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. Lack of not eating, and the drop of blood sugar can cause symptoms of a panic attack.
This is called hypoglycemia and the symptoms are exactly the same as a panic attack--even the same stuff is going on physiologically. Hypoglycemia is caused by low blood sugar, generally by not eating, or sometimes as the result of medications or diabetes. It can also be triggered by strenuous exercise (which is why you eat after a work-out) or by a hectic day (for both the combination of the body using sugar as a quick energy source-thus depleting it-and the adrenalin that kicks in when sugar wears out).
Alcohol can also causes hypoglycemia as it blocks the liver from regulating blood sugar. Most people confuse hypoglycemic symptoms with that of being hung-over or still drunk, which is why they tend to feel better simply by eating or drinking juice.
Here's a quick and easy way to figure out if you are experiencing hypoglycemia or a panic attack:
Have a can of Sprite or anything that has high-fructose corn syrup and no caffeine handy. As soon as you feel symptoms, take a good drink of Sprite. If you immediately feel better, then you just had low blood sugar, if the symptoms persist or gets worse, then it is something else.
I've also wondered if some panic attacks are hormonal induced.
Sometimes. Panic attacks can be caused by many factors, but the one thing that they have in common is that the adrenal gland gets turned on for what-ever reason.
I dont know if this is a panic attack or something else, Yesterday after a busy stressfull day at work. I came home and ate to much for dinner. about 45 mins after dinner I started to feel my heart race so i took my blood presseure with my electronic monitor. My BP was 130/74 but my heart rate was 130, after I seen my heart rate was so high i started to kind of panic, i went and laid down but continued to monitor my heart rate. It reached as high as 146 while laying down, and lasted for 2-3 hours. This has happened to me 2 times this month and it always seems to happen after a stressfull day at work, and both times it occured I had skipped lunch because I was to busy at work, and both times I overate at dinner. I have always had a fairly high heart rate (around 100bpm) but this really scared me. My wife thinks that with my new found stress at work along with eating wrong, triggered a panic attack. Has anyone else had these symptoms??
Hiya,
In certain circumstances my heart races soon after I've eaten as well. Tends to be when I'm stressed or tired or I've had a lot of sugary food with the lunch. While I was panicky the racing itself could trigger a panic attack, but now I'm kind of used to it happening sometimes. I just rationalise it to myself by thinking that it's my heart trying to get the glucose distributed, so it's got to work a touch harder. Try not to worry about it.
In certain circumstances my heart races soon after I've eaten as well. Tends to be when I'm stressed or tired or I've had a lot of sugary food with the lunch. While I was panicky the racing itself could trigger a panic attack, but now I'm kind of used to it happening sometimes. I just rationalise it to myself by thinking that it's my heart trying to get the glucose distributed, so it's got to work a touch harder. Try not to worry about it.
What are you eating? It could be from a spike in glucose levels. Really high-blood sugar has the same symptoms as really low. Possibly diabetes. Maybe you should get a check.
I had panic attacks for years. They went away when I did the following.........Switched to a super healthy mostly vegetarian diet, with lots of supplements including all B-vitamins. I also used spirulina and other concentrated green super foods. We are not talking about simply cutting out fast food here, we are talking, major MAJOR diet overhaul.
Quit all caffeine intake and lowered sugar intake. Reduced carbs.
Exercise as a daily ritual.
Meditation.
About 20 days into this and I felt like I was reborn, literally. I lost weight, began sleeping like a baby for the fist time in years. I felt a huge weight lifted and slowly but surely the panics went away. In fact, they went away completely. This was 3 years ago.
I honestly believe some aspect of panic attacks are indeed cognitive related, but the triggers that head on the path of having panic are most likely created by a imbalance in the bodies physical systems. These imbalances create symptoms and we, as panic prone folks over react, leading to panic. This is just my theory based on 18 years of having suffered from the hideous disorder!
I'm finding that now I am taking 30mgs of Paxil per day I don't have panic attacks anymore but the fear is still there that I will. I do tend to be affraid to do some things but when I push myself to do them, I am generally fine.
I did have to go to a meeting where there were ALOT of people in an enclosed area, it was loud. No attacks nor did I sweat as I normally do and I didn't have any attacks of diarhea either. I did feel somewhat mentally overwhelmed by the noise but that was the extent of it. Each time I accomplish something like this, I feel better about doing it the next time.
I've been to Walmart many times and not suffered any of the problems I normally do. I do still feel overwhelmed at times with the noise but thats all that happens.
I'm finding that now I am taking 30mgs of Paxil per day I don't have panic attacks anymore but the fear is still there that I will. I do tend to be affraid to do some things but when I push myself to do them, I am generally fine.
I did have to go to a meeting where there were ALOT of people in an enclosed area, it was loud. No attacks nor did I sweat as I normally do and I didn't have any attacks of diarhea either. I did feel somewhat mentally overwhelmed by the noise but that was the extent of it. Each time I accomplish something like this, I feel better about doing it the next time.
I've been to Walmart many times and not suffered any of the problems I normally do. I do still feel overwhelmed at times with the noise but thats all that happens.
I think the key for you to overcome this, is to keep pushing yourself and giving yourself recognition each time you achieve a goal, no matter how small it is. This reinforces postive thoughts in your mind. You will begin to automatically have good cognitive responses to situations that used to cause a negative response. Whatever you do, do not back down, keep moving forward. You have now proven to yourself you can overcome situations, keep challenging yourself and this situations will be come easier and easier to deal with. Next thing you know, the gaps between that uneasy feeling get bigger and bigger until the go away al together. Trust me, you can get there and you seem to be on the right path.
I think the key for you to overcome this, is to keep pushing yourself and giving yourself recognition each time you achieve a goal, no matter how small it is. This reinforces postive thoughts in your mind. You will begin to automatically have good cognitive responses to situations that used to cause a negative response. Whatever you do, do not back down, keep moving forward. You have now proven to yourself you can overcome situations, keep challenging yourself and this situations will be come easier and easier to deal with. Next thing you know, the gaps between that uneasy feeling get bigger and bigger until the go away al together. Trust me, you can get there and you seem to be on the right path.
I totally agree with you there. I have been pushing myself AND I do something I call self counseling. I talk to myself all the time, telling myself how that wasn't so bad and how I did fine etc.
I went out to Walmart tonight and then to Olive Garden. I had been dreading it. I always feel like when I have to go out and accomplish something that there is going to be a problem or something go wrong. Which is silly since they are such EASY things to accomplish.
Everything went just fine and we had a nice meal. I had an issue to deal with and I found an easy way to deal with it with NO problem at all.
I'm proud of myself and I feel like I am on the way to getting back to normal.
Tomorrow I am going to spend the day by the pool with my daughter and her friend, screaming children and all.
I am sure they are for some. For me, my panic attacks are worse durning my monthly cycle than at other times. Its funny, my family can tell when I am in that pre-period mode. As the panic attacks start coming on, they are like...oh no, stay away from mom for the next week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mystree
I've also wondered if some panic attacks are hormonal induced.
Lindsey, I am really happy for you that you are doing so well. That is wonderful. The paxil has helped you in a huge way. The fear you have will get less and less, then at some point you will forget about being afraid to do some things that might have been triggers for you. You might actually become normal. Lol. You know I am teasing you. I couldnt even tell ya what normal is anymore...lol
Right now I am pushing myself to get a lot more excercise than I am used to. Its been hard, but each time I do it, it is less scarey. Excercise was a trigger for me, as it made my heart beat faster, and we all know how our minds interpet that as danger as silly as that might be. So the fact that I am able to excercise is wonderful for me. The more positive encounters we can have, the better for our minds. We can replace all our bad memories with good ones, and watch the panic fade...Now if I could figure out how to not get anxious at certain times of the month, I would be doing great.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren
I'm finding that now I am taking 30mgs of Paxil per day I don't have panic attacks anymore but the fear is still there that I will. I do tend to be affraid to do some things but when I push myself to do them, I am generally fine.
I did have to go to a meeting where there were ALOT of people in an enclosed area, it was loud. No attacks nor did I sweat as I normally do and I didn't have any attacks of diarhea either. I did feel somewhat mentally overwhelmed by the noise but that was the extent of it. Each time I accomplish something like this, I feel better about doing it the next time.
I've been to Walmart many times and not suffered any of the problems I normally do. I do still feel overwhelmed at times with the noise but thats all that happens.
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. 
. That is wonderful. The paxil has helped you in a huge way. The fear you have will get less and less, then at some point you will forget about being afraid to do some things that might have been triggers for you. You might actually become normal
. Lol. You know I am teasing you