Panic/Anxiety Attacks: Support, Advice, Help, Treatment Options (my throat, cough, sleep)

[mimosa]

why are you saying don't drink if you are an anxious person? or did you mean don't drink and take meds.

[Lisa_from_Debary]

Just in case anybody finds themselves needing medication and they don't have insurance...I found out something interesting that Target and Walmart are doing to help people in that position.

Both of these stores have a list of generics they will sell to you, no insurance needed for only 4 or 5 bucks...

I am a studenty and don't have insurance so this has been a HUGE deal to me.

I dropped of my script to have it refilled tonight.

Walgreens wanted $60 for the exact same script with NO insurance...

[skytrekker]

I suffer from panic attacks- and have since I was a child. But the problem is associated with me being diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. (the two seem to Go hand in hand) Also suffer from obsessive compulsive behavior (again this goes along with the two 'issues' above)

I take 30 mg of buspar- or buspirone a day- it helps stabilize me and make this problem less of an issue (though it always just below the surface)

[Lakewooder]

I know someone who gets drowsy on xanax - but she has a larger dose. I say get the smallest ones and break them in half. Just doing something (taking a very small, almost ineffective dose) seems to have a placebo effect which will calm you down.

[MontanaGuy]

I've had Meniere's Disease for quite a few years which is an inner ear disorder that can become very serious. When I first came down with this illness about 13 years ago I would suddenly have severe attacks of vertigo that were so strong that the room would be spinning and I would become violently sick and it would last for over eight hours. It looked like I was going to become completely deaf at one point and the fear of the attacks took on a life of it's own and I was having panic attacks due to the fear of the vertigo. I had three major operations and I also started taking Prozac and the effect of that drug was amazing. I also take xanax as others have talked about and now I haven't had a vertigo attack in quite a few years and they were able to save my hearing from the surgeries. These drugs helped me so much I can't begin to describe it. People take drugs for all sorts of reasons like insulin which can save someone's life. It's nothing to be ashamed of and it can help a great deal. I went from having two or three vertigo attacks a week and was at the point where I felt I might be disabled for the rest of my life to a point where I am completely able to function normally. Much of this is due to advances in medication and I'm just thankful that it was available.

[aiangel_writer]

Originally Posted by Lisa_from_Debary

My only concern with that is the Paxil makes me drowsy anyway...I hate to have more of a problem with that. We will see what the doctor says...I mean the psych doctor, I really don't trust GPs to perscribe something like this.

Lisa, taking the medications will usually help with the symptoms of panic attacks, but if you don't find the root of the problem that brings on these attacks, it will still be there.

I started having panic attacks right after very stressful few years and they came on so suddenly I had no idea what was wrong with me. Anxiety disorder is one of the leading attributes of people with panic attacks. Caffeine does tend to make things worse, but I can't give up my caffeine. There is a series of tapes that have really helped me a lot, they tend to be a little bit expensive and I could not get them until just recently, but they are worth saving up for.

At one time, I could not even go outside, drive or have any type of life outside my home.

ONe of the major things to realize is that you are having a panic attack, you have had them before, you have not died from them, and to calm yourself down. I am betting that you have someone/someplace that is your safe zone? My home was mine. I have since learned that I can be my own safe zone and this has helped me get back into life. I have taken two long trips this past month alone for the first time in over 10 years.

If you would like the name of these tapes, pm me and I will give them to you. LIke I said, the meds are ok, but will not cure the underlying problem of why you are suddenly having these attacks.

[Lisa_from_Debary]

Originally Posted by aiangel_writer

Lisa, taking the medications will usually help with the symptoms of panic attacks, but if you don't find the root of the problem that brings on these attacks, it will still be there.

I started having panic attacks right after very stressful few years and they came on so suddenly I had no idea what was wrong with me. Anxiety disorder is one of the leading attributes of people with panic attacks. Caffeine does tend to make things worse, but I can't give up my caffeine. There is a series of tapes that have really helped me a lot, they tend to be a little bit expensive and I could not get them until just recently, but they are worth saving up for.

At one time, I could not even go outside, drive or have any type of life outside my home.

ONe of the major things to realize is that you are having a panic attack, you have had them before, you have not died from them, and to calm yourself down. I am betting that you have someone/someplace that is your safe zone? My home was mine. I have since learned that I can be my own safe zone and this has helped me get back into life. I have taken two long trips this past month alone for the first time in over 10 years.

If you would like the name of these tapes, pm me and I will give them to you. LIke I said, the meds are ok, but will not cure the underlying problem of why you are suddenly having these attacks.

You are so right about getting to the root of the problem, I have a couple things going on at the moment but the biggest one is a family issue that is bigger then I can even wrap my mind around...

After having talked to a friend of mine, I feel this has been going on for some time, like years and I just didn't realize what it was...My safe place is my home for sure.

[DareToDream]

Hi Lisa (and anyone else with panic attacks/high anxiety) - I've had panic disorder for many years. At one point they caused me to become severely agoraphobic and I was unable to leave my bedroom! When I first started having panic attacks, very few people knew what they were. I went to my doc who did all kinds of tests for cardiac, thyroid problems, etc., which were all normal. He then told me he felt my problems were "in my head" and I should see a psychiatrist.....Lordy could I tell you stories about a couple of them!

In any case, one of the things that helped me was the CHAANGE Program - here's a link to their site: ANXIETY TREATMENT - Treatment for Anxiety CHAANGE .

I FINALLY found a psychiatrist who knew about panic disorder and combined cognitive/behavioral therapy along with medications. I am happy to say, I am now pretty "normal" (whatever normal is! <g>).

As others have said, breathing is important, relaxation techniques are important, learning to make yourself your "safe person", oh lordy, I could go on an on.

The important thing to remember is that panic attacks can be managed. Some people need meds, some don't. The majority of people I've known with panic disorder (including myself) tend to be "people pleasers" and "perfectionists." They also think in "what ifs" instead of "so whats", if that makes any sense.

If I can help anyone in any way, please feel free to PM me!

[Lisa_from_Debary]

I am a worrier, its like a switch in my brain I can't turn off...when they build up too much, I have a panic attack.

I am definetly one of those people who is going to need medication until I can get some of the things under control that are going on in my life.

Its been nice talking to you guys about this, I really don't know anyone who has something similar going on. I know its a subject that sometimes people don't want to be open about but doing it anyway give us all courage to talk and be open.

I am downloading some files called "Attacking Anxiety and Depression" and I will check into the website you spoke of as well.

[DareToDream]

Hi Lisa - People with panic attacks are generally worryers (that spelling doesn't look right) - I used to say that if I didn't have something to worry about, I'd worry about not having something to worry about!

People don't like to be open about panic attacks, depression, any kind of mental health issue because, even in this "enlightened age", there are still too many stigmas attached, at least in my opionion. As I got better and was able to get out and about again, I was very vocal about panic attacks and surprisingly, one of my friends admitted he had also been having them, didn't know what they were, but drinking took care of the feelings - he was basically 'self-medicating' with alcohol.

In any case, when someone would ask me how it felt to have a panic attack, I would tell them to imagine what it would be like to be standing on a train track, your feet nailed down, and a train coming at you full speed and you couldn't get away....they got the point real quick

I do take medication, which does help. With the help of the medication and therapy, I started taking "baby steps" and I now am relatively free of panic attacks - I will have an occasional one, still, but I know what it is and I talk my way through it by doing the breathing exercises, realizing it's "just" a panic attack and on occasion, if I can catch it quickly, I tell it to come and get me and do its worst....it seems to short-circuit the feelings and a full-blown attack never comes. If you can learn to do that and to "float through" the attack instead of trying to fight it, it helps as well - it helps to calm down the "adrenaline surge" that will escalate the attack.

There are also medications to be aware of if you are prone to panic attacks - the majority of those with panic attacks experience more of them if they take any medication with a "-drine" in the name (a lot of OTC allergy meds have that ingredient). Many also have a problem with the "-caines" - Novocain, Xylocaine, lidocaine - Oddly enough, one that does not bother most is Carbocaine. Whenever I need dental work, I insist on Carbocaine for the anesthetic and I have no panic reaction.

One of the things that was a "trigger" for me was saying I would go somewhere or do something that I really didn't want to do or go to (part of the people-pleasing aspect).

I am happy to say that I am one of the "success stories" at this point. A little over a year ago I was able to move 300 miles from my former residence to a new one and had no panic attacks during the move or after. I have had times when I've felt "antsy", especially in the beginning as I knew nobody in the area other than my husband, but that was about it.

Panic attacks can be brought under control and people can go on and lead a normal life - that's the important thing to remember - there may be times when you feel uncomfortable, or "antsy", but those feelings will pass......Hope all this rambling makes sense!

P.S. - For meds, if anyone is put on an SSRI (Prozac, Zoloft, etc.), they may increase the frequency of attacks until the brain chemistry "adjusts" - the best way to minimize that is to start on the lowest dose and gradually titrate up over a period of time.