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True anxiety disorder cannot be wished or calmed away. It is the body taking over. And there are those who say that anxiety is about things that may or may not happen, or an exaggerated fear of them. I disagree. I have anxiety disorder, and I have real fears based on real problems. I have found when I get solutions, I feel better, but it doesn't alleviate the GAD. To me, the GAD is like the body is on autopilot from too much stress. It isn't irrational fears...I have the fears, because they happened before. Will they happen again? Maybe, because the same bad thing happened several times.
Even with I have cleared the slate and started over, it is still bad.
It isn't a choice for me whether I want to take medication or not, I have to, to function. Without it, I could not do my job. I cannot focus, my hands shake, my teeth chatter in my head, my arms are weak, I feel like I am buzzing throughout my body and even my voice sounds jittery.
I think if you have xanax or klonipin only for 'emergencies' it helps. You don't have to take them every day. Carry the pill bottle with you - it's like a security blanket.
That's how it is with me and my Xanax -- just knowing it is with me "just in case" helps A LOT!
Also, I take a very low dose of Celexa every day (but about to ween off) and that worked for me. It has been over a year since my last full blown panic attack
Last edited by HighlandsGal; 08-06-2008 at 01:34 PM..
Reason: added a thought
Hi all. I have been dealing with a panic disorder for almost 20 years now off and on. The last 6 years it has been extreme. I have seen all kinds of doctors, taken different meds, I am still on a anti-anxiety and anti-depressant. Nothing has really helped. Right now, I am in a bad cycle, I am not sleeping, my mind races all night long. I feel my heart racing all the time. I feel really scared of I dont know what, but the feeling never leaves me. I am scared that I wont be able to keep fighting this forever. I feel so hopelss right now. I dont even live a life. I forgot what it is to smile and just be calm. I stay home 90% of the time. Cant go to the movies, dinner, the mall, it is so hard for me to be in a car. I havent been on the freeway in like 8 months. We are planning a move to New England this coming year for which I am very excited about. Maybe a calmer place might help. I dont know. People take for granted how lucky they are to just go to the movies. The thought of that makes me hyperventilate, and cry, and just feel soo scared. For people that dont have this disorder, I know it is hard to understand. But your life is just sad, scared, hopeless, all the time. It sounds silly to be afraid to drive, eat out or go shopping, but the fear is there all the time. Why? I dont know but like I said, I just feel like I am at my breaking point, this isnt a life anymore. Is there anyone that has had panic attacks to the severity that I do, and has gotten better? Please tell me there is some hope out there.
I also have had pannic attacks.....some say it's because i'm a worry wort . Excersize and no caffine helps me a lot. I also went through a time when I took Paxil....wouldn't recomend it but it did help. Your doctor should be able to experiment with some different medications and hopefully find one that works for you....especially if it's as debilitating as you describe.
No offense, but if it was that easy for you, you didn't have that severe a case of panic disorder/anxiety disorder. Some of us do.
I agree, you can't wish it away or distract it. I tend to wake up with them, and shake and cannot go back to sleep. I don't really have disturbing thought, but I have trembling, teeth chattering, numb arms, shaking, feeling like I want to crawl out of my skin, rapid breathing, rapid heartrate.
Only Ativan helps, and now the generic forms seem to be watered down. I don't care what they say about "generic is the same as the brand name, blah blah"...it's not, many are made overseas and I bet they cheapen them down.
I also have had pannic attacks.....some say it's because i'm a worry wort . Excersize and no caffine helps me a lot. I also went through a time when I took Paxil....wouldn't recomend it but it did help. Your doctor should be able to experiment with some different medications and hopefully find one that works for you....especially if it's as debilitating as you describe.
Hi lola, when I wrote that post over a year ago, I had been dealing with panic/anxiety for over 21 years. I have been on many medications. They didnt work for me. I am currently doing pretty well. I have triggers that cause anxiety, but I work through them. It is very hard to do. Sometimes I fail, but I get up and try again. I will never give up on trying. You cant, the minute you do, you will be trapped.
Dealing with this disorder is something you have to do on a daily basis. You have to "show it" who is boss. This disorder is mental, and then the physical part takes over. The trick is to find out what even the most littlest trigger is. Once your brain acknowledges that there is even the tiniest fear thought going on, it takes off with it. Then before you know it, you have all the crappy symptoms, not being able to breathe, tightening of the chest, numbness, heavy legs, rapid heartbeat, etc....the list goes on. It can feel like you will never get better, or that this is your last breath, or you are going to drop dead of a heart attack. It is truly a terrifying experience. Once you have been to a Doctor and all health issues have been ruled out, and you have a genuine panic disorder, the trick is to let yourself feel what it is you are feeling (scarey, I know) and know that it WILL pass. I am living proof and so are many of our other posters who have been dealing with this for years. We are all alive. So as terrifying as the feelings are, that is ALL they are, feelings. That is a huge message to yourself to remember. Once you can do that, then you will be that much better.
It has taken me 21 years to get it right. It has been a very hard and longgggg road. Panic/anxiety can make you feel so lonely. It is hard for anyone to truly understand, unless you have gone through it yourself. My husband still doesnt get it. Not his fault though, he cant know what it is like. All he can do is be there. Since this is a hereditary(sp?) disorder, my youngest daughter is now dealing with it. I am working with her as best as I can to teach her what I know and how to cope, so this doesnt take over her life, the way it did mine. So, if I had to go through all of this undescribable misery, only to be able to help my daughter, then it was worth it. I dont regret a single day. To be there for her, and to truly know what she is going through is gift. I can actually help her, and I have been. She is getting better. She isnt perfect yet, although in my eyes she is. But we work on her everyday. I have her taking some herbs that I also started taking, as I dont want her to go down the medicine road ever. She is responding to them very well.
Ok, I will stop the rambling for now. I havent been able to post here for awhile, busy doing my Mod stuff, lol, and have seen there are yet more folks who are posting on this thread. So while I had the time, I wanted to talk positively about anxiety. I truly believe everyone can get better, maybe not everyone will get healed completely, but you can learn to live with anxiety, it doesnt have to control your life, it doesnt have to ruin your life. Trust me, I know.
So everyone, have a great rest of the week, please try to remember, no matter how bad or scarey the feelings are, they are JUST feelings. They will always go away. Also, if anyone ever needs to talk, you can always feel free to DM me, and if I can help, I will. Us panic/anxiety people need to stick together and be there for one another. Take Care.
I didn't even know this thread even existed. There's way too much to read but I thought id just throw my story in, hopefully someone reads it
I've had a panic disorder for 5 years now, since I was 21. My first attack was in my most comfortable place... at home. I was lying down (which is what im usually doing every time I have an attack) and watching tv. The first feeling I felt was chest pains, my heart started racing, I couldn't catch my breath, I thought I was dying. I went outside to get some fresh air but it continued for a half an hour so I called for an ambulance. That was the biggest waste of time and money! Three hours in the ER, and nothing!!! After I had two, three, four attacks I knew that it wasn't normal. So, I found myself always going to the doctor but everything came out fine. The past two years I've had 5 big attacks, worse than my first one and a hundred small ones that last for maybe 10 minutes. No one understand me, they say they've had a panic attack but it sounds NOTHING like what I experience. I ask them, Do you feel like you are going to die? They say no. It drives me nuts that no one really understands. So here are my symptoms in order.... I've got this down but still can't control it or stop it.
-dry mouth/lump in throat
-random pains usually around my head, neck, throat, wrists
-my head and ears get hot (like someone just punched me in the head)
-my adrenaline skyrockets, can't sit still, start tapping my feet, feeling my body... it's really strange looking im sure, like i have bugs crawling all over me.
-my arms and legs go numb/tingly.... I have to start walking, I could run a marathon probably.
-I can't breath, I can't feel my heartbeat.....
-I lose interest in what I was doing, loose my appetite if I was eating, and for some reason feel an urge to relieve myself.
-I get ice cold, my teeth start to chatter.
-I can't hear right, I can't see straight... I feel dizzy like im going to pass out.
-I get so close to calling 911, but somehow even though I can't control it, I can still stop myself from going to the ER.
30 minutes-hour pass... I just want to fall asleep and wake up like it never happened.
I've been seeing a therapist for 2 weeks now, and my regular doctor prescribed me prozac for now. I haven't had a serious attack since then. I don't know what triggers them. Im still scared one will come on. It's the worse feeling I've ever felt in my life.
hi i have had the same problem for years now. it started off with my boyfriend ending it with me and i stopped contacting my friends. i was alone for months in my room, at this time i was a student at uni. did'nt attend my lectures because i felt i was going to choke infront of everyone for no reason and felt like i could'nt breathe. one day i just woke up and found it really hard to eat especially infront of my flatmates and my family. i thought something was wrong with my throat, so i went to doctors and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. when i was young i had alot of things going on which i did'nt seem to understand till i started uni, i started thinking all the time. i would wake up in the night and feel as though i could'nt breathe. it's getting worse and the doctors are not helping, i get prescribed medication which makes me feel abnormal. my father has been diagnosed with kideney failure and has made my health to dederiate. i hav'nt told anyone about this problem accept the doctor. i just hide away from everyone and my mates think im a wierd cause i dont want to socialise. i do i just can't. i just want to be normal again. i smoke alot, which i know it can may it worse, but can't stop. i wish there was a miracle.
I didn't even know this thread even existed. There's way too much to read but I thought id just throw my story in, hopefully someone reads it
I've had a panic disorder for 5 years now, since I was 21. My first attack was in my most comfortable place... at home. I was lying down (which is what im usually doing every time I have an attack) and watching tv. The first feeling I felt was chest pains, my heart started racing, I couldn't catch my breath, I thought I was dying. I went outside to get some fresh air but it continued for a half an hour so I called for an ambulance. That was the biggest waste of time and money! Three hours in the ER, and nothing!!! After I had two, three, four attacks I knew that it wasn't normal. So, I found myself always going to the doctor but everything came out fine. The past two years I've had 5 big attacks, worse than my first one and a hundred small ones that last for maybe 10 minutes. No one understand me, they say they've had a panic attack but it sounds NOTHING like what I experience. I ask them, Do you feel like you are going to die? They say no. It drives me nuts that no one really understands. So here are my symptoms in order.... I've got this down but still can't control it or stop it.
-dry mouth/lump in throat
-random pains usually around my head, neck, throat, wrists
-my head and ears get hot (like someone just punched me in the head)
-my adrenaline skyrockets, can't sit still, start tapping my feet, feeling my body... it's really strange looking im sure, like i have bugs crawling all over me.
-my arms and legs go numb/tingly.... I have to start walking, I could run a marathon probably.
-I can't breath, I can't feel my heartbeat.....
-I lose interest in what I was doing, loose my appetite if I was eating, and for some reason feel an urge to relieve myself.
-I get ice cold, my teeth start to chatter.
-I can't hear right, I can't see straight... I feel dizzy like im going to pass out.
-I get so close to calling 911, but somehow even though I can't control it, I can still stop myself from going to the ER.
30 minutes-hour pass... I just want to fall asleep and wake up like it never happened.
I've been seeing a therapist for 2 weeks now, and my regular doctor prescribed me prozac for now. I haven't had a serious attack since then. I don't know what triggers them. Im still scared one will come on. It's the worse feeling I've ever felt in my life.
You sound like me, with the symptoms. Prozac didn't work for me, the doctor said it can increase nervousness. I said, "then why DID you give that to me!" I too, get the teeth chattering, shaking, numbness, lack of focus and my voice sounds awful. My heart would beat hard and I could not breathe well...this could go on for hours. I would wake with it, which is why I am on a larger dose of Klonopin at night. I hope the Prozac works for you.
The antianxiety drugs work best for me. The Benzos, and you have to respect them, because they can be addicting, do work, and do control my symptoms.
Ativan works on the panic attacks. Klonopin helps keep them away.
hi i have had the same problem for years now. it started off with my boyfriend ending it with me and i stopped contacting my friends. i was alone for months in my room, at this time i was a student at uni. did'nt attend my lectures because i felt i was going to choke infront of everyone for no reason and felt like i could'nt breathe. one day i just woke up and found it really hard to eat especially infront of my flatmates and my family. i thought something was wrong with my throat, so i went to doctors and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. when i was young i had alot of things going on which i did'nt seem to understand till i started uni, i started thinking all the time. i would wake up in the night and feel as though i could'nt breathe. it's getting worse and the doctors are not helping, i get prescribed medication which makes me feel abnormal. my father has been diagnosed with kideney failure and has made my health to dederiate. i hav'nt told anyone about this problem accept the doctor. i just hide away from everyone and my mates think im a wierd cause i dont want to socialise. i do i just can't. i just want to be normal again. i smoke alot, which i know it can may it worse, but can't stop. i wish there was a miracle.
Kaz you should come over to the Panic Attack thread, and post there. We have a lot of people who have the same problems you have. What kind of medication are you taking? You sound like you are having classic anxiety, but I am not a doctor, this is just my opinion. So many of us with anxiety have the choking feeling or the fear that our throat will close, or we wont be able to breathe. Atleast go read some of the post in the panic thread, you might find comfort in knowing you arent alone at all. I wish you luck. I know how hard it can be. I am truly sorry you are suffering.
This may be something other than P/A disorder, nephthys.
Nephthys, I have to tell you that what you are describing may well be panic attacks, but it also smacks of the symptoms that those of us with a mitral valve prolapse may experience. Especially when you mention that it only has happened when you are lying down.
I started having full-blown panic/anxiety disorder in my early twenties (which is the most typical time for the onset of this disorder). However, after suffering from them for 25+ yrs., I had gained control over the triggers and symptoms to begin leading a more normal life. My attacks were daily - almost minute to minute.
I have since had many health problems due to mixed connective tissue disease including Lupus and heart abnormalities. The symptoms you describe are not unlike those most who have mitral valve prolapse have. The neck, chest and arm pain when lying down, especially on the back or left side, shortness of breath, dizzyness, racing heart rate all might be symtematic of anxiety or mitral valve.
If your doctor has not ordered a cardiac ultrasound, even a TEE (trans-esophageal echogram), you might serve yourself well to ask him to consider these tests to rule out any valve problem.
If it is truly panic/anxiety disorder, there are many medications, relaxation methods, biofeedback, desensitization, etc. that will probably help you during those events. You don't have them very regularly, so it does make one think that it may be more of a physical disorder.
We are here to support you and help you in any way possible no matter what the underlying cause. We have all known the fear, uncertainty and sometimes, shame or embarrassment that accompanies panic/anxiety disorder. We want to help you to cope, explore your options and let you know that we all understand. You are definitely not alone in this and there is nothing to really worry about. There is help for everyone; we just have to find what works the best for us individually.
Let us know how you are doing.
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but like I said, I just feel like I am at my breaking point, this isnt a life anymore. Is there anyone that has had panic attacks to the severity that I do, and has gotten better? Please tell me there is some hope out there.
. Excersize and no caffine helps me a lot. I also went through a time when I took Paxil....wouldn't recomend it but it did help. Your doctor should be able to experiment with some different medications and hopefully find one that works for you....especially if it's as debilitating as you describe.
) and know that it WILL pass. I am living proof and so are many of our other posters who have been dealing with this for years. We are all alive. So as terrifying as the feelings are, that is ALL they are, feelings. That is a huge message to yourself to remember. Once you can do that, then you will be that much better. 
. But we work on her everyday. I have her taking some herbs that I also started taking, as I dont want her to go down the medicine road ever. She is responding to them very well.
This may be something other than P/A disorder, nephthys.
