Anyone out there have panic attacks??

msgwenn

msgwenn

Active member
Wow! Did I ever freak out people in the store the other day when I had an attack while trying to get the weekly shopping done! I froze, got dizzy, started to lose my hearing and sight, and shook till my ice pack fell out of my hands! Have had these da## things for over 20 years but just lost it this time! Thank goodness my daughter was with me and got me out of there. Now I haven't been able to force myself to leave the house and hubby is getting sick of tv dinners. Any advice on how others handle these????? 1 out of 75 people have these so I know I am not alone!
 
sorry, no advice just
hugsssss.gif
sounds awful. I hope some one here can give ya some tips on dealing with it.
 
I had one once and hyperventilated and couldn't breathe. I ended up quitting the job (which was the root problem), but the Dr. put me on meds for a little while to help calm my nerves. There's usually something at the root of the panic attacks and until you tackle that you'll need to be very carful about doing things that might put you over the edge. My suggestion? See your friendly GP. This is NOT something to put on the back burner. Best of luck to you. I know it's very difficult to not be able to control yourself emotionally! :love:
 
tlpounds said:
I had one once and hyperventilated and couldn't breathe. I ended up quitting the job (which was the root problem), but the Dr. put me on meds for a little while to help calm my nerves. There's usually something at the root of the panic attacks and until you tackle that you'll need to be very carful about doing things that might put you over the edge. My suggestion? See your friendly GP. This is NOT something to put on the back burner. Best of luck to you. I know it's very difficult to not be able to control yourself emotionally! :love:
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I would agree with this advice. If it is affecting your life then you should find some help :love: sorry to hear that you are going through this.
 
Classic signs of agoraphobia. Every one of them. I've had it for years. Definately seek someone to talk to, there is medication to calm you down, NOT drug you out. Don't be afraid, but there must be something at the root for this to suddenly come on. Ever ANY signs before? :scratch:
 
I get these all the time its gotten to the point where i dont want to leave my house :nono:but im too embarassed to talk to any one about it it, i think its just all in my head
 
I have panic attacks...terrible ones. They mimic heart attacks at times. I start by getting blotchy skin on my neck, then my face starts getting red, then moves to my ears...I feel like I am going to pass out and my heart is going to explode. There have been times that I couldn't catch my breath either. I started having them when I was riding in the car and it looked like everyone was coming right at us. Everything looked like an auto wreck waiting to happen. Then they expanded ~ when I started walking into rooms with people I didn't know, then it was people that I did know. Then it was pulling up to parking lots when I knew I was going to have to go in by myself...now I am at the point where I can't go into a store by myself. I rarely leave the house anymore. And the sad thing is I am better...I don't have near as many attacks, but I still fear them and they have that hold on me still...

I am on Effexor which has done wonders and I take Xanax when I go into an attack...it can be crazy when I have one now. They affect everything in your life...

Good luck ~ let me know if there is anything I can do to help:)
 
I have panic attacks and they have been getting worse lately. I am starting to see a new doctor and hopefully I can tackle it. Its really effecting my family and I want to cure it. I take Celexa but I don't think it really prevents the attacks. I have been wearing a rubber band on my wrist and when I feel an attack coming on your supposed to snap the band to shock you into things. The doctor says that its because your either worrying about something that happened in the past or something that is going to happen in the future so you snap the band to make your worries only about the present.
 
I suffered from depression and panic attacks during the 1 1/2 years between telling my ex I wanted a divorce and finally separating. Financially, it was easier said than done, and he wouldn't cooperate and manipulated and controlled the whole situation.

The doctor put me on anti-depressants for the depression and Xanax for the panic attacks. Unfortunately, all they did was dope me up and make me want to sleep all the time.

My problems didn't go away until my situation was rectified--getting away from my ex. I never suffered from either since.
 
My prayers go out to each of you suffering from this. I know in my life time I have had to deal with things that would make me not be able to cope but I can honestly say my relationship with God keeps me grounded. I'm not saying that that's the only way to deal with this but it will make a huge difference. Take your cares to the Lord and he will see you through anything. :love: I will be praying for each of you God bless.
 
Thank you all for the replies! I too have been on medication in the past which did help but gave them up a few years ago due to the cost. I was fine for a while but just in the past 6 months they came back stronger than before. As for the ice pack, it normally shocks my system and will stop the attack but this time it didn't work, kind of like sweepsadv and the rubberband. I think I will try that one now. And like cin I also put my faith in God. fireygrrrl like pixie13 said it is not all in your head. Wonder if the "change of life" is adding to this. Going to go read those links that tharedhead listed. Thanks again!
 
As always talk to your doctor because I don't want to give medical advice but I personally have severe panic attacks and figured out that if I breathe out and hold it I can't hyperventilate. It's not easy to do but it works for me. I've also learned that the attacks last 30 minutes so if I can take a walk or do some busy housework I can ride it out. Before it was so bad that I would call the paramedics. If it happens while I'm in the car I will sing to slow my breathing. :sunny:
 
Allergies and autoimmune illness can be misdiagnosed as panic attacks too. Every single person I've ever talked to online (and IRL) with Mastocytosis was diagnosed with panic disorder first, generally for years before a correct diagnosis. And Carconoid syndrome is ALWAYS misdiagnosed and panic disorder and irritable bowel

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/car...tumors/DS00834

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/000347.htm
Quote:

"When symptoms do occur, they may include:

Abdominal pain that comes and goes
Bright red flushing of the face
Diarrhea (may be explosive and severe)
Heart palpitations
Low blood pressure
Wheezing
Sometimes symptoms are brought on by physical exertion, or eating or drinking things such as blue cheeses, Chocolate Sweepstakes & Giveaways, or red wine."

People with mastocytosis flush and then freak out (not all of them faint, many just hyperventilate)
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/Mastocytosis/hic_Mastocytosis.aspx
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/skin/disorders/441.html

In
 
(Hmmm...I'm having a hard time scrolling to add more stuff. Keeps popping back to the top) All these disorders below cause "panic attacks" Hey, and don't forget primary generalized seizures! :)

http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Endocrine+Tumor/Endocrine+Tumor?cpsextcurrchannel=1

"The endocrine system consists of cells that produce hormones. Hormones are chemical substances that are formed in the body and carried in the bloodstream to have a specific regulatory effect on the activity of other organs or cells in the body. For example, a component of the pancreas is made up of specialized cells clustered together in islands within the organ, called islets of Langerhans. These cells produce multiple hormones, the most critical one being insulin, which is a substance that helps control the amount of sugar in the blood.

An endocrine tumor is a growth that affects the parts of the body that secrete hormones. Because an endocrine tumor arises from cells that produce hormones, the tumor itself can produce hormones and cause serious illness.

In addition to an endocrine tumor, a neuroendocrine tumor originates from the hormone-producing cells, specifically those cells of the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system consists of cells that are a cross between traditional endocrine cells (or hormone-producing cells) and nerve cells. Neuroendocrine cells are found throughout the body in organs, such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, and perform specific functions, such as regulating the air and blood flow through the lungs and controlling the speed at which food is moved through the gastrointestinal tract.

There are several types of endocrine tumors. For more specific information on each type, select a name below:

Adrenal gland tumor (includes information on adenomas and adrenocortical carcinoma)


Carcinoid tumors (includes information on both lung and gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors)


Islet cell tumor (includes information on gastrinoma, insulinoma, glucagonoma, VIPoma, somatostatinoma, and nonfunctioning tumors)


Neuroendocrine tumor (includes information on Merkel cell cancer, pheochromocytoma, and neuroendocrine carcinoma)


Parathyroid tumor


Pituitary gland tumor


Thyroid cancer"
 
I have them fairly frequently. It's the worst feeling! I hope you find a way to deal with them. I take medication now and, even though I still have them sometimes, they are manageable. As someone else mentioned, I suggest speaking with your doctor. If he/she doesn't take it seriously, call your medical plan's mental health division and ask for help. Medication can make a huge difference! I actually can make it to work most days now.

Good luck!
 
If you spend all day looking at a computer screen and you're feeling anxious the first thing to consider is a good eye exam. pref by a neuro-optho. Any sort of eye strain can cause increased tension (neck, head shoulders) which, in some cases can catually affect the blood supply to the brain (esp if you have good upper body musculature, which you appear to). You're getting to middle age which may mean you could need computer bifocals such as my roommate uses (computer glasses with a bifocal so you can see the keyboard)to reduce eyestrain
Are you using energy saving florescents in your work area? Those cause serious problems with many people.If they haven't come up with anything else by the time they phase out incandesants, I'm going to candles!
You may also wish to evaluate your seating choices, if you sit for long periods. Herman Miller chairs are Satan :laughing: And coffee consumption. Coders use too much caffeine. And look into atypical migraine. My roommate got such a bad atypical migraine during the development of the 486 that they thought he had had a stroke. He could not talk for three days (20 hour days for three weeks will do that to ya)
Many docs just are not aware of the risks inherit in working with computers and miss simple things.

sweepsadv said:
I have panic attacks and they have been getting worse lately. I am starting to see a new doctor and hopefully I can tackle it. Its really effecting my family and I want to cure it. I take Celexa but I don't think it really prevents the attacks. I have been wearing a rubber band on my wrist and when I feel an attack coming on your supposed to snap the band to shock you into things. The doctor says that its because your either worrying about something that happened in the past or something that is going to happen in the future so you snap the band to make your worries only about the present.
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This was very interesting. Thank you. I might get an eye test. One time when I was at the pharmacy getting my prescription filled the pharmacist asked me if I spent lots of time at the monitor. He started to say something and then never finished. I wonder if that was it. I hope to get to the bottom of this. My wife Diane and my daughter are very supportive and this is keeping me going.


tharedhead said:
If you spend all day looking at a computer screen and you're feeling anxious the first thing to consider is a good eye exam. pref by a neuro-optho. Any sort of eye strain can cause increased tension (neck, head shoulders) which, in some cases can catually affect the blood supply to the brain (esp if you have good upper body musculature, which you appear to). You're getting to middle age which may mean you could need computer bifocals such as my roommate uses (computer glasses with a bifocal so you can see the keyboard)to reduce eyestrain
Are you using energy saving florescents in your work area? Those cause serious problems with many people.If they haven't come up with anything else by the time they phase out incandesants, I'm going to candles!
You may also wish to evaluate your seating choices, if you sit for long periods. Herman Miller chairs are Satan :laughing: And coffee consumption. Coders use too much caffeine. And look into atypical migraine. My roommate got such a bad atypical migraine during the development of the 486 that they thought he had had a stroke. He could not talk for three days (20 hour days for three weeks will do that to ya)
Many docs just are not aware of the risks inherit in working with computers and miss simple things.

sweepsadv said:
I have panic attacks and they have been getting worse lately. I am starting to see a new doctor and hopefully I can tackle it. Its really effecting my family and I want to cure it. I take Celexa but I don't think it really prevents the attacks. I have been wearing a rubber band on my wrist and when I feel an attack coming on your supposed to snap the band to shock you into things. The doctor says that its because your either worrying about something that happened in the past or something that is going to happen in the future so you snap the band to make your worries only about the present.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
My mother was getting panic attacks that were related to a thyroid problem she developed. They went away when the doctor finally got the medication dosage adjusted right.
 
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