For those who suffer from panic attacks...

[Oddjob0226]

I've been to the hospital 6 times in 2 months. Only one of the trips was serious as it later turned out.

It helps to know what the cause is - a panic attack - and not actually something life-threatening. You can then brace yourself against the coming effects.

But then again, it's a figment of your unconsious mind, which is pretty much uncontrollable. It's only when it's in the panic proccess that you can consciouly say "this is what it is" and then deal with it. But even then, making a conscious decision to calm that instinctual fight-or-flight response isn't something you can gaurantee, you just kind of stack the odds in your favor. You can't really tell a schizophrenic to "striaghten up" and expect real results.

Although having .5mg of Xanax on your person helps keep things pretty even.

 

[steph]

If I might make a (hopefully) helpful suggestion...I have a good friend, Kelly who suffers major attacks, much worse than I ever do~I've never gone to ER with one. I've always known what was happening beforehand and got word to anyone I was with in time to get me someplace safe before it escalates into a nightmare. Kelly's major attacks tend to happen behind the wheel (why I never drive long distances myself) but we sort of have a system. She'll call on the way home and say something like "I need you, I'm not handling this well right now." I always try and get her to get off the road, talk her down and stay with her if she needs me until she gets home. Sometimes just having a friend who gets it can help a lot.
XOXO

 

[kis123]

I've been to the hospital 6 times in 2 months. Only one of the trips was serious as it later turned out.

It helps to know what the cause is - a panic attack - and not actually something life-threatening. You can then brace yourself against the coming effects.

But then again, it's a figment of your unconsious mind, which is pretty much uncontrollable. It's only when it's in the panic proccess that you can consciouly say "this is what it is" and then deal with it. But even then, making a conscious decision to calm that instinctual fight-or-flight response isn't something you can gaurantee, you just kind of stack the odds in your favor. You can't really tell a schizophrenic to "striaghten up" and expect real results.

Although having .5mg of Xanax on your person helps keep things pretty even.

When I have a panic attack, I don't see it coming in advance. All I know is first I'm okay, next thing you know I'm bolting! I keep the buspar in my purse just in case and there's a natural alternative called Amoryn that helps too. It's not cheap (about 40 bucks a bottle) but it does work.

I wish I would've saw it coming in my capstone presentation; that nearly cost me $1750-the cost of the course. I get to retake free since I lost my appeal but informed the committee that I've been battling illness the entire program. Panic and anxiety disorder is as much of an illness as anything else; it's even worse since it seemingly comes out of nowhere.

September 1, here I go again.........

 

[Adam]

If I might make a (hopefully) helpful suggestion...I have a good friend, Kelly who suffers major attacks, much worse than I ever do~I've never gone to ER with one. I've always known what was happening beforehand and got word to anyone I was with in time to get me someplace safe before it escalates into a nightmare. Kelly's major attacks tend to happen behind the wheel (why I never drive long distances myself) but we sort of have a system. She'll call on the way home and say something like "I need you, I'm not handling this well right now." I always try and get her to get off the road, talk her down and stay with her if she needs me until she gets home. Sometimes just having a friend who gets it can help a lot.
XOXO

Oooh, man. I sympathize with Kelly. I once had a major one on my way home from work. Came outta nowhere. Fortunately I was able to stay in control and didn't end up hitting anyone, veering off the road or anything like that. I ended up sitting out front of my residence with a couple of EMTs giving me an EKG. Which, or course, turned out to be perfectly normal. It's astounding how volatile those attacks can be sometimes.

 

[steph]

Well, let us know if you need anything. If nothing else, you're in really good company honey~I'd love to see you hook up with a Dr. who gets you and prescribes meds accordingly, not just by textbook.
XOXO

Oooh, man. I sympathize with Kelly. I once had a major one on my way home from work. Came outta nowhere. Fortunately I was able to stay in control and didn't end up hitting anyone, veering off the road or anything like that. I ended up sitting out front of my residence with a couple of EMTs giving me an EKG. Which, or course, turned out to be perfectly normal. It's astounding how volatile those attacks can be sometimes.

 

[love feet]

i am going threw this now not fun at all!!

 

[love feet]

holidays= panic attacks
this is not fun!!!

 

[Canadian_Eh]

My husband has suffered from them his whole life. He manged to get it under control for years until just recently when he was put into an extremely high stress situation. I can say as an outsider looking in, the symptoms you're all talking about are exactly what I witnessed every day for weeks. With some medication and some counseling, he seems to have it under control again.

I myself have started exhibiting signs of panic attacks, however they are an onset brought on by severe depression. Everyday's a struggle, but I do my best to push through. I am in counseling as well, and little by little it's helping me get back to who I used to be.

I will say though, contgrats to all of you who suffer from it and continue to be able to push through! It's much easier to hole up at home and not have to face the outside world and all it's obsticles, but it takes strong, detemined individuals to come out the other side!!

 

[love feet]

for me i'm just hoping its this time of year!

 

[pfromptown]

I have had them a few times, not to the point where they mess with my heart but to the point where I feel I HAVE to adopt the foetal position no matter what, coupled with the impending sense of doom; I'm not necessarily worrying that I'm going to die but rather that my life is ruined irreparably or some such dramatic sentiment. After my granddad died last year I had a 'Tony Soprano' moment and discovered that he suffered from them all his life too, starting with the time his best friend in the army killed himself and my gramps was the one to find him. Apparently they've been in my genes for generations, and once I and my sister, who suffers from them far worse than I do, discovered that it made us feel far better about them and I haven't had one on the same scale since: I always snap out of it.

I'd try and see if panic attacks are in your genes too - maybe you'll start to move on from them, as I have 🙂

 

[pfromptown]

I'll tell you one crazy thing that stands out from this thread, speaking as a Brit: you yanks take a shitload of pills. Over here you're just told to get on with it! Maybe it's due to the fact that you have to pay for your healthcare...

 

[love feet]

maybe

 

[Canadian_Eh]

I've realised it effects everyone differently, there are definately varying symptoms.

 

[Canadian_Eh]

I'll tell you one crazy thing that stands out from this thread, speaking as a Brit: you yanks take a shitload of pills. Over here you're just told to get on with it! Maybe it's due to the fact that you have to pay for your healthcare...

I'm Canadian, we don't have to pay for healthcare, and you can't just "get over" a chemical imbalance

 

[pfromptown]

I'm Canadian, we don't have to pay for healthcare, and you can't just "get over" a chemical imbalance

You certainly can't, but that's the attitude most people will take over here if you tell them you're suffering from any sort of anxiety or depression related disorder, as I have discovered to my chagrin. And I didn't mean you personally 🙂

I just find it interesting (Not 'worse' or 'better') that across the pond doctors are so readily willing to give their patients drugs that will literally fuck with their heads. Over here you have to set a dramatic example to be prescribed such strong drugs as Xanex or Lexoprone - I have a friend who attempted suicide four or five times in as many weeks and tried to set a police car on fire, and they were still very reluctant to give him anything stronger than Citalopram, which is a mild antidepressant compared to those, even though he clearly needed it: he is on very strong anti-psychotic drugs now, but only after being diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. I was only put on citalopram myself because my girlfriend rang an ambulance during my first panic attack, otherwise I would have found it difficult to get hold of it.

Having said that, we are one of the worst cases for shoving Ritalin down kids throats if they shout too loud, so I don't want to sound too judgemental 🙂