Anyone else ever suffered with panic attacks?

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

I've been having a problem recently with my breathing. It feels like i can't take a deep satisfying breath and fill my lungs. Then I do eventually and the whole cycle starts again. I saw the nurse today and she checked me over and all was ok. She asked if I had been stressed recently.. (where do I start.. a resounding yes) and she has suggested it's long a panic attack. And the more I think about taking a breath the worse it is. The worst of it is it seems to be like it all the time just lately. She has given me some relaxation technics to try but I'm to go back if it gets no better.

Anyone else ever experienced anything like this?

[DavidMn]

Thats quite frightening. Derek, my partner is subject to that once in awhile and its not fun to deal with. Good luck to you!

[ontheEdgeof17]

I have had panic attacks since high school. In the car. In class. Watching TV. At the movie theatre. They are not fun and very scary. You do feel like you are dying.

When I first started having them, I drank water continuously during the attack. A symptom of panic attacks is feeling like your throat is closing off. So, to prevent that from happening, I thought drinking during the attack would "cure" me from not breathing and dying. My whole body would go numb. I would insanely cry. No one seemed to understand, and everytime I was driven to the ER, they would just say it was a panic attack and send me home. Eventually, I was put on Xanax to prevent the attacks. I never have realized what triggered/triggers them, but I just popped a Xanax when I felt like one was coming on.

Since around 21 (I'm 24 now0, my panic attacks have decreased and I'm off Xanax. When I feel one coming on, I just have to go outside and get some fresh air. I can kinda psych my body out nowadays and tell it that nothing is physically wrong. I have, however, have had some bad ones since this summer. I dunno. I might need to go back on some type of antianxiety. I don't want to.....but it seems that one who has had a history of attacks can never fully get rid of them.

[mikeschmike]

My best friend gets them occasionally and like Curtis said, she can usually psych herself out of them. She has had some bad episodes in the past, and it is really hard to watch someone go through that. I wish you the best!

[DavidMn]

I'm curious, how often do panic attacks lead to something more serious. For example, you have a panic attack and it doesnt get better and basically you and up having a heart attack or something like that. That ever happen?

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

I'm curious, how often do panic attacks lead to something more serious. For example, you have a panic attack and it doesnt get better and basically you and up having a heart attack or something like that. That ever happen?

Well, I dont see why it can't, especially with someone who already has a preexisting heart condition. I know my heart rate's been abovr 180 (60-100 beats per minute is normal)......that's not healthy. I'm sure my blood pressure has been at stroke level, too. It's all about calming yourself down.....it's not healthy being at those levels for an extended period of time. Sometimes it's so hard to calm down, though....so hard....

[gypsyangels]

i have suffered from panic attacks all my life
and have found that medication and therapy have helped me cope with it.

at around twenty years of age they became out of control, so i sought help and have been treating it since then.

i am biologicley prone to panic attacks, it is just the way my body is made up and i am hyperactive which has been a huge contributing factor

with people i know who suffer from them i always say that they should find out what is the trigger-ususally stress
and find a coping strategy for it, whether it be meditation,therapy or medication.

the fear of having a panic attack is ususally worse than the actual attack as it is a horrible experience, once you have had one

there are some books available on coping stategies, which i have found quite useful.

twenty years ago, one in twenty people suffered from panic attacks now it is about one in five, so always remember you are not alone, you just have to find the best coping mechanism for you

take care and i hope this helps

gypsy xo

[gypsyangels]

untreated panic attacks can lead to the follow mental illness:

depression
ocd
irrational thoughts
claustiphobia
withdrawl from society
unable to cope with day to day activities
loss of concentration
nervous breakdowns

i have suffered from all of these at one point in my life
and have been addicted to valium at one stage

i have found that the medication efexor has been a great help as it is a treatment for depression and anxiety and for the last four years i have been able to cope.

my motto is: "if i get up in the morning and go to bed at night and have coped, then it has been a good day"

[Rickypt]

I've been getting them for the past 5 years. They started when I was grieving and now just happen once in a while when I'm especially stressed or upset. I keep a bottle of ativan with me at all times and usually .5 mg will do the trick.

It helps just to remain focused on the fact that it's just a panic attack, it will go away, and you will breathe easy again soon.

Good luck.

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Thanks everyone. It's good to know I'm not alone. Maybe this is a sign that I need to try to rid myself of some of the stress in my life

[ELIUD]

I have a friend who started having panic attacks in his mid thirties. After he began experiencing a lot of unexplained weight loss, he found out his panic attacks were due to a thyroid problem which he must take medicaiton for to keep under control. You should get that checked out.

[Mad4stevie]

I had two very severe panic attacks in 2002 - after I lost my job. I had never experienced anything like that in my life. It does feel like you are having a heart attack. In fact, the next day my chest muscles were actually sore from all the tightness from the attack. I literally could not control my body; the stress had taken over completely at that point.

And I think the fear of the next attack coming on can be worse than the attack itself. Because it can strike without warning, and you are afraid to go anywhere or do anything in the event one occures.

I went on Zoloft for anxiety and had ativan for short term use. That ativan was difficult to stop taking - I had problems sleeping when I stopped using it. Since that time, therapy has helped and I have not had any attacks since, even after stopping the Zoloft.

[JazmenFlowers]

panic attack city, table for one. right here.

I agree with everything Curty said. it is the strangest feeling. I remember being at a friend's house watching a movie on a Saturday night...not a trouble in the world and all of a sudden I started to panic. about what I'm not sure. but I couldn't calm down. I had this urge to start balancing my checkbook and checking to see if all my bills were paid and all my schoolwork was done. then I started carrying a calendar everywhere. I had one at work, one in my backpack, one in the car...and constantly putting post its everywhere to remind me of things. that was it for me. I got on Paxil and it worked, for a while, but I was a zombie. I got off Paxil and still have panic attacks/anxiety attacks. funny you mention this now as I've considered getting on something b/c I feel like I'm getting back into the Imaypost-itmyselftodeath syndrome.

funny thing is I don't have the slightest bit of stage fright or speaking in front of people or crowds or any of that...it's just an OCD thing I think with me.

the trouble breathing is the worst. I "sigh" a LOT. I mean, a LOT. it gets on people's nerves, but I can't help it, it's the only thing that seems to calm me.

hope you get better.

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

panic attack city, table for one. right here.

I agree with everything Curty said. it is the strangest feeling. I remember being at a friend's house watching a movie on a Saturday night...not a trouble in the world and all of a sudden I started to panic. about what I'm not sure. but I couldn't calm down. I had this urge to start balancing my checkbook and checking to see if all my bills were paid and all my schoolwork was done. then I started carrying a calendar everywhere. I had one at work, one in my backpack, one in the car...and constantly putting post its everywhere to remind me of things. that was it for me. I got on Paxil and it worked, for a while, but I was a zombie. I got off Paxil and still have panic attacks/anxiety attacks. funny you mention this now as I've considered getting on something b/c I feel like I'm getting back into the Imaypost-itmyselftodeath syndrome.

funny thing is I don't have the slightest bit of stage fright or speaking in front of people or crowds or any of that...it's just an OCD thing I think with me.

the trouble breathing is the worst. I "sigh" a LOT. I mean, a LOT. it gets on people's nerves, but I can't help it, it's the only thing that seems to calm me.

hope you get better.

My friend, you dont have to apologize for something that helps you calm down. If people dont understand that, then thats their problem, not yours.

[SteveMacD]

I wouldn't say I "suffered" with panic attacks. I've actually grown to enjoy them. But then, I have an oddball, sick sense of humor anyway.