second because I didn't want to pop a pill the minute I started feeling out of control. It worked on my physical symptons within minutes, which I LOVED, but it was a bit odd to have my head telling me to panic and my body not responding. Just a weird feeling. I kept waiting for the racing heart and shaking and the feeling of having to get out of the situation and it never developed.

My understanding is that there are many causes of panic attacks, and it could be a physical or mental problem. Your doctor should be able to run test and rule out anything physically wrong.

The best therapy that I heard of is cognitive therapy, which I have an extremely hard time with, but it is supposed to work without medicaitons after you learn how to do it. Basically it is teaching your brain how to respond to the panic instead of letting the panic take over. PM me if you want any more info.

You can drive after taking lorazepam. I drove all the time after taking it. You're supposed to not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it effects you. Of course you are supposed to use your best judgment. Also cognitive therapy doesn't work for everyone.The psychiatrist told me the best treatment is a combination of therapy and medication. However, treatment should be individualized for each patient. What works for one person may not work for another person. For more information on anxiety disorders and panic disorders you can visit these links:
National Institute of Mental Health
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/Briefoverview.asp

[sjk1431]

I also get them mostly in stressful situations. I get really light headed, can't breathe, heart pounds, and palm sweat. I found that if I sit down and put my head between my knees and concentrate on breathing it helps some. I'm also on anti depressants and it has helped me a little.

[amisteratwisterandme]

You can drive after taking lorazepam. I drove all the time after taking it. You're supposed to not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it effects you. Of course you are supposed to use your best judgment. Also cognitive therapy doesn't work for everyone.The psychiatrist told me the best treatment is a combination of therapy and medication. However, treatment should be individualized for each patient. What works for one person may not work for another person. For more information on anxiety disorders and panic disorders you can visit these links:
National Institute of Mental Health
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/Briefoverview.asp

Any time I am on medication and it says "Do not drive or operate a motor vehicle" than I don't drive or operate a motor vehicle. First of all, my drive home from work is on a very steep mountain with absolutley no room for error in driving, and second of all, if I were to cause an accident, having that medication in my system would give me a DUI of a controlled substance and I would feel horrible if I hurt someone based on thinking I could drive okay. Lorazepam is also used as sleeping pill so I assume even after driving on it you could fall into a relaxed state or asleep?

I agree that cognitive therapy can't work for everyone, but it is a first step in therapy and there are no side effects as it is all about learning how to control your thoughts.

I also have to disagree about you having to be on medication for life. My attacks are heraditary from my grandmother, and she dealt with them for years and learned to beat them by putting herself in the situation that would cause the panic attack in the first place. Basically, if you are afraid of elevators, you keep riding the elevator until you are desinsitized of it.

I agree that everyone has to have there own type of therapy and some things will work better for me or you than for other people. I even had to keep finding different doctors until I found one who "fit." I also think that some people don't need medication. I haven't been on any form of medicine for 3 years, and I do okay. I still get panic attacks once in a while, but I know better how to deal with them.

My best advice is for anyone suffering any type of anxiety order, to first go to your medical doctor to rule out physical problems, then on to a couselor and a Psychiatrist who you are comfortable with and who will listen to your concerns regarding different medications and side effects for them. I also am a firm believer in taking an active role in your recovery and/or therapy. I don't think medication is bad if used correctly, but it isn't meant to be a life time band aid.

Also, if a doctor prescribes you ANY type of anti depressents and doesn't closely monitor you for a few months after starting to take them, you may want to find another doctor.

[wannabeNurse2]

As for the Lorazepam this is from drugs.com a medication fact website that we use for nursing school.
Lorazepam may cause drowsiness or dizziness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Lorazepam with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.

I did say you should use your best judgment before driving. If you don't feel you should drive then don't drive. All medications effect people differently. Technically, we are not supposed to drive after using cold medicine because of it's possibly sedating effects, but we still do it.

As for being on medication for life I do have to be on medication for life, because no amount of psychological therapy is going to fix the imbalance of serotonin in my brain. I find it really offensive that you call my medication a lifetime bandaid! So when you find that magical therapy that's not a medication that will balance out my neurotransmitters for life let me know. I've already tried cognitive therapy and behavioral therapies. They aren't the magical cure that you say they are. I've even tried yoga, meditation, and many, many, many other holistic therapies in vain. I desperately tried to find a different means of dealing with my disorder when I couldn't afford the $180 a month for my lorazepam. Nothing helped. My life has gotten a lot better since I've been put on a SSRI that I could afford and gives me round the clock coverage. You need to remember there are numerous causes for psychological disorders. For some people like me it's physical. For other people it's psychological. Some people it's both. Everyone is different therefore everyone's treatment is different. A lot of people do need medication for life to treat their mental illness. It's because of the hippie holistic view that people go off of their meds and relapse. The consequences of those relapses can be extremely deadly to the patient and/or others. I would really love for you to tell the parents of the girl that was killed because her boyfriend went off of his meds and had a relapse that he really didn't need the medication.

[amisteratwisterandme]

As for being on medication for life I do have to be on medication for life, because no amount of psychological therapy is going to fix the imbalance of serotonin in my brain. I find it really offensive that you call my medication a lifetime bandaid! I would really love for you to tell the parents of the girl that was killed because her boyfriend went off of his meds and had a relapse that he really didn't need the medication.

Wow! I in no way intended to offend you. I just didn't want everyone to think that there's no solution at all!

Trust me, I KNOW the feeling of hopelessness and if I had been told from the beginning that there was nothing I could do for it I don't think I would have even looked at any options.

I am just saying that there ARE options available. Which is why I repeatedly put down that they should see a medical doctor to start with and rule out the physical first before moving on to someone who could help them.

Also, there is nothing "Hippie" about me. If two of my doctors had there way, they would have threw me on medication and that would have been that. No follow up. No other form of treatment. That is the band aid I was talking about. In any treatment the patient should know what they are dealing with and not just take the first pill the doc presecribed them.

I am very sorry for your situation. If the medication works for you, then that's wonderful.

I had a very good friend who was put on prozac and you know what she did? She took each one of those pills along with her favorite antacid and put a gun in the roof of her mouth.

Also, my brother. Severly depressed. Ten days after Christmas killed himself. THOSE ARE MY REALITIES! So please be careful in what you write.

[WebLady]

A couple of people brought it to our attention that this thread may be getting out of hand and away from the intended purpose of the OP, so it is being closed now.